You sexy little swine.

I am shocked, amazed, confounded even – that no one is yet to review this album! For a band that has broken records in the UK, the US and Australia, I can honestly not believe that no one has reviewed this masterpiece. Let me be the first then.

Here in Australia, we got wind of the new Arctic Monkeys release more than a few months back, with the band being hailed “the greatest thing out of the UK since The Beatles.” I don’t think you even need to be a Beatles fan to know what a huge call that statement is. However, I, being a fan of various other British bands not limited to The Beatles, am in full agreement with that statement. The Arctic Monkeys don’t just rock - they rock, they roll and they make me want to run the streets dancing, screaming and jumping on car roofs.

This reaction in me has been brought on by a limited amount of bands and artists. It’s those bands and artists that have personality, character, charisma and this thing called individuality that has been lost to mainstream pop since what seems like forever. The Arctic Monkeys make you feel like THEY like YOU, that you could go around to their place, shoot some pool, have a few drinks and maybe slow dance with a visiting uncle. It’s this sense of familiarity that draws me to artists like the Arctic Monkeys – not only the music, but the passion and the genuinely humble sense of gratefulness, as though they can’t believe that you are actually listening to their music. Not only that, but it’s as if the band has engaged that part of your brain that releases endorphins and has left it flowing like a tap in a public restroom – not just trickling but overflowing to the point of flooding.

“Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” is short, intense and fun. It’s one of those albums that you can listen to start to finish and then start to finish all over again. This album has repeated itself countless times in my car and on my iPod and I’m yet to tire of it. Despite it’s short length, this album can be repeated and manage to sound different – or at the least, not make you feel like you’re listening to the same kind of music over and over. It’s because the band has tapped into some sort of magic that allows each song to sound different whilst maintaining a unique Arctic Monkeys vibe. I know what you’re thinking – “Don’t all bands do that?” Well, no – I don’t think so. This is different to listening to Bon Jovi (who I love) post 2000, where each song borrows heavily from the last in terms of riffs, melody and arrangement. And it’s different to turning on your radio and merely knowing that a Beach Boys song is playing. This is music at it’s finest – encapsulating the sound that makes your band unique and using it differently each time.

It is hard to choose a favourite on the album. “Dancing Shoes” sits well, it’s catchy and the lyrics make me smile and laugh every time. Like most of the songs, it makes me want to dance and mosh at the same time. “Red Light Indicates Doors are Secure” is another gem and “Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But…” only solidifies their standing as a fast paced, rock hard indie band. However, it’s Turner’s drawl and tone in the slow and melodic “Riot Van” that really rams home the British-ness of the band and I can only sing the band’s praises for being able to perform at such different paces so god damned well.

I think most people would be quick to lump the Arctic Monkeys with The Strokes, The Libertines and maybe even the White Stripes. I’m not a fan of any of the latter three and still manage to rate the Arctic Monkeys at the top of my list of favourite new acts of 2006 and I can honestly say that I would rate them very high on my all-time favourites list. With that in mind, I highly recommend this album for anyone who just wants to hear good music and feel good about themselves and life.