Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Geräuschbeladener alternative Rock 2/5
Decent sounding but nothing to write home about. 2.5
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.
Meh
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!
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.
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
Would be a lot better if they ditched the singer and 80s keyboards.
I didn't really enjoy this one.
Great they could record the same song 12 times and call it an album... At least it's a great band name?
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
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.
Ugh. Did not care for the vocals or the lyrics. Some of the music was ok.
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.
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.
Meh
Just kind of meandering, but not in a good way.
Very much not for me
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Pretty terrible, but not deserving of one star.
4.5/10
another stinker imo
Music is ok, vocals almost unbearable
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
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
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.
whatever
Some ok music and dreadful vocals
The worst thing about this band is the singer/songwriter Mark E. Smith. Everybody else in this band sounds skilled and on top of their game. His speak singing style is performed terribly and feels uninspired. We get it, you heard a Stooges record once. The lyrics tend to get lost in the mix, so it just sounds like someone hanging around in the background talking over the band constantly. After a few songs I felt the urge to tell that guy to shut the fuck up and let the band play. Even by post punk and indie rock standards this album sucks. I'll give 2 stars for everyone but Mark E Smith's contributions. If I were forced to choose favorites based entirely on the instrumentals, it would be "It's a Curse", "Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room", "Service", and "Past Gone Mad".
Post-punk is just soulless music to me. They're certainly creative and have something to say, but I feel unmoved by it entirely.
Just not very compelling for me. Completely forgettable, only one song that was mildly decent.
Another grungey/punky album... This guys voice is not that great. There were some interesting effects used as well as a good variety of instruments, but there was also a lot of droning repetition with below-average vocals. Past Gone Mad was the best song and the album cover is pretty cool.
Instrumentals were pretty cool, but by god that singer needs to be shipped straight to the Gulag. The talking was just not it at all. Was a shame because I feel like with an actual singer this would have been a cool album.
This would have been a whole lot better without vocals.
I tried, I really did. I didn’t like it but then I would have moments of surprise where I felt like I was getting it. For that reason, I give it a two.
Lead vocals are awful, but everything else was good lol
Didn't like the vocals on this album but I like the rest of the music. I was lost in the music
At its best, mildly interesting (League Moon Monkey Mix). At its worst, cringeworthy (I'm Going to Spain) and forgettable. The instrumentation really isn't bad but the vocals are terrible. Next please.
Whatever redeemable music and lyrics might be found (and there definitely seems to be some instrumental skill here) are utterly drowned by E. Smith's incongruous, drawling, rambly, perfunctory nonsinging. I mean seriously, what the fuck is he on about?
Ladybird
Clearly, this is NOT the right album by The Fall to select for such a list. To me, that would be *This Nation's Saving Grace*. Or possibly *Hex Enduction Hour* or *Perverted By Language*--at least if you're not afraid of noisy experimentation also showing a lot of heart. Or it could even be a later LP, such as *The Real New Fall LP - Formerly Country On The Click*, whose overall melodicism make it a better candidate as a postpunk "mock-pop" album in the band's extensive catalogue. Admittedly, with such a prolific output from such an idiosyncratic project, it's hard to pinpoint what should be considered "essential" in the long run in The Fall's discography. Its leader and mastermind Mark E. Smith even made fun out of that situation once in a while. Some cuts in this 1993 LP still display the peculiar subversive sparks this band will always be associated with, especially on "Glam-Racket", " It's A Curse" and "Paranoia Man In Cheap S**t Room". Smith didn't sell his soul to the devil to make this record. He merely rented it for a year or two. Who else but him could make such a benificial bargain with the man in black himself? The thing is, c'mon, let's be serious for one little second. Decades later, *The Infotainment Scam* can't be considered as effective as those other grittier-yet-more-impassioned releases I've