The Infotainment Scan

Post Punk is apparently made up of mumbled vocals and electronica. I'd be okay with the electronica

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

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

The music is an absolute 5. The signing or talking or whatever that was was less than a 1 though. I never understand when this type of thing is done. Too bad.

asdf

Yeah. No?

Not my thing.

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.

Some of the worst shit I’ve ever heard. Dude can’t sing to save his life. He just talks the words, not even in key. Absolute trash.

Not my thang. Respect the ground work this album probably laid but meh.

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.

I really wasn't a big fan of this album.

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

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.

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

Dnf, not the best.

I don't know which one's worse—that guy's obnoxious talk-singing or him trying to do some actual singing. That being said, this is far from the worst thing I've heard for this project, and undeserving of as many 1 stars as it got. It's clear those guys are talented musicians. 2.5 stars

Somewhere between the smiths and emo you will find this album.

It was interesting... mostly felt like a drug trip that wouldn't end.

Shit

Make it stop

Mumble soft rock

2.5/5

Lord, I beg your forgiveness for all the times I sinned, denied your existence, and said your name in vain. Please allow me to rest easy and not listen to another The Fall album, certainly not a fourth album.

This is my second album from The Fall in less than a month's time, and I'm still left wondering why they are on this project at all, let alone twice. Especially considering that their main pitfall from the previous album is the main pitfall here, too -- namely, a very repetitive music and vocal delivery. Really, this is fine, it's just not really very noteworthy. 2.5, but uninspired to really round it up.

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

There is awful, then the next level down. Which is where this belongs.

Ok

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.

Did not like vocals / spoken word. Often jarring, dissonant, unpleasant melding of genres.

I'm in this phase right now where all this list seems to give me are albums that make me want to die. The vocals (there is no singing here) are so wildly awful. After listening to this album for an hour I was actually in a bad mood.

Fine album.

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

Sounds like some Eugene music. I'm not cool enough

Not a Fall fan after seeing Mark E Smith smashed at Glasto ruining every song but this was suprisings well put together

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

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.

Just not good

Good background musix

interesting, good

drei plus

Still, after the third The Fall album on this list, I can't fathom the singer's voice. Worse, what they've done to Lost In Music is an abomination.

Man... I love post punk and the 90's are my favorite decade of music, but I don't know if my summary at the end of this is going to represent that because this list keeps throwing out the most average and subpar albums of the 90's. Here's some great 90's albums this list didn't include: Toadies - Rubber Neck, Hum - You'd Prefer an Astronaut, Deftones - Around the Fur, Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West, Faith No More - Angel Dust, or any of the Type O Negative albums just to name a few off the top of my head. I mean I know that some of these are not the most popular, BUT NEITHER IS THIS ALBUM!!! the only difference is that those albums aren't from the UK, because for some reason we need like 50 obscure UK bands instead of some massively influential genre defining American albums. This album is fine, but it is pretty repetitive and doesn't push any new boundaries. Also the singer isn't that great. Mid 3.

This album frustrates the fuck out of me. The majority of the band is doing great work. There are some great instrumentals here, especially in The League of Bald-Headed Men with that one riff. But, oh my god, what the fuck is this vocalist. Why does he sound like a drunk dollar-store variety Beck? Well, apparently he’s Mark E. Smith and he practically ruins the album. I can’t stand his vocals, especially when he starts repeating shit over and over again. It’s A Curse was especially bad, when he keeps going “It’s a curse-ah”. And don’t give me the whole “It’s punk. It’s supposed to sound like this because it goes against commercialized noise”. Ok. Shit still sucks. There’s a good instrumental album here. Shame it’s not a really good album. Favorite track: Service Other hits: The League of Bald-Headed Men, A Past Gone Mad, Why Are People Grudgeful?

Not a punk girlie, but I could see why people who like punk would like this. Didn't make it through the full thing and don't need to really experience this band again.

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.

This honestly left no impression on me. Couldn't even remember that ai listened to it.

Meh. Not something I’d need to hear again. Let’s get something with some soul plz.

Noisy and dumb

Not a favorite

Ok

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

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.

Solid big 3

293/1001

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

Cut the vocals and it might be like a 4. Honestly atrocious. I think I hate The Fall?

I forgot that feeling when you couldn't tell what you're going to listen to just from taking a glance at the wiki page. This album went even fuhrer, I can't tell what I'm listening to even while I'm listening to it Boring vocals. Actually, I can't even call this vocals, half the songs he's just talking over music. Sometimes good music, sometimes not I'm Going to Spain deserves a special fuck you

ngl kinda ass

Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room Past Gone Mad

как-то урывками слушала но впечатление осталось что это британский панк

Weird link between 80’s and 90’s rock

Punk, Chaos, Rock, 1993 -> 1

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!

