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Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Arctic Monkey Stream

In case you didn't pick up the Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not when it was a UK import, or grabbed it yesterday during its US release, AOL is providing the album for free stream:

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

I'm having a hard time understanding the insane buzz surrounding these kids (I believe the lead is 19, thanks Rolling Stone). I like them, but their road to glory is mad redic. For instance, WPSIA,TWIN is the fastest-selling debut in British chart history, with sales of more than 360,000 copies during its first week on the charts (CBS News). And with chart success comes celebrity: two months after the album's release, lead vocalist Alex Turner was declared The Coolest Man On The Planet by NME magazine. Sure, I heard (on NPR of all places) all about how they built buzz for their first release by giving away mp3s, but tell me what "unknown" band isn't doing that? Free mp3s + catchy hooks + "honest lyrics" don't add up to tickets for their upcoming NYC show going for over $150 a piece! Should I mention again that their album was just released in Manhattan yesterday?

Give it a listen and let me know if you can help me make sense of this quandary. In addition to how Stiffler got in the band (far right).

Also, if you cruise the AOL site you are bound to find streams of the latest releases from Arab Strap, Dilated Peoples, Eels, Grand National, and Maximo Park. Thanks to Brooklyn Veegan for the tip.

posted by jds @ 2/22/2006 08:23:00 AM  

4 Comments:

  • At 6:54 PM, Blogger Tanner M. said…

    can't understand it; blows my mind... i'm not against hooks and britishishness either... frankly this should be Art Brut if anything. There must have been some serious horn swogaling going on somewhere for this to happen.

     

  • At 3:48 PM, Blogger Flatlander said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     

  • At 3:50 PM, Blogger Flatlander said…

    I'm not surprised the album has sold well because it's a good album and I'm not surprised that the British media is going "bandwagon" on them because that's what the British media does.

    But I am surprised that it's the fastest selling debut album in British history. Although I think it says more about the speed at which fans can learn about, sample and buy an album these days vs. pre-internet days.

    It won't ultimately be the best-selling debut album in British history but the internet seems to have compressed months of purchases into one week.

     

  • At 6:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Why not The Kooks or Art Brut instead.
    I like the 'Monkeys but can't understand the all the hype.
    Perhaps they are indeed thi syears' Arcade Fire or Bloc Party.
    Might I recommend the new dEUS long player "Pocket Revolution"?

     

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