Futureheads: Struck Dumb
75/100
The Futureheads have dropped off of my radar since their terrific debut in 2004 – to the point where occasionally over the years I have caught myself thinking “what ever happened to those guys anyway?” After receiving the new single from their next record The Chaos I decided to do a little research – turns out that they never went anywhere – all along they have been releasing albums in a timely way. I just don’t think that those records ever got many high fives outside the UK.
Anyway, unless the rest of the new material is much better, I don’t think that “Struck Dumb” will present a turning point for the band in the U.S. Still, I am posting the track for two reasons:
1. It came accompanied by one of the most breathlessly entertaining, “this band will save music/cure cancer/achieve peace in the Middle East” types of press releases that I have ever seen. A sampling here:
In an age of collective uncertainties and discontent, one very special band has thrown caution to the wind and is raining hope, like their own bold melodies, into our collective consciousness.
2. The song sounds like a punkier/less campy rendition of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” which is always a plus in my book.
Really, it isn’t a bad jam at all – in a visceral, fuck-it-lets-have-fun way. It may not be the Futurehead’s best work, and it certainly won’t cure cancer. On the other hand it could be much worse. So, for better or for worse, let the hope start raining bold melodies into our collective consciousness!
— Jon Behm