mentioned earlier. The cheesy synth-laden dance music shenanigans on it have aged like milk, and if Mark E. Smith's contrarian personality is indeed aptly conveyed through this relelase (as it is in most The Fall albums I've had the opportunity to listen to), this record doesn't profit from Smith's antics enough to provide truly timeless stuff on a purely musical level. It rather remains stuck to the clichés of its Cool Britannia era behind the oh-so-convenient self-conscious layers of irony. The Fall were never better than when they didn't give a rat's ass about fashions and trends. And it seems to me that Mark E. Smith did care a little too much about all that on that particular album, even if it was mostly to make fun of himself and his audience. By the way... Anyone in the possession of at least one partially functioning ear should be able to go further than 81 albums on this app. *This* is for the smart-ass reviewer thinking he's better than everyone else in this section (I guess he's a bloke--he's gotta be, right?). Doesn't matter if that person left the premises long ago now, I still think he should be ridiculed. The problem when you play the "contrarian" card too much is that you never know who can be even *more* contrarian than you. 2/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums". 7/10 for more general purposes (5+2). Number of albums left to review: 153 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 365 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 214 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 272 (including this one)
I enjoy the music quite a bit. I fucking hate the vocals. Nothing is less cool than people who don't show excitement and passion in their life. Being "too cool" too get hype is an immediate dismissal for me. Mark E Smith spends this whole record feeling this way. I can't stand it. And it annoys me even more because he is ruining solid music.
We did not have a good time with this one. Bleh.
just nonsense
Not really sure what to make of this album. It was incredibly off the wall and alternative but not in a fun way. This was like it was trying to be different but didn’t think of it should be worth listening to. Well besides whoever made this list. Another mediocre album here. 4.0/10
not sure what to say about this one really. I didn't love it but also didn't hate it. Nothing on this album I would listen to again though.
I really did not enjoy this album, I know the chaos is part of the experience, yet I couldn’t connect at all.
As far as I can tell, "post-punk" basically means 80s-era bands throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Some of it works beautifully, some it is trash, but most of it (like this album) oscillates between "weirdly compelling" and "unpleasant to the ears".
Wat een maffe band, en vooral frontman. De muziek is heel down to earth, maar te gelijke tijd totaal abnormaal. Uniek wat dat betreft. Mark E. Smith is een unlikely hero voor een hoop van onze favoriete bands van vandaag de dag, en is een sleutelfiguur in de totstandkoming van dance rock. Het is early dance punk onder een dikke laag gravy. Britpop voor de lefties. Hoe vaak hebben jullie tijdens het luisteren gedacht aan LCD Soundsystem, bijvoorbeeld? 'It's a Curse' is de blauwdruk waarmee James Murphy de New Yorkse dansvloeren begin deze eeuw vulde. De plaat maakt een bijzondere transitie door, van disco-achtige tunes via industriële punk naar heuse Madchester house. Dit is én het leuke aan dit album, en direct een valkuil. Het karakter - dat van hot naar her - toont veelzijdigheid, maar ook rommeligheid. Ik vond het moeilijk om er echt lekker in te komen, zoals dat bij eerdere albums van ze makkelijker gaat. Wat alles bij elkaar houdt is de bezopen stem van Mark, en dat zegt alles. Enkele pareltjes heeft deze lelijke oester wel te bieden, met de onverwachtse cover van 'Lost in Music', de jangle poppy 'I'm Going to Spain', en de dansplaat 'Service'. Maar toch voelt het te veel als een op hol geslagen jukebox. Wat niet altijd een minpunt hoeft te zijn, maar in dit geval komt het een gehele luisterbeurt niet ten goede. 6,5/10 Highlights: Lost in Music I'm Going to Spain Service
Na 3 dagen op rij 4 sterren ben ik natuurlijk heel benieuwd of de streak doorgaat! Nou nee... Heb je ooit gedacht 'Leuk nummer dat Lost in Music van Sister Sledge, maar ik ben liever depressief tijdens het luisteren daarnaar' nou dan heb ik dé cover voor jou hoor! Waarom iemand die cover zou willen? Weet ik veel. Misschien is iemand zo punk dat diegene het origineel niet kent? Het nummer is hartstikke leuk, maar er is geen enkel universum waar ik er voor zou kiezen om de versie van The Fall te luisteren ipv elke andere versie. Maarja, das Punk/rock muziek he, matige muziek en dan maar zeggen dat het anti-establishment is. Ofzo. FAVO: Its a curse? Als die zanger tenminste eens zn bek houdt. (Geld voor alle nummers eigenlijk, muzikaal is het best wel nice, maar die zanger is echt een fucking drama...)
