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Lineup: Mclusky
Date: 13/04/2002
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by Adam Anonymous
“We’ve realized that we can’t just give 90 per cent, we have to give 100 per cent every gig” says Mclusky’s imposing frontman Andy Falkous pre-gig. He’s not joking you know.

From the moment opening blast ‘Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues’ is summarily beheaded as instruments plead for a stay of execution, this angry noise trio are clearly not fucking around.

People will say Mclusky have a pop side to their music. Mclusky will eat these people alive, before graphically coughing up the remains, covered in now customary bile.

And while in previous times the band have possessed just a handful of solid gold tunes, recording with legendary producer Steve Albini and a record deal with Too Pure have galvanized them into a far leaner killing machine.

‘Lightsabre...’ is the best tune they’ve ever written, full stop. But any thoughts of peaking too early are swiftly banished when, without pause, they launch full-pelt into ‘Rice Is Nice', with its screamed “I don’t wanna talk about it” mantra, followed by 'Whiteliberalonwhiteliberalaction' – key line: “goddamn it, cos everyone’s a hero”.

As subtle as a particularly violent punch to the nose, Mclusky are the kind of group that could only be created by the seething frustration and small town mentality of regions such as South Wales.

And it’s no more apparent than on latest single ‘To Hell With Good Intentions’, which encapsulates Falkous’ razor-sharp sardonic lyrical stylings, all “my dad is bigger than your dad” bravado.

Blitzkrieg blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shout-a-thon ‘Joy’ rushes by, ‘Whoyouknow’ is another highlight. And when manic loony-eyed bassist Jon Chapple calmly asks those losing themselves at the front of the stage not to involve spectators happy just watching the chaos unfold, unsurprisingly no-one objects.

Nothing outstays its welcome, to the extent that when ‘Friends Stoning Friends’ implodes into the familiar, but no less satisfying, squealing feedback protests of viciously discarded instruments, it feels like the set is over before it’s barely begun. No encore, no frills, no bullshit. Full marks.

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