Review: mclusky ‘the world is still here and so are we’

15th May 202515th May 2025 Reza Mills Ipecac Recordings, mclusky, Post-Punk

I’d like to start by dedicating this review to my friend Adam York Gregory, who was responsible for introducing me to mclusky a few years back. So, with that out of the way, let’s proceed…

Formed in 1996, mclusky released three full-length albums – 2000’s My Pain and Sadness Is More Sad and Painful Than Yours, 2002’s Mclusky Do Dallas and 2004’s The Difference Between Me and You Is That I’m Not on Fire.

mclusky ‘the world is still here and so are we’ Artwork

The band split in 2005 with frontman Andrew ‘Falco’ Falkous going onto other equally worthwhile projects as Future Of The Left and Christian Fitness. Joining the aforementioned Falkous (guitar/vocals) are Damien Sayell (bass/vocals) and Jack Egglestone (drums/vocals/percussion). the world is still here and so are we is mclusky‘s first album since reuniting in 2014 and is excitingly being put out by Ipecac Records.

unpopular parts of a pig demonstrates that the band’s power has not diminished one iota. In fact, it’s an explosive slab of noise-rock that wastes no time aurally kicking your ass throughout. A belting opener. cops and coppers is the sound indie also-rans The Ordinary Boys attempted in the 2000s with their not particularly inspiring mix of The Clash and The Specials, however, here its infinitely more rewarding due to the sheer amount of additional Cop Shoot Cop discordance added in.

It’s easy to see why way of the exploding dickhead was chosen as a single, its sarcastic, grungy and absolutely fan-bloody-tastic, the hilarious accompanying video also deserves a viewing. the battle of los angelsea recalls the clinical blunt force trauma of Helmet (Betty era), Falco‘s vocal inflexions reminiscent of Page Hamilton’s. There are some industrial touches present too, so if you were longing for Head of David, look no further.

people person has a more restrained post-hardcore Fugazi vibe, a little Shellac is even detectable. The latter is hardly surprising seeing as the late Steve Albini worked on some of the band’s previous works. the competent horse thief is a little more post-punk orientated, albeit in the eccentric David Thomas (RIP), Pere Ubu vein. One of the more experimental numbers on the record, but fortunately no worse off for it.

its sarcastic, grungy and absolutely fan-bloody-tastic…

The tempo is increased with kafka-esque novelist franz kafka, a nervy, thrilling hardcore-ish type number that gets the blood pumping ala The Urinals and Minutemen, meanwhile, the digger you deep is a little sleazier sounding with a punk-blues sensibility which I’m sure John Spencer (Blues Explosion, Boss Hog etc), would readily embrace, as indeed do I.

autofocus on the prime directive is an absolute earworm, like Frank Black if he started jamming with Girls Against Boys. Wow is all I can say to this. not all steeplejacks is slower paced by comparison, recalling elements of Wire’s minimalism as well as the understated slacker cool of Pavement, which is welcome as it allows one a brief respite.

chekhov’s guns recalls Big Black with its bleak proto-industrial flavourings and dark, dystopian lyrical fare, while juan party-system at just over a minute long is the album’s shortest track, and a breezy synth/electro-punk number not overly removed from legends such as The Screamers and Nervous Gender. Finally, hate the polis has a fantastic groove and is quite unlike anything else on the album. ‘70s proto-stoner and psych elements are prominent, so hardly what you’d normally expect from the trio, but it does help conclude the album on an unexpected high.

The years appear to melt away as you’re listening to mclusky‘s latest and it’s almost like they’ve never been away. A stunning comeback.