Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Pretty cool jams
3/5
I think I would have liked this more if it had a different lead singer.
Original in a covers way.
I wasn’t familiar with this. Enjoyed it very much but always felt that it could give a bit more….
started off strong, lost me halfway and the picked up again. top picks: - ladybird - lost in music -the league of bald headed men -why are people grudgeful
More musically creative than I'd anticipated. Was able to look past how much of a prick I think Mark E Smith was and enjoy this band effort. I'm Going to Spain was pretty funny.
Always a mixed bag with The Fall. Their cover of Lost in Music is amongst the best stuff they recorded. I'm Going to Spain made me chuckle ("I think it's time I saw the world, and not Australia"). Results may vary.
Find Mark E Smith hard to like. It's okay. Don't think it's enough to drag me into a Fall rabbithole.
Gostei
I like all the pop, disco, and dance you can hear in it. But I seem to be the only person on this website supporting 80s British pop.
I like much of the instrumentation but man I can't seems to enjoy the singer much at all
Expected britpop, got brit vitriol instead. The arrangements definitely feel stuck in the 90s but it's an enjoyable album nonetheless.
Sounded like a voguing soundtrack with a guy talking over it. Danced while making soup
It's like Animal Collective, either you hate it or you used to hate it. 3/5
strange
If you ever thought you weren't good enough to sing for a punk band you should hear this
Neat Anglo vibes!
I’ve tried to get into The Fall previously but never knew where to start. From the albums that I checked out, nothing really jumped out at me enough to pursue further. One thing that was apparent was the band’s unwavering modus operandi and originality. This album seems like a good representation of what they do. Had this been my first experience of The Fall, I would have probably continued to plough through their discography. The vocals and lyrics will be the sticking point for many. Unapologetically English, and a definite highlight for me. Musically it’s very much of its time (see “indie” and Manchester), and for that reason I’m not sure how much I’d revisit them. Mark E Smith aside, there’s little left to hold my interest. Still, an enjoyable listen and a good insight into the large catalogue of a truly original band.
It’s not that the album is bad it’s just that it’s horrifically boring. Killed me to finish it. Background instrumentals were often nice but that was about all. Biggest issue is the album sounds like it came out the 80s even though it’s a 90s album. Nothing wrong with that but I personally don’t like the generic 80s sound. The guy’s vocals are slightly irritating but not as bad as other reviewers made it seem. Perhaps I don’t love the low production value either but the debut Strokes album is also quite raw and is a classic in my mind. Also unrelated but what in the world is that album cover. It’s so… lackluster. I’d rate 2.5 if I could but between a 3 and a 2, it’s more deserving of a 3 because clearly thought and effort went into it.
fine, not as terrible as the last album by them i had to listen to 3 stars
I feel like the band has the means to a better end but failed to put them to use. It's like this whole record is a sort of experiment that turned out weird.
Never heard of this band. Interesting stuff.
Classic Fall really - total nonsense at times, mixed in with some really great stuff. It's quite Madchester in places, with a lot of bagginess that sits well against the taut styles of MES's vocal. I was fairly glad when it finished, and it makes you feel quite insane a lot of the time, but that's no bad thing.
Not too bad
It was ok. Progressively got weirder.
I listened to this a second time and it seemed like a completely different album. Maybe I was paying more attention
No me he guardado nada, no le presté mucha atención. Ha ratos me recordaron a Joy Division. Una banda y un líder más o menos malditos a los que nunca les pillé el punto. Entre 2 y 3 estrellas... 3
Des faux airs de Bowie mais rien de bien exceptionnel
Good album
Jesus Christ, the Fall again? I just got these guys not even 3 weeks ago. Look, just because the Fall released 30 albums or whatever doesn't mean that they need 3 albums on a list like this. Besides, even if you were to give this band 3 albums, surely there were better choices than this album, right? Why did they choose this album? Apparently this was the band's highest-charting album in the UK, but that's really the only thing of value that I could see. I already wasn't huge on this band, but I think this is the worst album I've heard of theirs yet. The music is still pretty good, I'll give the album that. There are some good riffs and fun musical moments. I could see these instrumentals being on a pretty good album. There's just one problem. Mark E. Smith. Look, his songwriting is fine and all, but his vocal performance is genuinely bad on this album. He could sound disinterested on past albums, but he straight-up sounds drunk out of his mind on this one, which he probably was. "Lost in Music"? More like "Lost in a Bottle of Smirnoff," am I right? Yeah, he genuinely kinda ruins the album for me. If the vocals on this album were any good, I think I would actually have a pretty fun time with most of these songs. Well, except for the closer "Light / Fireworks." That one would still kinda suck, but the others would be cool. I get that the Fall were important to the development of post-punk as a genre, but this album project has not done anything to make me a fan of this band whatsoever. They've got a good instrumental section, but I just do not vibe with the overall energy of these guys, and this album is the one I vibe with the least. Low 3/5. The good music saves this from being a 2.
Decently grotty and angsty
It’s ok. The Fall is a strange band to me. Kinda catchy, but wholly forgettable.
Quite liked a lot of this one
A fairly tame effort by The Fall’s standards, I suspect that they are better when it is more chaotic, to match Mark E Smith’s voice. A couple of decent tracks here.
I’ve always ‘quite liked’ The Fall, but only in very small doses. Album format is more of a daunting beast. He’s obviously a shit singer, so they work best with the snarling talking version of his lyrics over the more driving post punk music. Fair play for sticking in some different styles, but they’re not for me, least of all where he kind of tries to sing properly and it all falls apart rather. You can’t make Mark E Smith sound upbeat, not sure why they tried.
This is ok, not for me, very angsty would be cool in a film, i can hear how it could be influential/ but again not my thing, better than the last album tho
This feels like the halfway point between the Cure and triphop. I don’t really like triphop though.
I never did get round to listening to the fall over the years, I will listen to them again on the strength of this. I gather the sound is in a continuous state of flux, as are the members. But this is more accessible than I expected.
What a delightfully messy and tangled web of genres, broadly planting a Brit pop flag right in the point of intersection. Uneven at times, but full of brilliance at other times, it was the furthest from boring.
An interesting album but it didn’t grab my attention very much
Fun stuff, I kinda want to go back through their older stuff too.
This constantly threatens to be interesting, but it never gets there.
I laughed humourlessly when I read that this was their more “accessible album” as I really hated the Witch Trials album, so thought, well it has to be better than that. It was, although they could have done more with their Sister Sledge cover, I really liked the “I’m going to Spain” cover. Glam Racket was interesting; it stopped me mulling over how they just sound like Lou Reed or the Stranglers and made me feel they had a style their own. By the time I got to Past Gone Mad and Light/Fireworks, though, I was sadly back to my initial decision, three stars.
