Look around you and soon you'll find out, take in the aesthetic and realize what this album and band are all about. All it takes is a simple look at the cover picture, a guitar plugged in, to know what you're about to get an ear full of. Of course this serving of loud blasting guitar doesn't come to you alone, closer examination of the piece reveals the title,
McLusky Do Dallas which isn't actually a concept album recorded about the lone star state. Had enough? If not you can just examine the back, as tracks such as "Lightsabre Co
cksucking Blues", "To Hell With Good Intentions", and the ballad "F
uck This Band" grace your eyes you brace for a loud and heavy, yet humorous and light blend of rock and roll and modern day punk.
As of last year, McLusky have broken up and it is a sad site, but during their tenure they were very well known for being themselves. Witty titles, funny lyrics, and rocking out defined this band and their creative peak was found on this effort, quite the build up from their debut
My Pain & Sadness Is More Sad & Painful Than Yours. Indeed this band might be the biggest band from Wales since the
Manic Street Preachers, anchored by guitarist/lyricist/all around funnyman Andrew Falkous (see? even the name is awesome) and built around his loud menacing tone and scream.
McLusky Do Dallas is easily this band's best album, blowing through 14 tracks in under 36 minutes which isn't a long stay but after it you'll be begging for more.
This mountain of cock rock introduces itself with a title of just about the same name.
Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues introduces itself with Falkous saying that he is "
Fearful of Flying and Flying is Fearful of [him]". Now we have established this ditty not to be a straight blues song, nor is it a 1:51 recording of fellatio from Star Wars. Of course Falkous isn't the only player in this game, along with his guitar bursts, you can thank Jonathan Chapple for laying down the very audible bass. Just as McLusky gets away from other bands by bringing their own sound, Chapple gets away from bassist trappings such as relying on root notes and being suffocated under the guitar, and really adds his stamp to this work.
Of course like from Indiana Jones, the rock just doesn't stop. Take the next track,
No New Wave No Fun for an example, the screaming that took place on the last passage is replaced by another fun vocal quality of the group, nonsensical squealing and flailing about vocally. The quick vocal stabs are still around though, they just learn to coexist with Falkous doing his best Ted Leo impersonation on one of the noisiest songs on the album. Here is where the group lays off the vulgarity for a second, you'll appreciate that if you're a hardcore Christian and McLusky fan I guess. There really is no resting point or getting of the crazy bus for this track, and you'll be glad.
Even though its still a highlight song, your brain gets a rest on the ballad, "F
uck This Band". It is Chapple that gets the nod to go ahead and lead this track, playing a bassic (that was not a typo) line and is topped off with drummer Mathew Harding playing a simple percussion backup to the repeating bass line and the recently toned down singing. "Yeah Fu
ck this band/cause their clothes don't fit" remarks Falkous as he gives us a comprehensive list of why we should f
uck this band. "Fuc
k this band/cause they swear too much", right on. Even though this song is a change from the developed landscape of this work, it is a highlight and shows the versatility and two dimensional attack that is McLusky.
So what has all your looking and listening around gained you? Well now you know the story from the band who does more drugs than a touring funk band, your heart is similar in style and substance to Coco cola, and your mother has a knack for stealing pens, Thank Falkous for revealing this to you, thank music legend and common man Steve Albini for helping him reveal this to you, and thank yourself for going on a loud, strange, and deranged 36 minute trip known as
McLusky Do Dallas
