In the last few years, The Fall have went from a band that I love but only go to when I'm in the "mood" to "why the fuck aren't I listening to The Fall right now?"
I like LBI's statement that it's my fault as a listener if there's a Fall LP I don't get it. Very John Peelesque
― Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Thursday, 3 August 2017 00:41 (six years ago) link
^^
― The Harsh Tutelage of Michael McDonald (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 3 August 2017 01:25 (six years ago) link
In a way The Infotainment Scan is the last of their really pastoral records post-Brix. I think Code: Selfish is the best of those.
― timellison, Thursday, 3 August 2017 01:29 (six years ago) link
why are people grudgeful here?
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 3 August 2017 02:03 (six years ago) link
how old are the stars, really?
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 3 August 2017 02:08 (six years ago) link
http://www.anothermanmag.com/life-culture/9967/post-punk-legend-mark-e-smith-s-guide-to-longevity
“I’ve been poorly since Christmas, so I’ve been actually sitting down and watching bits of music on telly,” he reveals.
That's confirmation there's something seriously wrong, eight months where even he'd describe himself as ill and (reading between the lines) mainly housebound.
― Thomas Gabriel Fischer does not endorse (aldo), Thursday, 3 August 2017 09:40 (six years ago) link
plenty to go through in thread since last posted with promise of posts on death and office culture, but just popping in to say i do like the line
“Homosapien, electric, selectin’ ya”
in fol de rol.
it’s the lyrical equivalent of those draughtsmen and women who can convey emotion and atmosphere with just a few pencil lines*. smith has always had the ability to imply entire worlds, corollaries and satiric or fantastic extensions of this one, in such lines.
Also:We have no residents!We have no reservation!We have no pre-book!I CRAVE DRAMA!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII...CRAVE DRAMA!Victoria Train Station MassacreWe have no.... [vocal tape goes into reverse]
is rather wonderful as well.
*i’m thinking hogarth’s famous pikeman exiting a room, comprising three pencil strokes.
or wyndham lewis’ beautiful line portrait of his wife: http://pin.it/HEfxcQg (angry wyndham lewis so much of a bore compared to the artist (and writer in places) of beauty.
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:33 (six years ago) link
another one of my favourite examples of dread or drama flicked off in surreal collocations or collages of words being the opening line of Serum: “you can do what you want, Dear Barlow, as long as you got serum” before the song spirals into a feverish nightmare of endless recursion (“101-uh-POINT ONE”)” turning by the end into “101.101.101”.
The otherwise not particularly distinguished Taurig has the amusingly incomprehensible sinister dream whispering throughout over the thud-click of the electric backing, the only distinguishable line being the very first words - “He bought a watch...”
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:47 (six years ago) link
also Second House Now seems to be about an ambitious career ghost deciding to get a second home in the big city (“my image/mirage: black and white, apparition like!”)
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:59 (six years ago) link
All these names for woodlice sound like Fall songs:
http://conorhoughton.tumblr.com/post/35031117866/this-evening-the-twitter-celebrity-mooseallain
― Shat Parp (dog latin), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:14 (six years ago) link
BANANA!
― more Allegro-like (Turrican), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:50 (six years ago) link
Names for Woodlice Sound should be the next Fall album.
― Mungolian Jerryset (bendy), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 14:08 (six years ago) link
Woodlice SoundGet ovah!Reputation surge, for skint taxon'y major
― harbinger of failure (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 14:11 (six years ago) link
"Fol De Rol", "Brillo De Facto", "O! Zztrrk Man" (really compelling in that wtf-is-this way) and "Groundsboy" are my picks from the new album. Damned if I can understand most of the lyrics, though.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 18:01 (six years ago) link
Fizzles should write a book on Fall lyrics. He always has an intriguing take
― Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 18:12 (six years ago) link
Fizzles can write a book on anything and I'm there with my wallet out
― harbinger of failure (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 12 September 2017 18:14 (six years ago) link
otm
― sleeve, Tuesday, 12 September 2017 18:14 (six years ago) link
irish. james murphy is their chief
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 19 August 2018 15:24 (five years ago) link
His dreamgirl sings adverts for the Weetabix
― meaulnes, Wednesday, 16 January 2019 15:26 (five years ago) link
Link?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 16 January 2019 16:22 (five years ago) link
"the war against intelligence"*
* “The phrase ‘pre-cog’ comes from having the ability to see into the future – pre-cognition. I’ve always felt this. Countless times I’ve written something or said something and it’s manifested in reality. I’m not talking standard coincidence. It’s more than that, something slightly more sinister . . .”
― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 10 January 2020 18:22 (four years ago) link
Kid passing by kitchen while I'm playing the Fall: "This music is bad."
Kid five minutes later: Dancing to "Cruiser's Creek."
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 30 December 2021 00:05 (two years ago) link
I recently listened to all 57 CDs I own by The Fall, ask me anything
the October 1998 Peel Session is shockingly bad, a real nadir
The Unutterable and COTC were still great
"9 Out Of 10" is a great way to end a career
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 00:21 (two years ago) link
#3, #4, #5 #6, #11, #12 and #19 are all candidates,but it's #22 for me.It came after the group had exploded in America, amidst uncertainty about both The Fall's future and the quality of what they would produce. The session that The Fall came up with - #22 - to announce their return was remarkable for this reason alone.However, it was exceptional in other ways. It was incredibly raw sounding, as Peel said at the time it was like they had gone back to a Dragnet sound. Smith has never recorded sourer more rancorous vocals; the incredulous stuttering anger of Bound Soul, the impenetrable pained howling on Antidotes, the thin misanthropic nihilism of the Saints cover This Perfect Day, and the deranged Shake Off, the lyrics of which sound like they're being heard through a fever.The black void behind the music is palpable, a feeling increased by the way Smith's pre and post tune instructions are left in - you are aware of the alchemy of The Fall, the something out of nothing, the something strange out of the perfectly ordinary. It's a dreadful, sinister, corruscating session and sounds utterly timeless so primitive is it.It has the characteristics of the best Fall - sparse and dense at the same time, detailed but primal, mundane and magical - and it has them inNot since early versions of The Hip Priest has music sounded less like music and more like invocation, incantation and exorcism - 'bad unafeared art'.I remembering listening to it through headphones as it was broadcast - I still think that's the best way to listen to it - the hairs on the back of neck bristling with the febrile excitement that it invoked, terrifyingly reminded of the statement of intent from Fantastic Life -Ours is not to look back, ours is to continue the craft.― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 25 February 2009 13:20 (twelve years ago) bookmarkflaglink
but it's #22 for me.
It came after the group had exploded in America, amidst uncertainty about both The Fall's future and the quality of what they would produce. The session that The Fall came up with - #22 - to announce their return was remarkable for this reason alone.
However, it was exceptional in other ways. It was incredibly raw sounding, as Peel said at the time it was like they had gone back to a Dragnet sound. Smith has never recorded sourer more rancorous vocals; the incredulous stuttering anger of Bound Soul, the impenetrable pained howling on Antidotes, the thin misanthropic nihilism of the Saints cover This Perfect Day, and the deranged Shake Off, the lyrics of which sound like they're being heard through a fever.
The black void behind the music is palpable, a feeling increased by the way Smith's pre and post tune instructions are left in - you are aware of the alchemy of The Fall, the something out of nothing, the something strange out of the perfectly ordinary. It's a dreadful, sinister, corruscating session and sounds utterly timeless so primitive is it.
It has the characteristics of the best Fall - sparse and dense at the same time, detailed but primal, mundane and magical - and it has them in
Not since early versions of The Hip Priest has music sounded less like music and more like invocation, incantation and exorcism - 'bad unafeared art'.
I remembering listening to it through headphones as it was broadcast - I still think that's the best way to listen to it - the hairs on the back of neck bristling with the febrile excitement that it invoked, terrifyingly reminded of the statement of intent from Fantastic Life -
Ours is not to look back, ours is to continue the craft.
― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 25 February 2009 13:20 (twelve years ago) bookmarkflaglink
― imago, Thursday, 30 December 2021 00:29 (two years ago) link
you are extremely wrong
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 00:31 (two years ago) link
it is the worst thing I have ever heard them do by a wide margin
that I specifically remembered how bad it was after 57 CDs should tell you something
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 00:32 (two years ago) link
"Repetition" -- the blueprint for the Fall and the Universe.
