Twenty years is a long time yet no time at all. Everything has changed yet things remain depressingly the same. One constant throughout the last twenty years is the desire amongst many a music fan for a new mclusky album. The three-piece exist in a land of cult following and strong influence. They came, they saw, they disbanded and then they came back. The trio of Jack Egglestone, Damien Sayell and Andy Falkous are now cemented in place following years of touring and we now get their new communique, the world is still here and so are we, a title that perfectly sums up the contorted balance between optimism and depressing acceptance that fuels these thirteen songs.
According to the press release the band struggled at first to get the tone of the record right but once they did it was a lot of fun to make and what is clear from listening to the finished album is that whatever struggles they may have had has paid off as this is a cohesive album full of narrative connections and instrumental tonal relationships. A large part of this is down to the production and mixing as each song sounds dense and rich and each instrument can be heard clearly making it easy for a listener to focus on whatever instrument they desire. Often labelled as post-hardcore mclusky have always been a band difficult to genre pigeonhole and that is certainly apparent on the world is still here and so are we as we get moments that touch upon Pixies college rock and latter-day The Fall. Lyrically, the album is equally as cutting as it is hilarious (there will not be a better song title this year than “way of the exploding dickhead”) and Andy Falkous’ vocals travel between the deranged and the intimate, reminiscent of Frank Black, Mike Patton or Geordie Greep.
Cycling through the album, it is impossible to really emphasise any highlights as it is a work that comes so uniquely whole, with no element serving as a distraction or weak element that lets it down. This is a statement piece where every song is linked creating an unbreakable audio wall of sound that is extremely exciting, funny and inventive. We may have had to wait twenty years for this album but every day has been worth it as this will go down as not only a triumphant return from a highly revered band, but also one of the most potent and intoxicating rock albums of this, and many another year.
Welcome back Mclusky….please keep doing what you’re doing because we really need it!
the world is still here and so are we is out on 9th May via Ipecac Records. Get your copy on vinyl, cd or digital download from Bandcamp.
mclusky tour the UK in May ahead of summer festival shows, autumn dates across Europe and an Australian tour in the new year. Full details and tickets here.
Read our interview with mclusky frontman Falco about the new album here
Review by Simon Tucker
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Might want to check that band name in the title !
Well spotted (something we didn’t), now corrected and thank you 🙂