Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys

I didn't know it was possible, but I took a dislike to this album before even hearing a note. The problem was that everyone was raving about it. That in itself is guaranteed to raise my suspicions; a case of emperor's new clothes? Surely something that popular can't be that good? Total nonsense I know but I couldn't help it. Then, just as I was beginning to think I might be wrong, I caught sight of the album cover. I hated it. And wasn't the lead singer a slob! Fancy smoking on the cover of your own album. Tscchhh. And so it was finally decided. I was going to avoid it. Yup I'd taken a dislike to an album because of the cover art. My snobbery had reached new heights.

But you should never judge a book by its cover. Or an album by its record sleeve. The music did the talking as slowly, track by track, I began to appreciate the album. At first it was a begrudgingly "Maybe this album is not as bad as I first thought. Still don't like it though". Then I started to listen to the lyrics. It was the lyrics that sealed it. They say write about what you know. So we get stories of nights out, waiting at bus stops, strops, taxis home and having a good time. Too good a time in some cases. Northern life in neon lights.

The songs are full of great lyrics delivered at such a breakneck speed that it's hard to pick favourites. How about this, about a taxi ride home after a night out;

"See her in the green dress? She talked to me at the bar
How come its already two pound fifty? We've only gone about a yard
Dint ya see she were gorgeous, she was beyond belief
But this lad at the side drinking a Smirnoff ice came and paid for her tropical Reef"

or about chatting up the opposite sex;

"And I'm so tense, never tenser
Could all go a bit Frank Spencer?
I'm talking gibberish, tip of the tongue but I can't deliver it
...Properly, oh it's all getting on top of me"

So if you were to ask me my opinion now....well I'd say it was a British pop classic continuing the tradition of story telling in a three minute pop song; tales of what life is really like without the glamour and glitz. Urban, gritty and real. Then again I do go on a bit. Oh and I do now know that the cover photo is not of a band member.............. It's still crap though!