Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Wish wish wish I had been out of my music hiatus during this era I would have dead-headed these guys across the countryside.
Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room Past Gone Mad
There are other albums by The Fall that are better than this, but I'm still going with five stars. Just like a stopped clock is right twice a day, there came a time where the music scene and The Fall were aligned for a short while. It didn't last long, it probably wasn't intentional, but, for a short time, it was almost hip to profess an interest in The Fall's back catalogue. For me, there's few albums by The Fall where I actually love every single track. This is one of them. The cover of Lost in Music is up there on my personal list of the best tracks of all time and I could listen to Mark say "Glam Rac-ket-uh" maybe one hundred more times than he actually does.
Bare bones and lush at the same time
Perfect!
Pleasantly surprised to see this on the list. I love a bit of The Fall. Easy 5
Kickass! Opened up a whole new vein of punk rock to me!
Ne er heard of them before, but great
This album had a live version of a song that I'd never heard before from the previous album I listened to and it's freaking me out more than it should
Yes! What a cracker. Loved it
Very underrated album and band.
Five stars because fu the Fall are awesome. It's different and you just don't get it. This is their most accessible album, and it's not all that accessible. I wonder if someone challenged Mark E. Smith (who is a god by the way) to come up with a pop album? Might change me name to Shadrach Glamrick.
Will come back to you
This is just incandescently brilliant music. The drunkard beat poetry lyrics are pretty good too. Anyone hating on this album but at the same time loves Dylan for his singing need to STFU. Favorites? Yes, all of them.
nice album, never heard of them, but i would definitely check out more of them
Lost In Music, I'm Going to Spain, Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room, and The League of Bald-Headed Men all bangers
good weird lost in music glam-racket it's a curse service past gone mad
Again, awesome album!
Great peak 90s fall with electronic touches and studio trickery. The band slaps.
New to me. Can‘t believe how good it is!
Love the Fall! Haven’t heard this one as much as Hex Enduction Hour or Wonderful and Frightening World but it is prime Fall music
great album, my fist listen to The Fall and liked it a lot!
This is hilarious, and knowingly, intelligently so. Post-irony before it was even a thing.
I really disliked “Live at the Witch Trials” and disliked “The Nation’s Saving Grace.” I’m wondering why I need another album from The Fall. With great reservations and more than a little resentment this journey begins… “Ladybird”… this is not terrible… maybe even exceeding tolerable. Way better than expected. “Lost In Music”… what?! A remake of a Sister Sledge song?! By Nile Rogers?! Ummmm… this is unexpected… they’ve breached the walls! WTF?! I love this! “Glam-Racket”… nice beat! Great guitar! Fuck… am I having fun?! “I’m Going To Spain”… Love the delivery, love the tune, love the lyrics, love it! The remaining songs have interesting arrangements, a sort of punk-y vibe and constant undertones of madness. Even the odd talking-over-the-music thing is working for me over music this good. A few songs tested my patience a little… but they are surrounded with so much good stuff that any discomfort was quickly forgotten. Where The Fall’s other albums I heard were off-the-rails bad, this one is an odd and wildly fun ride that teeters precariously along without ever losing me as a listener. I willingly continued into the two bonus tracks and loved them both. Well hell… Never in a million years would I have thought The Fall would get a 5 out of me but The Infotainment Scan kicked me square in the musical nuts and here we are.
The only bad thing about this album is the suprisingly well played music which often overshadowed the spokenword lyrics of the titan that was Mark E Smith.
Pongan menos pinche Elton John y más The Fall. Por el amor de dios.
Discazo. Favs: "Lost in Music", "Past Gone Mad", "Why Are People Grudgeful?". 10/10
nice
Dude this was sick! I always knew I would like the Fall, given they've influenced many artists I love. Excited to dig in more. Major durrrrrhhh.
The Fall at their gloriously chaotic best. Sharp lyrics, guttural delivery, driven along with fury. Only another 30 albums to imbibe.
Ashamed to say this is the first Fall album I've listened to, and it was excellent. I love that they don't sound like anyone else. And (related point) that Mark E Smith doesn't give a fuck. A raucous and uplifting change to the Doves yawn-fest served-up yesterday. A feisty 4*
Intense and raucous, loved it
I like the British post-punk sound. Got some New Wave in there as well as some more traditional punk rock guitars.
Good alt music
Quality fall. Was he a fraud or a genius? Brilliant though, leans heavy on kraut rock.
A massive improvement on Live At The Witch Trials, which I gave 1 star to. Every track on this was great. It just needed a couple I really loved to push it all the way to five stars. Top Track - Lost In Music
Very neat experiment from The Fall. I've only ever known them as a drab post-punk band, often with low recording quality, so this new direction was a surprise. On paper, it shouldn't work, but I should've know it would, given my introduction to Mark E. Smith was through "Glitter Freeze" by Gorillaz. I love everything the band is doing musically, but Smith's delivery translates well to this funkier, poppier sound, but the two don't always mesh well. Overall I'm happy for the experiment adding another dimension to The Fall's sound. These are all sounds I enjoy in other band, so why not them?
if mark e. could have gotten out of his own way for 5 fucking minutes...😔
Was expecting so much worse from the reviews. 3.5/5
Favourite Songs: Lost In Music A Past Gone Mad
This was a welcome surprise. I didn’t like my previous the Fall listens that much but this was good. The Lost in Music cover is a baffling choice of a cover, but it’s kind of emblematic of the rest of the album. It’s a weird combination of dance, Madchester, Indie and spoken word poetry by one of the least singery singers out there. Yet it works and sounds really fun. Bizarre surprise.
'Green grass was purple black & speckled all around.' Art rock embracing the accessible & the pleasures of 'music' - 'I'm lost in music / Feel so alive' - is no foolproof blueprint for converting the skeptics, but it can work & it works in this case. Mark E. Smith has a clarity of voice & vision here, each track slams just enuf, sings just enuf, & moves just enuf to be an authentic meeting of pop & art, while the '93 energy is delightfully '79. 'I hope I can quickly learn the language, eh.' That'd be the language of a group knowing they can't hold onto their obscurantist darlings but that they can hold onto something. Sure, some of this is just Smith rambling, scrambling over pop-friendly instrumentals, but if pleasure be the key, this gives me that. A lot.
Pretty decent. Like the punky style.
Not as good as the earlier stuff but still much better than other contemporary material from other artists
The Fall are a top 3 band for me so I’m always giving this a decent score. However, I’ve always thought this one was a bit overrated and is not an essential listen. It is the Fall at their most pop, which just isn’t the Fall. From Steve Hanley’s book, I think this is around the time where MES really started to go off the rails. It is the peak of their commercial success but not near their best. How this makes the cut over Hex Enduction Hour is a head scratcher. Rating: 3.9
I think I’m obsessed with this band. I’ve known of them forever (thanks Jens Lehman) but never dug in but there’s so much to sift through. A nice poetry in this album including a cover of “Lost in Music” from Sister Sledge, which was my second or third album from the generator. Already paying dividends.
Such a cool album. I had heard some of The Fall before, but wasn't aware of quite how massive and storied their discography is. I was blown away to read that this was their fifteenth album out of thirty something. Crazy! Anyway, James Murphy's whole thing makes a lot more sense after listening to this album. Very cool dane post punk vibes, with hints of post-nrw wave synths holding on for dear life. I loved it. 4.5/5 from me.
Liked the music. Didn't really like the singer's voice. Still a good album. Some songs I really liked, so might listen to those but won't listen to the whole album I think
Certainly better than the last Fall album my group got. Solid 4 Stars.