Litt kjedelig
Listens: 2 or 3? Standout Tracks: Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room, It's a Curse I can first say that I did not listen to the whole album. Clocking in at over 2 hours... no sorry. That being said, I did actually listen to the whole album by accident when I was going to sleep, but I was not cognizant of it, really. What I did listen to, several times, is the first 12 or 13 tracks. I have mixed opinions. Doing post-punk in 1993 seems... late to the game. And being late to the game, you might expect there to be a body of works from which to draw... inspiration from. I don't really see (hear) that here. What I hear is post-punk fighting, but not really winning, to be punk music. As a result, it sort of lands in this no-mans land. It's rough around the edges. Its faded and washed out. Its not quite sloppy, but its grimy. It's weird. The lyrics are cryptic or steeped in metaphor. It's hard to know exactly what's going on. But it's also got elements of new wave. There's piano on some tracks, I think. That's definitely not par for the course. I think it's fine album, albeit a tad too long. It might enter my rotation, but probably not. I really wish there was a "original" version of the album, without the extra 20 songs. Ironically, this IS the shorter version of the album. The "Complete" edition of the album clocks in at over 5 hours of music.
I mostly enjoyed The Infotainment Scam, though my biggest stumbling block was Mark E. Smith’s vocals. His peculiar vocal strains—where he seems to be aiming for the melody while only occasionally landing on key—often sound as if they’re coming more from his throat than from his lungs, with a speak-singing style that at times resembles Christopher Walken fronting a post-punk band. The music itself was accessible, but it never struck me as extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination. Am I glad I heard this album before I died? That’s the eternal question, isn’t it? I’m not entirely sure. Reviewers often describe this as The Fall’s most approachable album, which only makes me a bit more hesitant about what else I’ll be hearing in the months to come. Knowing that I still have two more albums by The Fall left to hear, I can’t help but think that, if I had skipped this one, I probably would have been just fine.
I wasn’t hopeful for this one after listening to the last album of theirs on this list but it was ok. Not something I would probably rush to play again but an interesting listen nonetheless!
Unique sound. Did I like it? Not particularly but I'd happily have more albums like this over the 'bigger' names on the list with 5+ albums of which only one is actually required listening. 3/5.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3. Certainly an interesting album, and at the very least, one that’s far more accessible than “This Nation’s Saving Grace” was. For comparison’s sake, nearly 600 days ago, I gave “This Nation’s Saving Grace” a 1.5 that I barely bumped up to a 2, so a 3.5 bumped down to a 3 is a big jump. This is 1993 postpunk, so the advances in production given to every other UK band around this time are in play here, and what emerges feels a bit more Madchester-coded as a result. Instrumentally, it’s a really competent album that constantly falls into traps of repetition that leaves the progression rather stale. That’s a part of the reason why I’m bumping it down to a 3. Vocally, it’s a fascinatingly dry album, one that’s usually spoken word, yet constantly in search of an actual melody to cling to. That chase very rarely results in something that’s as satisfying as a traditional listener might want, but for my tastes, I think that dry approach has its merits with the stale progression. It didn’t work on every track, but when it does work, there’s something that feels vaguely comforting to it. Lyrically, I can’t tell you what most of these tracks are about, and that’s the other reason why I’m bumping it down to a 3. The dry approach to the vocals is one thing, but it works when the lyricism has something to it, whether it’s in the storytelling aspects or just some random lines that work hand-in-hand with the plainly stated nature of it all. When Mark Smith says “if I ever end up like U2, slit my throat with a garden vegetable” on “Past Gone Mad”, it’s the sort of line that just works for me because it’s such a specific bit of imagery that I can’t help but laugh. There’s a very Garth Marenghi-coded vibe to this album’s approach that I love when it hits, but it only really works half the time. Whether it’s in the instrumentals hitting repetitive points, the lyricism making no sense, or the dry approach to the vocals working against the instrumentals (as well as some tracks just dragging on way too long like “It’s a Curse”), the 50% of this album that doesn’t work just sort of pulls it down. All of that said, I still think it’s a far better effort than “This Nation’s Saving Grace” was, and the sort of album where I genuinely wouldn’t blame anyone for going up to a 4 or a 5. It has enough merit behind its strange approach that I could hear, but I just didn’t vibe with. At the same time, I also understand giving this a 1 or 2, though I cannot comprehend for the life of me how this has an even lower rating than “This Nation’s Saving Grace” on the site. Hence, a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3, but a fully enjoyable album that honestly, doesn’t even really have a bad track behind it. Repetitive ones that will likely bounce off of you, yes, but nothing as abstract & egregiously dull & bland & full of nothingness as before. I am now cautiously optimistic for when we get “Live at the Witch Trials”.
Ну нормально, ничего особого. 5/10
The Fall keep up with the times with a sound (and album cover) befitting of the Madchester scene. This one is built on riffs and grooves that lean into dance and, in the case of "A Past Gone Mad," border on techno. It's still undoubtedly the fall though with Mark E. Smith's monotone shouting over the top of it. Nearly all of the riffs here are interesting, but they don't change much throughout the songs and can get a bit stale. "It's a Curse" is a great example of a song that sounds great at the start and has worn out its welcome by the end. Smith's lyrics often amount to an internal monologue more than anything else, and while I don't hate them they don't add much to the songs. Basically a set of infectious grooves that aren't infectious enough to carry these songs for their runtimes.
Great music, really annoying vocals. Different singer and this is a 4.
Normal
Interesting submission to the list because The Fall is generally impenetrable to most of the world and certainly Americans. This is pretty accessible and for the most part works pretty well ie it’s mostly melodic and structured like songs and Mark Smiths lyrics are fairly coherent. There are a couple of outliers - Light/Fireworks is kinda repetitive and dumb and the Steve Bent cover can be said to be better than the original by a wide mile is still a bit weak. But the rest is pretty good with some of Mark’s caustic wit appearing on several tracks. Overall sharp but not in the top 5 Fall records for me. 3/5
Some cool sounds here. I think it would take me a lot of listens to really get it fully. The singer is a bit of an acquired taste, but I definitely see the comparisons made to some of Stephen Malkmus’s work, and he is one of my favorites.
No matter how I try, I can’t get really into The Fall. I enjoyed this but wasn’t blown away.
I've been on a streak of "mid," and it looks like it'll continue. I hate having nothing to say about forgettable albums.
