The Futureheads

With the majority of the 15 songs on its self-titled album barely grazing the two-and-a-half-minute mark, The Futureheads nimbly pack huge, spastic punches into each. The post-punk quartet's angular guitars and percolating drums propel each tune breathlessly into the next, while somehow adding agile time change twists and lots of polished flourishes. What's most impressive, however, is its handling of vocals - with all of its members providing playful echoes, call and responses, and new millennium-styled round robins - that volley infectiously throughout each song. Its melody-driven vocal layering sparkles on the exuberant "Decent Days And Nights" and "Man Ray," while "Danger Of The Water" slowly unfolds in a cappella. Covering Kate Bush's "Hounds Of Love" points out the band's only shortcoming, and that is its own lyrical subject matter can often be as breezy as the group's song lengths. All in all, the Futureheads's debut is wholly addictive and thrillingly fun.