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With lyrical themes of global economic distress and romantic bliss, British pop-punk band the Futureheads bring a more refined sound to its fourth album.
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MojoFour albums in and their metronomic nursery rhymes are still capable of delivering pop thrills. [June 2010, p. 104]
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They have always had an unabashed sensibility for writing three-minute pop songs and this record is stuffed full of them. The Futureheads have made exhilarating order out of The Chaos.
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There was always the hope amongst their fanbase that the band might give up on their commercial dreams, instead ploughing the oddness that always set them apart from the pack. Album number four delivers on that hope.
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An ever present Gang of Four musical demeanor, and the untiring pace of Fugazi makes 'The Chaos' quite aptly relentless.
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UncutA treatise on the tattered state-of-the-nation told over 12 slices of earnest, unerring pop-punk, the lowering mood is lifted by intricate harmonies and big singalong tunes. [Jun 2010, p.88]
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Alternative PressWhile some of the songs from 2008's "This Is Not The World" seem encumbered by big production, the 11 tracks on The Chaos sound more rough and immediate, allowing the band's natural energy to come through naturally. [Jul 2010, p.126]
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Q MagazineThe emphasis is on big, radio-friendly choruses, four-part harmonies giving an euphoric dimension to their punk-influenced sound, with less of the earlier complex angularity. [Jun 2010, p.127]
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Unbridled youthful vigor may now be but a distant speck in The Futureheads' rearview, but the joy of pop music still rings through in their every note.
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The group's fourth album, The Chaos, demonstrates that it has lost none of the infectious enthusiasm that made 2004's self-titled debut such a pleasure to hear.
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But if The Chaos marks the point where the Futureheads admit to themselves that the past ain't so bad, closing track "Jupiter"-- clocking in at a career-topping four minutes-- points to an intriguing new direction where the Futureheads apply their eccentricities to lengthier, more conceptual pieces.
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Though The Futureheads' established formula still sticks steadfast, there are enough wild cards peppered throughout to prove that, far from stuck in a rut, they're still moving playfully forward.
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By bringing at least a little bit of an edge and a more distinctive point of view to their songwriting, and by throwing themselves into their performances with real fearlessness, the Futureheads demonstrate meaningful growth here.
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Seven years after their first release, they've gone from being That Band Who Did The Kate Bush Cover to a genre of their very own, with a thousand identikit wannabes, and The Chaos is the cherry on top of their spiky, raucous, post punk cake.
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As The Chaos teeters between slick professionalism and rampant expression, it still sounds like the Futureheads are having more fun here than they have in quite some time.
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Thought it doesn't make an impression at first glance, The Chaos crosses The Futureheads' entire discography into a wholly satisfying package.
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Alas, at this stage of the game, The Chaos may satisfy, but it rarely excites - something of a snag for a band whose whole purpose seems to be capturing in song the thrill of a thrill.
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Under The RadarThe rest is solid enough--existing fans will find plenty to love. But this chaos is well under control. [Summer 2010, p.84]
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There are many hits and many misses, but again, the pure energy of the whole thing can't be denied.