Much like most punk, I like it for about 7 minutes, then it gets somewhat annoying. For such an innovative and talented time, I expect better from the 90s (at least on this list)
Meh. 3
nice enough
Interesting, but not enough. At least not interesting in the way that I find compelling. An album I imagine someone else loving, for well articulated reasons.
Sigh...another swirl around the toilet bowl. Wait, am I enjoying this? I think I am. Way better than "This Nation's Saving Grace".
Fun and has some zip
A lot more fun and witty and groovy than I was expecting. I thought it was going to be the dingiest trawl through Mancunian whingeing but it was brighter and poppier than expected.
3.5
If I was cooler I feel like I would like them more… but not bad. 3.0
Excellent, one I haven't heard at all. I own a couple LPs from the Fall. I have a minor fascination with Mark E. Smith, I really like his vocal style and musical sensibility, but I find his snobbery and disdain for everything and everyone else fundamentally unearned. That's what I like about him. Glad he's on this list. But does this album belong on it? Nah. There's some great tracks. "Glam-Racket," "I'm Going to Spain," "It's a Curse," and "Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room" is a string of tracks that feel like a really interesting 4-song EP. Where his vocals are all spikes and jags and jabs, the music too often sands down the edges. The drum production feels more from the 80s than the 90s, which is too bad. 3.5/5. Probably wouldn't be my own 1001 list, and definitely not a list of 1001 I'd tell a stranger they should listen to.
Prima, niet heel opvallend
In the middle on this one I don’t really know what to say or whether to give it a 2 or 3
Trying very hard to be cool. Not for me.
Kitschy glam punk rock. The Fall sound like an updated version of Velvet Underground. The lyrics are absurdist and the music held my interest, but the talk-singing got old after a while.
Another album I missed when it came out. (I blame my local radios for not playing it.) Enjoyed it.
Laugh out loud funny and quirky but not sure I could listen to it loads
Like many others, j enjoyed the overall sound but the vocal delivery eventually proved grating to me.
Ladybird Im Going to Spain The League of Bald Headed Men A Past Gone Mad Why Are People Grudgeful
Ladybird Lost in Music It’s A Curse The League of Bald Headed Men
Kind of boring EDM
Good but not great. I enjoyed this, but it certainly isn't one that is going in my daily rotation. Pretty much everything being done on this album is done better elsewhere, though there is a lot of charm to the lazy drawl of the singer over the incredibly groovy beats. 2.8
It's alright, nothing more to add than that to be honest. Today's bird: Superb Starling
I'm not even sure what I'm meant to say about this, or think about it. I was completely prepared to hate it, just going by memory of hearing these guys before. I can't though, I cannot hate it, even though logically it seems I should, everyone should. It has some weird charm to it, it made me oddly cheerful and dancey. A surprise, for sure.
It was fine
It was fine. A little flat at times it felt like, but I never felt like turning it off. At the same time I also didn't feel like I wanted to listen more, and basically none of the tracks left an impression on me Standouts I'm Going to Spain 3/5
Theres something about the songs with a high bpm and simple power chords. Loved it
The more electronic it sounds, the better it is
The Fall isn't bad but how the fuck did they get 3 albums on the list
Fun, experimental, kind of lo-fi, but didn’t grab me.
These were more important back in the day.
Pretty good, no complaints, but nothing really stood out as interesting either.
Ladybird - 3 Lost in music - 4 Glam-racket - 3 I'm going to spain - 3 It's a curse - 3 Paranoia man in cheap shit room - 3 Service - 3 The league of bald-headed men - 3 A past gone mad - 3 Light/fireworks - 2
I'm such a big fan of that warm, full guitar sound. Kinda got into boom-bap later which was also cool. However, I couldn't get over the vocals, unfortunately. The League-uh of bald headed men-uh. Made my skin crawl after a while
There's a good voice for The Fall's music, and there's good music for Mark E. Smiths voice, but I can't help but feel they belong on two separate records.
Not bad. I'm Going To Spain is nice. Glam-rock. It reminded me the earlier Bowie's albums.
fine alt rock
Singer should be better. He sounds like Elon Musk. Can we just delete his voice tracks?
This was interesting but not great.
I like the sing-talking. Spacemen 3 does a lot of that, and I really like them
Hebben betere albums
Fairly decent
some really cool sounds but I did struggle to appreciate this
I like the music I like the lyrics But I can only listen in bursts cos Mark E Smith Kinds wish someone would form a Fall cover band but with proper singing.
I like the music I like the lyrics But I can only listen in bursts cos Mark E Smith
Given how I've felt about other albums by The Fall, I liked this a lot more that I thought. It does still feel like the band is committing to the sound that they are so heavily associated with; messy and unproduced, with a vocalist who has clearly never had a singing lesson in his life. And because of that there is a pretty low ceiling to how much I can enjoy it, but to be fair this album is pretty close to that ceiling. It's surprisingly melodic in a lot of moments which does help, and in general it is definitely their best put together album. If you took just the best parts of this and turned that into a full album, it could have been absolutely essential and definitive post-punk, but instead we are stuck with an album that's half that, but also half a sloppy mess.
Could get better after multiple listens
Not my thing but at least intresting and something fresh, it tried somrthing i havent seen before. I respect it
It's not bad... I don't hate any of this, I just found myself wishing it were over about two thirds in. The music is good, maybe I just got bored.
Unsure how I feel about this album. I really like the instrumentals but I'm a bit mixed on the vocals.
This was fine. Plenty listenable. I will probably give it a second listen to be sure.
It's one of the quintessential dance punk albums I guess, but it's not really for me. While I respect the work, I don't think Mark E. Smith and his delivery style comes across as really engaging. It's one of the albums where you leave the room and come back and not notice that they indeed play a completely different song.
It feels like there is something there I should like more but I just keep missing it in the repetitiveness.
This is a little worse than live at witch trials. I like the mix of electronic stuff and the first 2 songs are great but the second half of this album isn't great.
Liked the album, I was not acquainted with the Fall but will definitely be taking a closer look at their catalog (not like they haven't three albums in the list already). 8/10 [KEEP]
Pretty cool album, and kept me interested 3.5
Me gustó, un sonido punk experimental con buenos riffs. Le pondría 3.5 si pudiera.
Liked it better than other Fall albums I’ve heard
Very listenable; no big hits and his voice isn’t great
2.5
6/10
I really like the gritty, guitar-based sound of The Fall. That rough texture and stripped-down approach are very much my thing. At the same time, I feel that truly understanding what makes this band special probably requires engaging closely with Mark E. Smith’s lyrics, and the British cultural context behind them — especially their working-class roots. Without being able to fully grasp those references, it’s hard for me to connect with the band on a deeper level. Still, tracks like “Glam Racket,” “It’s a Curse,” and “Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room” stood out to me.
