Sunday, February 26, 2006

'Well-Groomed Libertines' Handle Fame Well

They've sold out an 11-date North American tour, hawked hundreds of thousands of their debut in their native England, and they've managed to become the most obsessed-about artist(s) on the blogosphere since Pete Doherty and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

The flavor-of-the-moment, the Arctic Monkeys, have accomplished more in their young lives than many bands ten years their senior. Yet the instant fame hasn't skewed nor jaded the 20-somethings from Sheffield. In fact they've been referred to as a well-groomed version of The Libertines.

"I feel like I should just flip out and do something crazy," Alex Turner, the scrappy-voiced Arctic Monkeys frontman, said by phone before a gig in Norwich, England. "It's boring when people tell me I'm really well grounded. I feel a little bit sensible..."

With a stateside album having been released this past week, will the Arctic Monkeys's British success translate to America? Nic Harcourt, music director of L.A.'s KCRW, thinks so:

"I don't think it's hype. Hype to me is when someone is taking something and building it up," Harcourt said. "I think it's natural and organic and it's real. Do I think it will translate to America? Yes I do."

No comments: