Whether you're from London or the smallest town in America, it is pretty hard at this point to have not at least heard of Arctic Monkeys. Since last October, they have been everywhere. During that month, not only did their debut single, "I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor" get to number one on the UK charts, but they also sold out two shows in New York. Not bad for a band of 19 and 20-year-olds from Sheffield, England.

      Now, with their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, breaking records, they can arguably be referred to as the "Biggest Band In The World" at the moment. Of course, with all the hype comes questions concerning whether they deserve the praise or not.

       With opening track "The View from the Afternoon," it immediately seems that all the build up has been mostly valid. The song is an attack of guitars with singer Alex Turner's voice leading you through the fun. Two minutes and 15 seconds into the song, it ends before abruptly starting again from where it left off, only better.

      "Fake Tales of San Francisco" glides through with a funky beat and while "Dancing Shoes" rehashes the same "disco-punk" formula most bands are using these days, it still feels fresh and original.

      The album continues on much of the same path: excellent riffs, aggressive drums, and Turner's yearning yelps. The Monkeys never stray far from their usual subject matter that kids everywhere can relate to: parties, dancing and unrequited crushes, although "When The Sun Goes Down" could be the best song about falling for a prostitute since The Police's "Roxanne" (which the song even makes a reference to).

      But it does become clear that the hype is a just a little too over the top. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is full of great rock songs but Arctic Monkeys appear to be a band that is still growing. For example, Turner's voice is destined to change drastically over the next few years and the endearing, sloppy quality of their songs will most probably become more polished. Also, making Romeo and Juliet allusions (as heard on "I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor") to describe indie club rivalries does not a witty man make.

      In two albums time, maybe they'll make a record that deserves the enormous hype Whatever People Say, That's What I'm Not has received, but the time is not now. Although with their first record, Arctic Monkeys have proved that a small band can start out very big.