Draw whatever comparisons you like. Call them whatever you want. All I know is that the new Futureheads album is exactly what it should be. As a follow up to their debut, “New And Tributes” upholds the sound of their previous album by simultaneously driving the listener down newly discovered alleyways and atop well-worn thoroughfare.
The Futureheads were never going to be the next big thing. Even after the release of their debut, buzz amounted as much for their reworking of Kate Bush’s glorious “Hounds of Love” as it did for their apparent distaste for modern rock excess. Nevertheless, along with the Kaiser Chiefs, the Futureheads looked ready to carry the banner for new millennium Britpop. You’ll be happy to know then that what they represent on this latest effort is neither as abrasive nor as gauche as such a likeness would suggest. At the time, their four-part harmonies were good and fresh but the buoyancy of their garage clang mostly sparse and thin. On “News & Tributes,” however, the band seems to have focused more on the good and less on the flashy. The record is still loud, raucous, and at times irreverent in its delivery. Yet it’s also obvious that an underlying attention has been paid to affecting melody and pop construction; there is no rock for rock’s sake. “Thursday,” which could easily have been a slow and meandering track is instead transformed into an inspired piece of (and I loathe to use the term) nu-pop balladry that is neither saccharine nor morose. The song achieves its greatest effect through an unassuming and subtly pop delivery, which is indicative of the really pleasant pop plodding that straddles the band’s purposefully directed frenzy throughout the record. The opener “Yes/No” relies on the highs and lows of sonic crescendos, as does title track “News and Tributes.” And while there may be nothing surprising about the energy they display on “The Return Of The Berserker,” it stands out as proof of their ability to channel the force of their amped-up punk into a work that is both frenzied and detailed at the same time.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of this record then is displayed by tracks like “Area,” “Fallout,” and “Favours For Favours” where the band melds most successfully its penchant for panicked outbursts with its expert knack for drafting stupendously well crafted, hook laden bombs. However, insofar as this record succeeds in harnessing and showcasing the band’s maturing skill, it is less successful in relaying any real emotion. The best of the record enhances the dexterity employed in polishing a signature, tuneful rawness, but it also does little to cover up the fact that their songs, although clever and catchy, are no “Hounds Of Love.”
The plan, it appears, is to bypass the sophomore slump by bridging the gap between their barbershop harmonies and the revved up freneticism of their music. As a result, the Futureheads have embraced a pop sensibility that serves to rein in both the manic pace showcased on their debut and the burgeoning songmanship of their newest effort. Even if all it amounts to is an offering that is slightly anemic in weight, managing to surpass the confines of your local soundscape remains no small feat. It says a lot about the state of music today when singing and musicianship seem a novel approach towards creating a popular sound. |