I really like The Fall, but this album is far from essential.
It would be necessary to produce an ultra-substantial doctoral thesis to convince me that this album has any importance in the history of music.
A bloke with an annoying voice talking over okayish guitar sounds.
Rock dance alternativo. Machacón. No me ha gustado. Un 2.
Interesting. I liked it at first, then two songs in I realized it sounded like a really good band with an awful front man. I looked him up and he sang in a UK dialect I can't understand. No wonder I had no interest in the lyrics. Sigh. This band has been around for a really long time and the front man fired over 60 people. Smith was prolific, if nothing else.
There was some pretty decent instrumentation throughout this album, but those vocals are killer. I can't believe I managed to sit through the whole album of that.
Man, I do not like this guy's singing at all. I do really like the general style, but I can't commit to completely listening, because his voice is so bad and off putting. I honestly think I would love this album if it wasn't for the singer. The guitar, drums, and bass are all excellent. The last song on the album is stinky poo poo, though.
A little more blah than most.
If I didn't know any better, and would really believe that this is one of the best albums the 90s had to offer, I wouldn't touch that decade with a 10 feet pole. 1.5/5
Why is this on the list?
Not really that great.
Eh, not really my thing. A little avant-garde.
However this album sounds, the cover is terrible. I like the ragged edges of this album but none of it took me in.
There's some good stuff on this album; some catchy riffs and fun elements here and there, but I cannot get past the vocals. The kinda spoken-word singing is off putting to me at best and annoying at worst. 2/5
Thoughts before listening: Well this is a first, back to back albums by the same band. I just reviewed the Fall's first album and I found it to be pretty meh. A few good tracks but mostly atonal music with Mark E Smith talk singing over it. Maybe this will be better? It seems like the Fall added some dance sounds to their repertoire later in their career so perhaps that will be reflected on this album. Review: Okay, this is certainly better than the first album, but I just don't think the Fall is for me. For the most part talk singing isn't my thing, and that seems to be Mark E Smith's specialty. This is not the dance inspired music I was expecting (apparently that was a late 80s thing for the band), with the music here definitely having a bit more tunefulness from the first album. This is still very repetitive with songs that don't really go anywhere though. As I said, it's a little better than the first album, but it's still 2-stars for me.
Decent early electronic beats, then just some guy saying random things over it
It’s interesting what becomes popular in the UK. This reminds me of PIL. Some tracks have good grooves, but I’m not sure what Mark E Smith’s vocals/lyrics bring to the table, and yet he’s the only person who’s been part of the band the whole time. Each track did not necessarily make me want to hear the next song. 2/5
Reviews are right. The vocals ruin it, but the backing musicians aren't bad. Not much to add to that.
Uninteresting punk
May have felt experimental when it came out, but the mix of punk and electronic felt disjointed to me.
En nyt ymmärrä, miksi tää pitäis kuunnella. Pitkäaikaisen bändin näytteenä just ton ajan musiikista? Eli peli- tai toimintaleffamaista äänimaailmaa ja outoilua rockissa. En saa mitään irti
According to Wikipedia, “bassist Steve Hanley, whose melodic, circular bass lines are widely credited with shaping the band's sound.” What Wikipedia doesn’t say is that singer Mark Smith is what ruins The Fall.
Not for me.
Mark E Smith cannot sing. The music is interesting.
I like the music, but I cannot stand the singer. he-uh adds-uh this-uh after-uh every-uh word-uh
I got through a few songs but I just did not have the patience to listen to the whole thing today. Not the worst music I have heard on this list but not far off.
An otherwise interesting album with complex and skillfully performed instrumentals is ruined by a drunk man rambling over the top of it.
