| Favourite Worst Nightmare | |||||
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| Studio album by Arctic Monkeys | |||||
| Released | 18 April 2007 | ||||
| Recorded | December 2006 at Miloco Studios London, England |
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| Genre | Indie rock | ||||
| Length | 37:34 | ||||
| Label | Domino, Warner Bros. | ||||
| Producer | James Ford (musician) , Mike Crossey | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
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| Arctic Monkeys chronology | |||||
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(9/10) 
Favourite Worst Nightmare is the second studio album by Sheffield indie rock band Arctic Monkeys that was first released in Japan on 18 April 2007[1] before being released around the world. Recorded in East London's Miloco Studios with producers James Ford and Mike Crossey, the album was preceded by the release of new single "Brianstorm" on 16 April 2007.[2] In its first week following release the album sold over 220,000 copies, emulating Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not in going straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart, albeit selling 100,000 copies fewer than their record-breaking debut. Favourite Worst Nightmare's first day sales of 85,000 outsold the rest of the Top 20 combined, while all twelve tracks from the album entered the top 200 of the UK Singles Chart in their own right.[3] In the USA, the album debuted at number seven, selling around 44,000 copies in its first week.[4] The album has since gone 2x platinum[5]in the UK and the album was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize.
Contents |
Change of style
In comparison to the band's debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, the album has been described as "very, very fast and very, very loud,"[6] being seen as"more ambitious, heavier...and with a fiercely bright production".[7] Reflecting the band's travels around the world more than local stories of the first record, FWN is a "faster, meaner" album.[8] It is compared to Myths of the Near Future, the debut album by Klaxons - "not a new rave album...[but] more part of an art-rock lineage than in the blokerock tradition of Oasis et al."[7] While the opening tracks of the album are seen as "frantic, awkward and pretty uncompromising", the remainder has influences from The Smiths - "twanging, quasi-ambient backdrops...and Turner's voice [...] crooning like Morrissey or Richard Hawley."[7] Matt Helders said "James was DJing loads in the evening so we'd go out and . . . have a dance."[2] As a result, the drum rhythms of Helders and bassist Nick O'Malley have drawn comparisons to the Eighties funk band ESG.[2] The band's love of classic films also influences their new style. For example, the organ at the beginning of the album's final track, "505" is taken directly from Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (where Angel Eyes enters before the final standoff).[9]
History of the album
The album title, "Favourite Worst Nightmare", came from the song "D is for Dangerous", the third song featured on the album. The band said they also considered naming the album Lesbian Wednesdays, Gordon Brown or Gary Barlow.[10] "Do Me a Favour" was originally supposed to appear on the "Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?" EP, though the band kept it, possibly because they didn't want to waste it as a B-side. In an interview with NME, Nick O'Malley announced several titles including "D Is for Dangerous" and "Balaclava". The tracks "The Bakery" and "Plastic Tramp" also mentioned in the NME interview did not make it onto the album, but were later released as B-sides on the "Fluorescent Adolescent" single. The track "Leave Before the Lights Come On" was also rumoured for inclusion, though it didn't make it. Some of the songs were debuted at gigs before they were recorded for the album, though not many. The album was recorded quickly as the band wanted to get out and play the songs again.
Compositions
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"505" is the closing track. Unlike other songs by the band, it features the use of combo organ played by singer Alex Turner. Former The Little Flames member Miles Kane is credited as lead guitarist on this track, a role usually performed by Turner. It is usually the second last song to be played at their gigs, just before usual set closer "A Certain Romance". Alex Turner, according to rumours, wrote the song about his then girlfriend, who was staying in room 505 of a hotel.
Track listing
Lyrics written by Alex Turner, except where noted; music by Arctic Monkeys.
