Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Ok music. For being their eighth album it is not very complex. Basic and repetitive riffs with very simple lyrics. I don’t hate it but I will not remember it.
This album goes so hard it actually managed to cut through my anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation for a few minutes.
I was expecting better. Some catchy hooks but mostly just noise at times.
Some real interesting moments
This is a hard driving punk album that is perfectly adequate to satisfy our base aggressive needs for edgy rock.
L.A. and Damo Suzuki were moderately interesting. Most of this is all just casual repetitive riffs while beating on instruments and occasional talking in the background.
This album really wore out its welcome. I was unimpressed but not too bothered until I got to “Paint Work.” That’s where I hit my mumbled background talking limit. Funny, because it was immediately followed by the penultimate track, “I Am Damo Suzuki,” which turned out to be the most interesting song. But it was too late for that.
This album isn’t so much 11 songs as it is 11 riffs with a corresponding line that are repeated over and over. They are 11 good ideas that need to be expanded upon.
So It’s post punk. I’m pretty into post punk these days. It's tasty, but sometimes more repeititive than average post punk. 3/5
Every song sounds the same, both internally from start to finish and then as compared to every other one on the album. Just one long, tiring riff with some rambling over it that varies only slightly from being melancholy to angry and back.
This album was interesting. It is a very early British punk album but it sounds so watered down (for lack of a better word). I liked the guitar playing a lot, but some of the songs were painfully repetitive in both lyrics and instrumentation. I really enjoyed L.A. but I didn’t really love the album as a whole.
This album is exhausting, if you're in a bad mood this album is gonna be annoying as hell lol. Aside from that though, I can hear the inspiration and a good amount of those hooks and melodies are pretty good when they peek above the surface. I'm not going to lie - I'm most of the way through the album and can't finish it.
A bad 80s version of The Cramps
This did nothing for me. Meh.
Portions of it were mostly fine.
Uninspiring instrumentals and simplistic and repetitive lyrics briefly interrupted by the sound of me hitting the skip button. They stay on time at least. How did so many bad British bands make this list?
Like a tramp in a shopping centre.
Πολύ κακό
Dang, this is really good. I’ve heard other Fall albums before, but this was my first time with this album. This is my favorite Fall album I’ve heard so far. Is this album a missing link between Velvet Underground and Yeah Yeah Yeahs? This album is not quite five stars for me yet, but seems like it might earn five on future listens.
Merry Christmas! Here’s one of the Fall’s best albums!
Yeah. This is really, really good. It’s one of this albums that started out with me liking and thinking “Ok, this is a 4 album.” As it went up, it grew on me even more. I was initially not excited it was an hour, but now I’m OK with it.
Mér finnst þetta vera sama lagið aftur og aftur, og það er ekkert voðalega gott. Nenni ekki öðru rennsli.
Weird and Clash-lite. Not my favorite.
A very odd album. I should say, odd in the niche that it occupies. It's like an abrasive post-punk band got so abrasive that they hit a wall, and riccocheted off it so hard they found themselves back at pop. Brain damaged pop. The lyrics sometimes seem like pure id, messily delivered, half-sung or shrieked. The music is just as melodic as it is discordant. They'll get into a riff or a groove and stay there for a while, synchronation and harmony being incidental. It's trancelike. Like, it's not entirely pleasurable. The first time around, I didn't get much. But I listened to it a second time, and by the third time I found myself fully vibing to some of this weird shit. Fav tracks: What You Need, Spoilt Victorian Child, Paintwork, I Am Damo Suzuki
I didn't know post-punk could be this tedious. I was leaning towards a higher rating for what bits I did enjoy, but as I found myself checking how much of the album was left more and more, I had to concede that I really just don't like this. If I was drunk at a live show in someone's basement this would probably hit, but I'm sober in the daytime and think this is fucking boring.
I did listen to it, I think I enjoyed but I'm struggling to remember
mansion- 6 bombast- 5 barmy- 5 what you need- 5 spoilt victorian child- sounds like "smoke victorian child" like its a strain. 5 la- 4 vixen- 4 couldnt get ahead- 6 gut of the quantifier- 5 my new house- 4 no more very boring
I didn't like this one any better than the other album this gave me by The Fall. The background riffs can be catchy but I don't like the way the singer barks the lyrics. Rating: 2
Meh.
I didn't mind this. I liked the hint of mandolin on Bombast and would have loved that to be incorporated on other songs, could have made for more interesting textures. A couple of the songs were kind of grating, like Barmy, but I'd give the whole album another chance. One of my favorites was My New House, which immediately made me think of LCD Soundsytem.
This album sounds like Minutemen with gothic rock influences. The Fall has a darker edge than the often jazzy, upbeat Minutemen, taking its influences from The Cure rather than Talking Heads. I actually preferred the female accompaniment to the pair of songs Spotify added to the track list, which weren’t actually included in the original release. 3.7/5
Solid post punk entry. Great sound and solid tracks that aren't too too catchy
not my nag. double album too.
This is the most forgettable list band that I like. This is the 3rd album I’ve gotten by them and I had no idea until I looked on Spotify and saw that I had saved songs previously from The Fall. This was another solid album. More saved songs. I make a frown face when I listen to them because I’m so locked in on the groove. 😠🤘
Not my first time listening to this, but I've never noticed before how much of Sonic Youth's poppier side comes straight from The Fall. I do enjoy this one, though most of the songs could be a bit shorter and still maintain their impact and aesthetic. That's to say, I like how the songs start, but once the themes have been established, they tend to drag on instead of maturing further.
Found myself enjoying it more than I thought. A nuce blend of punk, pop, and new wave
"Post Punk" Clearly not "Post" enough. Just as irritating as the average punk band.
The opening instrumental was cool. Digging bombast so far. This sounds like if the punk bands of the 70s had people that could capture what they wanted.
Felt like it was missing something
It feels nostalgic Favorites: Barmy I don't know
Terrific-ah
I really don't have much good to say about this album. Not the worst album but certainly not the best. Musicianship is not the worst but certainly not the best. The lyrics were not the worst but certainly not the best. The vocals were (arguably) not the worst but certainly not the best. Once again I question whether or not it is yet another UK album that appears to be on the 1001 list only because of the band's geographical roots.
