The Futureheads

Tired of Franz Ferdinand's melodic dance-punk? Of course you're not, which is why the Scottish group has been the ubiquitous indie-cred conversation topic for the better part of the year. So it's no surprise that genre-mates and countrymen the Futureheads are close behind with their ballooning bag of buzz (with Bloc Party bringing up the rear). On its self-titled full-length, the quartet is up in angular arms with electric guitars that swing wildly above ultra-compressed disco beats while singer Barry Hyde croons quickly in his thick British accent. Evoking the Jam, Oingo Boingo, and the Clash, the band crams 15 mostly upbeat ditties onto this record, all swift and danceable. As much as you're aware that this style the Futureheads are indulging in is what's in vogue right now, it's hard to keep from shaking along to the beats.