The fall are a good band and should have an album here (they do have 2 more). But not sure why this album had to be one of them.
Un disco con el que por diversos motivos lograron ser populares, sin renunciar a su esencia. Algo similar le pasó por esa época a Julián Cope Se trata de una estupenda colección de canciones, con sonido compacto y letras incómodas como es habitual. Melodías muy buenas y por lo que fuera, lo publicaron en el momento justo. Por ejemplo los JAMCH venían de Honey´s dead y publicarían Stoned & Dethroned, a todas luces de inferior calidad que este disco. Lost in music es de las mejores, una gran versión del conocido tema de Sister Sledge. Glam-Racket es otra tajada a lo Love&Rockets. I´m going to Spain otra versión, reluciente. It´s a curse consigue despegarte del suelo. Paranoia man in cheap shit room ya la hubieran querido para ellos los JAMCH... Las guitarras suenan entre Pixies y Sonic Youth, la verdad es que aquí The Fall eran una gran banda. Y la racha sigue con Service y ese piano House!! ¿The Fall meets Happy Mondays? Nada que ver con el revolcón raver de Past gone mad. Light/Fireworks es un cierre extraño, pero apunta a donde irían Primal Scream en apenas dos discos. Los bonus: Why Are People Grudgeful? es una fusión entre el People Funny Boy de Lee Perry y People Grudgeful de Joe Gibbs, en los albores del reggae. No aportan mucho. League Moon Monkey Mix que es una version de su propio The League of Bald-Headed Men, más electrónica y bailable. Mark desatado. Si quieres un disco con el que empezar con The Fall, este puede serlo. Las letras, como siempre geniales. Los dos siguientes son igualmente recomendables.
unfortunately, off-beat singing is cool to a point. banging instrumentals tho favorites: i'm going to spain; service
Man this was pissing me off for awhile until it became listenable a few tracks in. This is one of the better UK alt punk albums we've gotten even though its not a high bar. I liked I'm Going to Spain, minus the vocals. I feel like this whole album would benefit with a different voice entirely, but maybe that defeats the purpose. Its over my head.
Wasn’t really digging this until Glam Racket. At this point I realized the lead singer is the guy from The Glitter Freeze by Gorillaz and then I really dug that song. After that the album dropped off again. But hey Glam Racket was dope! And I actually really enjoyed Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room too!
Favorite Track: Lost In Music
i like how 80s yet undated this feels even with the 90s origin
This seems smart.
Good
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I liked it. I heard a lot of Lcd sound system in this album.
I'm disappointed by this. I like some of The Fall's early stuff, but this is nothing great. Why does this list chose random albums from good artists?
I do not like your tone It has ephemeral Whinging aspects Felt like a sarcastic book to music. But I confess to not listening to side 2.
Help! I've Fallen and I can't get to the end! Just too long. They are all right, but not great, and this was way too much of them. Without hearing this in close conjunction to the other Fall album we had (which I'm not willing to do right now because I couldn't even get to the end of this one), I don't quite know if there's any real difference between them to know if we are listening to an evolution of them or if this is just the Elvis Costello syndrome.
Seemed like an okay album
ok I guess 3
Just had another Fall album a few days ago - Live At The Witch Trials which had improved to my ears with age. This likewise appeals to me more now than it would have done when released. In all honesty I wouldn’t have given it a second thought then unless I’d heard a track on the radio. But that was easy to do given the exceptional number of albums they released. This is their 17th and went to release 31 studio albums. A remarkable feat and deserving of their place on this list if not always a favourite of mine. But I enjoyed this album particularly their take on the dance classic Lost In Music. Saw the song title before hearing the track and thought it could never be the Sister Sledge classic. Just shows how diverse The Fall were. 3/5 7/1/26
The first half was really good instrumentals with a guy mumbling on top. Last song was awful. I did enjoy the second half, especially It’s A Curse and Paranoia Man In Cheap Shit Room, more. I think the vocals need to be clearer over the music, as they don’t really work for me when everything is on the same level. I’ve never listened to The Fall before and on the second half I can really see how Datblygu were influenced by them. (Am aware this album came out towards the end of Datblygu’s run, assume older Fall songs use this emphasised speaking style too) I know a lot of bands I like were influenced by them and I can appreciate them for that, but I think the ways other bands built on their ideas are more interesting to me than the original. Based on this album anyway.
Covers and originals, 15th album, GBV or eels of britain Paranoia man in cheap shit The league of bald-headed men
3 out of 5. Better than I was expecting.
Generic post-punk with ok instrumentation and horrible singing. 2.5/5
Meh, this was alright. I liked the 90s vibe and the picture of the artist on spotify had some Trainspotting vibes 3 stars
As always lyrically very funny. Lyrically though his voice isnt one you can warm to. Has to be a complete marriage between the interesting playing and smiths squawking. The cover of lost in music is inspired though and lifts this above the mundane
Is this the album from an important band even if I’m not rapt in them? Assuming it is, 3. If it’s not 1.
Not bad. I want to like this more, it reminds me of the dirty punk that came out of the 80s
I finalised realised what this reminds me of and it's I Like Trains' new style. I think I could get into it.
Interesting, but didn't really appeal to me.
Enjoyed it - bit melancholy, but decent
it’s not that the album is bad it’s just that it’s horrifically boring. killed me to finish it. background instrumentals were often nice but that was about all. biggest issue is the album sounds like it came out the 80s even though it’s a 90s album. nothing wrong with that but i personally hate 80s music. the guy’s vocals are slightly irritating but not as bad as other reviewers made it seem. perhaps i don’t love the low production value either but the debut strokes album is also quite raw and is my favorite album. also unrelated but what the hell is that album cover. so ugly. i’d rate 2.5 if i could but between a 2 and a 3 it’s more deserving of a 3 because clearly thought and effort went into it.
it's the fall, it's noise, it's not awful
It's kind of interesting, but very much one-note, and I don't think I could listen to it with much attention. I hope the other albums of theirs don't share this style 1:1
Past Gone Mad was great, rest was fine
When the cover of Lost in Music started, I had an extremely vivid image in my mind of a very drunken uncle at a wedding dancing with his eyes closed, swaying under the disco lights and forgetting all about his diabetes and prostate problems. Magical.
i tend to like bad singers, and my rating reflects that. i'd rather someone be themselves than strive to be perfect. This guy really goes for it.
