Future Of The Left - The Plot Against Common Sense

Every so often there comes along an album so refreshing that I almost become a hipster because it feels so comfortable to wear those threads. This is one of those albums, it is so odd and outside of the norm that I get the eye rolls from my family members and friends wondering what the hell is going on in my brain when I'm listening to it. FOTL is not one of the bands I'm a huge fan of or actually even speak about usually but their current release of avant-grade alt. indie rock more than spoke to me. 

Lyrically this album is a cut above the rest as Andrew "Andy" Falkous has some excellent skill with words and making statements in aberrant and whimsical ways. This is not music for everyone for sure and most of the music is awkwardly rhythmic to a fault. One listen to the marvelous "City Of Exploded Children" you will understand what I mean. 

The Plot Against Common Sense is 15 tracks of Falkous relentlessly spewing his thoughts, cramming in phrase after anecdote after analogy after hypothetical. It becomes exhausting. If you stop and think about a line like, “Sixteen hours in a luggage rack with these children at my feet,” asking yourself what it means—like a good critical thinker—you’re going to miss the stanza that follows it. Forget listening to The Plot Against Common Sense while multitasking; Falkous requires your brain as well as your ears, and he doesn’t wait up for you.

While clearly borrowing plenty of aesthetics from the band's previous two discs, The Plot Against Common Sense holds its influences all over the place trading a monolithic noise rock onslaught into an impressively diverse presentation. Thus, angular assault of “Sheena is a T-shirt Salesman” and “Camp Cappuccino” is merged with industrialized playfulness of synthesizers-laden “Failed Olympic Bid” and danceable “Cosmo's Ladder.” The quartet also fully embraces their pop sensibilities packing the majority of songs with some truly deranged hooks. Previously mentioned mellowed-out “City Of Exploded Children” revolves around a glorious folk melody and chanting vocals to startling effect, while equally entertaining “Goals In Slow Motion” is a splendidly jaded attempt at an indie rock anthem. Elsewhere, the act's increasingly evident passion for minimalist electronica results in a genuinely disturbing, hissing keys-laden tune in “A Guide To Men.”  

Within music, recognition is due for the auteur--someone with unique perspective whose work ought to supersede the normal conventions of criticism and listenability. While failing to attain incredible wealth or mass appeal, certain individuals are on par with, if not superior to those of mainstream success. Future of the Left’s Andrew Falkous is an ostensible member of this sort of standing, as are his cohorts. This album is an effort that essentially throws everything against the wall, and, although not everything sticks, what falls to the ground is still worth picking through. Previous breakout work had put Future of the Left’s relevancy on the line, but this work simply sustains that relevancy.