That's Future of the Left, for those who aren't inside my head.
So, all of you.
Yep.
For those who don't know, I'm about a year behind literally everything. With that in mind, my learning that Future of the Left's bassist (who has an almost unbearably weird name) defected in 20-fucking-10 is right on track, really. Since he left, there has been an EP(*1) and a new album in June of this year. I have it now, finally. It's DIFFERENT.
I don't like change.
Not that I don't enjoy when a band ceremoniously severs a limb, a gangrenous growth, a malignant appendage serving no purpose other than to take up space. HOWEVER, I don't enjoy when a three-part band loses 50% of why they're good (through no fault of their own, apparently...don't you hate when people are so tight-lipped about their personal lives?) and then pick up two randoms, one of whom has a voice nothing akin to that of the original.
I also appreciate the gusto, the speed at which they replaced what had been for me a very pivotal individual. There are still many things I don't understand, though;
- Why a fouth guitarist? Half of your appeal was, among other things, based upon your very indie, dressed down and naked sound. I hate indie bands as they are, but Future's "Curses" can't be classified as much else...maybe alt rock. I don't frequently enjoy such soft sounds, and the originality of vocals that comprised their first one-two albums is what initially drew me in. Most of that, unfortunately, is gone now, and replaced with a sound that lacks its tastelessness. There was a harmony involved with the old bassist, a delicious malformation of noise that can't easily be replicated. Oldguy's backup vocals weren't complimentary, so much as strikingly contrasting. I liked the assault on my auditory sense. Now, everything's radio-friendly and happy.
- I'm stuck in the stone age as far as the development of the band and I stupidly thought perhaps there would be a return to the sound that I was initially drawn to. Seems to me, though, FOTL continues to progress towards the "generic rock" area of the musical spectrum(*2). What was, for lack of a better word, tweaked, in the beginning of this orchestral journey is beginning to fizzle out, and transform into the same old, same old.
- Thank god you've kept your whimsical lyrical style, Falco(*3). Yes, you've said that on your new album, you try to write some actually meaningful lyrics. I guess my advice to you would be to dial that back to 1. Or zero. Your seemingly insatiable desire to remove the most appealing aspects of your music irks me. I don't listen to the Left to contemplate life. Your music has always been glorious nonsense, and that's why I love it.
DON'T LOSE ME MAN.
(*1) which I hated
(*2) bring back Kept By Bees, asshole.
(*3) That's your name. Your name is Falco. That's not even a joke.
