Sophomore album no nightmare

A mere 15 months after the debut of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys are already back with their sophomore follow-up, Favourite Worst Nightmare. Seeing such a short turn-around time, Monkeys fans could, very understandably, be nervous. A common excuse for disappointing second albums is that they were rushed into production (with greedy record labels taking the blame -- although I'd be surprised if this was the case with Nightmare). And British bands have a reputation for flaming out after their successful breakthroughs. \nIt's basically a respectable, if not overwhelming, follow-up that will neither alienate fans nor convert the band's detractors. In both its strengths and weaknesses, it follows fairly standard second-album patterns. The compositions are more sophisticated and have broadened out a little from the sound of the first album (a bit of Sham 69-style shout-along vocals in "Teddy Picker," ska-like bass/percussion in "This House Is A Circus," a sweet surf-guitar ballad in "Only Ones Who Know," etc.) -- and all that touring has honed the band's musicianship. \nAt the same time, it's not quite as exciting as Whatever -- partly because it's not as raw; but, more importantly, because success has distanced front man Alex Turner from the gritty Sheffield, England, environs that inspired Whatever's lyrics. Turner is a very gifted songwriter, and his writing for Nightmare is no slouch -- his phrases are sharp, his characters are vivid (particularly the sly, arrogant hipster Brian in "Brianstorm" and the bored housewife in "Flourescent Adolescent"). But whereas Whatever carried you off to his world of drinking cheap lager, getting shot down by girls with fake tans, observing human squalor and running from the cops (for fun), Nightmare lacks that sense of setting. The character studies exist in limbo, and many of the tracks are dedicated to that most conventional lyrical subject: relationship troubles. \nFinally, Nightmare is more intensely danceable than Whatever -- a full seven out of 12 tracks being high-octane disco blasters, starting with the fierce first track, "Brianstorm." If you preferred the funkier side of Whatever (say, "Fake Tales of San Francisco"), this may come as a disappointment. But if your favorite was Whatever's pogo-riffic, "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor," Nightmare could be your dream come true.