Rocktrospectiva: The Modern Classic "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What 'm Not" Turns 20

Released on 23 January 2006 "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" was the debut studio album by the English rock band Arctic Monkeys. Preceded by the chart-topping singles "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and "When the Sun Goes Down". It was the group's only album to featured bassist Andy Nicholson, as he left the band shortly after the album's release. 

 

Forming in 2002, Arctic Monkeys frequently gave away free demo CDs to fans at gigs; this resulted in the fans uploading the band's music to social media sites. As attention towards them continued to grow, the band eventually garnered great demand from fans, the press and the music industry. Several of the album's tracks had been released for free via the Internet in late 2004, which consolidated on the unofficial Beneath the Boardwalk compilation. Musically, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is considered a melding of indie rock, garage rock, post-punk revival, punk rock, and alternative rock. Its thematic content has been likened to a concept, primarily concerning British nightlife, including lyricism surrounding clubbing and pub culture, and romance from the perspective of young Northerners. 

Musically, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not features indie rock, garage rock revival, post-punk revival, punk rock, alternative rock, and post-Britpop. As we said, the common thematic content of the album has led to it being considered by some a concept album concerning "the lives of young Northern England clubbers". All tracks recorded first-person narratives of observations made within this context. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", "Still Take You Home", "You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me" and "Dancing Shoes" all examined human behaviour in nightclubs. Frontman Alex Turner described "Dancing Shoes" as being about "people always looking to pull when they go out however much they mask it."

Other songs examined other aspects of 2000s English nightlife from a 19 year-old Alex Turner's experience and perspective. "From the Ritz to the Rubble" was an account of nightclub bouncers, "Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured" told the typical experiences and troubles of getting a taxicab after a night out, and "When the Sun Goes Down" was inspired by prostitutes near the band's practice room in the Neepsend district of Sheffield. Other songs were themed on romantic relationships, such as "Mardy Bum", or youth subcultures, such as "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "A Certain Romance". 

The album received widespread critical acclaim upon release for its vivid depiction of contemporary British youth culture and for resurging British indie music, which had waned after the 1990s.

 

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Track List: 

 

1. The View From The Afternoon

2. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

3. Fake Tales Of San Francisco

4. Dancing Shoed

5. You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me

6. Still Take You Home

7- Riot Van

8. Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured

9. Mardy Bum

10. Perhaps Vampites Is A Bit Strong But

11. When The Sun Goes Down

12. From The Ritz To The Rubble

13. A Certain Romance