Just not my thing. It just doesn’t sound very good
I did not use a private Spotify session for this one. I have listened to The Fall from time to time, but I don't think I have sat through a full album. After sitting through a full album, I don't think I will do that again. I like The Fall, but maybe just in smaller doses.
I appreciate what they're doing but it's not quite for me.
A lot of songs sound similar. It's okay, but nothing that special
Punk and post-punk promised repetition and this sticks to that. Interesting and fun.
Somewhere between Art rock and punk - The Fall lives happily. Some strange hooks that defy any pop sensibility and vocals that push you into near agitation makes this wonderful.
not my cup of tea
Generally speaking I'm not a fan of punk, but this was an enjoyable listen. Accessible and catchy riffs. Barmy and My New House the standout tracks.
Those opening tracks are generational. I really like the way they write songs. The bands that came to mind when listening to this were Sonic Youth and Women. Favorite song: Paintwork Least Favorite song: Couldn’t Get Ahead
Something about Mark E Smith is just so.....entrancing. I mean, dude is pretty much just ranting into the mic with some killer post-punk instrumentation, and on this album is works out beautifully well. What a great listen
There isn’t much to write home about this one. Not bad, not great.
The only song I liked had no singing. So... 2/5
It's madness to try and define the best ever Fall album, but this one would be in most people's top five. The balance between Brix-imported poppiness and earlier groove and noise is pretty perfect.
Preacher-uh Speak-uh again. Each song sounded like the record was skipping and it was playing the same thing over and over.
Unexpectadly cool album, reminds me of the movie Trainspotting
Tunes!
A key album from The Fall. Mark E Smith and company had their footprint fully formed at this point. If you want to start with their long catalog, this is your album. 4.5/5
Nice!
Arty sneery post punk record collector stuff
Good Like. Love the bass guitar
No. It's bad. I don't like it at all.
снова полдня интенсивного прослушивания начисто стёрты ночью. помню что не увлекло, что не поняла зачем там женский вокал
- Schon recht experimentell, aber auch echt cool fand ich. Hat eine gute Balance aus Experiment und eingängigeren melodischen Parts gehabt - Sehr raw und punkig - Das Intro "Mansion" hat mich ich irgendwie direkt reingezogen. Irgendwie düster und auch roh. - Das Album Cover passt super. I like a lot. - Der Sprechgesang gefiel mir auch gut, zumal die Texte recht poetisch sind - Kannte The Fall nur vom Namen und habe bisher nie bewusst etwas von denen gehört - L.A. fand ich mega und gefühlt hab ich das Riff schonmal irgendwo in einem Film vernommen. Wenn nicht, bietet es sich auf jeden Fall für einen Film an. - Bin insgesamt ganz positiv überrascht, kann aber auch verstehen, wenn einen das Album nervt. Ist alles in allem jetzt auch nichts, was ich regelmäßig hören werde, aber für das erstmalige Hörerlebnis auf jeden Fall nicht verkehrt. - Könnte absolut ein Grower werden und ein Underground-Geheimtipp ist es allemal Rating: 3/5
Probably the best The Fall record on the list - which is a fairly low bar. A more accessible post punk record. It does at time feel like a knock off VU cover band.
Okay album
Mark E Smith is the drunk nutter you see shuffling down the street mumbling to himself. But despite my disdain, The Fall does begin to grow on you, to the extent that, in small doses, I quite like it.
Every track sounds the same, and reminds me of the track from some 60's B-movie. The vocals seem so uninspired, as though he's being forced to perform as some sort of punishment. It reminds me of a teenage garage band where some pimple face pre pubescent kid learned how to play a riff at his first lesson and decided to start a band. Only less enthusiastic.
I'd been wanting give The Fall a good listen for a while - after all they are (were) from the area where I live now and have a bit of a cult following. So this album was very welcome. I liked it, not loved it. It ticks a lot of boxes for me (as someone who grew up with the Pixies etc.), sounds good but not "polished", and there are some good basslines. But few songs touched me and it's not an album I'd put on very often.
Great listen
This Nation's Saving Grace is the eighth studio album by the Fall, originally released in 1985. Some pretty standard post punk that veers into the weird side. I hear some Sonic Youth in this. Maybe some Velvet Underground. They do a good job at incorporating different genres like ambient, noise, punk, etc. into their "post punk" sound. It's pretty chaotic most of the time. The production is pretty lofi too but that's probably intentional. A bit too artsy. Decent listen, but not really my thing.
Not a fan
Strange lyrics on some tracks and couldn't get into it from a musical perspective either.
Not what I was expecting, once again. Post punk art rock. Reminded me of instrumental black flag at times. I think I'd have liked this much more when I was younger and may need to come back for a few more listening sessions. I understand why this is in the list but for me to objectively rate it here and now, it'll be a 3, pushing toward 2.
It OK I guess. I liked it but nothing really stuck out to me. Definitely not their best work.
Me he guardado Barmy y poco más, no me ha entusiasmado. Grupo de culto difícil de conseguir o conocer amigos que lo tuvieran lo escuché poco más que alguna que otra vez en la radio. Entiendo que marcaron época y hay que oírlos.
Generally much better than ‘Live at the Witch Trials’. Starts off so, so, but gets going from ‘What You Need’ onwards. Stick to the original released vinyl version and avoid the later, various cassette and CD versions with extra tracks. They add nothing.
Ruined my morning
in my opinion, Mark E. Smith and Frank Zappa aren't alike in any meaningful way at all, except for a few key ways that matter to me: 1. they both have a constantly cycling roster of musical prisoner monkeys who play what he tells them to play when he wants them to play and for however many gigs they are useful for. this might seem a bit tyrannical, and it is, but offers the benefit of having a constantly evolving sound and incredibly tight instrumentals across your discography. if you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet, these artists are professional velociraptors. 2. they have fanbases (really, more like weird monks bitching over canon) who are always fighting over what the best album to get into Zappa or the Fall is, and the answer is never the same, but the correct answer is also definitely "the one that doesn't feel like the biggest time sink". this was probably a good place to start, seeing as Hex Enduction Hour is 60 minutes long and i didn't really know what to expect. 3. god they're both so fucking obnoxious. i cannot stand Frank Zappa's lyrics about how women's rights are gay or whatever, and i can't stand Mark E. Smith repeating the same few vaguely politically evocative words again and again. it gets old fast. i don't care if it's taking direct inspiration from krautrock -- most krautrock at least knows when to shut the fuck up and let the instruments speak instead. it's not my thing. it was fun for like the first couple of songs, but i think there's only two songs on here i'd actually consider returning to. this album's rating would probably be much lower if i was listening to the extended hour long version. there's three the Fall albums on the "1001 Albums You Need to Hear Before You Die" list and let me tell you right now: i don't need to. i get it. i get why you dweebs like this. but i don't want any more of it.