Fine dance track in the background but the vocals are very lazily speaking into the mic before the sleeping pills kick in. idk I don’t find this 1001 list worthy.

Post-Punk is not a genre I listen to very often but I liked the experimental nature of the music presented here.

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.

Hm. Einerseits hatten einige Songs einen guten Vibe, andererseits haben die letzten drei mich ziemlich genervt. Ich müsste es mir nochmal anhören, um ganz urteilen zu können.

This has its moments but lacks the charm and atmosphere of their earlier work.

??? Niezly nowoczesny punk.

The Good: The Fall is an excellent miniseries you can see on Netflix, starring Gillian Anderson! The Bad: Scan should be spelled Scam… The Ugly: Techno meets punk… This is a period of music where you can tell the difference between what EU was listening to versus the US… US was all about Grunge and Indie round about this time, where EU was embracing techno… I was not in the EU at that time… So what are my thoughts? Well, somehow I keep imagining me in the middle of a PlayStation game as many tracks on this album could fit perfectly in a race simulation game. Not an unpleasant experience… kind of got me mentally drunk! People bitch about the singer’s voice… sure, it could be seen as annoying, but he’s just playing his part, and when you take 3 steps back, you realize that the band, as a whole, is doing an excellent job in creating this landscape for you… also, any band that is able of covering “Lost In Music” and making you smile is doing a killer job! So, though I hate techno, I am forced to give this a 3.5* rating… pulled down to a 3* as 4* is for those close to 5*… what?

Slet ikke så punk som det sidste album vi hørte. Der er ugidelig stemning i vokalen, og sjov leg med lyde i musikken. Det var tæt på at blive en lille 4er idag. Det minder mig lidt om Iceage til tider.

Endnu et fedt Post-Punk album. Uden tvivl den genre der har givet mig flest gode nye bekendskaber det første år af dette projekt

Have heard the Fall if not a full album before, so kind of knew what was getting., particularly his vocal style. What is it with Manchester bands and the “distinct” vocals, the rain? This is quite accessible, in a background music sort of way, so much so that kept it on all day where initially thought would struggle to get through once. Started to get and actually enjoy the non- singing northern old git vocal thing, the guy has his own thing going on and it’s interesting, can see why has a following and long career. 3 Star, - initially upon listening thought was going to be 2, then settled on 3 but liked it a whole lot more than I thought and kept listening, and as a grumpy old northerner if listen again might give it another, maybe

This album is like if somebody had never heard of Talking Heads, but was described them and then forced to recreate it. Maybe I'm just not getting it, or maybe it's just not that good. I really don't enjoy Talking Heads much either, but they're at least tolerable.

Grungy and odd.. enjoyed this but its a grower for suuuuuure. Guaranteed I listen to The League of Bald-Headed Men thrice before the week ends

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

The first half of the album was solid British Rock, as I bopped my head, and jammed out like a rockstar. The second half was quite disappointing, and seemingly performed by another artist altogether. "Ladybird(Green Grass)"

If you’ve always wanted to know what Lou Reed would sound like singing lost in music well now’s your chance

unapologetically northern

That was whack

Solid

Overall, I get it. The band is influential, prolific, and eclectic. It’s not bad, just not something I’d come back to. My problem is that I only seem to like parts of their songs. Like, good music, but meh singing, that kinda thing.

This album is a goddamn mess. It's all over the place. The instrumentals are sub par. The vocals are exactly what you'd expect from a punk band though. Is there some songs on this album I'd listen to again? Sure. Does that make them good? Not really...If I were a critic I'd probably come in at 1/5 or maybe at best 2/5. I'm not a critic though, I'm just a middle aged dude who loves punk rock music, and from that perspective I give it

The more I wrote, the more I realize that this review is more like a stream of conscious then a thought out, concise review. Read it as such. It's not nearly as bad as the previous album. I actually didn't hate it and thought it was okay as background music. I would rank this album above some of the worst ones we've heard so far, even some of the others that aren't ranked 1 star. I thought the singer "fit in" with the music more on the album, I thought the instrumentation was far better where it actually works and is listenable throughout the entirety of the record. This feels like a proper punk record. One that I totally understand if people enjoyed. At times, it does sound like the singer is on another planet and a different song is playing in his head while he's singing. Maybe he looked at his shoes and realized they were tied the wrong way mid way through recording and started mumbling to himself. I'm willing to bet that most of his vocals were done in 1 take (it's not like he's hitting any notes that require pitch perfect vocals).

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

The singers strange affect got on my nerves by the end of the second song. At first, I thought it was some sort of ironic joke that I wasn't in on, but evidently that's just how he sings. Not a fan.

