Future of the Left - Travels With Myself And Another

Album Review by Chris Cusack | 28 May 2009
Album title: Travels With Myself And Another
Artist: Future of the Left
Label: 4AD
Release date: 22 Jun

New musical maxim: “In the land of the three-piece, tone is King”. To support this bold new truth, Future of the Left squeeze every drop of juice and pulp out of that bass guitar and not one ounce misses the microphone. The sound is just furious throughout: drums are similarly well-captured while the synths, especially on stomping album keystone You Need Satan More Than He Needs You, are gritty as hell. This display of auditory aptitude is nicely complemented by the fact that the band have lost none of their knack for hooky, original rock music. Likewise their lyrics are still often works of concise and cynical post-modern brilliance, such as on Stand By Your Manatee. There are no bad tracks on this record so, instead, allow us to draw your attention to the penultimate tune, Drink Nike, which is one of the best realisations to date of Andy Falkous's new formula.

Future of the Left play Power Up at Studio 24, Edinburgh on 5 June. Support comes from Degrassi, 1" Volcano and Tempercalm.

http://ww.futureoftheleft.com