I enjoyed this more than I thought, based on what I had heard about The Fall. I like a lot of British music, but the things I've heard about The Fall made me wonder if I'd find them too messy or abrasive. Wikipedia says this album is considered their most accessible, so perhaps any of their other 30 albums may not sit with me as well. Someday, I'll try digging into their discography more, but 31 albums is a bit overwhelming to think of even starting!
j'ai bien aimé. J'ai de la difficulté à mettre un punk au-dessus des autres, je manque un peu de profondeur dans mes connaissances punk, sauf la vague de punk-rock late 90s/début '00s dans laquelle mon adolescence a baigné. J'ai aimé la piste It's A Curse avec les grosses guits qui faisaient un wall of sound.
While it all seemed a little generic, great vibe all around and I'd never object to this being on in the background.
There is only one place and time where such an album could be made and it's the UK in the 90s. Enjoyed it very much, but wouldn't say that I'm a The Fall fan now.
Oddly I've never bothered to sit and listen to The Fall beyond the more well-known single tracks. I rather enjoyed this, without being entirely blown away by it. I might well come back for more.
A mix of sounds in this one. Top stuff
A bit of a surprise this one. Really was not enjoying it, specifically the singer’s intentionally-not-trying-to-sound-good style. “I’m Going to Spain” was particularly insufferable and “It’s a Curse” was not much better. However from the grinding gritty intro of “Paranoia Man” to the end of the album I really enjoyed it. The vocals take a bit of a backseat, more of another texture as opposed to being the focus. There’s a manic driving rhythm, some funky electronic stuff and danceable punk beats. Really fun. Loved the jungly /breakbeat stuff, reminded me a lot of the PS2 Ratchet and Clank soundtracks which I love. Highlights for me were basically all the second half but in particular “Paranoia Man”, “Service”, &” Past Gone Mad” Close to a 5, but the first half holds it back too much for me.
Took me a minute but found myself getting into this. The driving rhythms with the almost incomprehensible lyrics that are almost rap in a way? "Ladybird (Green Grass)" "Lost in Music" "I'm Going to Spain" "Service" and "The League of Bald-Headed Men" were faves on here.
Smith’s vocal style didn’t do much for me but really liked the vibe here, especially in the back half of the album. It’s a Curse/Paranoia Man great 1-2
I really enjoyed this; The Fall isn't a band that has been on my radar, so this is a case of finally being introduced to something new from this project and being really into it. It's a bit same-y, but not in a way that I dislike. When I need to have music on in the background, and I don't want to feel too happy or sad, just normal, The Fall will suit that well. Rainy day, cloudy day, sick day, lay in bed music. I've been listening to this album and didn't even realize when the song switched, but sometimes that's nice.
I really rather liked this. Had heard some of The Fall, but hadn't sat and listened to a whole album. Heartily glad to have done so.
Best wel nice
Despite the critical acclaim of The Nation's Saving Grace, I actually liked this one more! Mark E. Smith's speak-singing style on this album combined with the fairly minimalistic yet still super sick musical backing really works for me. The surprise dance song near the end doesn't hurt!
I'm in shock at this album. I thought This Nation's Saving Grace was genuinely some of the worst music the 1001 list had to offer. I had nightmares of Mark E. Smith's drunken, rambling vocals for weeks afterwards. And yet, that very same singing style totally works on top of some agressive riffs! He's the anchor to the explosive rhythms going on, and the music would simply not work without him yelling on top of it. There's also some pretty innovative moments from a production standpoint! A standout moment for me is the closer Light/Fireworks, which to my ears sounds like a straight JPEGMAFIA beat -- in 1993! Genuinely a great album from The Fall, a band I had just about dismissed after that first experience. Standouts: Ladybird • Glam-Racket • Paranoia Man In Cheap Shit Room • Past Gone Mad • Light/Fireworks
Love this album, surprised it's in the list though.
Meu segundo disco do The Fall nessa lista, e coincidentemente, é essa banda que estou atualmente fazendo meu ranking da discografia – Tarefa árdua, visto o tamanho e escopo de seu trabalho, mas fui inspirado após ouvir através daqui o disco This Nation’s Saving Grace, sendo ele uma das melhores descobertas que fiz por aqui até então. O chamei de “suprassumo do Punk”, e o descrevi como algo que eu procurava sem saber o que era. Com isso, vim pra este disco com a expectativa lá em cima. Uma coisa certa, é um álbum bem mais eclético que Saving Grace. Algumas seções bem mais experimentais (algo comum pro grupo), canções com elementos eletrônicos destacados também. É algo que eu não esperava, mas que não necessariamente desgostei. Ainda prefiro o Saving Grace, mas esse álbum é bom também. Infelizmente, senti que essa escuta foi mais trabalhosa que a Saving Grace. Não pela duração, mas pela maneira que o disco é sequenciado. É natural para essa banda ter canções monótonas, com ritmos constantes e sem muitas mudanças, então isso não me surpreende. Esse disco certamente é bem divisivo devido à isso, ele requer uma certa dose de paciência para quem não imediatamente se apaixona por seus truques ou pelo emprego vocal de Mark E. Smith. 4/5
Pretty cool instrumental album. I sadly had this weird bug where I was also continuously listening to some weird man moaning off-key into my ears, which really made it hard to focus on the instrumentals. 7.5/10
Overall: 7/10 I'm so torn on this band because the instrumentals are absolutely incredible, but those vocals are just so tough to get into. Imagine if they had a vocalist who could actually sing! I especially had a great time picking out the basslines, that dude is really talented. Fav Song: Service
Experimental post punk gods fifteen times over.
4.5
*Scan* sees the band centered around the guitar/bass/vocals axis of core Fall members Craig Scanlon, Steve Hanley and Mark E. Smith, providing pulse and drive to mostly-uptempo songs that touch upon dance music without getting lost in that genre's clichés. Chock-full of potent post-punk riffs throughout, this album delivers one punch after another, and MES sounds alive and invigorated here (well, as invigorated as person full of vinegar can be 😀.) An otherwise-excellent record, *Scan* does lose a star for the inessential and momentum-busting cover of "I'm Going To Spain" and there's-one-on-every-Fall-album self-indulgent weirdo track "Light/Fireworks". Skip those and you've got a killer disc.
Among other things they gave us some reggae
The Fall are probably the most marmite-y of all bands (and if you don’t get that reference then you are really going to struggle when they include lyrics about Spangles and Vimto). The quintessential post punk Manchester band, fronted by Mark E Smith and featuring a huge roster of members over the years, including your granny on bongos. Their music ranges from straightforward rock, to electronica, to borderline unlistenable experiments recorded on an old cassette player. The albums vary wildly in quality and tone, but the one constant feature is the lyrics and unique vocals of Smith himself. For somebody that looked a bit like an old tramp on a bench outside the Arndale Centre he was one of the most literate and sometimes baffling poets of the last 50 years. It really pays dividends to follow along on the annotated Fall lyrics website to check the references and allusions, from 70s sweets (Spangles and Curly Wurlies) to Manchester landmarks, folklore, literature and weird science. Highlights include The League of Bald Headed Men about old blokes who really should know better going to raves and a sublime cover of Lost in Music where Smith’s idea of a working day starts at a relaxed 10am in the morning. Manc-tastic-ah!
Slick, groovy, with just enough Smith snark to scratch that itch. Nice influence of rave and industrial on the often excellent rhythm tracks. First Fall album done back to back and I'll definitely be going back to it
Second album by The Fall that I've had so far and the second one I've really liked. They're definitely a marmite band but I think Mark E Smith is uniquely great
Not half bad!
Mark E. Smith leverer linjene med like mye edge og bitt som alltid, men musikken innarbeider elementer fra dance / disco og dream pop, og er derfor litt mindre skranglete og weird. Jeg skjønner ikke at denne er valg over Hex Enduction Hour, som jeg holder som deres beste, men er egentlig glad for at de gjorde plass til denne, for det er ikke gitt at jeg ville hørt den ellers (jeg er ikke noen completionist når det kommer til discographier). Kanskje det er et tegn på at jeg i hvert fall burde grave dypere i The Fall.
