Favourite Worst Nightmare is the title of the followup to the Arctics' record-breaking debut album, and will be out in the UK on April 23rd, in North America on the 24th. Tracklisting as follows:

01. Brianstorm
02. Teddy Picker
03. D is for Dangerous
04. Balaclava
05. Fluorescent Adolescent
06. Only Ones Who Know
07. Do Me a Favour
08. This House Is a Circus
09. If You Were There, Beware
10. The Bad Thing
11. Old Yellow Bricks
12. 505

(Edited to update release date information ~ see above and below. )

Is there a US release date yet? The first album was great, can't wait to hear the new one.

No word yet, but since their USA releases have essentially been "imports" pressed and distributed here by the same indie label (Domino) which distributes them in England, it wouldn't surprise me if this was released here the same week.

No audio samples yet, but here's the band's new logo:

Their debut was really good-along with Bloc Party and Keane these guys are the best new band out of the UK the last few years IMO.

Here's the video for the first single, "Brianstorm". See what y'all think:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30w8DyEJ__0[/youtube]

And here finally is the album:



While this sophomore release is unmistakably Arctic Monkeys, everything's a little more muscular and aggressive. Each song is embedded with revelatory moments, as if some sort of critical mass is achieved through skillful song craft and sharp arrangements until an explosive release of energy or emotion is inevitable. Arctic Monkeys have exceeded expectations with this record.

Having heard this, I agree with Amazon's comments about songcraft and arrangements. The production is "heavier" than the first album but it still sounds spontaneous and punky-poppy. There are also ghostly, Specials-esque keyboard flourishes running through many of the tracks. It's an excellent sophomore album, not as immediate as the first one but definitely not a letdown.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NQR7NO/?tag=imwan-20

Sadly, I see this album (which I will get and like everything I've heard so far) just like sophmore efforts by Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party and other great new bands sinking quickly due to the fact even fewer kids than before actually get new music and every time a kid comes in to my coffeehouse talking about how awesome these bands are I ask "Did you get the new album?". They say, "I heard it sucks". They say this about every single new album! Now, this is just kids being fickle and moronic, but these are the fools who labels need to appeal to.
It seems a band gets a buzz then the kids ditch them. It angers me greatly. We'll see, but I expect a Top 30 debut then a quick plummet for this album. Hope I'm wrong.
If only record labels appealed to the kids when Napster exploded instead of piss them off into stealing music. Sad.

Might as well thrown this in too ~ the "Brianstorm" CD single includes three nice tracks which aren't on the album.



Do not get the import! A limited run of domestic pressings are available at about half the price:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NQR7NE/?tag=imwan-20

The Japanese version of Favourite Worst Nightmare is out now, and it contains an additional two bonus tracks which are not available on any other pressing (not even on the "Brianstorm" single). Here are audio samples of the two extra songs:

"Da Frame 2R": http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF261267-01-01-13.mp3

"Matador": http://mp3.juno.co.uk/MP3/SF261267-01-01-14.mp3

The Japanese pressing of the album is available here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O5B0Q4/?tag=imwan-20

Highly recommend that you go through the Amazon link above and click the "Used" button ~ MusicJapan, one of Amazon's third party dealers, has new shrinkwrapped copies available for only $20.48 + domestic postage. Also note, Amazon's tracklist shows "Japanese Title" as track 13, which would imply three bonus tracks rather than two, but that's incorrect, they've mistaken the Japanese words for "Bonus Tracks" on the back of the package for being another track in itself.

Here's the next Arctics single, available only as an import and coming out on July 16th. It includes three new studio tracks:



Second CD single pulled from their 2007 sophomore album Favourite Worst Nightmare. Features 'Fluorescent Adolescent' plus the non-album tracks 'The Bakery', 'Plastic Tramp' and 'Too Much To Ask'. Domino.

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RMC6LW/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000RMC6LW/?tag=imwan-21

http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/29706



Arctic Monkeys hit written with ex-girlfriend

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner co-wrote current Top Five hit 'Fluorescent Adolescent' with his ex-girlfriend.

Johanna Bennett explained that the song's lyrics were written while she was going out with the band's frontman last year.

"We were on holiday and had cut ourselves off from everything. We were in a really quiet hotel and didn't watch TV or listen to that much music," she told The Observer. "So as not to drive each other mad we started messing around with these words like game, singing them to each other."

She added: "It's great to think that it came from something we did for fun on holiday. It'll always be a good memory for Alex and I. He doesn't usually write lyrics with other people, though I think he enjoyed it."

