Future Leaders Of The World LVL IV CD

Spearheaded by frontman and creative catalyst Phil Tayler, Future Leaders of the World has its roots in a time of Tayler going homeless in San Francisco after moving to the Bay Area from Buffalo, NY. After getting booted out onto the streets, the New Yorker got involved with non-profit, grassroots organizations, going door-to-door getting petitions signed and writing songs on the side. These experiences spawned LVL IV, a 10-pack of tunes that employs a clever use of dynamics, powered by agitated guitars and Tayler's voice, a howl with a Kurt Cobain-ish nuance to it.

Operating with a sound that's more a nod to Nirvana than outright mimicry, Future Leaders uses social activism and anger at government corruption as inspiration. Tayler goes from the barbed rant "Your Gov't Loves You," with mention of corporate waste and the Middle East, to the subtler but no less powerful "Unite," which picks peace over war in regards to the invasion of Iraq. Tayler's ire only seems to subside during the catchy power-ballad "House of Chains," which features sweeping guitar chords and radio-friendly hooks.

LVL IV is the Epic Records debut of Buffalo, NY-based Future Leaders of the World (or "FLOW"). Throughout, the band is extremely close to the sound and mood of Nirvana. Opener "Spotlight," for example, recalls the powerful halftime screed of the In Utero-era "Milk It." Frontman and songwriter Phil Tayler has perfected a slurring, raspy version of Kurt Cobain's delivery, and he uses it to great effect on "Spotlight" and first single "Let Me Out," the latter of which also benefits from an ounce of plaintive melody. But Tayler and his band aren't indebted wholly to Nirvana (even if "Sued" is a straight musical and vocal approximation). "Kill Pop" comments cynically on popular culture as Tayler channels the shrill phrasing of Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha, and Rage's restless political consciousness is echoed in the album-closing rant, "Your Gov't Loves You," in which an angrily sarcastic Tayler connects the title to a sneering "Rest assured." LVL IV features the always strong production of veteran loud rock guy GGGarth (who actually helmed Rage's first album). And there's mixing from Andy Wallace on "Let Me Out" and a few other tracks, which sort of validates the Future Leaders' extreme Nirvana lean. But even if they do hark straight back to those heady days of the early-'90s alternative explosion, Tayler and the Future Leaders never veer into full-fledged replication. They focus instead on tightly played songs, and Tayler's cynicism and gravity in the frontman position. LVL IV has a lot to offer fans of similarly focused groups, such as Puddle of Mudd or Drowning Pool. [The album was also issued in an edited-for-content version.] ~ Johnny Loftus

Audio Mixers: Michael Barbiero; Andy Wallace.

Recording information: Plumper Mountain Sound, Gibsons, British Columbia, Cana; The Armoury Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canad.

Photographer: Travis Shin.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Joel "The Christmas Mouse" Livesay; Lee Robertson.

Future Leaders of the World: Phil Tayler (vocals); Jake Stutevoss (guitar); Bill Hershey (bass instrument); Carl Messina (drums).

Personnel: Ben Kaplan (programming).