(photo: Liam Maloney)

Initially, the new Handsome Furs album Face Control didn’t immediately thrill me the way their 2007 debut Plague Park did, but the more I’ve been listening to it, I’m finding that it is quite the distinctive album in its own right, and deserves to be considered on its own merits as opposed to comparing it to its predecessor.  It’s not always easy for the public to warm to a sophomore album that follows a pretty spectacular review, but Face Control isn’t a slouch when it comes to songs:  “All We Want, Baby, Is Everything” juxtaposes Dan Boeckner’s analogue guitar riffing with Alexei Perry’s mechanical electro-beats beautifully, embodying the collision of time and place in sound that makes Handsome Furs so great in the first place.

You know what else embodies the Handsome Furs aesthetic beautifully??  This very cool t-shirt designed by Andy Dixon from The Chemistry Designs.  It’s available exclusively through Insound when you pre-order a digital download of Face Control by the coolest online music retailer out three (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that), but one lucky QBiM reader is going to get their very own t-shirt!  Thanks to Insound I have one of these neat-o light grey American Apparel shirts to give away.

To win, just email CONTESTS [AT] QUICKBEFOREITMELTS [DOT] COM with your name, mailing address, t-shirt size, and the answer to the following question: What is the name of Dan Boeckner’s other band? Be sure to put “Handsome Furs t-shirt contest” in the subject line of your email.  That’s all it takes to be wandering around the Grey Estates in your new Handsome Furs t-shirt.  Contest closes Friday, February 20th at 11:59 p.m.

MP3: Handsome Furs “I’m Confused” (from Face Control)
MP3: Handsome Furs “Cannot Get Started” (from Plague Park)
Facebook: Handsome Furs
Myspace: Handsome Furs
Buy: Handsome Furs Face Control or Insound digital downlaod + T-shirt