CD of The Week

The Big Pink's accomplished 2009 mission statement was more than just A Brief History of Love. It also offered a tantalizing throwback to the gossamer grandeur of the found days of their label, 4AD. They seem to have flashed forward a decade or two on their aptly titled follow-up, Future This. Though there are still a few remnants of their debut--"The Palace" sports a walloping waltz worthy of "Musette and Drums" era Cocteau Twins--most of the sounds here recall '90s Britpop giants like Oasis, The Verve, and mid-career Suede. Lyrically, songs are less about casual encounters and solitude than perseverance and positivity. For the most part, the shift suits them, even if it doesn't necessarily push the duo to any new or surprising territory. First single "Stay Gold" pretty much sounds like "Dominos" if it were an Urban Hymns single. After the subsequent, Laurie Anderson sampling "Hit the Ground (Superman)," most of the highlights come towards record's end. "Lose Your Mind's" jittery electro arpeggios recall Telepathe, and closer "77" is a lush, achingly vulnerable story of addiction. Future This probably won't be remembered as The Big Pink's grand achievement, but there are more than a few hints here that it's on its way.