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The Onion (A.V. Club)

A happily unpredictable record.

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Alternative Press

What really makes News And Tributes impressive, despite lacking the immediacy of its predecessor, is that it captures the Futureheads comfortable in their own skin. [Aug 2006, p.218]

All Music Guide

News and Tributes is a far cry from the all-out rush of fun of their debut. Ultimately, though, it's a stronger set of songs.

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musicOMH.com

Here, they manage to do their maturing without losing the sheer likability which saved the debut from completely drowning in a sea of ideas.

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New Musical Express

'News And Tributes' is not just better than their first album, it's a fabulous record from a band with an exciting forward catalogue ahead of them.

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Observer Music Monthly

Inspirational stuff.

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Uncut

Like mid-'80s Scritti Politti, News And Tributes is pop music made by young men loath to sell their intelligence down the river. [Jun 2006, p.114]

Prefix Magazine

With News & Tributes, the band has matured to where the songs are initially gratifying but also grant further rewards with subsequent scrutiny.

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Slant Magazine

If there's nothing quite as instantly gratifying as was The Futureheads' "Hounds Of Love," the whole of News And Tributes still stands as a more accomplished album, muscular without being overpowering and stylish without being vacuous.

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Village Voice

Their latest one-ups the competition with punk that's theatrical and unrefined, melodic but treacle-free.

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cokemachineglow

News and Tributes does lack the visceral immediacy of its predecessor, and is a significant if subtle departure for the band, so it would be hard for anyone who fell in love with their debut to embrace it immediately. But, given time, the record gets under your skin in slow and somewhat surprising ways, eventually coming off sounding like a very good transitional album by a group with a whole lot more staying power than most would have credited them with two years ago.

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Pitchfork

While less exuberant and love-me-or-else desperate than the debut, News and Tributes is energizing in its own right, full of asymmetrical hooks and surprise detours.

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Entertainment Weekly

Their trademark vigor is often missing. [16 Jun 2006, p.75]

Los Angeles Times

An advance in both writing and sound from its promising 2004 debut. [4 Jun 2006]

Drowned In Sound

The drawback of News and Tributes more relaxed pace, is that the underdeveloped side of their work is more exposed.

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Amazon.com

Get past the more pedestrian fare like "Yes/No" and "Return of the Berserker," and the full scope of the Futureheads' ambition reveals itself, particularly in the poppiest track, "Skip To The End."

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Dot Music

So carefully paced is this record, weighed and measured for the correct balance of what's put in and what's taken away, that it never offers emotional triggers which bypass cerebral process.

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Playlouder

Too often, though, as on the lacklustre title track 'Favours For Favours' or 'Thursday', it has to be said that the new beast just isn't as feisty as the one-trick pony of old.

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PopMatters

This time around, the harmonies are less striking, but add a fullness to the group’s sound.

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Billboard

The album's best moments come on XTC-flavored new wave tracks like "Skip to the End" and "Favours for Favours," where they ease up on the accelerator and let the songs breathe.

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ShakingThrough.net

Promising but safe.

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Rolling Stone

On News and Tributes, the Futureheads make punk that's packed with ideas and downright radiant.

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Stylus Magazine

News and Tributes is a solid album, and its high points are worth listening to over and over. Unfortunately, some of the weaker tracks were given primetime slots.

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Tiny Mix Tapes

News and Tributes is relatively smooth sailing from note one; very consistent and effectively less immediate.

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Urb

More Libertines than Franz Ferdinand, the Futureheads deftly move away from being pigeonholed and reward listeners with a complex album of pop gems. [Jun 2006, p.111]

The Guardian

Only the poppy Skip to the End and the old-fashioned romance of Favours for Favours have the words to match the music's searching spirit, but this is still a brave and interesting record.

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Q Magazine

Feel[s] like an album to be admired rather than enjoyed. [Jun 2006, p.115]

Under The Radar

It's difficult not to be a bit disappointed with the slight change in direction. Still, the songs remain angular and tight and grow on you once you get past the tempo changes. [#14]

Paste Magazine

The band is now displaying an elevated gift for arrangement. [Aug 2006, p.87]

Blender

They've grown noticeably more centered and serious-minded--and maturity was the last thing that needed to happen to them. [Jul 2006, p.99]

Spin

They've ditched velocity but neglected to replace it with anything worthwhile. [Jul 2006, p.88]

Mojo

A pretty disappointing work of rock ordinaire. [Jun 2006, p.112]

Dusted Magazine

What a disappointment.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 18 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris S. gave it a7:
I was slightly dissapointed at first, but once I stopped comparing it to the first album I found a very solid album in its own right with a few exceptional tracks.

jimmy h gave it a9:
far superior to their first album. more depth in songwriting and music but still catchy pop music. it takes a few listens to get into it but then you cant stop listening. stayed on rotation for a few months.

Will O gave it a10:
Classic album. Has everything you can ask for. Every song on here is just brilliant.

Reuben F gave it a3:
All of a sudden, the likes of The Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand sound so so yesterday. The winds of indie fashion r fickle.

Lindsay B gave it a9:
Clever, creative, rocking post-punk with an intelligent twist. If you like vocals and harmonies (everyone in the band can sing), give it a try.

[Anonymous] gave it a6:
Disappointing, considering that their last album is one of my favorites. There's a few good songs, and the Area EP is a nice addition, but overall it just isn't nearly as good.

Lawrence P gave it an8:
It doesn't have the peaks of the first LP ie. Hounds Of Love, Meantime, Decent Days...but is still as catchy as sin. It's nice to see the band explore some new areas i.e. Thursday, News and Tributes, Worry About It Later. What else do you want form a strong second effort?

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