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.
46. Fortress/Deer Park Points: 109 Votes: 4 Number Ones: 0
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
culled: jawbone and, marquis cc, container driv, slates slags, gross chap, fortress/dp. glad to see they made the crossing.
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Monday, 29 April 2013 16:31 (eleven years ago) link
Jawbone and Container Drivers made my ballot. Third peel session might be my favorite: best thing imo about 79-83 Fall is how the band sounded basically like a garage rock band who started from scratch with every new song they came up with, and third Peel Session is the first to really show this.
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 29 April 2013 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
The Peel version of "Blindness" is definitive for me and the single version of "Sparta #2" is as well, with the addition of Eleni and extra chants.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 29 April 2013 17:08 (eleven years ago) link
Quite a bit of my ballot has already appeared. Not holding out much hope in seeing my number 1 showing up at all. Glad to see Tempo House on there.
Gross Chapel - British Grenadiers is too low. I didn't care for the song at first but the driving, insistent rhythm eventually won me over.
― righteousmaelstrom, Monday, 29 April 2013 17:30 (eleven years ago) link
'The Peel version of "Blindness" is definitive for me'
Otm, my vote for blindness was a vote for this one. It's all about when he goes into that high babbling tone toward the end (sounding a little like beefheart's bass clarinet playing except vocally)
― brad palsy (Jon Lewis), Monday, 29 April 2013 17:37 (eleven years ago) link
I didnt vote for any Peel Sessions versions but the PS Glam Racket was the last thing cut from my ballot so I am stoked to see that slip in
― I'm sorry I said anything (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 29 April 2013 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
I have no problem with anything so far in the track countdown. The only one I voted for was Jawbone, but these are all solid choices. I guess my heart will be broken later when half of my top ten choices don;t place.
― Flat Of NAGLs (sleeve), Monday, 29 April 2013 19:13 (eleven years ago) link
I honestly don't get the love for "Weather Report 2", it's not even in my top 5 for that album.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 29 April 2013 19:56 (eleven years ago) link
This is the value, we can go "What, higher than "Slates, etc", really" and go find out
― Mark G, Monday, 29 April 2013 20:05 (eleven years ago) link
It's all about when he goes into that high babbling tone toward the end (sounding a little like beefheart's bass clarinet playing except vocally)
Ah, that helps me understand - that's my exact sticking point on the track, because I always see it as an error. I don't know if it comes down to me needing a more Catholic taste in tonality/timing (but I'll totally buy "Hurricane Edward"!) or being more willing to extend or suspend belief w/r/t intentions and capabilities.
I mean, I have the same problem with a lot of Beefheart - so much effort has gone into creating an internally whole song instrumentally and the voice just hangs back just gesturing over the damn thing. Are MES's voice and the Captain's bass clarinet using fiendishly advanced techniques? Are they just fucking around? Are they productively fucking around their limitations? Why can't MES just flow anymore? Why can't we live in England?
It took me a long time! Headphones help. Like a lot on OFYC, it works especially well for me because it makes thematic sense of the vocal decrepitude. Also, I mean, the track itself is OK, but then it gets fucking eaten alive by synths. It's fantastic! (The same way that "Slippy Floor" repeatedly, gratuitously, awesomely torpedoes "YFOC.")
― bentelec, Monday, 29 April 2013 22:09 (eleven years ago) link
Why can't MES just flow anymore?
i figure he's color commentary at this point. also, the way our friends become cheerful but sometimes dismayingly shabby reminders of the people we once knew/were. they're still our friends, right?
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Monday, 29 April 2013 22:26 (eleven years ago) link
Voted Blindness for the Peel version. Maybe could do with a longer intro but once it gets going that doesn't feel like an issue.
Gross Chapel - GB Grenadiers was very high up my ballot - The Fall go goth, and do it amazingly
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 22:47 (eleven years ago) link
YFOC is a great album, regret not voting for the mighty Mexico Wax Solvent along with WR2
― have a nice Blog (imago), Monday, 29 April 2013 22:48 (eleven years ago) link
I also did not get round to posting but am very interested in the results of this - I would have pushed Container Drivers/ Slates / Gross Chapel and Rebellious Jukebox up further. Possibly like others? I know some parts of the Fall's oeuvre very well and other parts are basically blank it so primarilly looking at this for new avenues and places to explore. Keep up the good work people!
― Hinklepicker, Monday, 29 April 2013 23:44 (eleven years ago) link
I have the same problem with a lot of Beefheart
Well, yes, frankly it took me years to come to terms with MES' vocals, and a further 15 to do the same for the Captain, but once you've made that adjustment it all just MAKES SENSE. I think The Fall could actually be more broadly enjoyed by the public but that warm-up period is something most people just won't give it.
Re: Gross Chapel - GB Grenadiers - I'm not certain the Peel version surpasses the studio, but they certainly compliment one another, if that makes sense. And, yes, the whole Fall-as-goths treatment of "Bend Sinister" is what makes it unique in their catalogue and made me vote it number 1 on the albums section.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 30 April 2013 00:25 (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