There are other bands of this style I enjoy more but it's not bad

2/5

J'ai apprécié quelques moments de cet album mais généralement je l'ai trouvé un peu éparpillé et l'exécution laissait souvent à désirer. Je respecte le risque artistique pris mais ce n'est pas tellement ma tasse de thé. 4/10

No strong feelings, I'd listen again, though.

What the fuck is this?

The music is decent, but the singer sounds like a drunk uncle.

Infotainment Scam literally got lost in the music. Seemed like the lead singer was just reading the lyrics, no singing, just spoken word. That made the songs similar early in the listen. Glam Racket is the best song, but three times on one album is pushing it. Liked the Fall well enough to give IS a (2.5*s)

Never heard of The Fall despite them claiming to be "prolific and innovative" which I found them to be neither. The flat delivery of the lyrics and the backing tracks themselves sounded very dated (even for the 90's). There's a few decent basslines and riffs but not enough to overcome the spoken word complaining. I didn't really like anything on this album and don't need to explore more. 1.15 is the highest I can go for the drunk, hypnotized cynic.

Did I step into a dive bar with a drunk guy singing karaoke? Then head to a homeless techno rave party under some bridge? This was at times an incoherent, drug induced rant from a deranged brit. And then momentarily it came together with some cohesion but quickly deteriorated back to madness. It worked on a few songs with tops "It's a Curse" and "League of Bald-Headed Men" (where do is sign up?). Did Daft Punk Play at Mark E. Smith's House...cause I got a James Murphy vibe. Quite a strange album and dude. And what the F is "Light / Fireworks". 1.85

Some stuff to like, some stuff not to like. For every fun/quality track like The League of Bald Headed Men there was a stinker like Light/Fireworks. The vocals are wild which might have their own unique allure but they definitely detracted from the end product for me. I imagine The Fall has some quality nuggets in their extensive discography but I'm not willing to sift through it. The Infotainment Scam was an OK listen but not enough to bring me back to the well. 1.72 stars

Mostly horrible

I think they were building up to their best bits!!

An odd album but good enough.

God I hate this band. Why do they have 3 albums (at least) on this list. Hopefully this was the last. Musically better than the other ones but the guy has the vocals delivery of a dominos employee at 2 am

I can see the appeal of this more than I actually enjoyed it. The monotone, seemingly drunken slurred vocal delivery paired with mostly stale arrangements just left me feeling indifferent here. It’s a cool vibe album, but I don’t match the vibe right now. A few solid guitar tones though. Always like that! Also wouldn’t be surprised to hear some of my favorite bands claim this as a major influence.

Infotaining, if not a bit samey throughout.

Punk

Wtf

The Fall - The Infotainment Scan (1993) Back in 2018, when Mark E. Smith sadly passed away, many of my favourite radio and podcast shows dedicated time to celebrating his life and The Fall’s career. This exposure led me to dabble in the band’s vast discography, though, with 30+ bloody albums under their belt (plus compilations and live recordings), it’s hard for the uninitiated to find a starting point. That’s why I was glad to be assigned The Infotainment Scan today, though I was surprised the book picked the band’s fifteenth studio effort. Having listened to it, I was even more surprised to discover it was released in 1993, as it sounds like a complete antithesis to the grunge, Britpop, and mainstream trends of the time. With its playful fusion of post-punk, electronic, and dance influences, the album feels like a relic from the previous decade, albeit one that retains The Fall’s idiosyncratic edge. Tracks like “Glam Racket” and their disco-tinged cover of “Lost in Music” combine sardonic energy with danceable grooves, while “Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room” delivers unsettling, angular atmospheres. The polished albeit dated production with its cleanly layered guitars, groovy basslines, and bright synthesizers, offers an accessible sheen that contrasts the band’s rawer, earlier records. Mark E. Smith’s vocal delivery remains as polarizing as ever—abrasive, snarling, and rhythmically chaotic. His lyrics, meanwhile, are riddled with esoteric humour and biting social critiques, such as the sardonic commentary on cheap living and urban decay in “Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room.” This cryptic and fragmented storytelling is rich with cultural and personal references that hardcore fans may delight in dissecting, though casual listeners may find them impenetrable. When he stays in his lane, his confrontational style complements the jagged music perfectly, but on a few tracks, it strays into self-parody. While The Infotainment Scan has moments of brilliance, I wouldn’t call it essential Fall listening or a must-hear album in a broader sense. Its sound and experimentation showcase the band’s versatility, but I can’t help but feel that even devoted fans might not consider it among their best work. It’s less a great album than one with some great songs, and for the curious, there are more compelling points of entry into The Fall’s singular world. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Given the breadth of The Fall’s discography, it’s surprising the book selected this release—it’s a fun, inventive record, but hardly the most representative or groundbreaking example of their influence. Would this release make my personal list? No Will I be listening to it again? There are only some tracks I will return to intentionally.

