[midlife 150] #143: arctic monkeys “fake tales of san francisco”

#143 Fake Tales Of San Francisco by Arctic Monkeys (taken from Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, 2006)

This was the last time I was genuinely glad I bought the hype. Listening to this track being played four times a week by Zane Lowe in the latter part of 2005 was proof enough that Arctic Monkeys were going to be a cut above the usual next-big-thing.

And good they’ve turned out to be – not Great, but certainly good. Fake Tales, though, is Great. It’s a witty fable of arrogance, envy, fakery, fad-following and USA-worship in the north of England (“You’re not from New York City, you’re from Rotherham”). And it rocks.

This review is part of close to 94 ‘s [midlife 150] series, which counts down favourite music 1970-2009.