Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) — Arctic Monkeys

I hadn't listened to this album in full before, even though AM was a very important and formative album for me in my adolescence. I think it's a solid album, but it definitely didn't trip my trigger as much as I expected.

This debut definitely has the Arctic Monkeys sound, but lacks the refinement that makes their later work so special. While it starts strong, it kinda just stays like that for most of the album, not really going anywhere interesting or playing with highs and lows.

It's not that I didn't enjoy this, but I think it does blend in with the other indie rock being made at the time. That being said, Alex Turner's vocals and songwriting will always stand out, and this album is no different in that regard.