Ein bissiges, eigenwilliges Album mit typischem Mark E. Smith-Sound. Highlights wie „Glam-Racket“ und das ironische „Lost in Music“-Cover stechen hervor. Leider wirken einige Tracks unfertig und monoton. Für Fans interessant, für Neulinge sperrig. Solide, aber kein Meilenstein.
Second Fall album and the last within their included discography. These late-career picks have always been interesting to me because of their relative scarcity, so I'm keen to crack this one open. I don't actually remember much about my previous Fall album. I think it had a harsh, gothic sound to it, though I'm not confident in my memory. Okay. I immediately remember this sound, though I remember Live at the Witch Trials being a much harsher jig than this one. This was pretty alright. I'm not sold all the way, but it suceeds at holding my attention with some pretty interesting sounds. The guitars are a consistent highlight, though other embellishments like the piano and synths are also pretty good. The vocals are a bit of a polariser, though they never got to the point where they were an active detriment to my enjoyment. "Lost in Music" is pretty alright. It's very of-the-time with those distinctive 90s pianos, but it works quite well with the cool, confident guitarwork. The vocals aren't all bad, either. "I'm Going to Spain" is pretty cool. I like the dark synths in the background and the shoegazey guitars are a nice addition. I also quite like the lighthearted chorus. "It's a Curse" has some cool, confident guitars. "Service" has some funky pianos, and I appreciate the jittery backing track, too. It packs a surprising punch. Book time. Very good, though that's about it. Wikipedia says that this album was regarded as their most accessible and was released during a period of increased attention for the band. Modest critic backing, too. Yeah, I think this is a fine album to include, though I get the impression that there are bigger fish within their discography. Still, I appreciated this one. I cosign the inclusion.
I don’t listen to the live version but I wasn’t totally impressed ~ might revisit though and that curiosity lends itself to to 3 stars
Fine
I forgot The Fall would be on this list. I was so close to skipping this - I absolutely hated them, growing up. Despite that, I get *why* they're here - anyone that John Peel rated is worthy of note and has merit, even if I personally don't like them. Anyway, this was a better experience than I expected. The songs are, mainly, groovy - even poppy - enough for me to let the atonal thing wash over me. It's when his vocal combines with an equally tuneless song that I really can't get on board, no matter how clever, acerbic, etc etc it's all supposed to be. There wasn't too much of that here; I thought the guitar parts and pop rhythms were often really cool and interesting. Some parts did make me grimace, though.
3.3 A bit 'out there' but made more sense on the second listening. The lazy style of the vocals does start to drag unless in the right mood - funnily enough I think it actually works really well on Lost in Music. I can see why someone could be really into it, I see why it should be included here, but I'm happier without this in my life.
I like this one a bit more than the first Fall record... Understand that is a bit sacrilegious but I think the musicianship is much stronger. Mark E Smith is a fantastic lyricist, don't mind the spoken word stuff but I swear he has started slurring his words here? Practically incoherent but it does work fairly well throughout. I think this is the maximum I can give one of these albums tbh it's just not my favourite style.
Feels ahead of its time. Probably won't revisit though.
Forgettable rock. Singer sounds like Mick Jagger speaking.
Idk man I was thinking about something else the entire time
I would have liked this back in the day. Has a sound that is familiar to the sounds of other bands that I enjoy…
Have great love for The Fall. This record would not be my choice for the 1001. Hope to see Hex Induction, Nations Saving Grace and a few more offered for consideration.
1. I think I’ve heard of The Fall before but never really listened to much of their music 2. This Spotify artist synopsis is so much word vomit about literally everything this band ever did 3. Seems that the band is centered around the vocalist and has actually been playing for the better part of 40 years until he died in 2018 4. His vocals are very drawl-y where you can barely understand half of his words, not exactly my preferred 5. Smith often goes on long free-form “rants” which remind me kind of LCD Soundsystem (who apparently is one of the “acknowledged disciples” of Smith) 6. It’s weird that despite being a 70s post-punk band (which had their heyday in the 80s) that the album chosen is from the early 90s which seems past their “prime” (artist description even mentions this album didn’t sell that well but did have good reviews) maybe it’s just the “I actually like this niche album of theirs” 7. The only Top 10 song of theirs in terms of listens/popularity is Lost In Music while everything else doesn’t even have that many plays. To me it’s… fine? If this is the greatest the album has to offer maybe The Fall just isn’t for me 8. Glam-Racket is kind-of good? I like the music backing and the vocals are slightly more interpretable 9. I find this album somewhere between the middle-ground of I don’t really care for it, it’s actually not that bad, and maybe I kinda like a couple of songs. Overall pretty mid to be honest I suppose 10. The League of Bald Headed Men is kinda fun and good guitar backing 11. Feels like there isn’t much variation in this album in terms of music backing or vocals, which is kinda disappointing reading the band’s synopsis about how they blend across so many genres 12. What the hell, Mancunian means from Manchester??
6.5/10
Day 70 The only time I ever saw The Fall live, Mark E Smith performed the entire show with a massive piss stain down the front of his trousers, was fucking hilarious. 7/10 Highlights Lost in Music Glam-Racket Paranoia Man…
If you can get past Mark E Smith's vocal stylings (Which I admit can be a struggle that I also go through) you can find some fun art/post-punk here.
Decent album
Musically a decent album, but the singer’s voice pretty much mumbles his way through the whole thing. Right down the middle of the road for me, didn’t hate it but wasn’t anything great either Standout Songs: Lost In Music It's A Curse Service
I would call this post-new wave/alternative more than post punk. Though I got some strong Iggy Pop vibes on the vocals for some of the songs, but I got some strong jangly guitar alternative vibes on some songs too. I thought the "ah" he adds to the end of a lot of lines would be annoying, but for some reason it works. Not bad, I can think of worse ways to spend an hour.
quite strange covers
Soms een rare Dire Straits-ripoff, er komt wat punk langs en een gekke cover, en dan waggelen ze weer een soort Prodigy-hoekje in. Ze hebben er ongetwijfeld lol aan beleefd, maar de luisteraar blijft achter met de vraag wat hij hiermee moet.
I will take this over the talking heads any day. Argue with your mom
Some weird songs but mostly alright.
Interesting. Wasn't sure what to expect, but was way better than I thought it would be. Some were quite boppy, good beats.
Everyone else is right, drunk nonsense lyrics but his voice is interesting
mixed bag but mostly pretty good
I know this list has changed me because I enjoyed the drum and bass tracks on this album the most. Really enjoyable listen that keeps you on your toes from each song to the next. I could do without a couple songs from just the 12 original tracks, I don’t know why someone would want to listen to five hours of additional content. Either way, not bad but nothing special, keeping The Fall with a three-star personal average.
