FUTUREHEADS

So here it is, the second album from The Futureheads. 6 years since forming, 12 record releases, 5 UK tours, 4 US tours, 3 Top 20 singles and 250,000 debut albums sold worldwide.

Now they return with their second album on a major label – News And Tributes. The News is – all of these songs. The Tributes are – to people, places, events and memories. "Every song anyone writes is a tribute to someone or something" explains Barry, "and all of these songs are being heard for the first time so they are news".

The first single to be taken from 'News And Tributes' is 'Skip To The End', as with much of the LP, it's brash, bold, strong and extremely catchy. Their use of four part harmonies has been expanded upon throughout the album, with lead vocals once again shared by Barry and Ross. The pace has slowed and the songwriting matured but the unique sounds and edgy-ness displayed on their debut are still paramount. "Our first album was made by giddy teenage boys but this one has been made by big strong men." (Barry Hyde)

You will not be disappointed with what you find on 'News And Tributes'. It's the album you might have expected The Futureheads to have taken another year to produce. Instead they enlisted the renowned production skills of Ben Hillier (The Doves, Blur, Depeche Mode) and locked themselves away in a remote farm style studio in Scarborough at the end of last year. The decision to do so proved fruitful as they offloaded all the news they'd been carrying around with them in their heads for the last year of touring.

It's a bold step forward in the lives of The Futuremen. They're eager, willing and ready to take on 2006. Dismiss them at your peril.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.