- "Brianstorm" – 2:50
- "Teddy Picker" – 2:43
- "D Is for Dangerous" – 2:16
- "Balaclava" – 2:49
- "Fluorescent Adolescent" (Turner/Bennett) – 2:57
- "Only Ones Who Know" – 3:02
- "Do Me a Favour" – 3:27
- "This House Is a Circus" – 3:09
- "If You Were There, Beware" – 4:34
- "The Bad Thing" – 2:23
- "Old Yellow Bricks" (Turner/McClure) – 3:11
- "505" – 4:13
Bonus tracks
- "Da Frame 2R" – 2:20 (Japanese edition)
- "Matador" – 4:57 (Japanese edition)
- "Brianstorm" (video) – 2:50 (iTunes pre-order bonus)
Singles
- "Brianstorm" (2 April 2007, Domino Records) #2
- "Fluorescent Adolescent" (9 July 2007, Domino Records) #5
- "Teddy Picker" (3 December 2007, Domino Records) [11] #20
Chart positions
| Country | Peak position | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| United World Chart | #2 | 1,483,500 | |
| United Kingdom | #1 | 2xPlatinum | 605,000 |
| Australia | #2 | ||
| Ireland | #1 | ||
| New Zealand | #4 | ||
| Canada | #4 | 150,000 | |
| United States | #7 | 240,000 | |
| Germany | #1 | 100,000 | |
| Japan | #4 | Gold | 275,000 |
| Denmark | #1 | ||
| Finland | #8 | ||
| Belgium | #1 | ||
| Netherlands | #1 | ||
| Switzerland | #1 | ||
| France | #6 | 100,000 | |
| Sweden | #6 | ||
| Austria | #10 | ||
| Italy | #14 | 100,000 | |
| Switzerland | #16 | ||
| Spain | #20 | ||
| European Top 100 Albums | #2 | ||
| Portugal | #12 | ||
| Poland | #12 | ||
| Brazil | #13 | 30,000 |
Release details
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japan |
18 April 2007 | Hostess | CD | HSE-10043[12] |
 Germany |
20 April 2007[13] | CD | ||
 Ireland |
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 Spain |
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 Australia |
21 April 2007[14] | CD | ||
 United Kingdom |
23 April 2007 | Domino Records | LP | WIGLP188 / 5034202018810[15] |
| CD | WIGCD188 / 5034202018827[16] | |||
 Brazil |
EMI | CD | ||
 France |
CD | |||
 Belgium |
CD | |||
 United States |
24 April 2007 | Domino, Warner Bros.[17] | CD | DNO 136 / 801390013621 |
 Israel |
CD | |||
 Canada |
Domino, WEA International | CD |
References
- ^ Bartz, Simon. "Planet of the apes", The Japan Times, 2007-04-05. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
- ^ a b c Paphides, Pete. "Whatever we hoped they'd be, they are", The Times, 2007-03-23. Retrieved on 2007-03-24.
- ^ "Arctics' album storms to the top", BBC, 2007-04-29. Retrieved on 2007-04-30.
- ^ Katie Hasty, "Lavigne Remains No. 1 As Joe Debuts High", Billboard.com, May 2, 2007.
- ^ BPI.co.uk [1]
- ^ "Arctic Monkeys set to unleash "Favourite Worst Nightmare"", Monsters and Critics, 2007-04-11. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
- ^ a b c Mulvey, John. "Favourite Worst Nightmare", Uncut, 2007-02-22. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ Collett-White, Mike. "Arctic Monkeys face the music with 2nd album", The Scotsman (Reuters), 2007-04-20. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6567861.stm
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6567861.stm
- ^ http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/31543
- ^ Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare Japan CD ALBUM (396187)
- ^ Amazon.de product page
- ^ Sanity.com.au
- ^ Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare UK LP RECORD (397575)
- ^ Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worse Nightmare UK CD ALBUM (397574)
- ^ Mulvey, John. "Arctic Monkeys' 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' gets a life from Warner Bros.", Monsters and Critics, 2007-03-19. Retrieved on 2007-04-11.
External links
| Preceded by The Best Damn Thing by Avril Lavigne |
UK Albums Chart number one album April 29 2007 - May 13 2007 |
Succeeded by Minutes To Midnight by Linkin Park |
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|---|---|
| Alex Turner · Matt Helders · Jamie Cook · Nick O'Malley Andy Nicholson · Glyn Jones |
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| Studio Albums | Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not · Favourite Worst Nightmare |
| Singles | "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" · "When the Sun Goes Down" · "Leave Before the Lights Come On" · "Brianstorm" · "Fluorescent Adolescent" · "Teddy Picker" |
| Other releases | Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys · Beneath the Boardwalk · Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? (EP) · |
| Related articles | Arctic Monkeys tour history · Scummy Man · Domino · Discography |
