On 2007's FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE, Arctic Monkeys follow up their excessively hyped and undeniably catchy debut (WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT) with another round of fiery post-punk-influenced tunes. Given the Sheffield, England quartet's newfound status as full-blown rock stars in their homeland, they wisely avoid the working-class-bloke-isms that rang true on their first album, and instead opt for a broader lyrical scope and a significantly weightier approach.

The Monkeys' Mark II aesthetic is best embodied by the lead single "Brianstorm," a pounding track (about a friend, hence the deliberate misspelling) that kicks off the outing with rapid-fire guitar riffs and pummeling percussion. NIGHTMARE also finds the band looking good on the dancefloor with songs such as "Teddy Picker" and "D Is for Dangerous," which combine inescapably funky rhythms with frontman Alex Turner's raspy howl. To his credit, Turner turns his Yorkshire-accented voice into a comforting croon on the surprisingly atmospheric "Only Ones Who Know," imbuing the record with the dynamism that was somewhat lacking on WHATEVER. A sure sign that the Monkeys aren't fading away after their big bang, FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE is the sound of a tough young band playing for keeps.