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So, the difficult second album: to rehash, revamp or reinvent?
The Futureheads' eponymous 2004 debut proved so successful at what it did that it set the tone for a whole new group of bands. It was compact and razor sharp: the two minute songs ripped past at high speed and insinuated themselves in the back of your brain before you realised. If the debut album could have been recorded in a high octane half hour in a garden shed, then News and Tributes certainly bears the trappings of success.
Both the album's duration and its sound is noticeably larger: on the first album, only two songs made it past the three minute mark, but on this effort many tracks stretch out languidly towards four. The longer duration is generally put to good use also: the songs are more expansive and subtle, even if some of the feel-good jaunt is lost. Opener Yes/No, and the thrashing Return of the Beserker embody the percussive shoutathons so beloved of the first album, but they're in the minority. The brilliant Back To The Sea showcases a new lower-key sound, but proves that they still have an ear for a killer chorus.
Possible singles include Worry About It Later, the longest track on the album, which starts slowly before building to a forceful crescendo, and title track News and Tributes, with its relaxed and gentle melody. They've lost none of the insidious catchiness: current single Skip To The End is instantly recognisable, and almost enough to have you tapping out tattoos with the nearest pair of kitchen utensils. Favours For Favours is an energetic, dancy number, whilst on Thursday they flirt with something approaching doo-wop. Oddly.
So is it a better album? Well, it won't have the same impact but it's a much more nuanced effort with a wider focus and certainly represents an evolution.
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