Future of the Left vs.Pitchfork

Fearless Future of the Left frontman Andy “Falco” Falkous has never been one to shy from controversy or bold statements, leaving no topic untouched or unscarred. His latest target is Pitchfork writer Ian Cohen, who reviewed the band’s new record The Plot Against Common Sense.

Amongst other things, Cohen accuses the band of having “corporate-slick production” and suggests that “Falkous can barely muster the effort” on some of the album’s tracks. Falkous has responded by posting a glorious rant on the band’s blog offering to “efuckidate [Cohen] in an easy-to-understand fuck-by-point manner”

Before launching into his counter-attack Falkous asks that his reply be “read whilst accepting the implicit understanding that any forum-based comments of the nature of ‘if you can’t take the criticism then don’t release the record’ are even more passé than this piece itself which is to say – very passé indeed.”

Falkous then notes that in the problem in unfavorably comparing The Plot Against Common Sense to records from his old band, mclusky, “is that Ian Cohen is effectively reviewing an album from ten years ago by a band that no longer exists”. According to Falkous’ reply Cohen’s “burning nostalgia for a lost teenage love has been replaced by an uncontrollable hatred for her and her new, happy life even though she went to college (Masters in Ancient History, specialising in the early to mid Roman Republic) and grew into those tits like you wouldn’t believe. In fact, he hates her so hard (yet helplessly) that he once applied for a Visa card in her name, badly, in order to somehow affect her credit rating and thus deny her the home she had dreamed about for so many years’.”

The Future of the Left frontman also contends that “I can honestly say that, whatever you think of the music, that the lyrics on ‘the plot against common sense’ are the best I’ve written (and yes – in either band) by a factor of FUCK LOADS.”

Cohen is yet to respond, but one can only assume that this interaction will more than likely change his perspective on Falco – described in the review as “something of a hero to me” – quite drastically.

Update:
Check out the “trailer” podcast for the album, which features Falkous and guitarist Jimmy Watkins and exclusive “new songs” from Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Danzig.