mclusky: the world is still here and so are we [Album Review]

mclusky
the world is still here and so are we
Ipecac Recordings [2025]

“A comeback that doesn’t beg—mclusky return swinging, snarling, and still sharp as hell.”

Album Overview: mclusky began life in Cardiff, Wales in the late ’90s, carving out a reputation as one of the UK underground’s most distinctive and volatile voices. With wiry guitars, pitch-black humor, and a relentless drive, they released three cult classics—my pain and sadness is more sad and painful than yours (2000), mclusky do dallas (2002), and the difference between me and you is that I’m not on fire (2004)—before imploding in 2005. Their influence stuck around, rippling through the next wave of noise-punk bands.

After some reunion gigs starting in 2014 and a solidified lineup by 2019, mclusky is back with their first full-length in two decades. the world is still here and so are we isn’t just a comeback—it’s a declaration. Spanning 13 tracks and clocking in at a brisk 34 minutes, this record bottles years of live chemistry and creative pressure into one tight, explosive blast. The trio doesn’t chase the past or run from it—they use it as fuel. This isn’t nostalgia. It’s a continuation.

Musical Style: mclusky haven’t lost their bite. The band still thrives on jagged guitar riffs, rolling basslines, and rhythms that lurch and swing like a bar fight with choreography. There’s tension in the chaos, but also more clarity—these songs are raw but not messy. The arrangements give just enough breathing room before diving back into the fray. It’s the sound of a band who know exactly how much noise to make—and when to pull back just enough to make it hit harder.

Evolution of Sound: Rather than reinvent themselves, mclusky double down and refine. The songs are more focused, the chaos more controlled. Punchlines hit harder, riffs feel more intentional, and the sequencing shows confidence earned on the road. This version of mclusky sounds like a band that’s survived the storm and figured out how to steer it.

Artists with Similar Fire: This record hums in the same frequency as the abrasive precision of METZ, the wiry chaos of Future of the Left, and the smart-ass sneer of Idles. You’ll hear flashes of Shellac’s dry minimalism, the stop-start tension of The Jesus Lizard, and the theatrical punch of Nation of Ulysses. It’s a lineage of bands that deal in noise, intellect, and controlled detonation—mclusky still belong right there in the middle of it.

Pivotal Tracks: “Unpopular Parts of a Pig” opens the record like a thrown punch—cutting, catchy, and unmistakably mclusky. “Way of the Exploding Dickhead” comes next, a sharp, sneering banger that balances punk fury with video game absurdity. Then there’s “Autofocus on the Prime Directive,” where every instrument (including the vocals) hits with pinpoint force. The beat never lets up, and Falkous’ vocal control pins you to the wall. These tracks aren’t just highlights—they’re proof that this version of the band is firing on all cylinders.

Lyrical Strength: Andrew Falkous is still a lyrical trickster. His words veer between biting satire and bleak observation, full of inside jokes, coded barbs, and phrases that sound incredible screamed from a stage. He doesn’t hand you the message—he dares you to dig it out. These aren’t lyrics made for close-reading essays. They’re made for yelling, for rewinding, for quoting on the back of a notebook. Part provocation, part poetry, all bite.

Final Groove: mclusky didn’t just make a new record—they made a worthy addition to their canon. the world is still here and so are we isn’t flawless, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s lean, loud, and purposeful, bristling with the kind of no-nonsense intensity that made people fall in love with this band in the first place. It’s a reunion that doesn’t rest on its legacy—it sharpens it. And if this is what mclusky sounds like after twenty years away, here’s hoping they stick around a while longer.

MCLUSKY LINKS
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