The Futureheads

Emerging as part of the "angular movement" of post-punk-inspired bands from the U.K. in the early 2000s, the Futureheads soon proved they had a distinctive take on that tradition. While the influence of Wire, XTC, and Gang of Four was unmistakable in their spiky guitars and concise songwriting, the intricacy of their music -- which included four-part harmonies and unconventional song structures -- was all their own. On 2004's The Futureheads (which included their exhilarating cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love"), their unlikely but winning mix of rawness and sophistication offered a breath of fresh air. As time went on, they gave this sound different nuances, adding intimacy to it on 2006's News and Tributes, streamlining it on 2008's This Is Not the World and stripping it bare on 2012's a cappella album Rant. Despite taking a hiatus that for much of the 2010s, the Futureheads proved the joyous vitality of their music was still there when they returned with 2019's Powers.