Concert Review: Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
May 8, 2007
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When the Arctic Monkeys' debut album came out in January 2006, setting sales records in England and some (though much lesser) buzz in America, I checked them out and liked what I heard. In part, they inspired my exploration to find other "Hidden In The Isles" bands, and I subsequently found bands like The Fratellis, The Kooks, The View, Maximo Park and Art Brut, all of whom I like better than the Monkeys. The AMs' are now on their second album, also a monster seller in their native England, and they sold out this show at the Riviera. They sounded strong and the crowd was really into them, and their best songs were great to hear live. But overall, they need to all some melody, and distinction, to their songs for 70 minutes (as they played) to be any better, or perhaps even not worse, than just 10 minutes. Though I've read comparisons between them and the early Jam, the Arctic Monkeys have a long way to go before deserving such praise.