Soundbites: The Futureheads

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The Futureheads are back with a brand new problem and, of
course, without any clues. The problem: how to make a follow-up to
a strong but characteristically over-hyped debut album.

Bursting onto the rejuvenated British rock scene in 2004 with
their self-titled debut, the Futureheads found a welcoming audience
for their collection of ferocious post-punk. The album was
ambitious, stuffing idea upon idea onto a backdrop of energetic
drums, intricate vocal melodies and stark guitars. This as the
album’s main fault, however, with the arrangements leaving no
room for listeners to breathe.

“News and Tributes” takes care of that problem but
often too well. The album feels much more spacious than its
predecessor, guitars coming and going as they please, while the
rhythm section opts for a much simpler approach. Barry Hyde has
also toned down his vocal performances, choosing to approach many
of the songs with a kinder, gentler attitude.

This new aesthetic approach is hit or miss, unfortunately.
“Fallout” succeeds admirably, alternating between sharp
guitar chord hits and rich atmospherics before giving way to
gorgeous vocal harmonies. “Back To The Sea” boasts one
of the Futureheads’ best choruses to date as Hyde sings
“I won’t go back to the sea / whatever’s pulling
you isn’t pulling me” over shape-shifting guitar
lines.

The album’s other material doesn’t work quite so
well. “Cope” begins with a blistering guitar riff, but
loses all momentum as soon as it hits the verse. The vocal melodies
of “Burnt” quickly grow from silly to tiresome,
overstaying their welcome in the lifeless mix. Even the
album’s title track fails to impress, its sluggish pace
causing the song to fall short of its true potential.

The tracks that stay faithful to their debut’s frenetic
urgency usually fare the best. The album opener begins full-force
with an assertive drumbeat and soon after breaks into a rousing
chorus of “Yes! No!” The same track finds Hyde singing
his standout line, “Some people say we are the sum of our
parts / I don’t believe, I don’t believe it’s
smart / to try and explain such a complicated thing.” The
album’s first single, “Skip to the End,” is among
the album’s brightest moments, despite its unoriginal guitar
parts. The only true embarrassment is “The Return of the
Berserker,” its racing guitars and fuzzed out vocals
abandoning the artistry that flows through the rest of the
album.

Essentially, the only difference between the Futureheads’
debut and “News and Tributes” is that the latter is
more calculated. And while that may rob the new album of some of
the band’s youthful vigor, it serves as a reminder that the
Futureheads are here to stay despite their growing pains.

““ Dominick Duhamel

E-mail Duhamel at [email protected].