20. The Arctic Monkeys-Favourite Worst Nightmare.
28. Hard Fi-Once Upon a Time in the West
Is there a better modern postpunk pop album than Hard Fi’s “Stars of CCTV?†Maybe not. Although the band’s follow-up isn’t quite as good (it smacks a little too much of money and production), it’s nevertheless a great, fun release. Is there a rawer, more earnest modern postpunk album than Arctic Monkeys, “Whatever They Say I Am I’m Not?†Maybe not. Although the band’s follow-up isn’t quite as good (it smacks a little too much of money and production), it’s nevertheless a great, fun release. I’m ranking AM above HF here because AM have more wit, more range, and, clearly, more fun. There’s a sense of danger in Favourite Worst Nightmare that is noticeably absent from Once Upon a Time in the West. If the band’s ska/reggae influences were to be labeled, Arctic Monkeys would be the Peter Tosh to Hard Fi’s Bob Marley. Hard Fi clearly wants to be liked and wants to sell albums, so they produced a less desparate, less disjointed album. Maybe that’s why they got pretty much ignored by every blogger out there except for me. Maybe I’m crazy to dig Hard Fi so much in spite of that fact. Sometimes, clean, well-produced dance punk is just what the doctor ordered. But if your prescription is for something more punk, you
should turn to the Arctic Monkeys.
Take It Or Leave It (Strokes cover)-Arctic Monkeys
Flourescent Adolescent (Acoustic version)-Arctic Monkeys
Diamonds are Forever-Arctic Monkeys
And, for Hard Fi, a live show from earlier this year, in Germany: A few tastes, then a zip:
Middle Eastern Holiday (Wrongtom meets The Rockers East Of Medina)
I Close My Eyes
Can’t Get Along
Tied Too Tight
I Shall Overcome
Television
Suburban Knights
Cash Machine
We Need Love
Hard To Beat
Stars of CCTV
Tonight
Living for the Weekend
