Album Review: The Big Pink, Future This
Unlike The Band’s 1968 debut studio album, the sophomore album belonging to its electric-rock duo namesake, The Big Pink, will most likely not snag a spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time. Future This is teeming with corny feel-good lyrics. Not that there is anything wrong with optimism, but it is an awkward departure from The Big Pink’s first album Brief History of Love, which felt lonely and a little depressing, but in an offbeat, cool way.
Missing most is the titanically rendered ennui present in earlier tracks like “Dominos.” The industrial sonic drone of lyrics like “As soon as I love her it’s been too long, I really love breaking your heart” following the powerful hook were more than enough to merit repeat listens. On their track “Stay Gold” however, Brits Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell are suddenly calling for some kind of morality when they sing, “Forgive your lovers, but don’t forget their names.” What happened to the everyone-wants-to-get-with-me-but-I’m-still-a-cynical-loner attitude that worked so well on Brief History of Love? Perhaps age does make wiser, but it sure does not make for a particularly interesting second album.
Although tracks like “Hit the Ground (Superman)” and “1313,” with lyrics like, “I will be loved or die trying,” just sound interchangeable and cheesy, “Rubbernecking” was surprisingly fun. Heavy with synthesizers and drum beats, this is probably the catchiest song on the whole album. Ending with “77,” an honest portrayal of friendship lost, Future This is not all bad. Who knows, maybe next time they’ll realize for them, nice guys really do finish last.