― Jack Cole, Tuesday, June 25, 2002 5:00 PM (nineteen years ago)
thought the Bingo-Master's Break-Out! single from 1978, with Psycho Mafia, Bingo Master, and Repetition was great
― Dan S, Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:04 (two years ago) link
liked The Unutterable, also Von Südenfed's Tromatic Reflexxions
― Dan S, Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:19 (two years ago) link
‘Tis the season: https://nealmarkowski.bandcamp.com/album/hex-mas-enduction-hour
― Texas Medicine v. Railroad Gin (morrisp), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:23 (two years ago) link
Sleeve, which 90s albums did you find the most consistent?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:31 (two years ago) link
Shift-Work is my fave, Extricate a close second, Light User Syndrome 3rd, then probably Code Selfish > Infotainment > Levitate = Middle Class Revolt = Cerebral Caustic
27 Points is a lot of fun as well because of Brix involvement, same with the era's Peel sessions (that Glam-Racket/Star <3)
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:45 (two years ago) link
I note also that Shift-Work is the only one with the violin player, which may explain why I adore its idiosyncratic sound
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:46 (two years ago) link
Marshall Suite would also be in that last group altho the high points are really high
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:48 (two years ago) link
e.g. "The Crying Marshall" which is just unbelievably great
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:49 (two years ago) link
Wasn’t that Perl Session after he had the fight with his band and beat up his girlfriend in New York?
― A Pile of Ants (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:54 (two years ago) link
yep, and it shows. that was in April.
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 01:56 (two years ago) link
'his girlfriend' is no way to refer to Julia Nagle, architect of their sound during my preferred period for the band (Levitate through Unutterable) and my clear favourite 'other' Fall member
also, *I* am extremely wrong? I was simply presenting another user's opinion, one which has stayed with me through the years, as counterpoint to your own
The Crying Marshall is indeed superb, the Nagle era is noticeable for each album having a monster-banger dance remix on it (4 1/2 Inch, TCM, Serum)
― imago, Thursday, 30 December 2021 02:05 (two years ago) link
I note also that Shift-Work is the only one with the violin player
on Extricate too!
― visiting, Thursday, 30 December 2021 02:26 (two years ago) link
Code Selfish and Levitate are my favorite 90s fall, followed by Infotainment ScanDisc 1 of A World Bewitched is ridiculously essential as well
― covidsbundlertanze op. 6 (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 30 December 2021 02:30 (two years ago) link
damn, haven't been watching the Fall discography since MES' death, but I count 24 live sets plus a 10 show/11 CD set released since 2018? any recommendations from that flood?
― bulb after bulb, Thursday, 30 December 2021 02:53 (two years ago) link
The 1982 box is great stuff I’m not sure about all the other live releases, some of them have certainly looked pretty half assed. Clitheroe Castle is a great concert but shitty sound
― covidsbundlertanze op. 6 (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 30 December 2021 04:07 (two years ago) link
There's some excitement on the Fall Forum about two recently discovered archival recordings: the full Electric Circus gig (along with all the other bands' EC gigs recorded by Virgin), as well as what's purportedly the first or second Fall gig, recorded to a reel-to-reel.
― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Thursday, 30 December 2021 05:02 (two years ago) link
yeah I would avoid the live cash-ins, except for the St. Helens 1981 set on Castle Face which iirc is the only legit one?m also very good.
― chaos goblin line cook (sleeve), Thursday, 30 December 2021 16:00 (two years ago) link
have been spending some time with middle-class revolt recently. pretty unloved album i gather but i saw them around that time and thought it was really great - this very gig in fact
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rx2Y956Oq0
reckoning, m5, hey student, 15 ways, behind the counter - they’re pretty good! maybe bad fall songs? I dunno i am no fall scholar clearly
(I also saw them sometime in the 2010s and thought it was pretty awful)
― lemmy incaution (emsworth), Thursday, 30 December 2021 21:56 (two years ago) link
Always and forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzNe1NeFzRE
― Legalize Suburban Benches (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 31 December 2021 12:38 (two years ago) link
I defy Anyone (that’s Anyone) who hates, or is indifferent, or the rest of us, yeah?, to not acknowledge that this is brilliant!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIZ7AhqflYM
― Mark G, Friday, 31 December 2021 13:16 (two years ago) link
Never liked "No Bulbs" much and that long version has always tested my patience (though Wonderful and Frightening is one of my favorite Fall albums).
― visiting, Friday, 31 December 2021 17:02 (two years ago) link
Oh the long version is one of my favorite tracks evah!!
― best BASSMAN sticker on Etsy (morrisp), Friday, 31 December 2021 17:04 (two years ago) link
The extra long No Bulbs is the Fall’s own Marquee Moon
― A Pile of Ants (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 31 December 2021 17:44 (two years ago) link