Their recent appearance in the top ten with a cover of ‘Hounds Of Love’ has provided The Futureheads with the perfect excuse to tart up and re-release last year’s fine but neglected debut L.P.
Of course, this is a shameless example of commercial opportunism (the world really could go on spinning without seeing the ropey videos, mumbled interviews and shaky gig footage contained on the bonus DVD), but such is the energy and likeability of said record, only a churl or Stereophonics fan would deny it a further opportunity to invade as many extra collections as it can.
Wiser heads than this one have noticed Gang Of Four and Wire influences on the Sunderland four-piece; I’d add ‘The Modern World’ era The Jam, and post Devoto Buzzcocks to the mix. But while their influences hang heavy throughout, The Futureheads never seem to buckle under the weight.
At a time when most new groups appear genetically modified to fulfil certain demographic criteria, this lot come across as the flesh and blood real deal. And, equally as rare these days, a band that have emerged from a recognisable community.
Hence: songs about being lazy (‘A To B’), getting stuck in a pub beside someone you don’t like (‘Meantime’), working in a call centre (‘First Day’), being intimidated by the Big Smoke (‘The City Is There For You To Use’), and dealing with a strong dose of the provincial blues (‘Trying Not To Think About Time’). If, at this point, your Jimmy Pursey alarm starts ringing, please stay calm. The record remains light enough on its feet to swerve the my-ol-man’s-a-dustman school of lyrical peril. In fact, with their happy knack of dropping some wonderfully snappy choruses, and their gift for four-way harmonising, The Futureheads seem like a band that have plenty of scope to develop and surprise.