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McLuskyMcLuskyism Too Pure/Remote Control/Inertia To make a statement like "McLusky were the best band of the last ten years without any sort of competition of any sort from anyone," is both to be provocative and to rather understate the case. There are those who disagree, of course, but these people are wrong. McLusky were gods: angry, loud, Welsh gods. That they split up early last year was both inevitable (the candle that burns brightest etc) and incontrovertible proof that the world is hideously, nightmarishly unfair. You could say I'm a fan. McLusky took the punk-noise-meets-songcraft ethos of The Pixies and Nirvana and turned it on its head, becoming one of the few bands to genuinely progress the cause of guitar music in the new century. A big claim? The A Sides disc proves it via the incendiary To Hell With Good Intentions ("my love is bigger than your love - sing it!"), the demented full-throttle guitar attack of Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues and the restrained bursts of Alan Is A Cowboy Killer, while She Will Only Bring You Happiness and Undress For Success proves they could also do subversive pop songs when the mood took them. And when a better song than Whoyouknow appears, you'll know that The Rapture is nigh, the world is ending and you'd best hope you've led a blameless life. Like all great bands their b-sides were just as good at their singles, and the second disc pulls out such masterpieces as Dave, Stop Killing Prostitutes, No Covers and the growling, menacing epic The Salt Water Solution. It's all solid gold, but before you rush out and grab this set - which, if you have the slightest interest in music, you will - then be sure to get the limited edition three-disc version with a disc of unreleased songs, alternative versions and an entire live set. In the first category, they're all brilliant - especially the unreleased would-be title track to final album 'The Difference Between Me And You Is That I'm Not On Fire', but there's still a wealth of A1 material that inexplicably didn't make the cut (No Four Letter Forces? No How Can 15 People Be Wrong? Madness). Sure, the alternate versions are a bit fans-only but the live stuff should make you forever curse your absence at their December 2003 Enigma Bar show. Their band was better than your band. Sing it.  |
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