I hate this

No fun to be had for me

Granted, this one didn't have a fair chance with me today, listening from laptop speakers while cooking and doing other things. Tough luck. What I did hear annoyed me.

Really annoying music. All sound the same, The singer can't sing or purposefully sings off-tune.

Average album with average songs

It all sounds fine, I just can't enjoy this wannabe Lou Reed, laissez-faire vocal style of talk singing. It just sounds like he really doesn't care to sing. And if you don't care, why should I?

Interesting that a band who produced so much quantitatively has this album featured. It seems both counter to Britpop and counter to grunge, maintaining its' integrity and styles as those genres took over Listened back before ranking and though interesting and accessible, it falls a bit flatter than most of the other albums included on the list

Crap

Mein Gott ist das ein beschissenes Album. Macht den Leuten von Radiohead starke Konkurrenz. Nichts passt zusammen, die Musik, der Gesang, es klingt wie hingekotzt und hingeschissen - 1 Stern, wech mit die Viecher

Bisschen zu alternativ für meinen Geschmack

Mein erster 1-Stern. Was für eine unschöne Stimme. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Keine

Enjoyed the experimentation to an extent, but probably enjoyed some of the songs on their own, but not as a full album.

🎶

Favorite Track: Service

There are certainly some cool ideas here, and it feels very close to being ahead of its time, but it just doesn't stick the landing for me.

Another new one for me - and another solid rock album. Wasn't moved by any particular song, but didn't want to FF anything either.

Not my bag

what is this doing here

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

Not bad, but a whole album of it, is a little much for me.

I often confuse The Fall with The Call. Not sure that it really makes any difference. I get the feeling that this isn't the favorite record of hardcore The Fall fans. Anyway... here's three stars.

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.

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.

It was ok. I liked some of it.

Postpunk, har sine momenter, men lidt for irreterende vokal

8/10… Indie Disco, Post Punk

This is #day119 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... there's something about this band that I find uneasy. I'm just trying to convince myself that it's something aside from Mark Smith's "caustic and cryptic, cut-up and spit-out poetry", but I can't find it. On the one hand, you seem to be getting weary of his delivery shortly, on the other, it's enigmatic in a weird kind of way. I can't remember any other band sounding similar. There's something almost beat-like about it. At the same time, Smith's vocals somehow find the right place in this avant-garde post-punk patchwork of "Craig Scanlon's scratchy guitar, bassist Stephen Hanley, and drummer Simon Wolstencroft's loping thump". The Fall is a challenging band, and I like challenging! I'm sure they have more albums to check out before you die, but, well, you know. Why not give this one a chance as well? This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day120.

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.

3/4

Peak post punk

interesting for the first half an hour then got real drone-y and weird. a strange mix of like, blur's disaffected talk-singing, right said fred era dance pop beats, and punk-push lyrics/messages? idk couldn't make sense of it myself.

Not bad

Geräuschbeladener alternative Rock 2/5

Decent sounding but nothing to write home about. 2.5

Jag tycker det var lite speciellt. Inte dåligt men inte så jag föll helt och hållet heller. Lite kul sound.

Pratar han eller sjunger han? Det blev iaf inte så jättebra i slutändan. Bitvis sköna melodier men för få och i övrigt spretigt. På im going to Spain låter han där jävligt (med flit? Eller kan han bara inte sjunga?).

Nej, det här var ingen höjdare tyvärr, framförallt pga ”sången”. I övrigt är det bitvis helt okej.

Gött sound på musiken. På nåt sätt funkar sången emellanåt, men albumen skulle varit kortare. En svag trea

Why are people grudgeful and Service were good. Good chill, electronic punk vibe. Some songs seemed long and were a little too punk for my liking. But overall a decent album.

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!

Feeling middle of the road with this one. It was fun and fine.

Dit schijnt post-punk te zijn, maar het is wel de eerste keer dat ik ook echt nog wat punk in post-punk terug hoor. Qua gitaren dan met name. Dat is wel verfrissend. Waarschijnlijk scheelt het dat het uit de heilige jaren '90 komt in plaats van de verschrikkelijke jaren '80. De zanger is een beetje The Streets-achtig dingen aan het zeggen, zonder het ritmegevoel van The Streets dan. Eigenlijk is 'ie maar wat aan het lullen met een soort lichte kreun in z'n stem. Een articulerende Dylan die nóg minder moeite doet om goed te zingen ofzo. Maar vreemd genoeg kan ik het wel hebben eigenlijk. Ik vind de muziek wel aardig, de zang ondanks alles wat ik zojuist schreef niet super irritant. Ik kan dit album dus goed hebben en ik vind het zelfs best wel leuk, bizar genoeg. 3 sterren haalt het wel. Met 50 minuten wel wat aan de lange kant voor wat het te bieden heeft. Veel herhaling. Overigens hoeft niemand dit te horen voor 'ie dood gaat, maargoed, dat geldt voor meer albums op deze lijst.

