Album Review: The Futureheads, "News and Tributes" (Vagrant)
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With "News and Tributes," The Futureheads are battling two sizable forces: the sophomore slump and the curse of the neo-New Wave movement.
It's hard to tell which of the two plays a bigger role in the album's overall mediocrity.
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It could be the first one, given that the British band has kept such a busy schedule since the release of its eponymous debut in 2004. It's difficult to find the time and energy to write and record quality new songs when you're making repeat visits to the States and numerous tours through the UK. That might be the reason why songs such as "Yes/No" sound so bland and uninspired in direct comparison to such memorable "Futureheads" tracks as "Decent Days and Nights."
Or, maybe, it could be the latter.
If you haven't yet heard of the curse of the neo-New Wave movement, you surely will--since it's going to factor heavily into a lot of once-successful band's careers. The curse, in a nutshell, is that many of these '80s-inspired acts that were so exciting a few years back suddenly sound duller than a doorknob. Franz Ferdinand--you might remember them?--was arguably the first to experience the curse. And it appears that it may have sunk its teeth in The Futureheads as well.
Either/or--take your pick--The Futureheads' music just sounds a bit tired and uninspired.
Yet, on a positive note, the band still displays its signature--and amazingly precise--vocal harmonies on "News and Tributes." And, if you are patient, you'll find a few nuggets (like "Skip to the End").
Most importantly, the group has traditionally been even better in concert than on disc--and I'm sure that's still the case. Fortunately, The Futureheads will mount a North American tour in support of the album. The trek begins June 16 in Vancouver and stretches into August.
The Futureheads tickets at Ticketmaster
The Futureheads ringtones at Thumbplay
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