Dette er mitt andre The Fall-album og nå kan jeg si at jeg er fan. De har beveget seg over i noe mer dance. Vil tippe man kunne DJ-a en liste med både The Fall, Happy Mondays og Azctec Camera. Jeg syns ikke kvaliteten er like jevn som på The Nation's Saving Grace. Jeg tramper utålmodig med foten og kikker på klokka mens "Light/Fireworks" spiller, og jeg merker mot slutten at jeg har antydning til å gå lei av snakkevokalen til Mark E. Smith. Men heldigvis har plata nok høydepunkter til at den er mest god. Selv etter det lille søkket jeg var nedi, så kommer "Why Are People Grudgeful" og redder dagen. Side A har de fleste høydepunktene, med "Ladybird" som kunne vært en litt sen Iggy Pop-perle, og "Lost In Music" skulle kanskje fått meg ut på dansegulvet om den hadde kommet på en fuktig natt. Gleder meg til mer The Fall
This is a really good album. Not my favourite period of The Fall musically, but this album benefits from a mix that makes Mark E Smith’s lyrics more discernible than they often are, plus it’s something of a concept album with an anti-nostalgia/governance by the aged theme.
catchy. i really dont mind his voice
Vocals take a bit to warm up to but this rocks.
So Lost In Music is a wonderful and unexpected cover of the 70's disco song, and the crown jewel of this collection. But there are many other gems in this 12 song collection that 32 years later are still bringing a smile to my lips RIP MES
better than I expected
I was excited when I saw this album pop up today. More disco/dance rock than the fast, loud punk on their first album. Not quite as good but I still very much enjoyed it. Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room is an all time song title. Lights / Fireworks was a great finish, what a weirdo
Spot on, I like this! I know I’ve heard of The Fall, but never given them a proper listen. Chalk it up an edgy youthful ignorance. There’s a lot of good here. I will go again.
Interesting sound with good beats and spoken word. Not the greatest singer but this has a place. Good for a workout
Not bad
fryworks dockness bundting bright.
Accessible disaffection, propelled by huge bass Favourite tracks: Glam-Racket, I'm Going To Spain, Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room
Another Fall album! This challenge is really helping me dig into their vast catalogue, and today’s listen was The Infotainment Scan. I really enjoyed this one. It’s an easy, engaging listen with fantastic lyrics and a surprising amount of musical variety. The bonus Peel Session tracks on the extended version were a real treat too. This is definitely an album I’ll return to. Favourite track: The cover of “Lost in Music” is brilliant—The Fall give the Chic classic a totally new dimension. I also loved “Why Are People Grudgeful?”, even if it technically only appears as a bonus track on the CD version. Great tune regardless. Least favourite track: Honestly, every track is worth a listen. Album artwork: Not a fan. The blur effect doesn’t work for me—I’m much more into clean, simple album covers.
Peak Post Punk
I had low expectations but o actually really likes this! Somehow they put all their choas into a pot and stir it around and something pretty good comes out.
Listened to the fall a bit while living in the UK- I figured John Peel couldn’t be wrong. Bought 50000 Fall Fans compilation and loved some and couldn’t stand some. This album feels more cohesive and interesting. On first listen I can see this putting people off but give it time and it will start to make sense. Or not.
This is excellent, haven't explored this era of the Fall as much but it's some good stuff. Service is a very unique song and sound in their catalogue.
8 Dunno why I never listened to this fall album before. Haven’t listened to a fall album all the way through for SO LONG but I should do it more often!! What a cool one good times with mark E
Pretty interesting stuff here. I liked it.
Pretty good listen
LOST IN MUSIC
The first time I’ve ever listened to The Fall, and I was very pleasantly surprised. I think the legend of Mark E. Smith casts a long shadow, and it’s fully deserved - I don’t think there would be The Fall without him, but I also think that in some ways the band is good in spite of him. A bit like Shane MacGowan, the vocal delivery is somewhat questionable, but the lyrical content is outstanding, and you don’t get one without the other. Musically this is right up my alley, and the only thing stopping it getting a full house is there are too many experimental noise tracks that I didn’t enjoy, but it’s a good four, and definitely listening to more of them.
I liked this more as I listened along. It’s a little bit strange with hints of LCD Soundsystem and the Tragically hip. Feeling generous so let’s put it on the 4 side of a 3.5.
напомнил recoil и депеш
seemingly neverending, would be good for a drive in a big city at night I feel like. Is occasionally bizarre but not a bad sound at all
The last Fall album I got from the generator was Live at the Witch Trials, with which I really struggled. I wanted to like it and enjoyed the post-punk feel of the backing tracks, but I just couldn’t get past the singing. This time around with the Infotainment Scan everything feels much more accessible and the singing isn’t nearly as grating to me. There’s a pretty weird progression to this album too. It starts off with pretty straight forward post-punk, but more and more electronic and dance elements start to reveal themselves. A bit of a strange mix, but it kind of works. Overall, I enjoyed this one and I might need to give Live at the Witch Trials another spin to see if it was as difficult and unenjoyable to listen to as I remember.
Wild
Starts slow but becomes absolute banger towards the mid point
This was really not what I expected from earlier The Fall albums. But man was it cool.
Well, what do you know, there are some decent bops on this! The band are doing some heavy lifting here though. Even Mark E’s vocals work on this style. What is his obsession with Spangles though?
Good album just my kinda cup of tea ☕️🔥🔥🔥
I had a few issues with The Fall when I was younger, "Slates" was a particular annoyance, but .... Holy Shoot. This works. Admittedly, it sounds like the backing band (tight a flick) and vocalist met only at the mixing desk, but that odd "Chalk and Cheese" mixture actually works. This is definitely going on my Favourites List.
nice
I don't always find it super-easy to get into The Fall but this has excellent energy. Even some experiments with housey breakbeats. Offputting cover art, on a great record.
Surprisingly good. Obviously very bad singing. But music is good, some tracks have the potential to become bigger hits if they are covered by the right artist. The original singer is just being himself. Well he can’t really sing, but somehow his voice still works for his own music. At least I can still tell the music is good. And this is probably the best he can do. Imagine if Mariah was the lead vocal, would it actually be a lot better? Probably not if her voice runs from Pacific Ocean to South Africa. And I genuinely think it’s a good complete album. Go and see Spain, not Australia. I like it.
This was really cool. It was like The Clash but electronic
skroz kulllll
This album came about when Mark E Smith asked Houmous & Chutney how they managed to produce so many studio albums without diluting their market. Len Houmous told him it was about looking across your fan base and finding that balance of information and entertainment! How on earth Len thinks you can look across a fan base that is literally every single person in the world, I’m not sure. I think he was just trying to get him to leave us alone. 3.8 6/10 Paranoia Man In A Cheap Shit Room
"The Infotainment Scan" is the 15th album by English post-punk band the Fall. Alternative rock, post-punk and alternative dance are the Wiki-listed genres. An odd assortment but fits. The album was well-received critically and, at the time of its release, was cited as their most accessible album. The bandmembers included Mark E. Smith (vocals, tapes, production), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Steve Hanley (bass, backing vocals), Simon Wolstencroft (drums, programming) and Dave Bush (keyboards, programming, backing vocals). The album reached #9 in the UK. Looping sounds open the album and "Ladybird (Green Grass)." A drum beat, deep bass and Smith's vocals enter. Great guitar in this post-punk song. The Fall sounding like the Fall in this coming of age themed song with Smith stressing to get out of town. They change things up next with a cover of Sister Sledge's "Lost in Music." A disco dance beat and a jingly Chic-esque guitar. Oh, Mr. Smith cannot hold back and blasts Britpop and Suede in "Glam-Rock." This song would not be out of place on Blur's "Parklife." The highlight of the album might be "It's a Curse." A driving guitar riff, more deep bass and a rock beat. Hypnotic with a groove going. An echoing piano. He's trying to get over a relationship but its causing him to be mind fucked. The band fuses distorted guitar and a disco beat in the eerie "Paranoid Man in Cheap Sh*t Room." Of course, the title was taken from a "Twilight Zone" episode. The last song on the CD and the only single released is "Why Are People Grudgeful?" A song influenced by two reggae songs (Joe Gibbs, Lee Scratch Perry). More a pop song with a churning guitar and pronounced bass. On this album, the Fall does not do the complete transition that Wire did from their punk 70's style to their 80's electronic phase but they do successfully incorporate disco and pop beats into their post-punk musically base. The songs cover a range of topics (get out of town, dance, Britpop, making fun of a bad song, paranoia, gerontocracy (only old people in control) and dissing the pop past). Mark E. Smith is as cranky, funny, grumpy and droll as ever. Yes, this is a really good album. There's plenty to like here and it's never boring.