Meh

More blissful chaos !

Too indie for me.

6.5/10 First Fall album I’ve heard, I only know them by a reputation of being difficult to listen too, but that was not what I experienced here. Basically well-crafted indie/alternative that took and built upon the best of the uk scene at that point in the 90s. Yes, the vocals were very much a mixed bag but this was enjoyable. Can really feel its influence on people like Damon Albarn and maybe even stuff like the Prodigy? Best: Light / Fireworks

The singer is both the worst and best part of this… remarkably uninteresting otherwise

Mark E Smith is a uniquely enigmatic vocalist with a signature caustic wit and a versatile delivery that can be effective over punk, new wave, or electronica. The one thing he really really cannot do is hold a tune, which unfortunately he tries far too often at the start of this album. He is just on really poor form on this, and the Sister Sledge cover at track 2 is quite embarrassing. The Wikipedia article says this is regarded as The Fall’s most accessible album, which I see to an extent - though this just means that a lot of the (genuinely well performed) instrumentals are basic Black Keys-style indie rather than the energetic and wild playing that makes The Fall actually stand out. Past Gone Mad is a rare highlight, with its driven electronic beat disguising Smith’s vocal shortcomings, but then the closing track Light/Fireworks is just very messy. Admittedly I’ve never really got into The Fall, but I at least see the appeal of albums like Hex Enduction Hour and This Nation’s Saving Grace - this however is a big step down.

Okay!

2-3

Ugh! 😩 My name is Mark E. Smith-ugh! 😩 And my balls itch-ugh! 😩 Did he have that inflection on the other The Fall albums as well? I genuinely can't remember. Man's out here sounding like Heisenberg from Resident Evil Village.

I think we've listened to two other Fall albums on 1001 albums. My other half and her cool mates are into the Fall. As a result, I've heard a few of her favourite songs (one of which "Glam Racket" is on this album) and I saw them live at least twice before Mark E. Smith died. I think this is the first time I've really enjoyed them. I can really see where both Pavement and LCD Soundsystem, "took inspiration" from The Fall on this one. I'm going to do a slightly risky thing given I've only heard it once and give it five stars. This is partly due to marking inflation, but mainly because I liked every song and I think I'll come back to this album again!

Always like The Fall when I listen to them, not sure I like as much as some of the others I’ve heard…. Though you are never sure what you are going to get…. Solid 3 for this!

This was different than the last album I listened to by The Fall - this made me think a bit more about Sleaford Mods. I'm starting to get really curious about this Mark Smith guy.

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.

3/5. Okay, maybe if I heard this first, I would have appreciate the other Fall album more. Not that much more to be honest because it's seems like they are either pushing boundaries or staying safe. Maybe I can see their change in sound by listening to their other albums but I'm not going to do that. The singer is both the best and worst part of this. Sometimes it really works, giving an Iggy Pop in a pop band and sometimes it's just a bad choice for vocals. The music is fun and accessible with danceable riffs and they do go harder than they have any right to be. Overall, there are more good than bad songs on this one so it gets an average score. After finishing it, it definitely sounds like LCD Soundsystem but a little more rock than electronic. Best Song: Paranoia Man In Cheap Sh*t Room, The League Of Bald-Headed Men, Lost In Music

hmm, was nicht so ganz was ich davon halten soll; etwas punk & rave und ...

Previously only given 1s to the Fall because … well… they’re dog shit, but this was a little better; I might have even given this a 3 if it hadn’t ended on that Light/Fireworks crap. I suppose liking the sound of your own voice is a prerequisite of becoming a lead vocalist (couldn’t call him a singer), but Jesus does Mark E Smith take that to new levels

The best thing I can say is that it could be worse. Would probably rate higher if they actually had a singer, rather than some guy talking.

Didn't really get into this album. But did like the album cover and the cover of lost in music was ok

I’m surprised how much I didn’t hate it

Would be a lot better if they ditched the singer and 80s keyboards.

Bare bones and lush at the same time

The Fall's FIFTEENTH album. It was an enjoyable listen, with some really cool songs and sounds, but I'm struggling to understand why I need to hear this before I die. I've been more impressed with their other works more than this one. The instrumentation is often good but goddamn the singer always just sounds like some drunk dude at the bar just grabbing the mic and ranting

Just a bunch of musical rambling, pretty pointless and uninteresting

I didn't really enjoy this one.

90s alternative rock. Certainly interesting instrumentation. Creative covers of songs I mostly don’t know. Loads of talking over guitar riffs. Kind of fun. Long album. Great beats. The talking gets kind of old.

