“A LITTLE LOVE, JUST FOR EVERYONE” – A DIVE INTO BIFFY CLYRO’S TENTH ALBUM ‘FUTIQUE’
ALBUM REVIEW | BIFFY CLYRO – FUTIQUE by Morgan Hermiston
Thirty years since the band first formed, and four years after the release of previous album “The Myth of The Happily Ever After“, Scottish rock trio Biffy Clyro are back with another stellar record. “Futique” is an eleven-track fusion of intricacy, intentional ideas and is simply a multi-instrumental dream. It’s definitely a top contender for album of the year.
As with all of Biffy Clyro’s work, frontman Simon Neil‘s vivid vocalisations are distinctive. These vocals, along with precise production, make each track instantly identifiable as their own. Accompanying Neil’s raw and rebel-rousing singing is his own gritty guitar work, alongside foundation forming basslines and drumming from twins James and Ben Johnston. Without each of their own multi-instrumental talents, we’d be listening to a completely different album.
It’s nice to see a band experiment with their sound, while maintaining their own persona, and not trying to sound like anyone else. In “Futique“, ‘It’s Chemical!‘, ‘Frienshipping‘ and single ‘Hunting Season‘ will definitely be top picks if you’re a fan of the traditional Biffy Clyro sound. ‘Woe Is Me, Wow Is You‘ and another single, ‘True Believer‘, start off haunting and slow respectively, then transform into the quintessential Biffy sound we’ve all come to know and love.
“Futique” is filled with so many incredible tracks, each with an audience who will adore it. The track that instantly became my favourite was penultimate song, ‘Dearest Amygdala‘. It conceptualises and personifies the idea of being able to ask our amygdala for help with something that is difficult to have ultimate control over. This part of our brain involves emotions, and the song’s merging of melodies is as eclectic, and almost as volatile, as our emotions can actually be. They describe this emotional turmoil as, “an irrational disease“.
“guess you’re stuck in the 70s, and you’re desperate for everyone to know”
Opening track, ‘A Little Love‘ and ‘Shot One‘ are very atmospheric. It’s actually quite refreshing to have a single and a full track as the introductory song on a record, rather than an instrumental. The opening tune also provides the precedent of “Futique“, driving the message of, “a little love, just for everyone“. In the latter track, Neil’s guitar work is prevalent, riffs and rhythms pushing the passion behind the words. Lyrics surround the idea of reflecting on a past relationship and “figuring out now what could’ve been“.
Penmanship that remains prevalent is something that Biffy Clyro have definitely mastered over the years. Whether its poetic poignance like, “goodbye, my love, it was too much but never enough” [‘Goodbye‘] or snide remarks such as, “guess you’re stuck in the 70s, and you’re desperate for everyone to know” [‘It’s Chemical!‘], they’ve got it covered. They’re not afraid to admit their mistakes too. In ‘A Thousand And One‘, Neil sings, “I always knew that I was wrong, but I never said sorry“. This track acts as an apology for all the things we never say but, in hindsight, we would say “a thousand and one” times.
Bringing “Futique” to an end is ‘Two People In Love‘. The layering of different instrumentals provides an intriguing combination of intricacy and intimacy. It’s really interesting that these have been incorporated in a way so that they don’t clash, much like the belief that opposite people attract each other. In the second half, piano is heard at the forefront before a crescendo of sound begins to build, lasting until the track’s final seconds. It feels like a very cathartic end to a record, and a very invigorating way to complete Biffy Clyro’s tenth studio album.
“Futique” is a record I will return to constantly. There’s a timeless feel that encapsulates you for the entire duration. Biffy Clyro are masters at their musical craft, so if you think you’ve heard it all, this album will demonstrate otherwise. It’s bands like Biffy Clyro that make it an honour to be Scottish! You can catch tracks from this album as well as all your favourites at one of the dates on their tour. Find out more here.
