Tomorrow looks a little brighter on The Futureheads’ latest release, This Is Not the World. The four-piece may hail from Sunderland in the U.K.’s grim north, but with their third full-length, the band seems to be having more fun than ever – and that’s a good thing. After their self-titled breakthrough in 2004, The Futureheads got a little too ‘heart on their sleeve’ serious with their 2004 follow-up, News and Tributes. Thankfully, This Is Not the World is more of a ‘return to form’ for the pop/punk revivalists, with their English accent and relative lack of an overwrought nature playing well in the mix.
First single “The Beginning of the Twist” opens the record, and it’s an altogether good introduction to This Is Not the World. Catchy and driving, this anthemistic piece is fun without being overdone. The following “Walking Backwards” is more similar to prior Futureheads, especially the first record, and good in that way, personal, without being preachy. “Think Tonight” and latest single “Radio Heart” are a little simpler, but still highly enjoyable, while the title track is a more straight-up rock.
After its strong start, This Is Not the World does slip a bit in the middle. “Sale of the Century” is great when big and bold, but its darker grind portions are kind of lame. “Hard to Bear” is probably the record’s relative nadir, as the band’s shift to seriousness really loses something in the transition. However, that attitude is steadily improved as the serious nature gets grander and more anthemistic, first on the following “Hard to Bear”, then better and better with later “Everything’s Changing Today” and “Sleet”. “Broke Up the Time” is a return to The Futureheads’ ways, clever, but not too clever, fun, but not snarky, and is what the band does best, while final track “See What You Want” is a big, fun, rockin’ anthem, great as a finisher.
The Futureheads aren’t the most complicated band out there, and This Is Not the World is a relative step back in terms of ambition from News and Tributes. However, it’s also a step forward in terms of quality, with the boys enjoying life now, more than ever (especially impressive, given that, in between, the band was dropped from their label and had to start up their own). And that’s really what you want.