Kinda dug it. Very, very unlikely to ever listen to it again though. Going three for Harrison's sake
Fine, gotta respect their output, it sounds like though this really all I've heard from them.
Thought this was late 80s this came out. Still a good album
странно-интересная хуйня, и одновременно непонятная
Hard to get a grasp on this one the first time through but some songs are catchy, didn't mind it but don't love it. Top 3 are ladybird, glam racket and I'm going to Spain
No private session used for this one. I listen to The Fall from time to time, because there music is different, it's raw, different, and mumbly. The Fall has been around for a while, but this probably my favorite incarnation.
took a few listens to appreciate - wasn't familiar with this album
Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🦋🪻🤓 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 👁️💔✈️ Rating: 🦋🦋(🦋)/5
This album features one of my all-time favorite tracks from The Fall, “Lost In Music,” which really carries the entire album for me. The rest of the album is solid from start to finish, but none of the other tracks come close to topping that one. It’s definitely a more synth and electronic-driven dance rock album for The Fall, though it still has that traditional post-punk edge. It’s not overly polished, but it’s probably one of their more accessible albums.
glazbeno dobro, glas zakazuje. sve u svemu ništa posebno. predzadnja pjesma isticala mi se kao dosta bolja
Even the vocalist doesn’t care about this album
Pretty good music pretty annoying vocals
Conocía a The Fall solo por el nombre y nunca me animé a escuchar nada de ellos hasta hoy. Me han sorprendido, porque sinceramente pensaba que no iba a ser para mí pero últimamente estoy más receptivo a escuchar post punk. No creo que sea su mejor álbum. 3/5
The music was very good, complex and interesting, ahead of its time. The vocals and lyrics were not
It's alright. There are some really cool soundbites in this record that would be interesting to sample, but for the most part, it dropped the ball with the first half, and picked it back up in the second.
The early 90s was such an interesting time for popular music. Everyone knows about grunge, but its most important legacy in my opinion is how it opened the door for so many others. One of the phenomena was artists that had been interesting in the late 70s/early 80s getting another shot. This record seems to thread that needle of 90s sounds but still capturing the new wave spirit. I like it.
It's a Poundland version of David Bowie and Morrissey.
Slightly more accessible but still the same old mark e smith.
It feels like it comes from the 70s and 90s at the same time. Techno mixed with punk-lite.
Wasn't sure if I was going to like this but, I actually did. Wasn't thrilled with a 2 Hour album but it was really easy to listen to, so I didn't realize I had got to the end.
The Fall is an emotional Rorschach test for me. How I feel about any one of their records is more a reflection of my mood at the time than the music. Today I felt like I liked the spoken word stuff more than the singing and regretted every time he went from the former to the latter.
At long last, the last of The Fall (both chronologically and in this collection)! I kept hoping with each of the two previous albums that I'd figure out how to enjoy them more than I do, but given that this was apparently considered their most accessible album, I think they're just not my cup of tea. The best of the lot for me was probably their cover of Sister Sledge's "Lost in music" and Steve Bent's "I'm going to Spain", largely because they're fairly creative takes on someone else's music (and hilarious that Bent's song was included on a compilation of the world's worst songs, justifiably so). Their original music kind of gets lost in faux-punk-Iggy-Pop-land initially, although I *did* like a couple of song titles, especially the riff off of the Twilight Zone episode "Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room", and it almost seemed like the album improved as it went on (peaking perhaps with "Service") and got more techno-oriented. I do wish that Mark Smith's voice wasn't as grating to me; it feels like that's a huge part of my aversion to The Fall, although I suppose his equally abrasive lyrics are another huge part).
I've never knowingly listened to The Fall but once this album started I recognized them as the guys behind Cruisers Creek, which I always kind of liked, kind of got nauseated to, sort of the way I feel about Nick Cave. This album is better than Cruisers Creek--interesting, intellectual, but I don't know if I'll relisten.
Highlight Song/s: Ladybird (Green Grass) and Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room I've heard on the internet Mark E. Smith is a bad singer, having only listened to their cover of "Victoria" (originally by the kinks) which I didn't feel like was representative of their work and sound. Anyways back to the topic, his voice is definitely an acquired taste, I quite liked his singing in the opening song. However on most of the other songs it's a bit too much talking. Not that'd he give a damn or anything, I think at this in point time his singing is just a bit better than Bob Dylan (Mark also sounds a bit like him as well.)
I really like the music but the vocals aren't my favour. Weak three stars. 2,5
This is an album about being in your thirties !!!
Day 27 First listen- I really enjoyed listening to the new wave influence but I need to listen to it again for fair judgement. (3/5)
This is the second The Fall album on this list for me. Again, the music is great but Smith's vocals are at a level of cynical that is offensive. Drunk karaoke is not a great sell. There is a way to speak/sing lyrics that sounds like you give a fuck. Actual attempts at singing are even worse. All that said, his being the front man of this pretty good band is a testiment to his force of will. I would have loved the ghost of Ian Curtis to inhabit Smith and guide him to the Promised Land.
Given the diverse opinions registered in the global reviews, I was curious about this one and suspected I would hate it, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Much more fun than the albums I had listened to before. I’ll check out more.
Good listen. The Fall are pretty cool. Probably won't come back to this.
Never heard of The Fall before, only knowing Mark E Smith from his collaboration with Gorillaz. This is not the most straightforward record, the vocal style takes a bit of getting used to. The album begins strong, Ladybug and the cover of Lost in Music are early highlights. Later the album increasingly dabbles in electronica, which does not really suit it and that particular style makes those tracks sound incredibly dated. In all though an interesting listen that challenged my usual listening habits which is more praise than I can give to some other records on this list.
Not bad at all! I thought it was gonna be in the like boring British music vein but it acc hit pretty hard. I like when British dudes talk over strange instrumentals
3.5/5
Ok
Strong 3. Never heard them. The "singing" gets pretty monotonous after a while, but the music's cool. More varied in genre than I would've thought. Padded with way too much live/b-side stuff, though.
Interesting
more danceable talking heads?
I was not super into this one
I’m not quite sure how I would describe this album, honestly. There was a lot of influences to be heard from this album: Glam-Racket could have been both an LCD Sound System and a late-70s David Bowie song. I’m Going to Spain felt like the Verve’s first album, which definitely tracks on the timeline, but it also feels like late 80s Morrissey (which I know can say I know from this list). Past Gone Mad had a bit of late ‘90s techno/Industrial feel, like the Prodigy, and the League was post-punk with a bit of Lou Reed mixed it. I think I will come back for another listen sometimes but nothing grabbed me as a “I need to hear this again immediately” track. It’s very …British!
