Favourite Worst Nightmare

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Favourite Worst Nightmare
Favourite Worst Nightmare cover
Studio album by Arctic Monkeys
Released 18 April 2007
Recorded December 2006
at Miloco Studios
London, England
Genre Post-punk revival
Length 37:34
Label Domino, Warner Bros.
Producer James Ford
Mike Crossey
Professional reviews
Arctic Monkeys chronology
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
(2006)		 Favourite Worst Nightmare
(2007)		 Arctic Monkeys' third studio album
(TBA)

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. At the 2008 BRIT Awards it won Best British Album.

Contents

[edit] 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] The album arguably 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]

[edit] 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.[citation needed] 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.

6 of the 12 songs were debuted at gigs before they released the album. The album was recorded quickly as the band wanted to get out and play the songs again.

[edit] Track listing

All lyrics written by Alex Turner, except where noted, all music composed by Arctic Monkeys.

  1. "Brianstorm" 2:50
  2. "Teddy Picker" 2:43
  3. "D Is for Dangerous" 2:16
  4. "Balaclava" 2:49
  5. "Fluorescent Adolescent" (Turner/Bennet) 2:57
  6. "Only Ones Who Know" 3:02
  7. "Do Me a Favour" 3:27
  8. "This House Is a Circus" 3:09
  9. "If You Were There, Beware" 4:34
  10. "The Bad Thing" 2:23
  11. "Old Yellow Bricks" (Turner/McClure) 3:11
  12. "505" (additional guitars by Miles Kane) 4:13
  13. "Da Frame 2R" (Japanese edition bonus track) 2:20
  14. "Matador" (Japanese edition bonus track) 4:57

[edit] Bonus video

  • The music video for Brianstorm was included as a bonus with iTunes pre-orders of Favourite Worst Nightmare.

[edit] Singles

[edit] 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 40,000
Switzerland #16
Spain #20
European Top 100 Albums #2
Portugal #12
Poland #12
Brazil #13 30,000

[edit] Release details

Country Date Label Format Catalog number
Flag of Japan Japan 18 April 2007 Hostess CD HSE-10043[12]
Flag of Germany Germany 20 April 2007[13] CD
Flag of Ireland Ireland
Flag of Spain Spain
Flag of Australia Australia 21 April 2007[14] CD
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 23 April 2007 Domino Records LP WIGLP188 / 5034202018810[15]
CD WIGCD188 / 5034202018827[16]
Flag of Brazil Brazil EMI CD
Flag of France France CD
Flag of Belgium Belgium CD
Flag of the United States United States 24 April 2007 Domino, Warner Bros.[17] CD DNO 136 / 801390013621
Flag of Israel Israel CD
Flag of Canada Canada Domino, WEA International CD

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bartz, Simon. "Planet of the apes", The Japan Times, 2007-04-05. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 
  2. ^ a b c Paphides, Pete. "Whatever we hoped they'd be, they are", The Times, 2007-03-23. Retrieved on 2007-03-24. 
  3. ^ "Arctics' album storms to the top", BBC, 2007-04-29. Retrieved on 2007-04-30. 
  4. ^ Katie Hasty, "Lavigne Remains No. 1 As Joe Debuts High", Billboard.com, May 2, 2007.
  5. ^ BPI.co.uk [1]
  6. ^ "Arctic Monkeys set to unleash "Favourite Worst Nightmare"", Monsters and Critics, 2007-04-11. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 
  7. ^ a b Mulvey, John. "Favourite Worst Nightmare", Uncut, 2007-02-22. Retrieved on 2007-02-28. 
  8. ^ Collett-White, Mike. "Arctic Monkeys face the music with 2nd album", The Scotsman (Reuters), 2007-04-20. Retrieved on 2007-04-20. 
  9. ^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Insiders' guide to Arctic Monkeys
  10. ^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Insiders' guide to Arctic Monkeys
  11. ^ Arctic Monkeys announce new single | News | NME.COM
  12. ^ Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare Japan CD ALBUM (396187)
  13. ^ Amazon.de product page
  14. ^ Sanity.com.au
  15. ^ Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare UK LP RECORD (397575)
  16. ^ Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worse Nightmare UK CD ALBUM (397574)
  17. ^ Mulvey, John. "Arctic Monkeys' 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' gets a life from Warner Bros.", Monsters and Critics, 2007-03-19. Retrieved on 2007-04-11. 

[edit] 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
v • d • e
Arctic Monkeys
Alex Turner · Matt Helders · Jamie Cook · Nick O'Malley
Andy Nicholson · Glyn Jones
Studio albums
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not · Favourite Worst Nightmare
Demos & EPs
Singles
Limited edition &
radio only singles
Films
Related articles