Interesting to listen to in 2026, as this sort of post-punk with almost spoken word vocals seems to be having a renaissance some 40+ years on. Mark E. Smith is clearly hugely influential in this. This was a decent album although a tad bit long
Interesting punky instrumental album from the '80s not sure how I feel about it but a good album for sure I don't know if I'll ever listen to it again
Its cool stuff. Post punk, kinda in the same vain as that Rattus Norvegicus album. I like punk more than post punk but there are some unmistakable and brilliant qualities of rythmn section proficiency. Lo Fi production is a part of the genre. Quick stroking your ego calling the singer a drunkard mumbler.
This sounded like they wrote a bunch of okay songs and then reverse engineered a bunch of post-punk tropes into them
Pretty good
Not my jam, def not a “must”
The Fall wrote put together "This Nation's Saving Grace in 1985, completely unknowing that their saving grace, Wayne Rooney, was about to be born. Wayne would be the cornerstone of the Manchester United teams that would dominate the premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson all through the 90s and into the 2000s. The country, in a time of very little, had great premier league football to hold on to. This album is a bit more like Stoke City. It captures a dreary quality and the vocals and instrumentals are strong. I think the songwriting isn't there and for a band's 8th album, I would have thought the songwriting would be better. It's like if the clash if you subtract the incredible clash hooks, or if you cleaned up the sex pistols production and toned them down. It feels like nearly all the songs on this hour long project is just a repetition of the track title several times for the chorus. It makes this thing take forever and it doesn't feel like it goes anywhere. It doesn't sound bad and I don't think I'd mind it in smaller doses but as an album to listen to through, I don't see the appeal.
Repeating myself again, I want to go back and rate the Sex Pistols higher.
This is the second album we've had by The Fall on this list and I'm not sure I understand why. It's better than the previous one (Live at the Witch Trials) largely because the whole tone is angrier and there is more distortion and aggressiveness to the tracks instead of wandering keyboard interspersed with yelling. The singing is still terrible but at least it's drowned out most of the time. Actually, you know what, this sucks. There are maybe 2 tracks on here that aren't just a single riff repeated over and over inside of a tin can with a drunk guy shouting in to a pair of headphones acting as a microphone. This is shit and I turned it off halfway through it's incredibly unnecessary 1 hour+ runtime. If there's something in the back half worth listening to I will never know.
This rules. Very 80's. Proto pop punk with a tinge of The Cure? Whatever it is, I want more of it.
Post punk has grown on me a lot
This is cool but I like other albums of theirs more. The second half is def better than the first.
Not super memorable for me but made for some decent October listening tbh! Veers into some gothic sounds here and there… decent but forgettable. Shout out to this for being the only place I’ve heard the word Barmy other than my family’s group chat
I like what this guy is doing!
I love this album!!!!
Still not really my thing
Good ol fall
Some cool stuff, a lot of plodding around. I respect The Fall much more than I like them. I get they’re super influential within post-punk, and most of my favorite music today most likely wouldn’t exist were it not for them, but this isn’t anything to go super crazy for. It’s alright. I might revisit it but for now my opinion stands.
And right after I'd given KILLING JOKE 5 stars, too. Like, I was pretty hopeful, honestly, that after that point I would actually start to hear more in post-punk. Like, I don't **want** to hate it; I don't wanna hate **any music**. There just has to be **something** there that I'm just missing. Then this album waltzed in. And maybe I'm not missing anything. Maybe I just don't like post-punk. I'll give this album one thing: it doesn't have any of the apparent dub influence that's colored so many other post-punk albums. At least The Fall left that style out of this. The rest, though... I mean, it really felt like a lot of these were written in the studio. As if one of them just started playing a riff that everyone else liked and they just went off on it, expecting to be able to pull a fully-formed song out of thin air. Unsurprisingly, they don't, and these songs often sound like they're just going around in circles trying and failing to find a point. It's not even a cool moment when the riff comes back in; it's like they're just returning to the only concrete part of the song they have. The mixing's ass, too. I hardly comment on mixing, and I know this is still punk, even if it has the "post-" prefix, but I'm sorry, this is bad. And if **I'm** noticing how bad it is...! Like, goodness me, you guys couldn't have even found a bigger closet to record in? You really had to stick the drummer in another room? And, jeez, at least get a mic that can produce a sound better than "1920's radio." Oh, sure. Maybe if I had more of an appreciation for abstract art, maybe I'd understand and like this better. That's how James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem came to love this album. And I'm not gonna say every riff here is that bad. But... Jeez. It's not as abrasive as METAL BOX was, but I don't think I've disliked a post-punk album this much since METAL BOX. And at least METAL BOX did have some nice songs, as rare as they were. About the "abstract art" thing, too. I don't wanna let this get away with being a mess just because it's "artsy." That's an excuse, not a reason, like Tommy Wiseau claiming THE ROOM was always a black comedy. Like, yes, it's art; I'm not saying it's not. But all music is art, good or bad. And this is bad. Honestly, maybe the only good thing that came out of this album's apparent success was that it led to Mark E. Smith featuring on a Gorillaz song. "Sch-tick?" yeah. Not my kind of schtick. I'll pass, thank you. And maybe--unfortunately--I'll remember not to get my hopes so high about any post-punk albums my group gets in the future.
Again, at least it's better than Metal Box, eh? 3.5 bumped down to 3.
