50. Free Range Points: 98 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:10 (eleven years ago) link
49. Glam Racket Points: 102 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:11 (eleven years ago) link
Smith only 3rd in favourite fall members. That should royally piss him off
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:28 (eleven years ago) link
48=. Kurious Oranj Points: 106 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 0
48=. Hotel Bloedel Points: 106 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:29 (eleven years ago) link
xpost not as much as when he was langiushing behind Marc Riley, about halfway through the count...
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:30 (eleven years ago) link
46. Fortress/Deer Park Points: 109 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:45 (eleven years ago) link
Nice live version in Icelandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKJPEAmuaT4
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 29 April 2013 10:54 (eleven years ago) link
45. Rebellious Jukebox Points: 110 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 1
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:00 (eleven years ago) link
44. City Hobgoblins Points: 112 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:07 (eleven years ago) link
43. Bremen Nacht Points: 112 Votes: 3 Number Ones: 1
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:08 (eleven years ago) link
um, tie-splitter = 'whichever has the most number ones, then the most votes'..
(It is now, anyway!)
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:09 (eleven years ago) link
42. Bonkers in Phoenix Points: 114 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 1
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:15 (eleven years ago) link
41. English Scheme Points: 117 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:16 (eleven years ago) link
Great song, though there are 4 or 5 tracks from Grotesque I would place higher. Similarly, there's a lot of Hex, nothing yet from Slates or Dragnet, and lots of singles still to place.
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 29 April 2013 11:28 (eleven years ago) link
O look, there's my number 1. Smith breaches reality, strangles the rules, transcends the recording process, queues for a meat burger
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 11:36 (eleven years ago) link
I voted for BiP too. Glad to see it in the top 50.
― you're going home in a crispy ambulance (cajunsunday), Monday, 29 April 2013 11:49 (eleven years ago) link
Bonkers is my first to make it. Also: hell yeah Shanley!
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 29 April 2013 12:40 (eleven years ago) link
It's also an incredibly poignant metaphor for his relationship with Brix
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 12:41 (eleven years ago) link
Wonder who else voted for Nagle, too...
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 12:45 (eleven years ago) link
40. Gross Chapel - British Grenadiers Points: 118 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 12:53 (eleven years ago) link
38=. Marquis Cha-Cha Points: 120 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
38=. LA Points: 120 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 12:54 (eleven years ago) link
I failed to vote for band members in my ballot, but c'mon people 0 votes for Dave Bush?
― brad palsy (Jon Lewis), Monday, 29 April 2013 12:56 (eleven years ago) link
37. Guest Informant Points: 122 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 12:56 (eleven years ago) link
36. Middle Mass Points: 125 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:01 (eleven years ago) link
35. Smile Points: 127 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 1
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:04 (eleven years ago) link
34. Slates, Slags, Etc. Points: 131 Votes: 5 Number Ones: 1
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:05 (eleven years ago) link
Woah! Are you rolling them all out this morning?
― bentelec, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:08 (eleven years ago) link
Might get to half-way, then sttretch the rest out..
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
LA only 38? Had that pegged for top 10 :/
But still, lots of great tracks showing that didnt make my ballot :D
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 29 April 2013 13:47 (eleven years ago) link
33. Impression of J. Temperence Points: 134 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:51 (eleven years ago) link
32. Tempo House Points: 144 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 13:53 (eleven years ago) link
Wow, Tempo House is too low! It came very very close to being my #1, but was instead my #2.
― herr doktor (askance johnson), Monday, 29 April 2013 13:56 (eleven years ago) link
31. Blindness Points: 145 Votes: 7 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 14:06 (eleven years ago) link
MES attempts to shut jools holland up (fails)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We_mND4HpTg
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 29 April 2013 14:12 (eleven years ago) link
Hello there! She makes that era wrong and impossible in all the best ways.
The transition here is my favorite moment in their discography (though "Deer Park" kind of lets it down imo) - condenses that emergent quality of Hex, something broken rearranging itself into working order.
This missed my academic male slag ballot but is a v. worthy number one vote.
