reax music magazine :: music + culture » Reviews » Future of the Left - Curses

It's tough to talk about Future of the Left without acknowledging that two-thirds of the band used to be two-thirds of Mclusky. (The other third – bassist Kelson Mathias – hails from the ranks of aggro-electro-punks Jarcrew.) But while that previous band seemed intent on bulldozing listeners with a forceful, full-bodied post-punk attack, the approach of Future of the Left is something else altogether. The Biafra-isms of vocalist Andy Falkous have been dialed up and the sonic wall has been trimmed down. To be clear, FOTL is still intent on kicking your ass, it's just that the approach here is sparser, more angular and, ironically enough, angrier-sounding. The wiry (and Wire-y) vibe of the band's high-end sound is countered by thick and distorted basslines that verge on melodic and the still-aggressive drumming of Jack Egglestone. But where Mclusky would have delivered a propulsive, multi-tempoed rumble, the idea here is more  oriented to a four-on-the-floor groove. Speaking of groove, it must be noted that there are, in fact, synthesizers on Curses. While they're mostly employed as sonic set-dressing, they do occasionally – as on the otherwise straightforward pummeling of "Team: Seed" – get top billing. It's an interesting dynamic on an album that seems so intent on drilling the band's sound to its most primal and effective elements, but it also works marvelously. - Jason Ferguson