I’m at a 1.5 that I’m going to very generously bump up to a 2, despite my better judgment, because I don’t think this is quite bad enough to deserve a 1. It’s pretty damn close, though. I’ve made analogies to art in the classical sense before, and this album is art – it’s the type of art you walk up to, notice it’s just two colors painted next to each other, and you wonder how in the hell it ever made it into a damn museum. This is that type of album among the big 1,001 albums featured in the museum – whoever curated this had a damn soft spot for whatever the fuck this was. It’s just… nothingness. I feel nothing after listening to this. I don’t feel apathy, I don’t feel joy, and I don’t feel like it did anything to me. It’s not even white noise – you can focus on white noise and it can let your brain feel something. This truly gave me nothing. I could go on an existential tangent about “nothing” doesn’t really apply given that I have something to say about it, but the truth is that I just don’t feel like it was worth my time at all. Does that mean it was egregiously awful? No. It is still art – there is some merit to having it be here, but it’s not the type of art that gives me any type of feeling. If Abbey Road is the Mona Lisa, this album strikes me as, say, a Rothko. I’ve seen Mark Rothko paintings before. They’re just squares to me. I find nothing in them, much like I found nothing out of this album. Does that mean a Rothko piece is devoid of artistic merit? No – someone will find a beauty in the slightly offtone shapes, or an appreciation in the individual brush strokes. I didn’t like most of this album, but I never found myself openly angry at it. I just didn’t find beauty in the compositions, nor an appreciation for the individual instruments or vocals. It was a dull album to me. Why is it a 2 then, and not a 1? I dunno. I guess a few parts just sounded nice enough, and for better or for worse, there is some charm in the guitar riffs and percussion. I didn’t feel anything, and that’s a crime, but I recognize that someone else probably could and will. It’s just not my type of art piece. It’s a 1.5 that’ll go up to a 2, but I will likely never think about this ever again. Very strange for it to be on the list. Still better than Haute de gamme, though.
Not sure how this was ranked the 13th best Album of the 1980's by Pitchfork, I mean WTF were they listening to??? How could this be better than AC/DC, Inxs, David Bowie and Judas Priest to name a few? That aside, I actually enjoyed this album, it will be worth a second listen.
That's not my taste in musik
This one grew on me with each new listen. Petty (Thief) Lout stood out. I need to give this band a little attention.
Kiinnostava erikoisrikkilevy! Hauskaa painottelua kevyen ja sitten tosi painostavan sävyissä. 4/5
Aika hyvä kyyninen pläjäys kasarilta. 3.5/5.
Not bad, some good raw punk Not a fan of this kind of vocals though
This Album was great. This album was great. This album was great. Especially if you like things that repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. If you like more than six different words in a song, this may not be the one for you, for you, for you, for you.
I feel like I should love this but it’s just ok. A bit too droning.
average
Was ok. Didn’t listed to if All. Liked the music more than the vocal
This was uneventful for me.
I didn’t get this.
Liked it. Much more so than the reviews led me to believe I would.
This album had its moments. I really wanted to like it, as I really like Mark E. Smith's delivery, but I found the effort inconsistent. Liked Songs Added: - What You Need - L.A. - Cruiser's Creek
Didn’t know what to expect, never heard of them. I tried but couldn’t get into it. It felt monotonous and all blended into one after a few tracks. Might need another listen sometime. Highlights: Couldn't Get Ahead
3☆/5 09.19.2024
Good
Why do the shit albums always seem to be the longest ones?
For some reason I was initially expecting some Sex Pistols-esque British punk, but I became more hopeful when I read that LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy cites The Fall as a major influence. And my God, it’s evident. It may be heresy to say that ‘older music sounds like newer music’, but all I could think about for most of this is how much it sounds like LCD’s self-titled album. It’s an immersive, frenetic soundscape that still manages to keep time like a standard album would. It’s on-and-off throughout, but the ‘on’s are great, and the ‘off’s are still not bad.
Immediately struck by how influential this is. Elements of Radiohead, Blur, The Sugarcubes and The Pixies just in the first few songs. I remember there being a lot of critical acclaim and reverence for this band, but they almost never got airplay. So nice to get the opportunity to see what the fuss was about. This is very interesting. Their relaxed and irreverent vibe is a smokescreen for what is truly sophisticated music arrangement. Eclectic and different. This is very compelling. Not built for pop singles. Artistic and experimental, without being up its own ass. Very good.
3.5
Strangest three-star review ever. Several songs I thought deserved one ("Get Out of the Quantifier," "Damo Suzuki"), and others deserved four ("My New House," "Spoilt Victorian Child").
Not bad, liked “Paintwork”
A little bit too experimental for my taste. Lyrics were arhythmic and seemed more like word magnets on a refrigerator that would repeat. The instrumentation had some interesting elements but also quite repetitive.
„If it’s me and your granny on bongos it’s The Fall“ - Mark E. Smith (Legend)
not for me
Most of the songs on the this album don’t really go anywhere and are not helped by the mumbling rambling vocals. It’s punk with none of the kick
Not my thing. Okayish British punk rock but nothing really stood out to me and caught my attention. Probably great if this is what you're into but it's not for me.
I must be a spoilt Victorian child coz that was as boring as batshit. Do yourself a saving grace and give this one a miss.
Rubbish, poo poo, caca. The legacy tab on Wikipedia mentioned how one guy heard it and realised bad music could also be published. THATS IT??? THATS WHY ITS IMPORTANT??? LIKE SHIT SOUNDING MUSIC DIDNT EXIST 20 YEARS BEFORE IT??? One of the songs towards the end was aight
What a waste of an hour, it was like 3 talented instrumentalists got behind a singer who couldn’t sing or write music If you can’t get it right by the 8th album then hang it up mate
The Best album from The Fall. I like it.
I actually really liked Spoilt Victorian child.
Rock indie ochentero. Oscuro.
5/10.
Even in spite of the pretty horrific Thatcher era of UK leadership, this album is far from the country's saving grace. It sounds like most of the band members – most noticeably, the singer – are piss-drunk, and I'm guessing I'd only genuinely love the music if I were the same. This does have an air of late-night pub, helped by the sluggish yet punkish feel of the rhythm section. The riffs are actually pretty great, until the first 10 seconds of any given track have passed and you realise it's a two-bar loop lasting anywhere from two to six minutes. The lyrics are generally unintelligible gibberish. I can hear the Britpop influence. This album doesn't help with the genre's reputation. It could be worse, though. The production was palatable enough that there were a few tracks that were pretty enjoyable. These include L.A., Spoilt Victorian Child, Paintwork, Cruiser's Creek, and (notably without vocals) Mansion, the opening track. For all of these, if played on more distorted guitars (lead and bass), the riffs wouldn't be out of place on a Led Zep record. That's got to count for something. 2/5 Key tracks: Mansion, Spoilt Victorian Child, L.A., Cruiser's Creek
3/5
Why would anyone think this rubbish is worth performing let alone recording is beyond me. Sounding this bad isn’t edgy, or artistic, or meaningful; it’s what you get when a bunch of deluded losers convince themselves their lack of talent is actually something to be proud of.