― bentelec, Monday, 29 April 2013 14:15 (eleven years ago) link
"Blindness" is a great song I still haven't heard a definitive reading of; would actually say the same of "Sparta." Each version gets one thing right and fucks up something else. I have pretty complicated feelings of MES as a frontman post-Frenz; he's gotten places he couldn't have gone with the old persona, but a charitable reading of say, taking out his teeth (see: "Way Round") gets impossible in places, and makes Doran's picture of the "peak of his power decline" hard to ignore.
― bentelec, Monday, 29 April 2013 14:22 (eleven years ago) link
I was just thinking about Way Round; he really takes out his teeth. Thats freaking hilarious
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 29 April 2013 14:25 (eleven years ago) link
Uh there shd be a q mark at the end of first sentence
30. Prole Art Threat Points: 147 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 15:43 (eleven years ago) link
29. Container Drivers Points: 152 Votes: 7 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 15:46 (eleven years ago) link
28. Spectre Vs Rector Points: 153 Votes: 6 Number Ones: 0
27. Jawbone and the Air-Rifle Points: 158 Votes: 7 Number Ones: 0
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 15:49 (eleven years ago) link
26. Weather Report 2 Points: 158 Votes: 7 Number Ones: 1
Tune in tomorrow for some more, u skinny rats...
Whoa. How is my #1 (Slates, Slags) so lowwwwww?
― mr.raffles, Monday, 29 April 2013 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
Prole Art Threat too low!!! (Regrets not voting for it...)
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 29 April 2013 15:56 (eleven years ago) link
Ah, the best song of 2010. Smith inverts mortality: now death fears him
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 16:07 (eleven years ago) link
dang, this is going way too fast. goodbye, large raft of fall songs, we hardly knew ye. voted for these:
38. LA - so fucking spooky, i could live for days on just an arpeggiator and delay pedal, mark heeding his own r-related dictate for once32. Tempo House - first fall song i ever heard, live version on homestead's speed trials comp, was so baffled by the amazing lyrics, goddam the pedantic welsh31. Blindness - guess i like the groovy ones, one of my favorite songs of the last 10 years, nothing to do w mark, only nu-fall song on my ballot30. Prole Art Threat - PINK PRESS THREAT! unlike the others here, not actually a good song, a tonic nonetheless
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Monday, 29 April 2013 16:22 (eleven years ago) link
Some pretty great stuff in the lower reaches. Sorry I didn't get around to submitting, a few of these would've been bumped up ('Free Range', 'Slates...', 'Container Drivers' all on my definites list on my drafted ballot, quite a few more on my longlist).
― emil.y, Monday, 29 April 2013 16:22 (eleven years ago) link
I had Spectre Vs. Rector at 2. I'm v. fond of the noisy ones on Dragnet (S Vs. R, muzorewi's daughter)
― you're going home in a crispy ambulance (cajunsunday), Monday, 29 April 2013 16:25 (eleven years ago) link
Oh yay hurray, that v cool site has saved me the task of typing in the awesome ad-lib portion of the live in Iceland version of The Classical:
On live versions, variant lyrics often would appear at this point. One more or less typical example (from Austurbaejarbio, recorded in 1982): "Dear customer, prior to delivery, this fine Ford Kawasaki Excel Escort was given a thorough inspection by Fred here in the white coat...please note, um, the, um, coin-spots on the dashboard...please note the fuel exhaustion limit reader...please note the elephant house odor of the dashboard, and most importantly the axels and the hubs which are immune to snow, extreme heat, rain, hailstones, sleet, and HAIL! The Classical!"
Not evoked by transcription is the amazing phrasing but it's something like
PLEASE NOTE!the FUEL...EXHAUSTION...LIMIT...READER...PLEASE NOTE!the elephant...HOUSE!odor...
That same live album has a great variant on Look, Know:
HEWas the firstTo wearan idioticJACKETin the club...
― brad palsy (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 19:51 (eleven years ago) link
Container Drivers and I'm Into CB were robbed
― Hinklepicker, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 20:47 (eleven years ago) link
This Poll in Number One in my list of Polls by the way.
― Hinklepicker, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 20:50 (eleven years ago) link
Also I think this is the type of band and catalog that you could do one of these every six months and come up with quite a different result. Can we do that?
