Posted by After 2021’s The Myth of the Happy Ending, sister album to the previous years A Celebration of Endings, a new record did not seem likely as Biffy Clyro were worn out, knackered and suffering. Meanwhile Simon Neil kept himself busy by making our ears bleed with his metal outfit Empire State Bastard. So Biffy’s new album Futique was greeted with equal amounts of cheers and sighs of relief. The unique title is a mixture of future and antique, and is about looking back on all you have been through and appreciating the here and now.
Sound wise this album is classic Biffy, experimental, emotional, rocky and catchy and it starts off with the lighter waving, big arena anthem ‘A Little Love’. Amped up energy is served in ‘Hunting Season’- a punky diatribe against judgemental types on the internet, with a jagged riff and a huge right hook of a chorus. The energetic ‘Friendshipping’, about the friends lost along the way, cranks up the guitars and whizzes by in under three and a half minutes.
A uniquely titled ode to the band, ‘Woe Is Me, Wow Is You’ has a touch of the experimental – starting out melancholic with drawn out strings before a clickety clackety drum beat leads you to a powerful crescendo. Their 10th album ends on another left field number, ‘Two People in Love’ is a proggy and propulsive mix of crashing guitars, synth pop and a looping piano melody all of which bring to mind Danish prog rockers Von Hertzen Brothers. Despite the fact that the future of the band was in the air, they sound revitalised on this album – their knack for a radio friendly hit sitting nicely with a refusal to sit still.
‘True Believer’ is one such radio friendly number, a big, anthemic track about backing yourself and your decisions – replete with a restless riff, lush chorus and subtle sense of melancholia. ‘Dearest Amygdala’ is a spiky, new wave inspired highlight, with a bouncy drumbeat, floaty synths and hooks to spare. ‘Goodbye’ and ‘A Thousand and One’ are the ballads, the latter provides a nice change of pace but will not linger long. The former is the better one, a gentle and touching ode to bassist James Johnston and his recent battle with depression.
Futique is a much welcomed return for the beloved Scottish Trio, ‘mon the Biff!
8/10
Lofty Music and Film 