I love the fall and this album has a couple of funny songs on it, glam rocket and going to Spain for example. I don’t think it’s the best and it’s not in my regular playlist but it’s definitely the Fall. I think if you didn’t already like the fall this might be to long for the average listener.
Great album. Learned about The Fall from this listening series and I'm very happy to have done so.
Good english punk, little hard do understand but maybe due to sound system
why did i think the fall was a 2000s pop rock band
Interesting
Didn't expect post-punk to be so dancey and fun but The Fall really make it work. Reminds me of some LCD Soundsystem stuff, which can't be such a bad thing. Pretty dang solid record! 7/10
Very good.
Je ne connaissais pas,une belle découverte 😉
Really enjoyed this one 👌
I've never listened to The Fall before this album showed up. I found the album mostly pretty pleasant. Particularly liked "lost in music"' "I'm going to Spain" and "league moon monkey mix" Hard to believe these guys have released 31 albums and that having released that many times I've still barely heard of them. They're pretty good, though! I've gone on and listened to more of their stuff after the album finished, so yeah a good discovery!
It was incredibly weird and I liked it.
Well. Mark E. Smith, man. I don't think anything would have prepared me for this, and if I'm transparent for a second, I'm really not sure what to make of it. I've been describing this one as the inverted, evil cousin of Achtung Baby. Seems to serve as a gateway into the Fall's spiraling and strange discography.
controversial maybe but i did enjoy this one
Weird elevated to idiosyncratic genius (this means you, Mark E.). Even the title is one edge off from expectations--we get to look at the subject as it's drawn out all over the place under withering satire. The nonsinging invites you to hear the droning, driving insistence of the music more clearly. I can't hear enough.
I think with Mark E Smith, you’re either all in or find The Fall impenetrable. Even though I never nowadays willingly spin a Fall record I’m reminded that actually Smith is an unlovable genius and I get sucked in. Those hypnotic repetitive melodies and that monotone is strangely compelling. I’m in.
It's funny. I'm never in the mood for The Fall, and yet, every time I put on one of their records, I'm all in. They kind of defy logic for me. When I read the negative reviews for them on this site, I basically agree with everything people say. The dude not only can't sing, but he has a distinctive delivery that can absolutely drive people insane, and what's more, thanks to his accent, I can barely understand half of what he's saying. On paper, I feel like I should hate this. And yet, somehow I don't. The band keeps things interesting. And Mark E Smith, rather than annoying me, always keeps a smile on my face.
ladybird hani etz no fun gfunde. er singt lustig. lost in music au no cool, er groovt recht. chic cover findi geil. haha glam racket fangt mitem heavy bassriff ah und denn chunt mega nöd de drumbeat woni erwartet hett. i'm going to spain tönt wie 80er indie? nice? aber er singt chrüzfalsch. mann ey die britische indie bands. paranoia man in cheap shit room isch en rieeese titel. find de song au no geil er redt afoch sache. moll cool. bi service hani etz au no erstuunlich spass. baldheaded au no geil?? hää past gone mad goht au easy dumm mit elektrobeat und gitarre und so? fett geil? haha light fireworks hört afoch uf und en guy brummlet chli ume.
This Kicks ass. 4 stars.
Oh yeah, that’s my jam right there
994 albums into this project I get the Fall. And because I'm 994 albums in I finally 'get' The Fall. In a world of many albums of bland, meandering lack of purpose, every so often you need a kick in the stomach from music.
One of those rare albums here that got me listening a couple of times. There's a danceable quality to almost all the songs, and the vocals are actually pleasantly hypnotic to my ears. Funny how I had never heard of these guys before.
This is a great one, hadn't listened to it before but I did know the excellent Lost in Music cover. I love the contrast between the really tight band and the absolutely unhinged vocals. Some cool krautrock influences on here too. It gets a bit too meandering towards the end, but still enjoyable.
Can’t believe I missed this band. Their semi punk, garage sound is reminiscent of early Clash, The The and The Call. Really great stuff with a huge catalog of albums and singles. Again, I don’t know how I missed this band.
very good. didnt have high hopes cause the only fall song ive listened to is totally wired which is ass but this album surprised me. a lot of people seem to be hating on the vocals of mark e but i dont mind them at all. maybe im weird
Enjoyed this album. Thanks.
Maybe not quite a top 5 Fall album? Still the best thing we've had this week.
Awkward, and charming - The Fall, always changing, always the same
Mark E. Smith doing Mark E. Smith things... but this time it's weirdly accessible.
норм. местами напомнило джой дивижен и кьюр.
Interesting vibe. It grew on me as I listened, which says a lot. Not sure I really took in the lyrics on a first run-through but I definitely plan to come back.
The falls version of lost in music has always been a thing of great joy
It was interesting, I know of The Fall, but I guess I never give them enough listening
Turns out I really like The Fall. Now I have another 29 albums to listen to!
It's like a weird mix of garage rock, dub reggae and drunken beat poetry - and it's kind of great in that regard. Not sure I'd choose it out of all the albums I've listened to to go back to, but I'm not sad I've listened to it.
This was great! Loved the sound and overall weirdness. The early 90s was such a weird time for music outside of the major genres.
Really enjoyed this, and I can see how some vocalists today in proto-punk style music were inspired by this dude. Loved the instrumentals, and enjoyed the singers spoken style delivery.
Definitely a great album. Reminded me of Pulp. Not much to say, but I find it annoying how Spotify doesn’t have original releases often, only offering a 2 hr + extended addition. The money is sur le table. The palace of excess leads to the palace of access
What’s with all the negative reviews? I liked this a lot, Mark Smith has a unique singing style that I really dig. The 80s/90s punk scene was very fun and this slots right in. I can definitely see a lot of my favorite 2000s artists having been influenced by The Fall.
Fine album.
3.8 - This was pretty interesting and I think might require some more listens
This album straddles an interesting space between post-punk and rave music. It has a reckless abandon that reminds me of Can in ways. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the Lost in Music cover feels so tongue in cheek, I don't even know why, there's just something so wry in the vocal. I can see a lot of influence from this album. Light/Fireworks feels like a blueprint for LCD Soundsystem, I'm Going to Spain for some reason reminds me a lot of the Libertines (minus the synths). Fave Tracks: I'm Going to Spain, Service, Why Are People Grudgeful 4.2/5
I was thoroughly expecting to hate this, but it's good! I actually really like the music. It's quite murky, the guitar sounds quite dirty and distorted at times, but it also has a real driving beat to a lot of the songs. I don't mind his vocal delivery at all, it works. 'A Past Gone Mad' might be my favourite track. It has drum n' bass elements along with synths - very cool! 3.5 rounded up.