Was expecting worse given the genre. Not terrible, but not good either.
I didn't mind the music however the singing ruined it for me
I used to think Punk was pretty bad, then I heard Post Punk. Spoilt Victorian Children was weird.
This impressed me more than I expected it to based on reading the reviews here before my listen. this is such a fun post-punk listen. 4/5
I have no idea how to comment on this. The "singing" is just annoying, the music sometimes makes some kind of sense, but then there are some weird noises in between, and that is annoying, again.
Meh
Rock indie ochentero. Oscuro.
Not really my thing
Sommige nummers klonken wel oké, maar werden geruïneerd door wat noise geluiden op de achtergrond. Eén van de vele voorbeelden van rare shit uit de jaren 80. 2.2*
Whoever decided speak vocals should be a thing should be erased from history. Not only are these songs bad, they’re also long and boring. There’s some talent here but overall this is one of the dumber albums I’ve listened to.
Pretty good and not a band I can remember listening to before.
Is this a punk rock jam band? Interesting stuff
What a kickass brick of chaos
Barmy was good. The rest was serviceable post punk. High 3.
Nothing about this album stands out to me. No need to hear it again.
Meh
This was longggg and all sounded the same to me. Did not enjoy.
Really cool and catchy album, I definitely see what they mean about riding a line between niche and marketable on this one. For every cool guitar riff, there is some off putting (though cool) vocal effect.
Sweet! Det her er en overset punk perle. Der er så mange fede greb brugt, at den slet ikke følelse dateret. Jeg får associationer til Bonaparte, og Fidlar, men bare britisk. I starten nåede jeg lige at tænke: "Det her lyder som mild Duck Stab." Det her en en lille 5er så jeg helt sikkert vender tilbage.
Dejlig smadret punk lyd. Men med en masse legesyge melodiske indslag. Det fungerer skide godt. Et stort stort 4-tal
Absolute ass. Way too much repetition. Very bad production.
First listen Saved 4/11 Top track: L.A.
Much of it sounds like just a bunch of noise.
I don't know what to do with this. I wouldn't voluntarily put it on but it's not exactly unlistenable. 3rd album by this band somehow?
Mediocre is the best compliment I could muster on this record. Some cool guitar parts that made me believe this was going to be an interesting record. It did not live to that expectation. Oh well. Not for me.
Two Fall albums almost in row. I enjoyed this one, they are really growing on me.
I hate Mark E Smith. Album was fine
Garbage. One catchy riff. Whole album sounds like it was written over a quick breakfast while suffering from the night before.
Really unremarkable
This biggest sin this record committed was being British.
Si bien no es mi estilo favorito, las melodías son pegadizas, hay arreglos muy chulos y suena bastante bien por lo general, a pesar de que suena un poco monótono como album
Terrible vocal mix, really difficult to discern the lyrics at times. The lack of pitch variety and where the lead’s voice registers against the backing tracks doesn’t help. As an intellectual exercise I guess this is…fine? Though at no point is it notably pleasant to listen to. Some of the instrumentals evolve in compelling directions, but just as often they become repetitive and drone on and on and on. DNF. Listened to: walking in prospect park. Favorite tracks: none
Mark E Smith. Genius. RIP
From the more accessible end of The Fall's catalogue, still with enough weirdness and dread to keep it interesting
Middle of the road average punkish rock. No earth has been shattered with this listening, no new insights gleaned, but it didn’t torture my ears either.
I hope they fall
To be honest, when I read that it was a post-punk album from the mid 80s, I already imagined the kind of thing similar to "The Cure" or "Siouxsie and The Banshees" (bands I really love) but Maybe it was a very gothic ideal thought I have regarding Post-punk in general. So I tried to neutralize myself when listening to this album and to my surprise, I was VERY wrong! The album moves in a more Iggy Pop direction and even reminds me a little of American punk-rock bands like X (los angeleeees). There's even a bit of rockabilly in the mix, which made me very happy. Anyway, one more album that proves two things: 1. Post Punk is one of my favorite genres 2. I'm very easy to please! I don't even remember the last time I gave an album less than 4 stars! Aaaah may it continue like this!
Aight
Not really my speed. British punk I think has to be a very specific flavor for me to enjoy and this just wasn’t it.
Starting with Mansion, I was thinking that it was super familiar. I felt like there were pockets throughout where I recognized songs, but it was too long and meshed together. I was definitely waiting for this one to end.
Usually when the Wikipedia article mentions an album being the band’s most accessible I get worried with this list, but overall that’s a pretty accurate claim. Definitely punk rock, but it’s not in your face and doesn’t fall into that category of punk with a lead singer that wouldn’t be a lead vocalist in any other genre. Solid listen.
I like a lot of Punk genres. I don't think I like Post Punk.
Suurin osa kappaleista aika laiskoja ja itseään toistavia. Jotain punkin tapaista. Ei pahimmasta päästä, muttei kauhean hyvääkään. Parhaat: L.A. Gut Of The Quantifier
Three weeks later, another album by The Fall. Surprisingly, I liked this album better. Or maybe not. It always seems I like the second album I get introduced by an act. Not sure why, really Maybe because some of the songs were more punk? There were still a few songs that went on a bit too long (looking at you, "Paintwork"). It feels like the band were a bit more confident in their sound here. Definitely a step up. Will definitely come back to this one. Top songs: "Spoilt Victorian Child," "Rollin' Dany," "Petty (Thief) Lout"
This is the most accessible album by The Fall yet. I wonder if some fans of the band hate it because it's too poppy in that regard. There's still a lot of Steve Hanley bass (awesome) but also more looping guitar riffs (from Brix Smith?), which were kinda cool but made it feel more mainstream. Of course it'll never be mainstream with Mark E Smith's weird vocals - see Cruiser's Creek, but man what a rocking tune. The addition of Brix on vocals also made this feel more like the Pixies with Kim Deal's influence there. Very noticeable on the US/cassette additions of Vixen and Couldn't Get Ahead (not my favorites, but still decent). I felt immediately comfortable giving this album a 3 but it got better and better as I kept listening to it. I really liked Bombast (oh that bass), Barmy (great looping riff), Spoilt Victorian Child (feels like cool rockabilly), and LA (cool electronic sounding riff) - which are all from side one of the the original UK release. Killer stuff. The original side two wanders a little more with some longer tracks, but some of them have some killer moments - Gut of the Quantifier (second half, reminded me of Sonic Youth) and My New House (first half is neat rockabilly or something, but gets repetitive). Rollin Dany (one of the extra tracks) is a cool throwback 60's doo-wop homage. It might be closer to 3.5 than 4 but I'm rounding up because I didn't think The Fall had a whole album worth listening to other than greatest hits.
