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Underground > Radio & Music >

The Fall

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17:23 / 12.10.05

Just out of interest, and I suppose I've got about twelve, out of the sixty or so that are basically out there, how many Fall albums does anyone think that they actually need?

'All of them, damnit' would be a pretty good answer.

But wouldn't Mark E Smith be a bit better served, both career-wise and artistically, if he just ditched the protestant work ethic rubbish that he's so prone to droning on about in interviews these days, comparing himself to a plumber and such? No one in their right mind would want their pipes done by somebody in that headspace, honestly, would they?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:30 / 12.10.05

I remember reading a review of Mike Leigh's "Naked" in which David Thewlis's character was likened to MES. Already a great movie, I found this improved it no end.

20:00 / 12.10.05

Alex>

I dunno, he still only chucks out one album a year on average, which is what I would call normal for a band. Most of the 60-or-whatever-it-is albums are dodgy compilations. A few less of *those* would be good.

Are you saying he should do one every five years, or simply pack it in?

All Acting Regiment

09:16 / 14.10.05

Personally, I think the more stuff he does the better. I like having a lot to choose from.

The new album is amazing. The first track- Ride Away- is basically Fall Ska, strange as that might sound, and then we get an mazing garage riff on Pacifying Joint. As another poster said, the song does take that riff and play it on and on, but still, when it's this good, who minds hearing it lots?

09:21 / 19.10.05

Managed to listen all the way through about 5 times now - the first Fall LP I've done that with since The Unutterable. Early thorts:

Ride Away:
I've seen a couple of reviews that have this pegged as cod reggae or ska. Surely it's yer classic greek up'n'down hokey-cokey dance, right? Does no one else hear that? It's the bassline: bum-BUH bum-BUH, ba-DUM-bah bum-
BUH. All it's missing is a ballalika type thing going diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle.

Fave parts of this track are the lumpy drums and Smith's sarcasticly jolly delivery of "a hey-hey-heyyyy" - I can hear him winking and giving the thumbs up. Ooh, and Eleni's backing vocals. Backing vocals are always an unexpected joy in Fall tracks (cf Sparta FC)

Pacifying Joint / What About Us:
A bit 'meh' about these. The riffs are almost identical, and Smith's old man vocals don't quite match up with the heavy sound of the guitar and bass - he sounds like he's struggling to make himself heard.

Trust in Me:
Further evidence (earlier evidence being Dr Buck's Letter) that someone in the Fall is into Stereolab. It's got that dramatic 'running towards the edge of a cliff film-ending' chord prog and, more specifically, sounds similar to French Disko. Apart from Smith, was anyone in the current line-up in the band at the time of Dr Buck's Letter? Ben, maybe?

Generally: Eleni's keyboards make the album. Let's hope she can stick Smith for a while yet.

13:20 / 20.10.05

Saveloy;

Admittedly I haven't bought a Fall album in about ten years, so this is based on reviews I'm afraid. Any number of which have gone something like 'four or five great songs, a couple of okay ones, the rest, filler' - I'm guessing that if he recorded an album say once every two years, and toured in the meantime if he wanted to keep busy, he'd end up releasing stronger records which would have the added advantage of being more of an 'event' when they came out. Basically (and I dare say he'd probably punch my lights if I said this to his face,) he should take a leaf or two out of Nick Caves book, I think.

11:12 / 02.04.07

just wanted to give a mention to the new fall line up who i saw for the first time last night, very very dofferent to the garage band sound MES was touring a few years ago, these are basically an all american 7 peice space rock outfit with two bassists, keyboards, couple of guitarists, and they were awesome at the hammersmith palais last night

a huge Can meets Hawkwind rolling sound, massive, off kilter and mesmerising, MES was as ever MES and wonderfull for it. surprisingly played Sparta FC and a Mothers of Invention cover, highly recommed catching them this tour if you can.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

18:33 / 04.04.07

And isn't it the man's one hundredth birthday or something soon? Anyway, The Culture Show on Saturday have promised to mark the event in some way if you can get past Lauren Laverne's 'I was less annoying when I was in Kenickie' thing she's working there.

07:36 / 05.04.07

i hope they celebrate by playing the footage of MES reading the football results and the john peel tribute he did on newsnight. think it is going to be the year of the fall, what with them enjoying their best critical adulation for years, the MES autobiography in the summer, birthday celebrations and an awesome live show.

i can't think off hand of any band who have had 30 years of being as constantly creative as the fall, despite some massive troughs, falling off the critical radar several times and regularly losing members.

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