aaamusic | On 16, Feb 2012

The Futureheads have made a record with no instruments at all. It is called ‘Rant’, and it is strictly a cappella.

Set for an April 2nd release through their own label, Nul Records, ‘Rant’ will feature a variety of re-arranged Futureheads songs alongside medieval and traditional folk songs. The release will be accompanied by a UK tour which will feature only a capella and acoustic performances, including a show at London’s picturesque Union Chapel.

One of the songs from The Futureheads’ back catalogue that has been reworked for the album is ‘Robot‘ and you can hear a stream of that below.

With a varied back catalogue and their own label to run, the Sunderland quartet have earned their right to do what they like. So why a capella? Surely it’s a risk?

“If we were gonna carry on making music,’” Ross Millard explains, “we needed to change it up. Making another Futureheads record as per usual wasn’t something that appealed to us. We’ve always been a four-part harmony group; it’s been a massive part of the genetics of this band.”

As much as it is going to be a gamble and the band risk dividing fans, this is a passion project, and Barry Hyde has a much more bullish approach:

“A Futureheads fan who doesn’t get ‘Rant’ is not a Futureheads fan. This version of The Futureheads has always been there. We’re bringing to the fore what we’re really about: a unification, a gang mentality, which is in the balance between our voices and our personalities. And on Rant we’re pushing that right into your face. We’ve stumbled across tricks as we’ve made ‘Rant’ which are so powerful and which no one has ever done before. Just because this is an a cappella album doesn’t mean to say that the songs are slow or passive. They’re still in-your-face, slightly mad, aggressive. They’re still The Futureheads.”

The tracklist for ‘Rant’ is as follows:
1. Meantime
2. Meet Me Halfway (The Black Eyed Peas cover)
3. Robot
4. Beeswing (Richard Thompson cover)
5. Thursday
6. Sumer Is Icumen In (Traditional)
7. The Keeper (Traditional)
8. The No. 1 Song in Heaven (Sparks cover)
9. The Old Dun Cow (Traditional)
10. Acapella (Kelis cover)
11. Man Ray
Bonus: Heartbeat Song (Digital only)

The Futureheads will be embarking on a full UK tour in April and will be playing the following shows:

APRIL
3rd: BRISTOL, Colston Hall
4th: LONDON, Union Chapel
5th: LEEDS, Wardrobe
6th: STOCKTON, Georgian Theatre
8th: GATESHEAD, Sage
9th: GLASGOW, Oran Mor
10th: BIRMINGHAM, Glee Club
12th: NOTTINGHAM, Glee Club
13th: MANCHESTER, Royal Northern College of Music

Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Tuesday, February 21st. Head to The Futureheads’ website (www.thefutureheads.com) for fan pre-sale information!