The British are on to something; that’s for sure. Virtually every popular Yankee TV show of late is a dumbed-down, regurgitated version of a U.K. program. Everything from punk to techno cuts its proverbial teeth there. Even their commercials are wittier. Once you get past the atrociously backward dentistry, the infrequent bathing and the bizarre spelling issues, you begrudgingly start to realize how vastly superior the Brits are in terms of pop culture. Wales-based McLusky’s second release, “McLusky Do Dallas,” bears further proof that perhaps the American Revolution was not such a hot idea after all.
Even more sarcastic than their snide debut EP, “My Pain And Sadness Is More Sad And Painful Than Yours,” the disc kicks off with Andrew Falkous blustering, “I’m fearful of flying and flying is fearful of me!” Indeed. Recorded with latter day celebrity token Steve Albini, the down and dirty production combined with smarmy wisecracks feels like a never-ending string of coarse insults so monstrously hilarious that you practically beg the drunken oaf at the pub to keep making fun of you. The title of course refers to the classic ’70s porn flick “Debbie Does Dallas,” highly appropriate considering the lyrical content consists primarily of Kevin Smith-esque “semi-enlightened dick and fart jokes.”
This is snazzy, joyful and crazy stuff. The sort of overwhelmingly enjoyable tunes that make a no-holds-barred barroom brawl seem like a good idea. The unit is tighter than Shania Twain’s pants, with random screaming intermixed with crazed jabbering and intoxicated confessionals. The closest vocal comparison is probably the Pixies, due in part to the uncontrolled, ridiculously over-exaggerated elocution.
McLusky succeeds, unlike countless other boorish ne’er-do-wells, because they never forget their underlying pop structure and aren’t afraid of artsy fartsy dramatic contrast or slowing down the tempo, as evidenced by the deathly quiet “Fuck This Band.” The single “To Hell With Good Intentions” crows triumphantly, “My love is bigger than your love/We take more drugs than a touring funk band, sing it!” That one is probably already scribbled on a few bathroom walls.
Obnoxious as they might be, McLusky is funny and danceable to boot. They couldn’t care less about changing the world, but one does not always need to be mentally challenged whilst pogoing. Besides, I’m sure that for the right price we could get them to knock off Oasis for us.
Nathan Hall welcomes comments at [email protected]