Random thoughts: * 1001 is quite tilted to English albums that I've never heard of. I guess maybe this is because the author is English and not American. * Here's another English album and group I've never heard of. * This is a weird mix of music genres here on this album and probably why it is on the list. There is some electronica (aka proto-Fat Boy Slim or Prodigy), 80s synth, maybe a little punk. A little bit like Big Audio Dynamite. * I was reading up on The Fall and someone said they were an influence on LCD Soundsystem. I can totally feel that.
8/1001 :: The Fall - The Infotainment Scan Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: Strong 6, Light 7 Fav Tracks: Lost in Music, It’s A Curse Never heard of this band before let alone this album. I think based on the cover art I guess I thought this was gonna sound like YES or Steely Dan or something… It was of course neither of those things. Frankly I’m shocked this came out in 93. It had a very post punk feel to it. Very Joy Division but more quirky and not as dark. The album seemed to trail off at the end in quality but I also think that I might just need more time with it. Which is also why I said I would revisit. There are similar bands/albums I like better but I also think giving this one some more runs would be good.
Not the best The Fall album but still important art school music. Considering the time it was released if feels like pretty good.
Poppy. Okay
Never heard of the fall, didn't know what to think, but it certainly wasn't that. The music was pretty tight and interesting, the ah vocals ah were certainly ah unique, not great, but didn't drive me insane like some other voices so far.
Intrigued
Was ok, felt it was repeating too much
I have heard a few The Fall albums before, mainly the stuff from their 80s era but nothing past that, so I was curious to see how they did in the 90s with this one, which was basically most trends Mancunian bands were jumping on in the 90s (techno, alt dance, you name it). For doing something like that this album is actually more creative than some other bands at the time, more adventurous if anything, but it still retains the core Fall sound which is repetition and Mark E Smith doing his thing. Do I love it? No but it's little quirks carry it in a way a lot of others just didn't, but they made better albums for sure
=The Beatles This is far and away the best "post punk" album on this list.
From the very start, I disliked this album. Then somewhere around the middle I didn’t mind it so much.
I wasn't able to give this the time it warranted, but it was a decidedly better listen than the previous two — if memory serves. But still, not sure it rose up beyond a 3... but maybe?
Really cool music, grating singer. I think I could enjoy a bunch of these songs on their own, but listening to an hour of him in one go is a lot.
I like their instrumentation but I just cannot with the vocals
De Gsang isch scho rächr schräg, aber eigentli na spannend
han nöd gwüsst was erwarte aber ich gnüsses eig na bis jz uf wikipedia hends vill quirkier tönt, als sie jz actually töned hahah jaa hii und daa singter chli komisch aber das isch ja no nüt villes isch so gradlinig falls das sinn macht? it's a curse findi recht cool, de rhythmus isch fast scho hypnotisch IT'S A COAAARSE AAA hahaha ich lieb paranoia man in the shit room jaa das repetitive gfalltmer iwie überraschend, vlt will de guy eifach drüber redt unds weg dem en cool kontrast git? weiss nöd uuuuhh past gone mad chli füdli schüttle? light/firework wird sicher nöd min lieblingssong jaa es guets 3? hans meh gnosse alsi denkt han aber nüt weltbewegends
Can’t imagine how I might have reacted if it was my first time hearing them! Classic Fall sound. Sounded a bit cleaner and Smith a bit older(?) than other bits I’ve heard. Hadn’t heard ‘Lost in Music’ before and quite a new experience of the fall and identifiable song. Always enjoy the uniqueness of their sound but don’t know if it’s ever an album or songs I’d purposefully go towards. There is something infectious about the vox though. Like a half cut singer fronting a post punk/Brit pop band in a little pub. Quite another experience to just read through the lyrics as the song goes on. And can be quite long too. Enjoy the dance backing on ‘Past Gone Mad’ Probably gets 3.5 for the originality and Marky boy.
This has lots of ingredients that I usually love - but it just didn't work for me! It felt a bit like a mash up of Joy Division, Iggy Pop and Underworld? Bit of a mess of sounds.
I listened to this album a couple times and I don't really know what to make of it. Not super familiar with The Fall by any means but I was not expecting this to be as electronic as it was. Anyway, I had repeated listens to try to get it more and more so that's probably a good sign.
This album was an easy and engaging listen, saved two songs which feels like a lot. it lost me at the end though
I certainly love when an album is described as a band’s “most accessible.”
Post punk and fun. Sounds like the 80s but it's 93.
These guys could be great with a singer, and they'd be pretty good without one.
Patiently waiting for The Fall to click for me. It’s only been about 19 years, so I’m sure it will be any day now.
J - 3/5 Best Track - "Lost In Music" F - DNL
This is a textbook definition of "fine." Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
I enjoyed this, good energy, great tracks. You could hear how this band might have influenced a lot of post-punk/rock bands.
Musically pretty good and interesting, but vocals and lyrics were a weak link. If the those were even ok this could have been 4 stars…
He does a weird thing with his voice that is fun at first but he does it so much that it gets old. The music is good when it’s not too techno-y. We may not have Viagra Boys without these guys.
Really enjoyed the sound but the vocals/only talking ruined it a bit. I would have loved it if there was more variety with the vocals eg some singing too. Favourites: Parnoia man in cheap room Why are people Grudgeful
For this one I forgot to write as I listened cause I was driving. I can’t really remember it at all. Indie generic not interesting I suppose. In one ear out the other. I do know it wasn’t bad. I hate that I give these completely average things the same three stars I give things that actually are pretty good.
Meh
Punk/pos punk. Gostei! Vou ouvir mais!
During the first few songs I really dug the bands playing but had a hard time getting used to the singers voice. It was like listening to a karaoke rendition of a good song. After a few songs I got used to it and even, dare I say, enjoy it. The singing worked with the more punk sound songs like “It’s a Curse” or “The league of Bald-Headed Men” (great song title). Honestly, I like this way more than I was expecting at the start. Sure the last few songs were quite bad but if did have som highlights in there. Punky, spoken-word with a great band. Weak 3.