Kinda boring, not gonna lie.

Great album - strange and catchy and the vocals really stick in your head.

Not a fan of this group at all. But I've tried. Cover of Lost in Music? Strange Liked how different it was from their other albums on the list. Bit happy Mondays towards the end Ok

whoah ez jólesett 😁 😎

After a run of dog-shite albums I had two 5-stars in a row, and then I got served up this monstrosity. Absolute garbage. I wanted to turn it off half-way through the first track but was intrigued about the cover of 'Lost In Music' so stuck it out. Fuck me, they butchered that song. I skipped to the next track for one last chance, and it was the worst of the three sofar. I had no hesitation to stop listening. The singers voice is horrific, just really grates on you, and doesn't complement the music in anyway. The music is pretty poor to start with.

Great they could record the same song 12 times and call it an album... At least it's a great band name?

i mean it’s fineeeee but there’s better albums from the fall out there

Imagine if Bob Dylan was English, and decided to do post punk music in the 90s… That’s what this travesty is. Monotone singing with no personality that sounds the same with drawn out syllables that just exist to annoy the shit out of me. It’s sad because the music behind the singing isn’t bad, but wasn’t enough to keep me from stopping 3 tracks in.

Þessi plata vakti undarlegar tilfinningar. Mér fannst tónlistin skemmtileg en svo kom söngurinn og bara eyðilagði allt þetta góða. Ekki af því að hann var slæmur, bara lélegur og mér fannst hann tilgerðarlegur eins og einhver að rembast við að vera 'artý'. Toga upp í 2 vegna hljómsveitarinnar sjálfrar

I enjoyed this for the noise rock and grungy vibe of this, but not sure I'd listen to this too much again.

Rating: 7.5/10

This ended up much better than it started. I was tempted to describe it as "more influential than good" - and that temptation remains strong. But when it moved away from post-punk and into something a bit less "deliberately antagonistic", shall we say, it actually started to make more sense. I'll clearly never listen to it - or anything else by The Fall - ever again, but yeah, I can see how people have been influenced by them.

It’s a bit long to listen to one man constantly talking like that, but at least there’s some personality and character to it all

Ugh. Did not care for the vocals or the lyrics. Some of the music was ok.

This album had some high points and some "meh" points. Does it belong on this list? Probably not. But ok listen nonetheless. 2.8/5 -> 3/5

This album was pretty sick. Alt rock/post punk. Paranoia Man in a Cheap Shit Room the standout. 3.5

Mark E Smith has always struck me as a bit of a prick. And his voice has always been a barrier to any previous engagement in the fall. Having been through this twice, i've not changed my mind. However it wasnt as bad as expected. There are tunes in there and a surprising electro portion towards the end. If this is their high water mark then i dont feel im missing out.

skits that keep on giving

The cover of Lost in Music is abysmal, but it does start to pick up around the middle with Paranoid Man…, but your enjoyment will be based on whether you like the gimmick of solid guitar hooks underlaid, the singer’s witty poetry, which after a while - just feels utterly pretentious.

Pretty cool album. Would be great to hear live in an english pub.

6/10 Great instrumentally but lacks lyrically and vocally in my opinion Favourite Song=Glam Racket Least Favourite Song=Light/Fireworks

Fantastic album, The Fall's influence on the Manchester post-punk scene as it exists today is insane

I could almost give this 2 for the lads playing the music in the background, but fuck me the vocals are just too annoying. It started to feel torturous after 2.30 into every song - I knew what was coming next and the anticipation became almost as painful as the delivery. Hopefully that’s my 3rd and final Fall album done.

The way this guy moans after every single line is infuriating. He's gotta be like what if I had a cool band, but gave zero effort on the vocals. Rough. And then the last few tracks were just total trash to listen to

Meh

Classic punk. Can really see how much LCD Soundsystem was influenced by The Fall

Interesting almost punk mix of electronic, and blending of other genres.

1 song was enough. After that it was annoying. Happy it’s done. Thank you. Drive through.

Hard pass. That voice is like a thousand nails on a chalkboard.

Mid musicians/music and subpar vocals/singing

This. Is. Terrible. This entire album sounds like the Festrunk Brothers from SNL speaking over music that, on occasion, sounds intentional.

What in the actual hell did I listen to. The instrumentals actually sounded like these could be good songs but it just sounds like drunk rambling over them, ruining each song. I do not understand this at all.

Just kind of meandering, but not in a good way.

Perfect!

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

Very much not for me

Weird... Didn't love but also didn't hate

This album was ok. I can think of some modern post-punk groups that do some of what the Fall is doing slightly better IMO (TV Priest comes to mind), but I can appreciate this album as an early version of that, even if I didn't dig every song.

