Hot Hot Heat - Future Breeds reviews
Reviews by letter :
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y
| Allmusic |
 After a frustrating major-label stint, Hot Hot Heat reignite some of their spark on Future Breeds, the band’s first album for an indie since their breakthrough Make Up the Breakdown. While the group’s undeniable pop skills made them seem like an ideal choice for the big leagues, there’s always been something too contrary about Hot Hot Heat to churn out radio-friendly unit shifters. In their own studio and on a much smaller imprint, they’re back where they belong, and it’s apparent even on Future Breeds’ least successful moments. Their geeky energy comes back with a vengeance on the album opener “YVR,” which channels Devo with its abrasive, robotic catchiness, while the noisier “Implosionatic” and “JFK’s LSD” -- which boasts squealing synths that sound like a modem having a nervous breakdown -- feel like throwbacks to the band’s self-titled debut. Hot Hot Heat also sound a lot crankier than they have in some time, and they wear it well, from the sharp-tongued title track to the theatrical, stomping pianos and carnival-like mischief of “Times a Thousand.” They’ve always excelled at dense, nervy songs, but more than ever it feels like the band has something to prove. Paranoia emanates from “Zero Results”' free jazz interludes and “What Is Rational”’s insistent refrain “I’m not dysfunctional,” while “Jedediah”'s acoustic strumming and closing found sound collage hit home that Hot Hot Heat aren’t just dance-punk holdovers. The tension between the band’s hooky ways and their need to break away from them is almost palpable on Future Breeds, but pop wins this tug-of-war on its standout tracks. “21@12"'s bright melody and witty lyrics make it a quintessentially Hot Hot Heat song, while “Goddess on the Prairie” and “Nobody’s Accusing You (Of Having a Good Time)” capture that effortlessly quirky appeal that eluded the band too often on Elevator and Happiness Ltd. Hot Hot Heat are mature enough to know what suits them best, but still bratty enough to throw more than a few curves into their music, and this makes Future Breeds the band’s best album in years....full text |
|
| Rocksound. |
| Now, this is not something that’s bounded about frequently, but Hot Hot Heat’s debut album ‘Make Up The Breakdown’ is one of this reviewer’s favourite albums of the noughties. While ‘Future Breeds’ isn’t quite as top notch as their ‘Bandages’-spawning hit, it is a strong album nonetheless and probably their finest work since. Rockier than maybe what you’d expect, the harder approach definitely works for the band, ‘Implosionatic’ proving to be an early highlight. ‘Goddess On The Prairie’ is the first sing-along, but out of the 12 tracks on offer here the atmospheric ‘Zero Results’ is the highlight. It’s great to have them back!...full text |
|
| Slantmagazine |
Hot Hot Heat's stock hasn't been on the upswing lately. There was a time, somewhere in the middle of the last decade, where their albums were landing in the Top 50, their singles burrowed themselves into the modern rock charts, and in general, found the band itself in the midst of the indie-stream surge along with Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie. Now, in 2010, the band is poised to follow up what is easily their most maligned work yet, Happiness Ltd., the general lukewarm response of which may or may not explain their current absence of a major label deal.
Future Breeds is, unsurprisingly, another slab of raucous, ridiculously catchy, guitar-driven alt-rock, with a few brushes of electronic dance and rockabilly swag to keep your feet moving. The record plays at one tempo, and seemingly encompasses one theme throughout; that doesn't really lend itself to repeat listens, but it does speak for the group's indisputable pop-writing sensibilities. No rock band does jaunty quite like Hot Hot Heat these days, and though lack of public awareness and indie label Dangerbird's meager marketing power might prevent it, tracks like "Implosionatic" and "Zero Results" deserve to tear up rock radio like Hot Hot Heat hits before them.
Future Breeds is also remarkably well-produced, which is a little surprising considering this is the first time the band is handling knob-twisting duties all by themselves. In accordance with their frolicsome demeanor, they crank up all of their instruments to a near skull-invading level. The snare drum in particular sounds like it could knock over buildings. The album does a good job of reminding the listeners why they were Hot Hot Heat fans in the first place; it captures the essence of the band's catalogue and uses it as fuel for newer ideas, and that's a pretty good achievement for any album....full text |
|
Hot Hot Heat lyrics
All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. All lyrics provided for educational purposes only
Copyright © www.sweetslyrics.com Please read our
Privacy policy - 0.0348s
Send "Hot Hot Heat " Ringtones to your Cell 