― Hinklepicker, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
Jeff W! 'Twas I. This was my somewhat unreconstructed response to hearing it for the first time ever:
Australians In Europe - Holy hell, so catchy! And there's a subtle chord-change. This IS the poppy post-Bend Sinister burbling and it's AWESOME. And wow, that vocal echo thing! Playing with content AND form here. I'd not expected something quite so righteously joyful! It's still heavy; the bass and drums ensure that. But it's also a romp, a blast, perhaps the blinding chords of the Ketamine Sun shining onto our damned forms. I can't quite explain how bizarre this song's alchemy is. OH SHIT! The power-chord middle section!!! What's happened to The Fall?! This is completely insane! And then the guitar builds beneath, the bass changes, and MES comes back in...it's maybe one of my favourite 5 Fall moments so far? Hahahahaha, this band NEVER fails to amaze me. WOW. This has rapidly become one of the best pop songs I've ever had the privilege to hear. And there's still over a minute left!!! It's all going a bit Complicated Game. I ain't complaining. FUCK. I have no more rational argument about this. Why isn't it automatically mentioned every time the Peel Sessions are brought up? Beautiful solo during the fade-out too. YES
Anyway, here's my ballot. Hurricane Edward was fucking ROBBED my friends! Go on, give it another listen, it's the end of time
Bonkers In PhoenixHurricane EdwardWinter Weather Report 2Hip PriestGardenGross Chapel - British GrenadiersNew Puritan Australians In Europe 4 1/2 InchOl' GangBlindness Octo Realm/Ketamine SunThe Crying MarshallTwo LibransPaintworkHexen Definitive/Strife Knot Midwatch 195350 Year-Old ManEat Y'Self Fitter
I tend to go for the dare I say 'more avant-garde' sort of Fall song - things like Hit The North and Totally Wired may reach me eventually - certainly I'm not going to make a distinction between 'interesting Fall' and 'boring Fall' because it's all part of the same creative process, really
REALLY REGRET NOT VOTING FOR:
Mexico Wax SolventThe Birmingham School Of Business SchoolAntidotes
― have a nice Blog (imago), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 20:59 (eleven years ago) link
i forgot to vote for "autralians", stupid considering i made room for most every other would-be pop hit
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:07 (eleven years ago) link
it does look like a whopping great pop anomaly in my ballot doesn't it. but it's an unbelievably intense, bizarre and plain fucken rocknroll pop song, it's a righteous pop maelstrom
― have a nice Blog (imago), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:10 (eleven years ago) link
imago do you not fuck with Guest Informant, the other throat-shaker from that clutch of B sides?
― Moron Tabernacle Chior (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:11 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for turning me onto that track, Aus in Eur, am listening now. It's great
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
would have to *gulp* hear...it...again? xp
― have a nice Blog (imago), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
btw you can add virtually every Levitate and Unutterable track I didn't vote for to the Regret list, especially Spencer Must Die, Levitate, Dr Buck's Letter, Devolute and Cyber Insekt
― have a nice Blog (imago), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:18 (eleven years ago) link
Had no time to comment
1 Wings2 Kurious Oranj3 Fortress/Deer Park4 Leave the Capitol5 Slates, Slags, Etc6 The Classical7 Lie Dream of A Casino Soul8 Hey! Luciani9 Look, Know10 English Scheme11 Your Heart Out12 Jawbone and the Air Rifle13 Blood outta stone14 C'n'C Mithering15 US 80s-90S16 The man whose head expanded17 Athlete Cured18 Middle Mass19 Who makes the nazis20 Xmas with Simon
― woof, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:26 (eleven years ago) link
Could be v different, in fact looking now am surprised at some of my low votes.
― woof, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:27 (eleven years ago) link
20 Xmas with Simon
you rule
― Moron Tabernacle Chior (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:29 (eleven years ago) link
re: levitate, I wanted to vote for both Eve and Hurricane Ed, but in the end only Eve made the cut, mostly for the breathtaking transition to the hallucinatory 'if only the shards. could relocate. back. in place.' moment
― Moron Tabernacle Chior (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 21:30 (eleven years ago) link
Feeling da croupier's ballot for "Old White Train" and especially, uh, "Words of Expectation."
