[kj] ot: the Futureheads

[Alex Smith]

Not sure if these gents have been discussed here or not, but I recently picked up the debut album by the Futureheads on a bit of a whim (having heard a snippet of their single, "Decent Days and Nights", and the having heard from a friend of mine that my name is cited in the "thank yous" in their liner notes --- I presume they're talking about a different guy). In any event, parts of the album were produced by Andy Gill (if that sways anyone). I didn't expect much, to be honest, but *DAMN* if these guys don't fuckin' cook.

Alright, granted: They are entirely guilty of being card-carrying members of the 80's retrobsessed plague of hipster bands (down to their oh-so-No-Wavey album cover), but their sound is amazing. They obviously own a copy of DRUMS & WIRES and GO 2 by XTC, but there are bits of the Skids and the Rezillos in there as well. Sure, it's all New Wavey, but these guys **ATTACK** the songs with the ferocity of fuckin' Slayer. It's jerky, adrenalized stuff with great, clangy guitars and speedy, jittery rhythmns

Anyway, I quite dig it. Listen to/download etc. the track "Carnival Kids" and see if you agree.

Alex in NYC