My 200th Album (and a disappointment) The Fall were very much the darlings of the New Musical Express and John Peel played them endlessly on his radio show. I fell for this and bought their first album Live At The Witch Trials. I believe that is another Fall album on this list so I’ll reserve comment on that until it turns up but I was hoping that constant play would eventually reveal why the whole UK it seemed were going potty about them. It didn’t. I like my music to be in the main melodic and The Fall or should I say Mark E Smith go out of their way to be anti-melody. I hadn’t heard this album before because my initial dose of The Fall taught me to avoid them. Surprisingly the first track Mansion is a nice tune but is just a short track after which Mr Smith reverts to norm and serves up a cacophony of noise which goes nowhere. So I was right nothing had changed from 1979 when I bought the first Fall album in the six years until this was released. Nor I bet did the 30 odd albums The Fall released offer anything other that Mr Smith’s meanderings. Even now and more so since Mark died the indie radio stations wax lyrical about The Fall. There’s 3 Fall albums on this list also so even the list compilers have got them bad. So there must be something in all that but I just don’t get it. 1/5 21/7/24
This album gives off the feeling of being invited to a house show one night by an acquaintance you don't feel totally comfortable around yet, but you figure this will be fine because there will be other people there too. You can have a few drinks, smoke a little bit, listen to a cool band. But then you get there and as you walk around you notice that the house has no windows. Strange, but, maybe you're just entering through the side door. As you step inside and make your way around, you begin to notice that the partygoers don't have distinguishable faces, and that while you hear conversation, no one's actually moving their mouth. You decide you need a drink, so you make your way to what you think, or maybe hope, is the kitchen, but instead, you slowly realize you're just walking down an endless hallway. The people slowly disappear, and you're alone. After what feels like hours, you finally hear the distant music coming from an unknown source. You walk toward it. Then you get to the band, set up in a dimly lit room whose layout makes no geometrical sense. They're playing this album, and you're entranced, but not sure if that's because this is good music or because it's the only thing that feels somewhat comforting in this place. You begin to dance. The band smiles at you while they play. You're now connected, and that's something. Anyway I had this album appear on the day Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, so like, fitting title, maybe? Politics amirite.
Everything about this album should light up my brain, so why, after several listens, am I feeling less than illuminated?
I enjoyed it as punk that was more accessible with pop sensibilities. The guitar parts often seemed redundant and stuck in simple loops, but it was a good listen.
albums feels long especially given the garage rock hardcore horrorcore vibe of the album
I would probably enjoy this alright album with bad vocals more if I wasn’t so fed up with this list being entirely made up of alright albums with bad vocals.
I don’t like punk. 1
Not so much
OK but unexciting.
A ok album
Finally, The Fall album you need to select for a such a list. From post-punk scorchers (still rough around the edges, admittedly) to garage-rock-inspired excursions, from the catchy mock-synth pop of "L.A." to the full-blown delirium of "I Am Damo Suzuki" (a tribute of sorts to Can), Mark E. Smith goes to places his early fans didn't imagine him going, while preserving the abrasive, loony and somewhat disgruntled essence of his life project. The melodicism on the "pre-indie", borderline-folk cuts on the second side ("My New House" and "Paintwork") is also surprising and quite impressive, especially since it never waters down The Fall's true nature, once again. Of course, The Fall is The Fall, and as such it remains an acquired taste. That said, the short Brix-Smith-composed instrumental "Mansion" opening this LP will probably have a Pavlovian effect on many post-punk fans. What directly follows is admittedly filled with strange hairpin curves, but young (at the time) producer John Leckie--who had already guided Magazine into their *Real Life*, and later on production duties for famous records by The Stone Roses, Radiohead and Muse (!)--is here to make sense out of the mess. So even if you think The Fall is not for your ears, don't let yourself be daunted by the loose proceedings on the first side. This album really hits its stride with the fifth cut, "Spoilt Victorian Child", and if you like the latter, chances are that the music will never let you down after that. Because *This Nation's Saving Grace* is the sort of record that builds up its crazy-yet-inspiring artistry from one track to the next. There's a bit of everything for every weirdo out there. And yet the whole shebang is cohesive as f*ck. 4.5 stars out of 5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to the maximum grade. 9.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 136 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 371 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 219 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 278
mi sembra un po' insulso, sono tutte canzoni scollegate
I had not heard of The Fall before this. I will say that it's pretty unique sounding, especially for 1985. But everything sounds so out of tune that I felt uneasy the whole time listening to it. The songs can get pretty repetitive as well. There were one or two tracks that sounded B-52's inspired, and one of those was my favorite. I don't remember the title. This is not something I will listen to again.
Liked it more as it went on. Pretty good.
Solid - 6/10
Saw the album cover and artist name and assumed this would be stupid. I was stupid this is fire. Really liked a few of the songs and the rest were all good.
4/10 - What was happening in the background of Barmy. It really just sounds like someone who does not know how to play an instrument was just going ham. The first half is quite weird and the second half sounds like a british punk rock band. I liked Rollin Dany but thats about it
Thought it was gonna suck. It was actually pretty good
Alternative 1985. Sort of if B52 male vocals combined with yelling and angrier guitars. Five songs have dots, but I don’t know
I probably need to listen to this a few more times. It has interesting parts and all the make-up of a good and different record, but it's weird at times. "Gut of the Quantifier" (love the title) has a good groove (reminiscent of the Doors' "The Changeling") but weird lyrics/vocals. A bit artsy, I guess, or maybe just purposefully inscrutable. Will come back to this.
