Search - The Futureheads :: This Is Not the World

We've never met but we've never been apart

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 06/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Futureheads were energetic and infectious in their first album. Their second... not so much. It was more serious and downbeat, and just not as endearing.



So honestly I had no idea what "This is Not The World" would sound like, and whether they would return to Album No. 1's sound, or stick to their guns now that they have their own label. Well, the Futureheads don't take us anywhere new, but their raucously energetic third album strikes a solid balance between their two sounds, with perhaps a greater reliance on their older wildness.



It kicks off with a whirling riff and solid drums, morphing into a driving, tightly-wound post-punk powerpop number. "It's time to wake up/It's time to change," Barry Hyde calls out over the energetic music. "Let's get it started/I feel like there's so much to rearrange!"



But the song takes a slightly more ominous turn soon after that, though the energetic melody doesn't slow down at all. "If memory serves/Then why am I still waiting for it to return?/My head feels like it's just about to slip..." Hyde rambles on. Sounds like somebody's going a little nuts in this song -- sounds like that is the "twist" that is felt and concealed.



They lose a tiny bit of momentum after that, but there's still plenty of that smashing, urgent energy in "Walking Backgrounds," and the driving powerpop of "Think Tonight" ("You will never find anyone to come along and take you by surprise/Because you've had too much to think tonight!"). And they have plenty in the songs that follow -- the tightly-wound powerpop of the title track, a blazing dark-edged rock'n'roll number, muscular riff-fests, angular fuzzy explosions of sound. That wild energy gets even more intense as they roar on to the ending of the album, and it leaves you a bit breathless.



Well, the album isn't quite perfect, alas -- "Hard To Bear" lives up to its name, being both too uneven and emo for my taste, especially with those odd country-rock moments. And "Radio Heart" tries to have post-punk's speed and energy and a ballad's poignancy, but achieves neither.



For the record: "This is Not The World" does not really take the Futureheads anywhere new, musically speaking. This album basically sticks to what the Futureheads have done best in the past, particularly in their first album -- wild, energetic powerpop with lots of rough-edged, catchy melodies and solid instrumentation. It's a bit more polished, with a few new twists to their music, but not radically different.



As for what it sounds like -- rough-edged, fun, dancey and loaded with solid hooks. These guy have a good handle on intertwining their instrumentation, and even the slower songs are nimble and solid -- driving riffs and blasts of fuzzy, powerful bass, backed by the beat of thumping drums. All three get tightly wound together like a rope, and blast by with the power of a smallish train -- but the Futureheads allow individual band members to shine occasionally. A razor-edged solo here, a growly bassline there.



And personally I think it sounds like Barry Hyde is having fun here -- he has a muscular laddish style, and yowls dramatically over the music as if daring the instruments to drown him out. His peppy demeanor is a bit of a contrast to what he's actually singing, since a bleak undertone runs through some of the lyrics ("Sometimes it feels like we are stabbing in the dark with nothing to say/But when the lights go out, see no hear no speak no evil").



And there are still some sweeter moments woven in there, usually related to love ("So I guess I've got nothing to lose at this request/I want a girl who doesn't like to dress to impress/A girl with a radio heart...") Okay, I didn't like the song overall, but the lyrics are adorable.



"This is Not The World" is pretty much what you'd expect from a Futureheads album -- fast-moving punky powerpop with a danceable edge. It adds nothing new to their sound, but it rarely disappoints either.

"

Firing on all Cylinders

Jonathon | Seattle, WA | 06/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The third Futureheads album is a bit of a hidden gem, considering the minimal exposure and attention it has receieved since its release. To me, the Futureheads were at their creative peak on their 2nd album (News and Tributes), though I realize I'm in the minority on this. Songs like Skip to the End, Cope, and Thursday were great pop tunes with enough of a rock kick to keep you intersted. While the new album doesn't climb to quite the same heights as its predecessor, it is on the whole a lot more consistent and feels similar to the vibe of their self-titled first effort.



Opening song Beginning of the Twist is perhaps one of the Futureheads' greatest moments, rivaling the savage fury of Carnival Kids and the irresistable melody of Skip to the End. The album blasts forward from there with Walking Backwards, slowing only slightly for a few ballads (Radio Heart, Hard to Bear ). This is not the World's propolsive energy is both its greatest strength and its limiting weakness, however. By the mid-way point of the album, songs start to sound a little same-y.



All in all, the Futureheads have made another solid and lovable record. The fact that this band has only gotten major attention for their Hounds of Love cover is a bit of a shame, since they have more talent and skill than most of their over-hyped peers (Bloc Party, The Bravery, etc)."

Wow

Joseph Broze | chicago | 06/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Really great energetic post-punk, powerpop, punk, britpop, whatever you wanna call it, from these Northern English dudes. If you've never heard them before, this is a great place to start.



I was disappointed to read other reviews on Metacritic that said this was just a powerpop record or something like that. I think this is a great follow up. Quick, short, and energetic songs make for a tons of fun - with typical great Futureheads lyrics to boot.



I can't say yet whether this is better than their debut LP but it is definitely better than their second album (which I also enjoyed)."