1 Words Of Expectation2 Hotel Bloedel3 Gut Of The Quantifier4 I Feel Voxish5 Job Search6 And This Day7 Leave The Capitol8 Impression Of J. Temperance9 Weather Report 210 Room To Live11 Y.F.O.C. - Slippy Floor12 Prole Art Threat13 New Puritan14 Dr. Bucks' Letter15 Paint-Work 16 City Hobgoblins17 Big New Prinz18 Service19 Blindness20 Spinetrak
― bentelec, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 22:41 (eleven years ago) link
Really, though, that whole long list just gives me a nice warm feeling inside. Favorite discoveries of poll research: "Bremen Nacht" and "4 1/2 Inch."
Updated Spotify link (w/ correct "Deer Park" placing) is here.
― bentelec, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 22:46 (eleven years ago) link
1. Bremen Nacht2. Leave the Capitol3. Frightened4. Cruiser’s Creek 5. Hip Priest6. Sing!Harpy7. Container Drivers8. New Face In Hell9. Repetition10. Shift-Work11. Don’t Call Me Darling12. Feeling Numb13. Telephone Thing14. Ten Houses of Eve15. Psykick Dancehall16. No Bulbs17. Totally wired18. Lost In Music19. Eat Y’Self Fitter20. 50 year old man
REGRET NOT VOTING FOR:
ContraflowIt’s a Curse
― A bee in her hair. (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Wednesday, 1 May 2013 22:53 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for the Spotify link.
I think you have two of the tracks as 'local' i.e. on your laptop/whatever. (Paintwork and Cruisers Creek), which means 'we' can't access them.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 1 May 2013 23:25 (eleven years ago) link
Only 4 of these ended up in the top 20. Either I have really dopey taste in Fall songs or, as Hincklepicker suggested, this poll would come out vastly different every few months (or maybe both).Looking over all the other votes, I could make a few completely different top 20s that I'd still like more than most other bands' music.Whatta group!
1 Slates, Slages, Etc2 New Big Prinz3 Container Drivers4 Frenz5 Hit The North6 Bill Is Dead7 Bremen Nacht Alternative8 Vixen9 CnC Hassle Schmuck10 The NWRA11 Telephone Thing12 Paint Work13 Glam Racket14 Kurious Oranj15 The Chislers16 Can Can Summer17 Touch Sensitive18 Victoria19 Eat Yrself Fitter20 Sparta 2XX
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 2 May 2013 00:30 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks, fixed it!
Looking over all the other votes, I could make a few completely different top 20s that I'd still like more than most other bands' music.Whatta group!
OTM
― bentelec, Thursday, 2 May 2013 00:33 (eleven years ago) link
me too
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Thursday, 2 May 2013 00:34 (eleven years ago) link
Everybody needs to give a good (re-)listen to "Before The Moon Falls":
01 Wings02 Before The Moon Falls03 Winter04 The Man Whose Head Expanded05 Take An Older Lover06 Fantastic Life07 Various TImes08 Leave The Capitol09 New Puritans10 C'n'C-S Mithering11 Gut Of The Quantifier12 Hip Priest13 Sparta FC14 No Bulbs15 Bill Is Dead16 Who Makes The Nazis17 Paintwork18 Spinetrak19 I'm Into C.B.!20 Totally Wired
― Flat Of NAGLs (sleeve), Thursday, 2 May 2013 00:49 (eleven years ago) link
These are my selections wot didn't make it:
7. It's The New Thing11. Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot17. Flat of Angles18. I Am Damo Suzuki19. Disney's Dream Debased20. Ludd Gang
Some not that far out of contention, I see. But I'm quite alone with my "It's the New Thing" luv.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Thursday, 2 May 2013 01:19 (eleven years ago) link
I did this:
01. Smile02. City Hobgoblins03. Athlete Cured04. Guest Informant05. Gut of the Quantifier06. Lay of the Land07. 2x408. I Feel Voxish09. Bremen Nacht (LP version)10. Totally Wired11. Frightened12. The Steak Place13. Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot14. The Classical15. The Man Whose Head Expanded16. New Face In Hell17. I Am Damo Suzuki18. Shoulder Pads #1B19. Riddler!20. Bill Is Dead
..but really agonized over some of the tracks I left off.
― Kent Burt, Thursday, 2 May 2013 01:24 (eleven years ago) link
Also, NO ONE else voted for Shoulder Pads?!? What is wrong with you people etc.?
