Future Idiots

Grand Theft Audio

Written by: TL on 30/12/2010 14:37:12

Digging deep in the promo pile in these final hours of 2010, here's another band that's had its review coming for quite some time - or actually, that would be reviews, because Future Idiots, a pop-punk quartet from Sweden, have actually sent me two LP's for review this year. Initially I was puzzled by this, but only until I realized the nature of the first of the two: "Grand Theft Audio" is a covers album, meant as an appetiser for the band's third LP "Lust", with seventeen tracks of cover-songs, selected by fans of the band's youtube channel.

Now, normally I'm not sure I think it's a good idea to release an all-covers album, when you are a band that isn't really all that famous. Such things are better left till you've already established a name with your own songs, or better yet, not done at all - I think one well-done cover on the occasional EP or b-side is enough to be honest, I mean, wouldn't we all rather like to hear some original material?

That being said however, "Grand Theft Audio" is really God damn enjoyable. Those that have scolded the "Punk Goes.." compilations for having nothing to do with punk at all, should especially love this. Future Idiots are obviously inspired more than a little by Blink 182, and their sound is an unashamed mix of early Blink and early Millencolin. Now take that sound and apply it to a bunch of songs, the original versions of which you've heard to death on the radio, and voila, you have yourself a little charmer of a record.

Of course, you're not getting much by means of originality, with the band sounding almost exactly like their influences, and the songs all being borrowed from someone else. That's not such a big deal however, because Future Idiots's covers are consistently decent listens, staying true to the classic pop-punk ideals, and making do with little else than the genre's trademark raw but bright guitars, and the odd piano here and there.

Most of the covers are straight-forward punk conversions, with little changed except electronics being replaced by instruments, the vocals obviously being more of a youthful, strained croon and the speed naturally being upped. There are curious choices though, with "Adam's Song" and "The Adventure" (originally by Blink 182 and Angels & Airwaves) being turned into piano-driven ballads. The highlights are in delightful punk-ifications of "Bad Romance", "Fireflies" especially in the lightspeed version of "You're Beautiful". They're examples of no-frills good times music, and they easily make up for the missing unoriginality, and do indeed get me slightly interested in what Future Idiots might be capable of on the "Lust" album.

7

Download: Bad Romance, You're Beautiful
For The Fans Of: Blink 182, Millencolin, punk-covers of pop songs
Listen: myspace.com/futureidiots

Release Date 24.08.2010
Pacific Ridge Records

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