ALBUM REVIEW: the world is still here and so are we – mclusky

Welsh post-hardcore heroes MCLUSKY pick up exactly where they left over twenty years ago with the same hard-hitting riffs and cheeky humour they made their mark with back in the early 2000s. Despite being a band on and off for the last two decades after their initial break-up in 2005, Cardiff based trio MCLUSKY have retained their place at the forefront of the UK’s vibrant alternative scene, thanks in part to frontman Andy Falkous (or Falco)’s signature lyrical wit and demented vocal style. Now, with their first full length since Tony Blair was prime minister, the three-piece prove that they’re not just aging dinosaurs out for a quick nostalgia fuelled cash grab with their long-awaited fourth album the world is still here and so are we.



Although the lineup has changed, now featuring drummer Jack Egglestone and bassist Damien Sayell (who those in the know may recognise as the frontman of THE ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION), the heart of MCLUSKY is still very much intact. Opening track and lead single unpopular parts of a pig reintroduces fans with open arms and a kick to the teeth with the exact same off-kilter humour and screeching start and stop pace that made them a name to watch back in their heyday but with a subtle modern sheen. unpopular parts of a pig is a thunderous stomping punk track that would’ve fit in perfectly on MCLUSKY’s earlier albums with just as many winking grins as unhinged screams.


Innovation may not be the main focus of the world is still here and so are we but that doesn’t mean MCLUSKY are simply retreading old ground, while long-time fans may be familiar with the broad strokes here there’s plenty of exciting new details and growth from the band. The track the battle of los anglesea swaps the band’s typical rapid pace for a steady stomp and replaces Falco’s frantic shouts for Sayell’s deep crooning while kafka-esque novelist franz kafka turns the dial all the way up in the opposite direction, building up around a galloping drum beat for an agitated punk feel. Over their years away MCLUSKY haven’t forgotten what made their earlier material so special but they have picked up a few tricks that keep their new album from sounding like a rehash of their hits.

MCLUSKY have always walked an extremely fine line between detached sarcasm and genuine openness in a way that’s difficult to tell which side they fall on, despite all the punny song titles and cocksure swaggering a hint of unironic depth manages to shine through. Tracks like people person and the surprisingly tender and extravagant album closer hate the polis give a rare glimpse under Falco’s mask with personal lyrics covering personal insecurities and political insights in between all the shouting and inside jokes. Rather than attempting to balance on the tightrope between their serious and silly sides MCLUSKY often say “screw it” and let themselves be sliced in half by it, leading to what could either be legitimate depth or a spiral of irony so deep that it’s impossible to distinguish from bona fide wisdom.



While other bands grow tamer and lazier with age MCLUSKY have matured like an expensive blue cheese, retaining what made them unique but becoming stranger and less appealing to those without taste. Old fans are sure to have a lot of fun with their favourite band’s return while newcomers can find plenty to love in MCLUSKY’s bizarre and ferocious mix of punk, post-hardcore and chaotic noise.

Rating: 7/10



the world is still here and so are we is out now via Ipecac Recordings.

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