Bennett is the frontwoman of the band Totalizer, whose demos have been produced by Dirty Pretty Things guitarist Anthony Rossomando.

She explained that "the band was something Alex really encouraged me to do".

Totalizer plan to release their debut single next year.

http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/30086



Arctic Monkeys reveal truth behind Shirley Bassey cover

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner has revealed the truth behind their cover of Shirley Bassey's 'Diamonds Are Forever'.

The band played the song during their Glastonbury festival headline appearance (June 22).

Bassey said when she played the festival two days later (June 24): "I have to say Arctic Monkeys, that is how it is done. I'd like to thank them for singing 'Diamonds Are Forever'."

However, Turner has admitted the idea the cover the Dame's James Bond theme was done for a lark.

He said: "It was (producer) James Ford's joke that I took too far, I think.

"I sang it so much better when we were practising. I was so nervous."

Turner also explained how his band have tried to maintain their integrity.

He told The Guardian: "Cookie (Arctic Monkeys guitarist Jamie Cook) is a good barometer for things like that. He'll always go; 'No, I'm not doing that'."

"I probably would be more easily led if it weren't for him. Maybe not so much now but earlier on."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7H_5mC7n3E[/youtube]

The third single from the album, "Teddy Picker", will be released in the UK on December 4th. It includes another 3 non-album tracks. Here's the video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A2XBoxtcUA[/youtube]

And here's the CD single:



2007 UK 4-track CD single which shows yet again the confidence of Alex Turner's usual wit and depicts the modern day media system with its reality TV and B-list celebrities on the cover of the magazines; including the 3 exclusive b-side recordings 'Bad Woman', 'The Death Ramps' & 'Nettles'.

1. Teddy Picker - Album Version
2. Bad Woman
3. The Death Ramps
4. Nettles

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Y9PIEU/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000Y9PIEU/?tag=imwan-21

http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/33108



Arctic Monkeys consider releasing one-off singles soon

Dec 11, 2007

Arctic Monkeys plan to head to the studio to record new material soon, and are considering releasing it via one-off non-album singles.

Speaking to BBC 6Music, drummer Matt Helders explained that the band are thinking about moving away from conventional album releases.

“We've got things written, several new ideas and new songs that are ready to record,” he said. “We will do recording early on. We might not necessarily record and then release an album. We might just do little bits at once or [release] singles.

“There's really nothing planned. It just depends how it goes, which is a nice change. We can go into the studio and not necessarily have to have something done by, like, the end of the month. It'll be like, 'Just see what happens'”

One of the songs under consideration is 'Sandtrap', which Arctic Monkeys played live for the first time in the UK when they kicked their British tour off at London's Alexandra Palace on Saturday (December 8).

Also make note of the BBC's Radio 1 Live Lounge series of 2-CD sets, which include otherwise-unavailable Arctic Monkeys covers of songs by Amy Winehouse and Girls Aloud ~ details here:

http://www.imwan.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... 125#578125

Another stray Arctic Monkeys track can be found on the recently released UK import compilation [lilred]All The Rage[/lilred]. It's a cover of Shirley Bassey's James Bond movie theme song "Diamonds Are Forever", which they had performed live at last summer's Glastobury Festival (see article and video earlier in this thread):



2008 UK 15-track CD album - 'All The Rage' compiles an exciting collection of rarities, hard-to-find B-sides and never released tracks from Domino Recordings' eclectic roster; including Animal Collective, Paul Thompson [Franz Ferdinand]'s Correcto, Cass McCombs, ex-Fridge member Adem's magnificent cover version of the Breeders 'Invisible Man', Mark E Smith meets Mouse On Mars outfit Von Sudenfed are featured with a B-side never released on CD plus Arctic Monkeys perform a majestic stripped down version of Shirley Bassey's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and much more...

1. The Kills - U.R.A. Fever
2. Sons And Daughters - The Nest
3. Wild Beasts - Assembly
4. Animal Collective - Fireworks
5. Von Sudenfed - Slow Down Ronnie
6. Bonde Do Role - Office Boy
7. Steve Reid Ensemble - Jiggy Jiggy
8. Stephen Malkmus - Dragonfly Pie
9. Correcto - Joni
10. Lightspeed Champion - Midnight Surprise [Radio Edit]
11. Cass McCombs - Crick In My Neck
12. Adem - Invisible Man
13. Clinic - Christmas
14. Pram - Moonminer
15. Arctic Monkeys - Diamonds Are Forever

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010JLT3C/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0010JLT3C/?tag=imwan-21