MAN, this was a weird listen. I kinda liked it, but I didn't at the same time ya know. It was interesting and had some cool elements to it, but it felt so out of reach for pretty much the whole run time. I was trying to connect to any of it but I just couldn't. Whatever, a 3 it is. Fav songs: - Bombast - Barmy - Paintwork
Not for me
Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more UK punk type albums they keep coming out of the wood work.
Liked this quite a bit more than I expected to. Learning to identify post-punk because I'm pretty sure that's what this is, some great riffs and songs though, enough that it's not just reduced to fuzz and background noise for me. Good album. Favorite tracks: Mansion, What You Need, My New House, Paintwork, To Nk Roachment: Yarbles (feel like I'm having a stroke reading and writing that one). Album art: Interesting picture effect going on here, a hyperrealistic depiction of a city scape (not quite a picture thought, is it?) and then a very minimal drawing of the sky with a horse drawn chariot. Don't have time or energy to parse the meaning of this one but it's definitely cool. 3.5/5
L.A
Good - need to listen more
Loved it!
Too long but okay. Whatever. Idc
Idc 2.5
I don’t find this particularly interesting. 1/5
If I was drunk in a ditch somewhere and I heard this blaring, it’d track. 2.0
Had its highs and lows it started off decent in the beginning but it quickly started getting subpar. Then it started getting decent again and then it dips again. Overall not bad but I won't be coming back to this anytime soon. Best - Mansion, Spoilt Victorian Child, and Paintwork Worst - Couldn't Get Ahead, Gut Of The Quantifier, and I Am Damo Suzuki 2.75-3.00/5
Post-punk shouldn’t be its own genre
Yep.
The music of The Fall veers wildly between sublime genius and borderline unlistenable, often within the same album, and in the case of the track Paintwork, in the same song. Mark E Smith famously took the master tape back to his hotel room and then accidentally recorded part of an Open University lecture on stars over part of the song. They kept it in, and somehow it all works. This is a pretty good starting point for anyone who is Fall curious.
I'm vaguely familiar with The Fall & Mark E Smith. I get why they are important, this album is nice but it's not my favourite flavor of post-punk.
Fenga ikkje denna karen her
could i write poetry to this? n
If the Clash and the B-52's had a baby that was raised by Television (both the band and the household item), it would sound like this.
I love The Fall. I love how every song feels like it's about to come apart at the seams. I live the "singing" style. All that said, I have a hard time listening to a full album by them. In small doses it's wonderful.
very little musicality. Barmey sounds like and attempt to mimic Rolling Stones' Satisfaction
80s post-punk just sounds a bit outdated today
Not a fan of this at all. It barely avoided a 1 in my opinion.
2.5/5
Wikipedia calls this post-punk. I don't understand the distinction. In any case, no.
The Fall are a band I've been meaning to listen to for years but never actually got round to it other than a few of their most popular songs. I expected to like it and I did. Mark E Smith's ramblings won't be for everyone but I think he's great to listen to. Fav tracks: I Am Damo Suzuki, Barmy, Paintwork
I would rather (Mark E Smith's The) Fall off a bridge than listen to this again
Forgettable
11 tracks, each of which is uninteresting and terminally repetitive, put together to represent 48 minutes of my life that I'll never get back.
Would I listen to it again: no Do I like it: no
Spoilt Victorian child spoilt Victorian child spoilt Victorian child. Just great discordant grumpy joy.
So repetitive and annoying.
Actually, I like it. Wasn't really expecting to like it as much as I did. Maybe it was reading all the bad reviews, but I went in with low expectations. Having never listened to them (to my knowledge anyway), I was happily surprised. It was abstract, improvisatory, complex while also repetitive allowing me to find all the different sounds and moving parts. I wouldn't say I loved it and not all the improvisations sounded all that great musically, but it satisfied the artist and poet (however low-level that may be) in me.
One song sounded like the other. Nothing stood out. Boring.
I have to admit to never listening to The Fall before, even although I am very aware of Mark E Smith. It’s quite telling that he has a whole Wikipedia section for ‘personality’ lol. And what a pleasant surprise this was. I wonder if this is their more accessible stuff because Brix was involved? Anyway, it’s getting a 4. Glad I listened
Good beat, punk rock that's not too angry, I like it!
Bro sounded disinterested. I think I don’t like most 70s+80s Britrock
Almost a 4. Some really good songs on this one
Highlights: Barmy, Spoilt Victorian Child, My New House
first listen ugh
Tengo un “soft spot” por el punk, pero este disco solo se deja escuchar.
Entirely way too long of an album. Not that great in my opinion. Kinda makes you go insane a bit.
Nothing really stood out for me on this. Sounds like some typical british punk sounds.
Eclectic and energetic, with vocals that wouldn't work with most other bands.
Mansion - 3 Bombast - 2 Barmy - 3 What You Need - 3 Spoilt Victorian Child - 2 L. A. - 2 Vixen - 2 Couldn't Get Ahead - 3 Gut of the Quantifier - 3 My New House - 2 Paintwork - 2 I Am Damon Suzuki - 3 To NK Roachment Yarbles - 2 Petty (Thief) Lout - 3 Rollin' Dany - 3 Cruiser's Creek - 3
Mansion - 3 Bombast - 2 Barmy - 2 What you need - 2 Spoilt Victorian child - 1 La - 3 Vixen - 3 Couldn't get ahead - 1 Gut out of the quantifier - 1 My new house - 1 Paintwork - 3 I am damo suzuki - 4 To nk roachment - 4 Petty lout - 3 Rollin' Dany - 3 Cruiser's creel - 3 2.44 Overall an incredibly annoying listen with a few hidden gems. I am damo suzuki was easily the best track and has been added to my rotation
5/30/24 S Tier—————————5 A Tier—————————4 B Tier—————————3 Spoilt Victorian Child Rollin Dany Mansion C Tier—————————2 Cruiser’s Creek Petty Loust Paintwork Bombast I Am Damo Suzuki The Nk Roachment Yarbles Barmey Gut of the Quantifier Vixen L.A. Couldn’t Get Ahead D Tier—————————1 My New House What You Need
This Nations Saving Grace by The Fall Thursday 5/30/2024 9:35 B Tier————————— Mansion Rollin Dany C Tier————————— Petty Thief Lout Spoilt Victorian Child D Tier————————— Bombast Barmy LA Paintwork To Nk Roachment Vixen What You Need E Tier————————— Gut of The Quantifier I am Damo Suzuki Couldn’t Get Ahead My New House
80s alt rock, mimicking the raw style of the violent femmes. None quite as notably catchy as blister in the sun.