A few dud songs, but when it's good, it's very good, especially the singles. It's a Fall album, if you're expecting perfection you're listening to the wrong band
Weird link between 80’s and 90’s rock
Ah, my second album by The Fall. I reviewed Live At the Witch Trials about a year ago, and I didn't care for it very much, which surprised me, since I usually like post punk music. I don't have high hopes for this, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Well, I certainly enjoyed this a lot more than Live At the Witch Trials. I will say right off the bat though that I hated the vocals. I didn't even bother paying attention to the lyrics, that's how much I hated them. Other than that, my only gripe with this album is that there were a couple of songs that were clunkers. Now that I'm done griping, I have to heap a ton of praise on this album's musical elements. I loved the guitar playing on this album. The guitars on Live At the Witch Trails were good, but there just wasn’t any variation from song to song. The Infotainment Scan had a wide variety of guitar arrangements, and the electronic elements that were used only added to the unique sound of this album. Every song brought something different to the table, and I found myself really enjoying listening to the musical elements throughout this album. While I enjoyed a majority of the songs on this album, The Fall’s version of “Lost in Music” was my favorite on the entire album. It was chaotic in in the best way, and I loved the main guitar riff and the dense atmosphere of the song. Aside from the vocals, this album was really fun to listen to, and I’m pretty excited to review my third album by The Fall soon!
I actually quite like this. There are interesting soundings and alter vibes. I really love the whole Glam-Racket,the drum and the bass are very grunge like, Very pretty. It's a decent 3.5/5 to me.
This has its moments but lacks the charm and atmosphere of their earlier work.
Endnu et fedt Post-Punk album. Uden tvivl den genre der har givet mig flest gode nye bekendskaber det første år af dette projekt
I love post punk so much!! they got a little freaky with it there toward the end but i am not mad about it!!
Etonnant mais intéressant. “Lost in music” très groovy, riff de “Glam-racket” catchy, la voix du chanteur, sa façon de chanter/dire ses paroles est assez désarçonnante, pour ne pas dire énervante par moment. Mais musicalement c’est souvent très cool, du post punk un peu dansant, des fois limite disco. DFonc la voix est énervante, mais peut être que ce qu’il dit est cool, je prendrais sans doute le jour de l’écouter un jour. Y a un gros potentiel, dans le doute on met 4 parce que je reviendrais creuser
Solid
The Fall...such a interesting (and influential) band. One that I have tried to listen to many times in the past, but the discography is a little intimidating. This was a decent entry as far as to what I have listened to in the past. 4/5
Massivly admire the Fall as they never compromised. The discography is vast and this one is new to me. Lost in Music cover is top notch. "Spangles and Vimto were always crap." [Its a Curse] Genius. 4
Not a band I had listened to before. Overall thought it was great. The music was put together very well and made for an enjoyable listen. I am generally a fan of punk post punk and new wave music anyway so thought it was worth a listen. Cannot believe how many albums the band have made. Vocally the tone was similar to Hugh Cornwall of The Stranglers I thought. Good album
The fact that this is their 15th album says a lot about The Fall. I think they could have benefitted from some editing. Cut some songs down, cut some completely. But I like The Fall a lot. This is a 3.5 rounded up to combat some of the unnecessarily negative reviews.
8/10… Indie Disco, Post Punk
The album is somewhat inconsistent, featuring a laid-back vibe alongside a few intense standout tracks. While the album begins strong, it unfortunately loses momentum toward the end.
I was introduced to this band many years ago and they've grown on me. I don't usually go for spoken word stuff but I like his style. It's like some kind of Euro-beatnick-punk thing. I don't know what the hell he's talking about half the time but the riffs are rocking. My favorites are It's A Curse and League of Bald Headed Men. And Why are People Grudgeful? has an awesome bass line!
More blissful chaos !
a fun enough listen but a bit rough around the edges for my liking. the instrumentals here are great and i particularly liked them, but the vocals left me a bit cold at times. a bit too nonchalant for my taste. the big example for me was 'i'm going to spain' where the track itself i loved, and the vocals with the voice cracking and meandering really killed it for me. still, despite that, i enjoyed the album. just think i would have liked it a bit more if the vocal performance was a bit different.
Great album - strange and catchy and the vocals really stick in your head.
whoah ez jólesett 😁 😎
Rating: 7.5/10
This album was pretty sick. Alt rock/post punk. Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room the standout. 3.5
skits that keep on giving
Fantastic album, The Fall's influence on the Manchester post-punk scene as it exists today is insane
Classic punk. Can really see how much LCD Soundsystem was influenced by The Fall
Loved it - much more mass appeal but that's not a bad thing - feels of the time, maybe not ahead of it but really enjoyed. 4
I prefer their earlier, more straightforwardly punk material, but this is unique enough for a thumbs up. B-
Mature et contrôlé; rock efficace qui explore différents embranchements. Pourrait bénéficier d’un petit grain de folie.
i have to get over my antipathy to fans of the fall because the band’s actually pretty great
Awareness of the Fall dates back to early 90’s listening to them on John Peel’s radio show on BBC international on my shortwave, but never explored further. Enjoyed this right away, and will be happy to dig further. Smith’s thing I am sure annoys some, but I was fine with it and the band was grooving.
Another cool album from The Fall. I love the more electronic influence here. I think it adds a lot to their sound. Lyrically it's very witty like usual as well.
I really enjoyed this!!! Just a really interesting sound with a lot going on throughout the album.
Amazingly, despite my huge caché of indie hipster cred, I have never listened to a The Fall album. Aside from a few songs, all I know about them is: • They were kind of legendary and • They made about 16 million albums and • They had more band members than The Chills and • Mark E Smith's singular voice and phrasing • Liking The Fall made one unapproachably cool I really enjoyed this, apart from that one song where he attempted to sing. I don't know what any of it's about or what it all means, but really, one may ask why is the sky blue?*. It seems to hit its stride in the second half of the album but it all sounds like a good time. *Rayleigh scattering (the predominantly elastic scattering of light, or other electromagnetic radiation, by particles with a size much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. Thanks, Lord Raleigh)
Enjoyable punk with new sound
Not my favorite album by The Fall, but it’s still quite good.
Funsies
What a surprise. Loved it.
The Fall, a little past its prime, but still a pretty good listen. Essential? Hmm...probably not, but knowing a little of The Fall isn't going to do anyone interested in post-punk any harm. Bend Sinister might be a better choice.
For this review, I'm only looking at the original LP tracklisting and not including the bonus tracks on the CD edition of the album. This is the first I’m hearing of The Fall. They’re a late 70s English post-punk group that shifted their style over the years towards alternative rock, with the sole consistent member being vocalist and lyricist Mark E. Smith. The Infotainment Scan is their fifteenth album, taking on a more accessible sound by incorporating more standard grooves and electronic elements. I will say the big hurdle I found with this album and by extension The Fall is Mark’s vocals. They’re an acquired taste to say the least; he reminded me of Iggy Pop with more slur in his delivery. Adjusting to his vocal style is a make-or-break moment for this group, and there is no blame if you can’t get into them. As for me, I was able to adjust and find the ramshackle delivery combined with the abstract lyricism to be decent if not outstanding. As for the rest of the band, they do a great job of packing a punch. In particular Craig Scanlon’s guitar riffs and Simon Wolstencroft’s drum work bring the necessary drives for these tunes, complimented by Steve Hanley’s bass work and Dave Bush’s electronic programming. Songs like “Glam-Racket”, “It’s a Curse”, “Past Gone Mad” and their cover of Steve Bent’s “Lost in Spain” have this manic energy that’s very potent and danceable. My only complaint is with the album closer “Light / Fireworks”, where Mark is given the focus for the first half of the song without much accompaniment before the song switches through different movements without any cohesion. I understand if it was keeping with the off-kilter vibe, but it didn’t leave a good final impression for me. Still, I had a mostly enjoyable time with The Infotainment Scan, which is more than what I expected initially. Go into this one with an open mind.
