Archive for the ‘Futureheads’ Category
The Futureheads – This Is Not The World Review
I feel bad for the Futureheads. Their first album was simply amazing and still one of my favorites everrrr. The problem is that many bands come out with an album that is either awe-inspiring or just downright the best. Some bands just set the level too high and none of the following albums ever reach the greatness that was their first album.
The Futureheads follow this case very well. Their second release News and Tributes was disappointing. I never gave it much a chance outside of the first few listens. It may have been good but nowhere near the level expected. The Futureheads even got dropped from their label after not selling any records for News and Tributes.
Almost 4 years later, the Futureheads have released “This Is Not the World”. I think this is a better album then News and Tributes. I think with N & T they tried to be too structured and it just didn’t feel like a Futureheads album. With their latest release I think they took a step back from being too typical and back to the coolness that is the Futureheads.
The first track “The Beginning of the Twist” is an excellent track, some excellent music though quite dissimilar from their older style. The singing and lyrics are quite catchy though not as quirky. I think The Futureheads remain consistent through the rest of the album. Some pretty good music though it’s not the same from their first album. Lyrically and singing wise…it doesn’t still capture that greatness.
Not a bad album at all. Some good songs here and there and overall quite solid. I think the problem is that there’s nothing great and they the whole self-titled disc was great so they still have a ways to go in re-capturing what they had on their first album.
Rating: 3.9 out of 5
The Beginning of the Twist by The Futureheads
Radio Heart by The Futureheads
Buy this album at Insound/CDUniverse/Amazon
Harold and Kumar 2: Playlist and Review
Harold and Kumar 2: Escape From Guantanamo Bay was released to theatres today and I went to see it with Kevin as the first one was pretty awesome and produced tons of laughs.
As far as expectations go, I think the only expectation was that it had to be funny and anything extra was a bonus. I guess I guage how funny a movie is with the type of laughter I usually give off. In the case of movies if it’s able to get me laughing like a girl…it has done its job. I will say that some jokes were way too silly that it got unnecessary though the racial jokes and debunking of stereotypes was definitely a highlight. The storyline was a bit cheesy and the jokes make the movie worthwhile. One character also had me annoyed and being overthetop stupid (forget his name but he’s the guy in the trailer making the North Korea + Al Quaeda joke). However the movie knew how to be cute/romantic yet funny at the same time so it wasn’t all drug-filled silliness.
Overall, you got what you paid for which was lots of laughs and stupid storyline or not, it had its moments. 4 out of 5.
As for the soundtrack, it wasn’t too bad with the song that stuck out the most was Mickey Avalon’s My Dick as it played after the “bottomless” party. I think the soundtrack was alright, the hip-hop tied well into the movie the only thing I hated was the use of Boyz II Men It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye. I just didn’t think it tied into the movie and the movie doesn’t need serious “sad” moments.
Anyway here’s my playlist for the movie:
(for you Googlers, the actual soundtrack list can be found here)
1. My Dick by Mickey Avalon
2. Amsterdam by Peter, Bjorn and John
3. I Gotta Run by Everybody Else
4. It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career by Belle & Sebastian
5. Stupid and Shallow by The Futureheads
6. A Better Son/Daughter by Rilo Kiley
7. Kissing In The Grass by Of Montreal
8. Because I Got High by Afroman
9. Banking On A Myth by Andrew Bird
10. Southern Comfort by Arrah and The Ferns
11. Vanished by Crystal Castles
12. Stoned Again by The Evangelicals
13. People You Meet by Bishop Allen
I could explain the meaning of each song if you don’t get why I put them in, just leave a comment and I’ll gladly respond.
The Futureheads
Instead of always keeping up with recent news and music, I want to give this blog more of a feel with the music I really like new or old. Personally with the Futureheads, every song on the self-titled album released in 2004 I really liked. I didn’t like News and Tributes so much as it really set me off from their style that I liked so much.
Regardless I still enjoy thoroughly listening to their music and while I may not like anything they have recently done, it doesn’t matter as they still make great music.
My favorite songs are “Hounds of Love” and “Stupid and Shallow”. There is just something so simple about their songs that I really liken to the White Stripes. Almost all their songs are incredibly catchy.
If you have not heard of the Futureheads listen to the songs below:
Stupid and Shallow.mp3