― Kent Burt, Thursday, 2 May 2013 01:29 (eleven years ago) link
i know, i wrestled w myself over that one. since i tried to skew pop, i should have made room. it really is a favorite. hey! luciani too. tbh, i cruelly shortchanged bend sinister/domesday payoff, my real first fall LP.
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Thursday, 2 May 2013 01:34 (eleven years ago) link
New Face in HellHow I Wrote 'Elastic Man'Rowche RumbleLeave the CapitolFlat of AnglesPsykick DancehallLAAn Older Lover etc.Container DriversJawbone and the Air-RifleLie Dream Of a Casino SoulBonkers in Phoenix4 1/2 InchBefore the Moon FallsIcelandWings Fiery JackHurricane EdwardWinterKicker Conspiracy
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 2 May 2013 05:17 (eleven years ago) link
Total points by year:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/ilx_The_Fall_points_by_year_zps006e9f47.png
Dates generally assigned by first appearance of studio version on album or single, or of live album release when no studio version exists. Exceptions/notes:-- "Blindness", "Job Search": 2004 Peel session broadcast date used.-- "Stepping Out": Taken as the 1978 Live at the Electric Circus track.-- "Session Musician": Date of live recording (1981) used, rather than 2005 live album release.-- "Antidotes": As the Peel session is specified, assigned to 1998 (date of broadcast) rather than 1999 (when it appeared on The Marshall Suite).-- "Hot Cake": Taken as the 2010 album track, as the 2009 single track has a "Part 2" in the title.
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 2 May 2013 13:29 (eleven years ago) link
That's pretty far from SD
― Mark G, Thursday, 2 May 2013 13:31 (eleven years ago) link
"Container Drivers" and "Dr Faustus" also twice in list, the former should thus be pushed up to #21 if I calculate correctly.
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 2 May 2013 13:49 (eleven years ago) link
Also "2 x 4".
Number of tracks per year:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/ilx_The_Fall_count_by_year_zps5538bde3.png
Average score of each track by year:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/ilx_The_Fall_avg_by_year_zps232c2459.png
― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 2 May 2013 13:59 (eleven years ago) link
where the hell is fizzles??
― Flat Of NAGLs (sleeve), Thursday, 2 May 2013 15:42 (eleven years ago) link
Good question. Might be under cosh at work?
feel like i haven't had time to sit in this thread.
I enjoyed glancing at every ballot and thinking 'yes, great ballot'. In other polls I think, 'no, come on, really?'; not here.
Thinking I should have done a post-90 or 95 ballot myself. I've enjoyed listening to that end more.
― woof, Thursday, 2 May 2013 15:49 (eleven years ago) link
Funny how even a band as long-lived and multi-faceted as the Fall emerges with a huge emphasis on the early years.
― Deafening silence (DL), Thursday, 2 May 2013 15:54 (eleven years ago) link
That IS interesting.Even though many (most?) of us have loads of time for much of their last 30 years, I guess when push comes to shove...
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 2 May 2013 16:01 (eleven years ago) link
Most bands' golden 'early years' don't last as long as that though.
― Moron Tabernacle Chior (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 2 May 2013 16:03 (eleven years ago) link
The longer the fall go on for, the longer time period the "early years" takes up.
― Mark G, Thursday, 2 May 2013 16:05 (eleven years ago) link
^^^ well put
― Moron Tabernacle Chior (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 2 May 2013 16:25 (eleven years ago) link
― Flat Of NAGLs (sleeve), Thursday, May 2, 2013 4:42 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yes, don't fizzle out, this thread needs you
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 2 May 2013 18:29 (eleven years ago) link
Forgot to thank Mark for taking on the mammoth task of a fall ballot.
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 2 May 2013 18:30 (eleven years ago) link
fizzles has taken a pilgrimage to marcelo trotta's birthplace which he will desecrate with two sainsbury's shopping bags of his own excrement iirc
― have a nice Blog (imago), Thursday, 2 May 2013 19:20 (eleven years ago) link
Having a "Fall" time...
― Mark G, Thursday, 25 March 2021 21:09 (three years ago) link
Kinda look back bore
― CerebralCaustic, Tuesday, 3 January 2023 05:00 (one year ago) link