I like this! But I don't understand why I had to hear it before I die.
Whoa, I'm into this! The Fall is a name I've heard many a time, but I've never dove into their stuff. Considering this is their 15th album, I have a hard time believing its among their best, and I still found it to be a refreshing listen. It sounded ahead of its time, instrumentally interesting and lyrically muscular. And though the vocals appear to be polarizing, I did not find them distracting or strange in the least. I wasn't paying full attention, however -- I might like it less next time around.
I read other's negative reviews about this album, but dang it, I find myself really enjoying this one. Creative, cool grooves. and I didn't even mind the oddball vocal style.
Shout out to Ed Blaney! (From L at Bez’s night Haci-Hendre north Wales 2011/12) This is my first Fall album, I enjoyed it. Favourite track League Moon Monkey Mix. Would be a great band to see live.
"The Infotainment Scan" by The Fall, released in 1993, stands as a significant entry in the band's extensive discography. This album showcases the band's evolution while retaining its core identity. Here's an in-depth review focusing on lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with a balanced view of its pros and cons. ### Lyrics Mark E. Smith's lyrics on "The Infotainment Scan" are a mixture of biting social commentary, cryptic observations, and his trademark surrealism. The album's title itself is a play on the infotainment industry, suggesting a critique of media and consumer culture. **Key Tracks:** 1. **"Ladybird (Green Grass)":** The lyrics juxtapose a seemingly simple metaphor of a ladybird with darker themes of environmental decay and societal negligence. Smith's delivery is sardonic and layered with irony. 2. **"Glam-Racket":** This track criticizes the music industry, particularly the glam rock scene, with Smith’s typical acerbic wit. Lines like "You are working for the glam racket" expose the superficiality and commercialization of music. 3. **"It's a Curse":** Here, Smith addresses the inevitability of fate and societal constraints, wrapping his critique in abstract and often oblique references. The refrain "It’s a curse, it’s a drag" reflects a sense of frustration and resignation. ### Music Musically, "The Infotainment Scan" is a blend of post-punk, alternative rock, and electronic influences, reflecting The Fall's ability to adapt and experiment. **Instrumentation and Style:** 1. **Post-Punk Roots:** The Fall’s signature post-punk sound is present, with driving basslines, angular guitar riffs, and repetitive, hypnotic rhythms. Tracks like "Lost in Music" (a cover of the Sister Sledge hit) are transformed into gritty, robotic anthems. 2. **Electronic Elements:** The inclusion of electronic elements is more pronounced in this album. Tracks such as "Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room" feature programmed beats and synths, adding a modern twist to their sound. 3. **Diverse Arrangements:** The album doesn’t shy away from diverse musical arrangements. "Service" incorporates a more melodic approach, almost pop-like in its structure, while "The League of Bald-Headed Men" leans towards a darker, more industrial sound. ### Production Produced by Rex Sargeant and The Fall, "The Infotainment Scan" is characterized by its raw yet polished production. **Production Quality:** 1. **Raw Edge:** The production maintains The Fall’s raw, unpolished edge, essential for their authentic post-punk sound. There is an intentional roughness that complements the band’s style. 2. **Clarity:** Despite the rawness, there is a clarity in the mix that allows each instrument and Smith's vocals to stand out. The balance between the abrasive guitars, pulsating bass, and electronic elements is well-maintained. 3. **Experimental Approach:** The production also experiments with different soundscapes. Tracks like "A Past Gone Mad" incorporate reverb and echo effects, creating an atmospheric, almost haunting quality. ### Themes Thematically, "The Infotainment Scan" delves into the absurdities and pitfalls of modern life, with a particular focus on media, consumerism, and societal decay. 1. **Media and Consumerism:** The album critiques the pervasive influence of media and the commodification of culture. The opening track, "Ladybird (Green Grass)," and the album’s title itself, hint at a media-saturated society obsessed with trivialities. 2. **Paranoia and Surveillance:** Tracks like "Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room" reflect themes of surveillance and the invasion of privacy. Smith’s lyrics convey a sense of paranoia and distrust towards societal institutions. 3. **Existential Despair:** There is an underlying theme of existential despair, as seen in "It's a Curse" and "Service." The lyrics often touch upon the futility and absurdity of human existence in a modern, disenchanted world. ### Influence "The Infotainment Scan" stands as a testament to The Fall’s ability to remain relevant and influential across decades. 1. **Pioneering Post-Punk:** The album reinforces The Fall’s status as pioneers of the post-punk genre. Their ability to adapt to new sounds while retaining their core identity has inspired countless bands in the alternative and indie scenes. 2. **Electronic Experimentation:** The integration of electronic elements on this album can be seen as a precursor to the fusion of punk and electronic music that became more prevalent in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 3. **Lyrical Legacy:** Mark E. Smith’s lyrical style—cryptic, sardonic, and deeply critical—continues to influence modern lyricists. His approach to songwriting, blending the personal with the political and the surreal, remains unparalleled. ### Pros and Cons **Pros:** 1. **Innovative Sound:** The album's fusion of post-punk with electronic elements showcases The Fall’s innovative approach to music. 2. **Lyricism:** Mark E. Smith’s sharp, insightful, and often cryptic lyrics provide a rich tapestry of social commentary and personal reflection. 3. **Production Quality:** The raw yet clear production enhances the album's authenticity, maintaining The Fall’s trademark sound while allowing for musical evolution. 4. **Diverse Tracks:** The album offers a variety of musical styles and themes, ensuring that it remains engaging and dynamic throughout. 5. **Cultural Critique:** The themes of media saturation, consumerism, and societal decay are as relevant today as they were in 1993, making the album timeless in its critique. **Cons:** 1. **Accessibility:** The Fall’s music, including this album, can be challenging for new listeners due to its abrasive sound and abstract lyrics. 2. **Cohesion:** While the diversity of tracks is a strength, it can also lead to a lack of cohesion. Some listeners might find the shift between different styles jarring. 3. **Repetition:** Certain tracks rely heavily on repetition, which, while a hallmark of The Fall’s style, might not appeal to everyone. 4. **Production Choices:** The raw production, while authentic, might be perceived as lacking polish compared to more commercially produced albums. ### Conclusion "The Infotainment Scan" is a standout album in The Fall’s discography, exemplifying their ability to evolve musically while maintaining their distinctive identity. The blend of post-punk and electronic elements, combined with Mark E. Smith’s incisive lyricism, creates an album that is both innovative and reflective. Its themes of media critique and existential angst resonate deeply, making it a culturally significant work. While the album's raw production and challenging accessibility might not appeal to everyone, for those willing to engage with its complexities, "The Infotainment Scan" offers a rich and rewarding listening experience.
Not their best, but still very good. Quite eclectic too, seems to change direction halfway through, and I like both parts. Past Gone Mad in particular, quite electro-y but with Smith’s vocals hovering around it’s still clearly The Fall. There’s something captivating about Mark E Smith. He could read the phonebook out and I’d listen. Really wish I could’ve had a pint with him
Musically, it's brilliant, but I find the lyrics really superficial yet they're given an over-confident delivery which I just feel is totally mismatched. Would be 5 stars for me if either the lyrics or vocals were better, would be 2 stars without the good music behind it
I am not hearing anybody out. This is a fun album.
Pretty amazing, late and typical but breezy album by a wavey outfit that just flexed itself into ravey 90‘s.
A top shelf album of which I had remained oblivious until now. Very much enjoyed, thanks.
