The appeal of British Columbia’s Hot Hot Heat on such work as 2003’s "Bandages" or 2005’s Elevator was in enjoyable indie-dance – hardly revolutionary, but definitely a good time. That is why the shift to electro-rock for Future Breeds is such a disappointment. There is very little that is truly enjoyable on this clanging record, with only hints of the catchy HHH you used to know.
Those hints are usually in the chorus, in such pieces as singles "21@12" or "Goddess On the Prairie", or certainly closer "Nobody’s Accusing You (Of Having a Good Time)", Future Breeds‘s best song, but that’s rather faint praise, as it’s hard to accuse the record of being a good time. Instead, one gets clanging, screeching electro-guitars that can grate, and definitely never win you over. It’s worst in the screech to the otherwise forgettable "JFK’s LSD", but keeps up throughout the record, and only gets ‘less bad’ – never actually good.
Hot Hot Heat’s last record, major label release Happiness Ltd. (QRO review) stuck a little too closely to what the band had done before – so is it fair to now criticize the band for going too far in the other direction, too far from what they had done before? Yes, if the results are an electro-screech that never gives the listener a reason to spin it again.
MP3 Stream: "Nobody’s Accusing You (Of Having a Good Time)"