I liked this ok, but the singer's drawl gets a bit tiring over the listen. I thought it was interesting to hear some like very 80s sounds on some songs, followed by some very 90s sounds on the next. Not bad, but seemed a little derivative by 93. 2.75/5

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.

That hoary old chestnut about six monkeys and Shakespeare quite clearly isn’t correct. It fudges the time issue, for one thing. Nevertheless. Mark Smith clearly thought that there was something in it - if he goes through band members frequently enough, he’ll eventually come up with the perfect combination. This iteration ain’t it. But there are fun moments in it, like the (completely unexpected) second best ever cover of Lost In Music * *The best belongs to Dirty Three, of course.

Groupe inconnu. Premier point remarquable : la voix + façon de ne pas chanter du chanteur (---). L'accompagnement est plus intéressant, avec une basse bien en avant, des synthés en général discrets, une guitare variée (sont plutôt clair et parfois saturé suivant les morceaux), mais une batterie un peu trop monotone à mon gout. Le chant reste un vrai problème pour moi, je n'écouterais pas cet album de nouveau. =>2/5

This is ok, it's much more accessible than the previous Fall album I had on this list. Some witty lyrics and great guitar riffs. Vocals still prevent it from being really enjoyable, but I didn't hate it

Yup, sounds just like you'd expect early 90's post punk to sound. Nothing stands out as memorable, but it's not bad.

Favourite song - Glam racket

If this is The Fall’s most accessible album I guess they’re just not for me. Musically it was fine, nothing that crazy. The singer I did not care for, his talk singing was annoying.

Found this a bit erratic... just not my style

i have to get over my antipathy to fans of the fall because the band’s actually pretty great

I listened to this one a while ago but hadn't gotten to the review yet. I remember knowing it would be a 2, but I skipped around the album to refresh myself. Two things - one, his vocal delivery just does not appeal to me. There's some cool lines, actually (as a SK fan, I loved "You're one of the best songs I've ever heard by Stephen King), but I just can't take the quivering, off key talk-singing. Those stylistic choices can be really effective depending on how they are used. But they do nothing for me on this album. Two, I've been amazed by many albums on this list already when I've realized what year they released. Albums so well produced and engineered I can't believe they were from the late 70s or early 80s, and not just the remastered ones. I was surprised to find out this album was from the 90s. There were a lot of elements working together on these songs, but I just kept feeling it was all disjointed and slightly off in a way I don't know how to properly describe. Anyway, all that to say, I have not wavered from 2 stars.

Moody music to play in the background

Uninspired talk punk

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.

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!

I know the band name, never heard this album though. Apparently no one else on Spotify has either, not a ton of listens. I understand why after hearing the first track. This guy is not a singer, he sounds like a guy who stole the mic at a gig and slurred some words to the startled crowd. I didn't hate the album but I see no reason to give it a second listen, no compelling songs (even the only one with a bunch of listens, "Lost In Magic") and no great music. The best thing I can say is they have clever song titles. "Light/Fireworks" is pure garbage. Who's coming up with this list? Definitely, definitively, 100% not a Top 1001 album in anyone's world.

Get this guy out of the studio until he sobers up.

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.

No. This is unpleasant to listen to.

It's funny, I've gotten this band three times and the previous two times I wrote I had never heard of them. Apparently they are that forgettable I had to look up if I'd ever listened to them before. The band sounds great... the vocals suck. The last song is also... not needed.

Lacks the wow factor of "This Nation's Saving Grace" but a decent post punk nonetheless

i think this is a thing where i’ve heard so many imitations that the actual originator of the style sounds boring to me now. i liked the instrumental parts a lottttt but the vocals were just monotonous to me…idk i’m surprised cos i thought i would like it more. “john cooper clarke, james murphy, grian chatton—it’s all the same bullshit.” — jane goodall

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)

I’m not sure that I’ve had another album be brought down quite so violently by its vocalist. Without the singing (which I’ll get to), we have a sort of post-punk (or possibly Britpop) style of instrumental, with the main focus being nicely distorted electric guitars riffing over one-bar patterns. A little jam-sessiony for my taste, given that it’s been judged one of the 1001 most important/influential albums of all time, but I’ll let it slide. There’s a sprinkle of grunge in there, suggesting a possible influence from Nirvana or other contemporaries. The drumming is fairly strong, having fills every so often that perk me up and keep me engaged with the music. The main downfall of The Infotainment Scan is, of course, the vocal. Rhythmically, it sounds like the guy’s at least trying to pull off a decent melody, but his pitch is very conversational and droning in a really unappealing way. Some people like this style of singing, but I'm willing to bet most don’t, seeing how aurally frustrating the lack of commitment to a melody is. The singer also has a habit of ending words with “ah”, making him sound like a particularly enthusiastic drunk. The vocal is mixed loudly, making it unavoidable in many of the tracks that are otherwise really strong. I’m reminded of Slang Of Ages, the sole Steely Dan track sung by guitarist Walter Becker, and how it’s generally considered one of the weakest tracks by the band because of the very off-kilter, off-key sing-talking. The Infotainment Scan is a fifty-minute-extended cut of that. (What’s not to like?) 2/5 Key tracks: Lost In Music, Im Going To Spain, Ladybird

I love The Fall, choosing one album to be on this would be hard. Because as much as I love The Fall I do realise that they have some amazing songs spread over a lot of albums. This isn't probably the album I would choose, but it's not a bad one.

