![Future of the Left - Travels With Myself And Another [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/4/0/3/0/futureoftheleft2.jpg)
4AD
Anyone who read my Mclusky Ex Files feature earlier this year, will have an idea of how much of a fan of them I remain. The pain felt after their ‘passing’ was eased a little when singer/guitarist Andy "Falco" Falkous and drummer Jack Egglestone formed Future of the Left with ex-Jarcrew singer/bassist Kelson Mathias, releasing their excellent debut album 'Curses' in 2007. It went some way to filling the huge hole Mclusky left in alternative rock, but you still felt there was something more to come from them – that perhaps they were still growing into their new clothes, just as Mclusky did over the course of their three albums.
Travels With Myself And Another is the sound of their clothes ripping under the pressure of their incredible bulk. There may be only three members, but my God are they colossal. They possess guitar riffs that will have Tokyo on monster alert every time someone hits the play button, and bass riffs that are in danger of levelling cities. Future of the Left don’t do subtle; they’re an extension of Falco’s personality, and when he talks (or sings), people listen. This makes 'Travels With Myself And Another' the worst kind of background music, which is just a kind spin on “mellow and bland” anyway. Music should always grab your attention in some way or another – FOTL do it by punching you squarely in the face.
Right from the first bell it begins, “Arming Eritrea” comes at you like an angry Mike Tyson, smashing its huge chorus into your gut. “Deep in the heart of the battle, caught in the switch of the flow, freedom from notes, she sells freedom from songs, she sells freedom and arms Eritrea” screams Falco with his considerable might, as though he truly is leading a nation into battle. The album’s biggest Mcluskyism follows next with “Chin Music” (featuring lyrics about women who love violence in men– and suddenly it’s a ‘bloke’ song) before the hopeless rallying cry of the album’s first single, “The Hope That House Built”; “Come join, come join our hopeless cause, come join, come join our lost cause” pretty much summing up their careers to date.
As idiotic as the fools who shouted “Judas” at Bob Dylan when he decided to go electric (at the Free Trade Hall in my home city of Manchester I am ashamed to say), some people have given FOTL some stick for using a synthesiser in the past, but “Throwing Bricks at Trains” and “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You” will surely put an end to that. The harmonies on “Throwing Bricks at Trains” are inspired by Falco’s love for Queen (nobody’s perfect), and together with the stop-start sytnh, they elevate the song to quite possibly the finest they have recorded to date. “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You” is not far behind, featuring one of the most attention-grabbing opening lines (not to mention song titles) in rock history with “God damn it’s gonna rain, I only brought my socks”, and a stunning bass line courtesy of Falco’s moonlighting (he moves to first bass on “I Am Civil Service” too).
The pace and quality of the album never really wavers; it’s all thriller and no filler. That said it does close with one of its finest moments, “Lapsed Catholics”. In danger of sending me back to church, Falco screams “Lapsed Catholics are the worst” as though they’re the world’s vilest scum (God forgives you Falco – probably, I can’t remember how he works anymore).
With 'Travels With Myself And Another', Future of the Left have well and truly laid the ghost of Mclusky to rest. The worrying prospect is that FOTL may suffer the same fate, as Falco recently revealed the band “were on the edge of not being sustainable”. People’s poor taste, poor exposure, their origin, piracy – blame what you will, but it all boils down to one thing; not enough of you are buying their music. Trust me though, no matter how hard times may get for Future of the Left - YOU NEED FUTURE OF THE LEFT EVEN MORE THAN THEY NEED YOU!
Track List:
1. Arming Eritrea
2. Chin Music
3. The Hope That House Built
4. Throwing Bricks At Trains
5. I Am Civil Service
6. Land Of My Formers
7. You Need Satan More Than He Needs You
8. That Damned Fly
9. Stand By Your Manatee
10. Yin / Post-Yin
11. Drink Nike
12. Lapsed Catholics
Travels With Myself And Another is the sound of their clothes ripping under the pressure of their incredible bulk. There may be only three members, but my God are they colossal. They possess guitar riffs that will have Tokyo on monster alert every time someone hits the play button, and bass riffs that are in danger of levelling cities. Future of the Left don’t do subtle; they’re an extension of Falco’s personality, and when he talks (or sings), people listen. This makes 'Travels With Myself And Another' the worst kind of background music, which is just a kind spin on “mellow and bland” anyway. Music should always grab your attention in some way or another – FOTL do it by punching you squarely in the face.
Right from the first bell it begins, “Arming Eritrea” comes at you like an angry Mike Tyson, smashing its huge chorus into your gut. “Deep in the heart of the battle, caught in the switch of the flow, freedom from notes, she sells freedom from songs, she sells freedom and arms Eritrea” screams Falco with his considerable might, as though he truly is leading a nation into battle. The album’s biggest Mcluskyism follows next with “Chin Music” (featuring lyrics about women who love violence in men– and suddenly it’s a ‘bloke’ song) before the hopeless rallying cry of the album’s first single, “The Hope That House Built”; “Come join, come join our hopeless cause, come join, come join our lost cause” pretty much summing up their careers to date.
As idiotic as the fools who shouted “Judas” at Bob Dylan when he decided to go electric (at the Free Trade Hall in my home city of Manchester I am ashamed to say), some people have given FOTL some stick for using a synthesiser in the past, but “Throwing Bricks at Trains” and “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You” will surely put an end to that. The harmonies on “Throwing Bricks at Trains” are inspired by Falco’s love for Queen (nobody’s perfect), and together with the stop-start sytnh, they elevate the song to quite possibly the finest they have recorded to date. “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You” is not far behind, featuring one of the most attention-grabbing opening lines (not to mention song titles) in rock history with “God damn it’s gonna rain, I only brought my socks”, and a stunning bass line courtesy of Falco’s moonlighting (he moves to first bass on “I Am Civil Service” too).
The pace and quality of the album never really wavers; it’s all thriller and no filler. That said it does close with one of its finest moments, “Lapsed Catholics”. In danger of sending me back to church, Falco screams “Lapsed Catholics are the worst” as though they’re the world’s vilest scum (God forgives you Falco – probably, I can’t remember how he works anymore).
With 'Travels With Myself And Another', Future of the Left have well and truly laid the ghost of Mclusky to rest. The worrying prospect is that FOTL may suffer the same fate, as Falco recently revealed the band “were on the edge of not being sustainable”. People’s poor taste, poor exposure, their origin, piracy – blame what you will, but it all boils down to one thing; not enough of you are buying their music. Trust me though, no matter how hard times may get for Future of the Left - YOU NEED FUTURE OF THE LEFT EVEN MORE THAN THEY NEED YOU!
Track List:
1. Arming Eritrea
2. Chin Music
3. The Hope That House Built
4. Throwing Bricks At Trains
5. I Am Civil Service
6. Land Of My Formers
7. You Need Satan More Than He Needs You
8. That Damned Fly
9. Stand By Your Manatee
10. Yin / Post-Yin
11. Drink Nike
12. Lapsed Catholics
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