Merry Christmas from Fighting The Youth

Some nostalgic Christmas cheer. Kinda.



A new song from The Futureheads released just for your holiday enjoyment.

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #29: The Futureheads - News and Tributes

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

The Futureheads are English as can be, right down to their crooked teeth. So English in fact, that when they try to rawk hard, it all comes out a bit, well, fey. I bring this up not to insult them but because in a way, they remind me of the Beatles. All four members sing with pitch-perfect harmony. When they're clicking, their tunes far outreach the contemporaries.

Their eponymous debut had its moments, but it was telling that the standout track was a Kate Bush cover. On News and Tributes, we get a plethora of songs that meet with the band's potential. From the peppy to the morose, the tunes are more in touch with their own style, bringing a subtle energy that never leaves the record. It could be that they are simply so on point that they are able to surpass the expectations for a rock band.

Tracks like "Back to the Sea" blend the best doo wop has to offer with the energetic beat of new wave revival. This of course means they may have made this album specifically for me. But you can't listen to these songs without feeling the urge to join in. With all four singing at once, there's always a voice to cover any sharps or flats you may produce. And while that's all fine and fun, the bigger accomplishment is capturing that aforementioned energy. Without such tightly created songs, all the harmonies in the world wouldn't be so compelling.

I should note that despite the praise I am heaping on them here, they may have made some pretty big mistakes. As good as this album is, the US-only bonus tracks are even better.







Previous Entries:
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
#38 - The National - Boxer
#39 - Hot Water Music - Caution

Unyielding Commissioning is Rooting for the Machines

Whachoo talkin’ ‘bout T-800? Sometime last year, the Halcyon Company revealed that they were planning a Terminator sequel without the participation of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Various people were irate at this news, but in our role as Schwarzenegger experts, we deemed it feasible enough. Arnold is too old to play a non-buttling robot. While that fourth Terminator movie is still in the works, it appears they also have gone in a different direction.

If you’ve watched anything on Fox lately, you’ve no doubt seen the ads for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. One can only assume that James Cameron clearly has nothing to do with this, and neither should you. Based on the commercials, it looks cheap, shoddy, and hastily thrown together. If nobody tunes in to watch, it will quickly go away and we can all pretend it never happened. Not that you needed any extra urging, but please don’t bother with it.

Heads to the Present I had no idea, but apparently The Futureheads are working on a new album which will be out “sometime in 2008.” They cancelled their last US tour two years ago for reasons I can not recall. Illness or injury or something. If you go to their website (look at the bottom right), you can download "Broke Up The Time," a track from the new album. It’s fast as hell and oh so them. Go get it!

The New Chuck Norris Facts You like the idea of Chuck Norris much better than anything about him that’s associated with his reality. Now he’s getting into the political realm because he’s more whipped than a rented donkey. Perhaps you saw his teeth and beard standing behind Mike Huckabee last week. Since when was Chuck into this sort of thing? Since he married his trophy wife who just happens to be way into Jesus. Recently, he and wifey spoke out on Youtube addressing one of the most important issues of our time – that the bible should be taught in public schools as literature. Chuck had somehow revitalized his career thanks to the hilarious Chuck Norris Facts website and the hilarious unintentional comedy of Walker Texas Ranger. But I have to think that by buying into his wife’s campaign so earnestly, he’s going to lose his remaining street cred, even the ironic stuff.

Why did DLP hire a little girl who don’t talk good? It’s the mirrors! Not the Mears! He’s a retired Formula 1 driver. Damn you little girl who can’t talk! Get off my TV!