This Frontier Needs Heroes - The Future

Brooklyn's This Frontier Needs Heroes opt for a more intimate sound on The Future, the band's second album, following on from 2009's eponymous debut. So it's no surprise the 10 tracks on offer are kept simple, mournful and stripped-down, showcasing brother/sister duo Brad and Jessica Lauretti's Americana vocals well.

This allows the toe-tapping melodies of 'Don't You Treat Me Like a Dog' and 'Key West' to shine through without the over-production that blights so many of their contemporaries. To get some idea of their sound, think a more melancholy Ryan Adams/Zooey Deschanel combo singing acoustic Noah and the Whale songs. Interesting, hey?

Elsewhere, opener '

' is a quiet but passionate muse on relationships, with the pair in defiant mood. "No I won't let it bring me down," they sing over a simple acoustic arrangement on one of the album's more melodic songs.

'Reckless Girl' and the sparse, minimalistic '

' showcase the band's folk roots, while 'No Need to Sleep' builds to something approaching a crescendo, but really it's a case of boy, girl, a guitar or two and a few other instruments scattered throughout.

The 3D CD case comes with 3D glasses; the music, however, needs few gimmicks to sell such heartfelt and intimate moments. It might not be for everyone, but The Future suggests TFNH's future should be an interesting one at least.