The Infotainment Scan is the fifteenth, and most successful album release by the Fall. The band make post-punk, or alt-rock songs. Mark Smith's lyrics, which are closer to free-form poetry than any traditional song structure, are set to melodic, complicate songs with complicate arrangements. The Fall had one of the longest, most prolific careers of punk or post-punk bands, and this album captures the mature, developed version of the band's work.
Ok, so my second exposure to this band from this list and I must say I'm a fan. The way this album kicks off really grabbed my interest and the mayhem at the beginning of Lost In Music is great fun. Lost In Music is certainly the standout but I really also enjoyed Im Going To Spain and Paranoia Man In Cheap S**t Room
The Fall's most accessible album, you say? Let me just take a deep sip of coffee and click through to the reviews to see all the glowing praise from the non-UK crowd... 😆 Well, anyway, I dug it. Mark E Smith's vocal tics kinda work for me, but I can imagine they're not for everyone. Fave tracks - "Lost in Music" works really well. Liked the krautrockiness of "It's a Curse" too!
Favourite tracks: lost in music; paranoia man
Great stuff
Interesting
Groovin and rockin. 4 stars.
The music is great! But I didn’t like the vocals at first. Upon second listen it grew on me. Another nice surprise.
Quality of groove Hidden in droning guitars And a voice mundane
One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands. I prefer their 90s albums to the late 80s. This one is a bit front-loaded, but it's their best of that decade.
A mixed bag for me, I'm fairly clear to me that I'm never going to love The Fall like some, but I'm endlessly intrigued by them and I will find something to love on almost every record I listen to. And something completely baffling. But hey, that's The Fall. Operation Mindfuck indeed. Here, it's I'm Going to Spain (what's going on here?) followed immediately by the excellent, stabbing, It's A Curse. Probably sums up my feelings on this record. We've also got Lost in Music, Ladybird, Paranoia and plenty else besides.
Some of the beats are awesome on this album, an example being "It's a Curse". The vocals seem to sing completely counter to the rhythm and almost never synch up. That feels super punk. The songs don't even conform to themselves.
I can’t say I have high hopes for today’s album. I’ve had a few albums by The Fall so far and I’ve not really liked any of them. In fact, considering I’d never even heard of them before this project, I’m bewildered that I’m currently reviewing the fourth album on this list. Let’s be positive though. Maybe it will be ok.. Fingers crossed. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lost In Music, Paranoid Man In Cheap Shit Room Well colour me surprised! This album was pretty great! I’m not sure if maybe I was in a bad mood for the other ones, or whether this album is markedly different but I really enjoyed this. The vocals are that style of apathetic punk where it really shows how bad of a singer he is, but it went really well with the music. The music itself didn’t stick solely to punk, but traversed a few different genres and did so really well. I really quite enjoyed this. Give it a listen!
I’d like to think that this is what The Clash would have sounded like in 1993. Lost In Music reminds me of Let’s Dance era Bowie. I’m Going to Spain is a song I would have expected from Joe Strummer, great tune. I love the guitar piece on Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room, and I actually like the spoken word vocals - reminds me of The Hold Steady. Its a Curse sounds like the genesis of the band Protomartyr. The back half is still interesting but fewer standouts. The front half is strong enough to warrant four stars. It’s a strong album that must have been an influence on several bands I like today.
This was one of those albums where I was settling in for a shitty hour in the first couple seconds but the album won me over shortly after. The production on this album is simply excellent and the vocals REALLY let that shine and make it sound even better by comparison. It basically had the cake balance between music and vocals. Also, I heard like a million other 80s and 90s artists in this and I’m not sure whether this album is a progenitor or a watershed type thing but either way it was pretty cool.
This is one of The Fall's more accessible records, it still has Smith's snarling yet witty talk-singing, great angular guitars and pounding drums. As a northerner, his lyrical style feels homely in a strange way. This record has certainly inspired many post-punk and indie bands in the last couple of decades.
Top
Musically interesting, lyrically dense; much better than I expected, but still far from perfect; probably a band that will pop up again, although there is (in my opinion) more deserving artists. A tricky one to score, but for the music and the influence, I'm going to round up, rather than down.
iconoclast
Like all the Fall, some hits and some miss. Big influence on a lot of my faves so really enjoyed listening through an album
Wow this album! Enjoyed it quite a bit. I can hear the influence on Ought's song Beautiful Blue Sky, especially Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room.
"Eminently danceable slam poetry." Mark E. Smith's ferocious Mancunian spoke-sung vocals meld with the tight, exacting musicianship of the then-current members of the Fall to create a fabulously produced, if somewhat difficult to understand, LP. A few off-putting tracks like "Light/Fireworks" and the bonus "Why Are People Grudgeful?" detract somewhat from the cohesiveness of the experience, but overall this is some of the Fall's most approachable material.
A cool quirky sound. Not any songs you can sing along to, but I really liked it.
Not their best for me, but more of the good old stuff.
Kaahailun ja jumittelun välimaastosta. Oikein kiinnostava levy. Vaatii lisäkuunteluja, mutta riittää melkeen neloseen. Pyöristyy siis neljään. 4/5
Odotin jotain tylsää brittivalintaa, mutta täähän oli tosi hyvä. Juuri ja juuri yltää neloseen.
Tykkäsin kyllä yllättävän paljon tästä. Mielenkiintoinen saundi ja menevä levy. 4/5
lost in music, a past gone mad, sounds like music that would be in the movie, the matrix. i dig it.
Fun and cool. Grew on me
Two The Fall albums in one week! The eccentricities I mentioned previously are still apparent. Although still pretty dissonant it's also kind of poignant at times, especially I'm Going To Spain.
Bien que j'aime moins le côté "spoken words" du chanteur, il y a beaucoup de sons très intéressant dans ce genre de post-punk-electro-industriel
mAAAArk eEEEEEE smIIIIIIIIiIth.
l'argent est sur la table
<version that includes Why Are People Grudgful> I like this Fall album, but am surprised it is on the list: it is not so consistently great as their earlier work. I knew about half of the songs from some John Peel sessions. The last couple of songs (not WAPG - which is excellent of course just like Lost in Music - but the ones before) are a bit weaker. Overall score: 4 stars, with songs that vary from 3 to 5 stars.
4.5/5
Cool songs hampered by bad vocals, but sometimes the results are worth it. I probably won't listen to this again, but I think I can see some influence on groups I like such as Dry Cleaning and perhaps Squid.
There really isn't another band like The Fall: here they deliver pulsing almost danceable music, with Mark E. Smith's strange poetic lyrics, that a mad Brit, barking like some holy fool preacher preaching his last sermon on a street corner desperate for us to attend, to hear, the end is nigh. Amen. In some ways, if you're heard one The Fall album, you've heard them all, but in another way, each is unique. The uniqueness comes in the freedom Mark E. Smith seems to give his backing musicians to just go for it. I'm here for it. If you don't dig Mark E. Smith's delivery, you might as well give up, cause no matter how good the music is, his vocals are always central.
New to me and loved it.
Muy buen álbum!
Better than I expected, Mark E Smith was the boss of post-punk, I need to listen to more Fall for sure.
#6 #9 #11
I loved and hated this album at the same time
Mark's voice is sometimes a hard listen, but alot of these tracks were really good
I had not listened any The Fall, but this was right up my alley. I enjoyed it and already listened to another album of theres. I love this type of hard, punky, weird shit.
This one surprised me. There were some moments of songs that were incredible and had me stop whatever I was doing to listen. The thing is, they'd always come back to earth on the next track. Pretty unique sound, though, with their steady house/dance rhythms, James bond-esque guitars, and their rambly talking heads-ish singer
bought this in 1995 at a pawn shop because they were on Matador and Pavement were said to have ripped them off. I didn't quite find it to be that exactly. But it's great. That voice is insane. What a weird dude. It grew on me. I was instantly in love with "I'm Going To Spain". Cute little song. This is fucking rad.