Interesting listen. Definitely more mainstream than their earlier work, but the vocals don't really mesh well with the more refined rock sound. The best songs are the ones where vocals become more sporadic/spoken and let the more polished instrumental work shine through. Decent overall, much stronger 2nd half. Top tracks: Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room, Service, Past Gone Mad
Mixed for me. I really didn't care for the lead singer. But this album isn't about singing, but music, which is often excellent. I love Paranoid Man and League of Bald Headed Men. The rest is somewhere between acceptable and irritating. 3/5
Несмотря на всю мою любовь к пост-панку, инди, и тви в частности, мне с трудом дается The Fall. И дело не в его подаче, но вообще в музыке. Этот альбом отличается от HEX и вообще всего, что я у него слышал, но пока всё это заходит мне с трудом. Лучшая песня - Lost in Music.
Not bad entertainment
3.0 - Ok
This was interesting, there were some great songs and then some which were a bit forgettable, but my biggest take from the album would be Firework...Firework.....
An okay album, I liked Lost In Music the most.
Maybe with a different vocalist, things could have been better? Off time out of tune, sorry punky. The music wasn't too bad.
Love the weird vocal style of the singer here, will have to listen to more of their stuff
Cool British alt-rock, with some interesting electronic beats. I enjoyed the listen but probably won't add it to my rotation.
I like the wall of sound this album brings. Feels chaotic but structured. The vocals are silly and fun too. Strong album.
Its ok
It’s The Fall
Fed nok, men jeg kunne meget bedre lide den sidste vi havde med dem
The Fall live or die on Mark E Smith's lyrics. To be honest I didn't find much of the music particularly interesting, it's quite loopy and repetitive, but as a basis for his voice it works. The Lost in Music cover has a certain vibe, but i didn't get much from it. Reviews say this is one of their more accessible albums - ironically I'd rather hear something more out there.
Enjoyed this album Not one I’d visit again often but it has some good songs and good sounds. Not sure what everyone was complaining about
6/10
i really didn't like this on first listen but i feel like i didn't give it a fair assessment as i gave up halfway. re-listening in full (minus bonus tracks) to see if i got this wrong Ladybird (Green Grass) - 4/5 Lost in Music - 5/5 Glam-Racket - 4/5 I'm Going to Spain - 5/5 It's a Curse - 3/5 Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room - 4/5 Service - 4/5 The League of Bald-Headed Men - 4/5 Past Gone Mad -3 /5 Light / Fireworks - 1/5 Why Are People Grudgeful? - 4/5 League Moon Monkey Mix - 3/5 Average score: 3.6/5 (rounding down) okay, this wasn't *as bad* as i thought it was my first listen. perhaps this album is a grower and just something that didn't instantly "click" for me i still stand by my belief that the lead vocalist wasn't great. the first time i listened, he sounded like a drunk british man mumbling and yowling into a karaoke mic, and i still kinda think so this time around. instrumentals were fine, in fact, a lot of these songs could've been rated higher in my books if the singing was better is this a "must-listen" album? ehhhh, maybe if post-punk music is your thing (it's certainly my thing). i'm glad i gave this album another chance without completely writing it off as shit
At times, boring, at other times weird and boring, and at other times, somewhat interesting. The monotone speech patterns of lead singer Mark E. Smith fails to turn the song into hits. He has his style and sticks to it, effective for what he's trying to do and who he's trying to reach, but it's not really reaching me.
Post punk really doesn’t do it for me any more - ok music with vocalists who can’t (or won’t) sing.
Have on vinyl: No Rating: 7.7 Fav song: The League of Bald-Headed Men Note: James Murphy called this band "his Beatles" and you can hear the influence; this increases my rating as a lot of it is rambling.
3.5
66/100. The Infotainment Scan by The Fall is a decent post-punk record that delivers the band’s signature style but doesn’t particularly stand out within the genre. There’s nothing musically groundbreaking, and you can definitely find more engaging or dynamic post-punk albums out there. That said, it’s still not a bad listen.
Decent music which I mostly vibed with but why does he sing like FliEyh Laeiohdehboeeeegh. Knocking off another star for the number of times I had to go through the same song lol. He rlly did get lost in music
A bit uneven but a decent listen.
I dunno. The sound was okay, not very edgy, kinda safe, though groovy and layered. The songs themselves didn't move me at all. I much preferred The Fall's first album when I got it earlier in this project.
grunge/slam/vibe electro, des trucs chouettes et des trucs moins chouettes
Somewhere between the smiths and emo you will find this album.
This is an odd choice for this list. I didnt hate it, but its absolutely not an album that I would say ANYONE has to listen to. 3/5
Ok
Bien
I have mixed feelings because, on one hand, people are always citing The Fall as a big Pavement inspiration. So I should like it if it’s similar. Then again, the lead singer apparently hates Malkmus and Pavement bc he thinks theyre a rip off of the fall, which is a rather ungraceful and bitter way to respond to people who were inspired by your art. I dont really get this critique anyways — good music is good and requires talent to write even if it’s heavily inspired by other work. Off the bat, his voice is weird and I’m not sure I like it. It’s sorta Sex Pistols. The first and second tracks are pretty solid but this third is sort of weird. Idk its good and i’d prob like it better if I listened more but I really dont know how much I hear the Pavement stuff. Theyre similarish but I guess I dont understand music well enough to hear how EXTREMELY similar theyre supposed to be. The Fall seems less conventional, maybe. Not sure. But solid music thst I should hear more of. Maybe a weak 4 but a 3 to spite the pavement hater.
Love The Fall. Mark E Smith is a great lyricist. Or should I say was although seeing him live could be hit or miss
Not a Fall fan after seeing Mark E Smith smashed at Glasto ruining every song but this was suprisings well put together
such a hard time listening to the Fall. that cover of lost in music is fantastic, and there are snippets of the vocals i do enjoy...but they're only snippets
I probably liked this one the most of the three that I've listened to now. Still just three stars, but more like 3.5 if I was able to split hairs.
Good background musix
interesting, good
drei plus
A classic punk band from my youth. More melodic than most of their contemporaries - and they had definitely mellowed by the time this disc came out. Thoroughly enjoyable.
I liked this more than the last Fall album we had I think. Still a little too a-melodic for my taste. I liked I’m Going to Spain and Why Are People Grudgeful the most. High 3.
Meh. Not something I’d need to hear again. Let’s get something with some soul plz.
Not a favorite
The Fall is a band I haven't really spent much time with, so it was good to give this album a focused listen. Some interesting tracks (Service, The League of Bald-Headed Men), but overall not so much my thing.
Didn't know what to expect with this one, but was pleasantly surprised. Was pretty good.
Have previously only heard John peels festive 50 fall tunes. This sounds ok. Will probably go back and listen to some other cuts
2.9 3x