Enjoyable punk with new sound

Pretty terrible, but not deserving of one star.

An Indie dinosaur.

It’s alright, I’m Going to Spain is the standout for me

Enjoyable, Energetic, Entertaining Throughout.

Mark E Smith can get considerably grating during an entire album, however, the beats/instrumentation on this one fits his style very well.

Not my favorite album by The Fall, but it’s still quite good.

Forgettable, weak vocals, trying to be edgy

Funsies

Bueno

This is my second album by the Fall, a band I’d never heard of before, in as many weeks. I’m left wondering how they got not one, but two albums on this list. I’m desperately hoping there’s not a third. In all seriousness, the music is quite good, maybe great? The vocals, however, are some of the worst vocals I’ve ever heard. I loathe this guy’s approach to singing.

4.5/10

another stinker imo

OK, nothing special, annoying vocals

This was not bad, but not a super easy listen either.

dear lord i had to skip this album on the second song, if i hear one more word slur out of this guys mouth i will end it NNN

Music is ok, vocals almost unbearable

Comparing his vocal skills to bob Dylan would be an insult to bob dylan

Listening to this at work and almost didn’t realize it was on which idk if that’s glaring or complimentary. Either way not interested in running it back

Meh

This album was quite boring and dragged on too long

The guy’s voice and lyrics reminded me of a wannabe David Byrne. Music was fine enough although it was nothing I would seek out

I need an Infopainment Scan after listening to this. It's crazy how the easiest way to ruin a really great guitar riff and a killer drumbeat is just start yapping into the microphone. Favorite tracks are Past Gone Mad and Glam-Racket

I’ll give The Fall credit they are nothing if not consistent. I have listened to three albums by them and they are all good but not great. Favorite songs were Glam-Racket, I’m Going to Spain, and Ladybird.

Never heard this album, nor this band's music before, and I was listening to alternative in the 90s. Though I'm not likely to seek this band out, I was ok with the music. The vocals were intriguing.

Their "most accessible album", huh? I sure hope that's a euphemism for bland and soulless because this is totale Scheiße. Dated post punk art rock schtick - it's 1993, guys, where have you been? In its better moments, which there are not many of, I can hear faint hints of circa The Cure rocking it out on a Madchester rave, but the second bit of this comparison is already not a compliment. And 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 come the vocals. "Of the 66 musicians who came and went over the band's 40-year existence, about one third played in the band for less than a year." I feel you, 66 musicians. I feel you.

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.

Has a lot of flaws and also not very interesting or outstanding parts

Meh, it’s a bit too long for me which since it’s only 50 minutes long probably isn’t a good sign

Would not recommend

Yikes. One second in and I already knew it was gonna be a long one. The monotone voice is something that immediately shuts me off and that’s exactly what happened. I felt like it was the only thing I could hear and it sounded as if a random person was picked from a crowd and forced to sing a song they only kind of knew. I didn’t like this at all.

...ooooo I LOVE an album that sounds like a poorly-recorded demo with a crappy sounding drum machine and direct guitars that a real producer could maybe have whipped into shape with some direction and imagination but instead they did a HARD pivot, went to their local dock with their tape recorder, and found the most-tweaked out piss-stained wastoid with his legs wrapped around a pole and said "we need you to sing the first words that come to your addled brain - now." -uh! no. 1/10 1 star

This *sounds* a lot like something I would like, and yet I didn't really enjoy it. It kind of bugged me. The instrumentals rule, so maybe it's the vocals? It felt way longer than its runtime too.

It’s a coincidence that I hear Sister Sledge absolutely make a masterpiece of Lost In Music and then hear an absolutely whelming version of it by this band, the very next album. Idk if that was intentional or not. As for the rest of this album, the bass hits, the drums kick, but the vocals are mundane and lifeless. Ultimately it’s hard to digest.

whatever

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.

Sem conseguir decidir qual é a parte mais chata, os vocais ou as batidas.

I thought the vibe got a little old, but this felt like a more accessible and fun Sonic Youth, kind of? Idk, I liked it.

I like this! But I don't understand why I had to hear it before I die.

3.5/5