| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that there is some "wanna take it outside?" bad-boy posturing and there are references to drinking and fighting. The cover art features a man smoking.
Imagine references to Shakespeare combined with "let's get drunk and take it outside" bad-boy posturing, sung over imaginative punk-infused instrumental tracks? In fact, that's exactly what UK sensation the Arctic Monkeys delivers in spades on WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT. The singing and playing on this CD are terrific and the production is excellent. But the real star is the songwriting: Edgy poetry about the real-life concerns of wild young men comes off as honest, unpretentious storytelling."No time for Montagues or Capulets/Just banging tunes and DJ sets," in "Dancefloor" is the track with a Shakespearean reference, but all the songs on this CD tell an evocative and visual story.
The Arctic Monkeys deliver stunning performances -- and, ironically, it's the realism and flat-out honesty of these songs that may also raise some parental concerns. There are references to underage drinking and street fights, a de-romanticized portrait of prostitution, a sprinkling of four-letter words, and CD art that makes smoking look cool. Still, the songs are so well written and well performed that this is one album that's probably worth a little PC discomfort and family discussion. The music is just so darn good.
Families can talk about the wonderful songwriting. What makes these songs so visually evocative? Also, where do you draw the line between being honest and glamorizing bad behavior?
| Artist: | Arctic Monkeys |
| Release date: | February 21, 2006 |
| Label: | Domino |
| Genre: | Indie Rock |
| Parental advisory: | No |
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