A week after this album was released, and it has become a firm favourite of mine! After two albums which i consider to be two great albums The Futureheads have continued their momentum, and perhaps created their best yet! Although the second album, ‘News and Tributes’, did not receive favourable praise from the press, it did reflect a much more experimental and challenging album, something which is not a problem on ‘This Is Not The World’.
The Futureheads return to a format which is both familiar to them, and popular with their fans – as they go for all out rock. Straight off from the opening track, and first proper single, ‘The Beginning of the Twist‘, the band set the tone of the album, as they go from one heavy, guitar-driven pop song to the next – this band certainly know how to write a catchy chorus!
Every track has an element that can get stuck in your head, be it a certain riff or a memorable lyric, and this is what makes ‘This Is Not The World’ a success! The Futureheads don’t try to be too clever or different, but instead craft an album that you will want to listen to over and over again – something which quite a few bands fail to do!!!
Of course, there is a low point on the album, which is track seven, ‘Hard to Bear’, with lyrics which are just slightly cliched and a riff which fails to inspire. However, all is forgiven, when you listen to the great rock tunes of ‘Sale of the Century’, ‘Think Tonight’, and ‘Broke Up The Time‘ – which is just a fantastic song, reason alone for buying the album.
The highlight for me is ‘Sleet’, which could fit on either of the band’s first two albums, and it is this, which reveals what the band have done right – they have managed to combine all of the elements that have made their first two albums great, and put them together to make an even better album…
This may not be the world…but it is one heck of a fine album!!!
Music.stuff.etc 