Great album that pulls an insane mix of 70s rock, 80s synths, and early 90s grunge into a cohesive firestorm of an LP that works by sheer will alone. Vocals didn’t kill it for me - surprised to see so much whining about them here when they feel like a slightly drunker Ian Curtis at worst. Still, the instrumentation is by far what carries each track, with every song focusing an amalgamation of fuzzed-out guitar and dripping synths into an unholy combo that just works somehow. Even though the more synth-heavy tracks do tend to feel a bit dated, that’s not enough to slow down the momentum - overall, a much more enjoyable LP than I was expecting, especially given the reviews here
This is just so fucking cool, man. Punky, dark dance music.
An absolute blast of a record. Mark E. Smith is as good as post-punk singers come and with titles like “Paranoia Man In a Cheap Shit Room”, you know you’re in for a good time.
Pretty interesting and cool and Lost In Music always slaps
Awesome post-punk with a driving energy. The vocals are quite a choice. Can't say I'd make the same choice but it does add up to a cool style: Spoken word vocals + relentless riffs and rhythm. I bet LCD Soundsystem counts this album as an influence. Wow, "Past Gone Made" is an awesome track.
I rediscovered The Fall with this album. Good mix of classic Fall and some new experiments. Mark E Smith is the black jelly bean of post-punk front men, and I love black jelly beans. Stand outs: Lost in Music I’m Going to Spain Light/Fireworks
The Infotainment Scan by The Fall is a captivating and intriguing album that showcases the band's unique brand of post-punk and alternative rock. Released in 1993, it offers a diverse array of tracks that range from the infectious "Why Are People Grudgeful?" to the hypnotic "Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room." Mark E. Smith's distinctive vocals and witty lyrics shine throughout, creating a distinct and immersive listening experience. The album's production is raw yet compelling, adding to its gritty charm. While not as consistent as some of their earlier releases, The Infotainment Scan still stands as a testament to The Fall's undeniable talent and their ability to push musical boundaries. A recommended listen for fans of post-punk and alternative rock.
De lät som om äjjän ville sälja mig någo
Fun party music. Not totally my jam.
This sounds like a stand up comedian making fun of Bob Dylan or Morrissey. Kinda catchy otherwise. It seems like it wants to be a cynical album but the lyrics suggest that it's just not able to be. It seems to have a nostalgic edge that keeps it from detaching from emotion completely. It's the most fun post-punk album I've heard so far! 4
pretty good, had not heard of them but enjoyed it.
Band was never on my radar before these lists. Great unique sound.
Quality through and through, this stands up well in their vast and impressive catalog. The synth and tech, while providing a touch more than the ideal (or necessary) amount of sheen and gloss, freshen up an inimitable sound, which retains its dark and edgy bite. One's been more of a casual fan/approver/passive admirer type and finds this an interesting and wholly distinguished updating of a sound; only "Past Gone Mad" goes too far. "I'm Going to Spain" is just splendid, and "It's a Curse" (or is it "It's a Curse-UNH"?) the perfect follow up, with the barby sharpness one expects from this lot. "Why Are People Grudgeful" walks like a lark and talks like a lark, but what a delightful lark it is. One wonders how this might rate straight up against inferior Britpoppers like Blur, who would seem to owe more than a little to MES. Given the rich canon, staying power and consistent vision, in combination with a willingness to invent authentically, one can make the case for the Fall being the best ever underrated band (not the just most underrated).
A good but not great Fall album. It was given perhaps undue attention by the excellent & entertaining cover of 'Lost In Music'.
really not the best fall album, but how do you dip in to the catalogue and pick good ones without listening to them all?
I like kicking the golden brown leaves down the path
Great post punk album. It even went a little techno at one point. Will be listening to this again.
Fun listen. Just the right mix of punk and rock.
What? I actually like an album by The Fall? Yes, I guess so! Surprisingly fun and danceable.
Another 'no idea who these guys are but glad it was on the list' album featuring jammin' base lines and vocals reminiscent of every drunken, semi-slurred, version of any song sung in a raucous pub at 2 o'clock in the morning. My kind of crowd.
Great sardonic fun. I got lost in music great cover
This was weird, but I kind of liked it. Sounded like pavement at times
If I'd discovered The Fall when I was young I probably would have become quite fanatical about them. As they say this is one of their more accessible albums.
Excellent album but would it even make my top ten Fall albums? No it would not. A more interesting point in their catalogue it can claim to own is the last unarguably great album they made.
Cool post punk grooves. Some songs almost had a ska vibe in the rhythms which I dig. Will check out again.
Giving me proto-Primus, proto-Clutch vibes. Except more sleepy. Yeah, I like this. I accidentally listened to it on shuffle.
An excellent record by the Fall. It's not the era I usually listen to of theirs (1980–1985) and so along with some of the usual Fall conceits it contained some surprises for me. Still, after a compelling start it ultimately suffers from the same illness as other records of theirs...just a song or two too long for me. This is a band whom I really enjoy but only about half a record at a time.
Красиво и приятно
My second fall album, really enjoyed this probably more accessible than there other albums.
The Fall és una de les bandes més originals i recuperables que existeixen. Tants i tants grups haurien de prendre nota de què experimentar només s'hauria de fer quan s'és un geni de veritat i tens el toc de màgia de la creativitat dins teu, com és el cas de l'ínclit Mark E. Smith. Aquí grans temes com 'Lost in Music' o 'It's a Curse' s'envolten d'altres cançons no menys aprofitables. Cap d'elles òbvies, totes producte d'una ment brillant
Surprising.
The Fall are always good, even if they're bad. This is a particularly good one!
I'm starting to see that I like specific subgenres of punk. Grunge-punk & pop-punk seem to be the only ones I can listen to multiple times with no issue (The Clash, My Chemical Romance, Nirvana). Post-punk can be a bit of a headache to listen to (for me), that being said, I didn't mind this album. The further I got through the album, the more I enjoyed it! Style wise I thought this would be a straight punk record - but it's a mixture of different rock sounds, sometimes it sounds electronic, and other times alternative. At times, it sounded like the stylistic sound Muse is known for in parts (electronic rock maybe...?) Standout songs: It's a Curse, Glam Racket, Service, Past Gone Mad, Lights/Fireworks
The music was great and there was something charmingly off kilter about the vocals
It bounces along quite nicely, and surprisingly for The Fall, it's half decent
4.5
p717, 1993. 4 stars. Bass driven indie rock with great riffs and sardonic delivery. Excellent :)
It’s the Fall - ah! RIP MES
Fifteenth album jeez dude. I do like and respect The Fall but not sure if the entire album is consistent in quality, but overall still good. Definitely wish I could have seen them live in their prime. I think I've only listened to the album with "Totally Wired" on it all the way through, so clearly I have some additional albums to listen to.
Enjoyed the music, can't get on with Mark E Smith at all, he just seems a deeply unpleasant man. There's some good bits on there though.
I'm still struggling with the Fall a bit, its still a barrier for me BUT this I did enjoy. Was a lot more fun and jangly that previous more grungy punk ones. Apparently their only top 10 album
Super album
This is some pretty good post punk. Love the beat throughout, not surprised to see "alternative dance" listed as one of the genres. Is Mark E. Smith talking/singing - yes! But seems to go good with the music to me. I was entertained. 3.6
One of my favorite works from The Fall. Really creative and appealing, with a sound that I love.
Light / Fireworks is good, the rest sounds like normal The Fall...
the guy sounds really bored singing or whatever poetry hes talking about and thats a mood
7,5/10
As a compilation of song titles, this might be a 6/5