The Big Pink - "Future This"

Artist: The Big Pink
Record: Future This
Label: 4AD Records
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Review by: Sean Kayden

Electro-rock duo, The Big Pink return with their sophomore album, “Future This”, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut effort, “A Brief History Of Love.” While their latest compilation may seem like a companion piece to their 2009 record, I assure you, The Big Pink are still on the right track. What could have easily turned out to be the typical sophomore slump album for such a praised band ends up being sharper, deeper and cooler than their previous outing. Despite claims of changing their style on this new record, The Big Pink remain faithful to the sound of their first album that got them on the map. “A Brief History Of Love” was pretty self-explanatory in it’s title; a record about love and everything (good and bad) that comes with it. However, with “Future This”, the tracks don’t necessarily tie in with one another and feel more stand-alone than appearing to be a part of a concept album with a consistent theme. While the duration of the record is ephemeral, The Big Pink delivers ten brand new tracks that sound polished and tighter than possibly anything else in the genre. Granted their resonance hasn’t changed all that much, I still believe “Future This” marks the first great album of 2012.

The synth-pop team adds some fuzzed out guitars and sub-bass howls to their super-charged sound. The energy is high and production values top-notch. This is a loud tracklist with beats and samples, instrumental layers and some vocal melodies scattered in the album. “Stay Gold” the band’s opening track and single, bears a strong resemblance to their hit single, “Dominoes” from the last album. It’s a very friendly radio tune that definitely has “single” written all over of it of course, but that shouldn’t devalue it. It’s not the best song of the bunch; however, it’s the catchiest and arguably most fun. The second track, “Hit The Ground (Superman)” follows in the same footsteps as “Stay Gold”. It’s a grandiose and ambitious tune that puts a lot of emphasis on the chorus rather than the verses. Simple lyrics and metaphors, but solid sound, if not a bit formulaic even for The Big Pink. Not surprising at all to find out the aforementioned track is the second single off the record.

In a rare incidence, the singles are not the best songs off the record. “The Palace” is a beautiful sounding euphoria-like song. It’s gold from beginning to end. The following track “1313” starts off soft and breezy but ends up a bit rough around the edges. One moment it floats effortlessly and the next a little too random in some spots. The song is at least a minute too long since it travels into an entirely different location of soundsphere. The second to last track, “Future This” is a dark, deeply synthesized song that showcases superior harmonies. It’s the perfect out of the box sort of song that oddly feels inside the box as well. “77” is the closing track and the one song on the album that shows a different side of The Big Pink. The finale is an intensely personal track that’s beyond anything they’ve produced. With “77”, The Big Pink displays a break from their signature sound. It’s the highlight of the record and surely to stand toe-to-toe as one of the best songs for the year. Fans of their first album are either going to be pleased with the palpable comparison or loathe the fact the band didn’t fully dive into unfamiliar terrain. No matter the case, this album is everything I could have hoped for in a follow-up and then some. Not perfect by any means, “Future This” is one lively, often entertaining, sometimes sensitive, keen piece of work.

Grade: 8.3 out of 10
Key Tracks: “The Palace”, “Future This”, “77”

Published by Mountain Views News on January 14, 2012
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v06/htm/n02/p10.htm