It feels like a rough draft to the punk/pop-punk I enjoy listening to.
Album was fine. Nothing great but nothing bad either. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again
Lite svårbedömd. Ena stunden helt okej, andra stunden lite sämre.
Not bad. For the first few tracks, I wasn't all that impressed. The album picks up though and the more I listened the more I enjoyed it.
I could only listen to about 10 seconds. Who knows, maybe it’s great.
4.3 - This record kicks ass. Simple, sharp guitar riffs, Naked Lunch-esque lyrics, interesting tertiary sonics. Standouts: “L.A.”, “My New House”, “Paintwork” (sounds like a cross between Jon Richman and Robert Pollard).
English post-punk band. En général, c'est le genre de style que j'affectionne pas mal. Je n'ai pas eu d'effet wow. Quelques chansons intéressantes, mais j'aurais aimé tripper plus.
The Fall are out there!
There was one tune which had a mildly appealing 15 second acoustic guitar intro, but aside from that, I couldn’t have cared less about any other song from this album.
First song is for a spooky Halloween party. I’m no expert, but the production could have been a little better. Voices or instruments were drowning each other out at various points. Second song was alright, but could have been much more intriguing if anything was said besides the title and unintelligible nonsense. This vibe persists throughout the entirety of the album, leaving me feeling like this could have been a much bigger record. 2/5
Interesting album, I can see why some people may like it. Not my jam. Glad it was brought to my attention I never heard of these guys.
I was surprised that I knew a few songs and started the songs more every time I heard them again. Good album, have to watch remember this one. Favourite songs: - Barmy - Spoiled Victorian child - new house
A haiku: The Fall’s first practice: You guys groove awhile and I’ll “Sing” my “poetry”
not the best new wave group to me.
Very accessible punk. Like that it wasn't too loud and jarring. If you like the Clash, you'll like this album.
Forgettable post punk. Maybe I’ll revisit and see if my rating changes, but there’s not much to cling to on this record. Just too many repetitive songs, and the album drags a TON because of it.
Snooze post punk that didn’t really do anything for me and there were few tracks that will ever stick with me it’s not awful it’s just uneventful another album that has no place on this there is better post punk and this was slow and muddy meh
infectious bass lines. most of the songs get a pretty solid groove and then play that over and over. by the end of the song, you are ready for it to be over. would have been a better album if it weren’t for that.
It was fun! Punk was not really my style and nothing stood out to me.
The first time I listened to this, I was unsure as to how much I liked it--I knew that I did, but I was not sure if it was approaching a favorite status. The second time, I am positive that I love this. It reminds me of a UK Double Nickels on the Dime, which is an interesting statement for a post-punk band. The ending of this album is so, so good. Favorite track: Gut of the Quantifier
This seems to be one of the more consistent Fall albums. I have not listened to all 40 or whatever it is, but they seemed to be going through a good spell here. I think the central band of Hanley, Scanlon and Burns is pretty classic and they sound very together in this era. I reckon Brix Smith's pop ideas and catchy (if familiar) riffs help this along nicely. Mark E. Smith is on top cantankerous form and yowls and snarls in trademark style. Yes. Basically a good solid Fall album. I do think acts such as Pixies and Pavement must have been influenced by this band, the dry snarky humour, the refusal to be in any genre or do anything that you would be expected to, just plough your own scatalogical furrow. That said this is hardly earth shattering, and might be quite a hard listen for many, it's not exactly The Carpenters.
Post-punk is just not for me. 2*
Every song sounded the same. Bombastic. This is a band you're either into or not, and I'm not.
3.5
sneary snear snarl bop
Meh
An overall decent punk album that had some good tracks, but some that dragged on a little (lot), however in a sea of synth-pop of the mid 80s this would have been a breath of fresh air. Best: Spoilt Victorian Child Worst: Paintwork
Sounds confused…must have been a bad year for this to be one of the best
Mark E. Smith was a stupid Fuck
Favorite Tracks: L.A.
The Fall are a British Post-punk band. This is an odd album for sure, but not necessarily terrible, just different. Dudes vocal delivery reminds me of Gord Downie by times. The almost sung-spoken word. Even has a bit of a B-52s vibe to it. Favourite songs: Rollin' Dany, Vixen, My New House, Cruiser's Creek, Barmy, Couldn't Get Ahead Least favourite songs: L.A., I Am Damo Suzuki 3/5
Certainly a more approachable post-punk album than others, a surprising influence to indie and what would eventually be post-rock as well as other venues like Dance a la James Murphy. More important perspective
Didn't grab me. I like a good groove, but not just a good groove.
It’s probably 3.5/5 but honestly better than anticipated. I’ll give it a 4 to revisit.
3/10
I dunno, I suppose this is fine. Nothing groundbreaking, nothing that really grabbed my attention. One way or the other. Reminds me of a lot of other forgettable music I was listening to on “community radio” in the 80’s. I’d list some bands, but well…. Forgettable, ya know? 3/5
This album was pretty easy listening. I enjoyed the music, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to many songs. Reminds me of the Artcic Monkeys if they were around in '85.
Pretty good. Wanted to love this, but I found it a bit too one-note and repetitive.
Sounds like dire straits did grunge. Actually kind of sounds like John Lennon I seriously dont know what these guys are anyway liked it very guitar heavy music Favorite:Barmy Least Favorite: My New House 3/5
Loved it
Fängt mit einem guten Intro an. Düsterer Prog-Rock, sphärisch. 4/5
I love it out of the gate -- strong start. This one is a keeper
I hate whiny music. Yuck. Also, the songs all sound the same? Oh boy, I just realized how long this album is too. I don't understand how it is possible for a band to make an album this long with all the songs sounding the exact same.
Terrible, noisy shit. Completely out of tune and a struggle to finish the album
Annoying boring mess
Sounds like they don't like it either
More annoyed than impressed. But there were definitely some catchy bass lines in there.