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Written by Preston Jones Friday, 24 March 2006 06:37

Sonically sandwiched neatly between the Brit-pop of Blur and the more experimental alternative rock of Stone Roses, the album's cumulative effect is that of a 20-something's attempt at synthesizing the last 15 years of British pop music. 

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Anyone sick of buzz overkill yet?

Another year, another British band christened the Next Big Thing by every conceivable publication in the United Kingdom—in 2006, the lads du jour are Arctic Monkeys, a quartet of barely legal Sheffield natives whose trenchant lyrics and kinetic music draw breathless comparisons to any number of U.K. heavyweights.

It’s inevitable that the maelstrom of hype will likely overwhelm the much-anticipated record—very few debuts can ever withstand frenzied adulation before most of America has heard it. Consider it somewhat of a compliment then that Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not actually comes close to living up to expectations—unless of course that’s playing into the irony of the title.

Sonically sandwiched neatly between the Brit-pop of Blur and the more experimental alternative rock of Stone Roses, you shouldn’t be the least bit surprised that NME lost its collective shit over this boisterous band—the album’s cumulative effect is that of a 20-something’s attempts at synthesizing the last 15 years of British pop music.

Speaking of youth, Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner is the real discovery here—intoxicated with the ebullience of his roguish ideas and gifted with a razorblade wit reminiscent of a certain Mr. Costello, Turner infuses tracks like “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” and “Fake Tales of San Francisco” with a wise-beyond-his-years weariness and grimy, street-level soul.

Perhaps more so than the previous Next Big Thing titleholders’ debut—that’d be angular art rockers Franz Ferdinand, for those of you playing along at home—Whatever People Say I Am rockets along, ending far too soon and triggering an immediate urge to find out how soon this band has a gig near you. Although, like any good, disposable entertainment, it doesn’t linger too long on the palate.

Whether this “It” band of right now can sustain any momentum beyond its current meteoric rise remains to be seen, but should Turner continue crafting his devastatingly incisive lyrics, he’ll be around for some time to come.