It's just not for me, but the musical skill set is nice.
Some of backing is so good, but that affected, atonal, wankerism is just wrong. It's even worse when he attempts to sing. Then it's just baaaaaadddd karaoke.
I didn't feel like anything stood out as objectively good on this album. It was very difficult to understand the lyrics and the singer didn't quite sing. It was a typical punk/rock/electro style, but I felt it lacked dynamics sonically and lyrically was pretty shallow. Really not too much redeeming here.
Rock dance alternativo. Machacón. No me ha gustado. Un 2.
This was my first album from an artist I had never heard of or knew anything about. I have it a full listen and while there was nothing outwardly BAD about the music, there was nothing special or even good about it either. It was all very samey, somewhat decent Brit rock but I could never also figure out what it wanted to be. It had some various influencer but felt very much like a tweener genre that never actually sounded like anything in particular.
Eh it's okay, some okay songs here n there. A bit wierd but I like the vibe. Okay songs, nothing to special
Just not that good. I like the instrumentals time to time but that’s about it.
eh. Why Are People Grudgeful is about the only track I was into.
This book/list is too British
While listening to this album, I spent the entire time irritated that the vocalist kept making noises with his mouth. Sorry dude, whatever it is you were trying to say did not resonate with me at all. If this album was instrumental, hands down this would be a four or five to me. There's clearly some really skilled musicians in this band, but I cannot take listening to this again. The album should get a one star rating from me, because I have zero interest in ever listening to it again. However, because the background sounds (aka, everything drowned out by the vocal track) are so good I'm going to take pity and give it an extra star for them.
I am not sure why British mumblers irritate me, but I also don't care. I struggled to get through this, and while I can hear the likely influences on The Libertines, I just didn't get the same pizzazz.
naja
Inget speciellt, ganska perus rämpytystä. Påminner mig ibland lite av Talking Heads
Not for me
Not my favourite discovery of the 1001. Kinda like getting tinea from the public showers, probably better without it.
I've got to say, I didn't like this album. Too flat, too low energy, if you hadn't told me the year it was from, I'd have guessed it was 10 years older - stale before its time.
Ok
Meh. At first I was like okay maybe this could be interesting and then I was like okay well it's just this. I completely understand why it's on this list it's just not my thing.
It's alright, enjoyed some songs but not gonna look into them much more. The person who made this list sure likes any UK Post punk. Will I listen to again: 5%
The spotify link takes you to a 2 hour reissue instead of the 40 something minute long original album. Were it not for that, I might have rated this higher
d lieder wos wückli singed sind no nice, aber s rede während de musig isch nid so de hammer 2.5/5
hans nöd würkli gfühlt
Sometimes too much talking when there had great opportunities to sing. Some Interesting Song but as a whole it was one of the weaker albums
Het klonk nogal verveeld met momenten
It was alright, very repetitive music though Top tracks: Ladybird (Green Grass)
It is recognisable as The Fall through the vocals and drumming but the thrill of their raw early work is not there.
IDK what's special here
#48. This sounds like the last gasp of a dying has-been band. I had never heard of them before this list, so honestly I have no idea if they were an ever-been, let alone a has-been, but that what it seems like to me. Not outright terrible, but also not something I really have any desire to listen to again. 2/5: meh
Favorite songs: I'm Going to Spain; Service Interesting band. Felt like a good intro. Not particularly my style, but not as bothersome as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Not in the mood
I liked Lost in Music. Rest was not for me.
Tylsä
This is one of those albums that makes the list seem a lot harder. 2 hours of music, many songs which have been listened to less than 10,000 times on Spotify. And this is top 1000 album all time, why?
Although the band had some great rhythm, I did not enjoy the vocalist in this album. It feels like they were rambling most of the time. I only liked a couple of songs. Favorite Song(s): "Glam-Racket", "Past Gone Mad", "Lost in Music"
*shrug* if you say so
This did nothing for me. It's not good, it's not bad, it's just there and I didn't care. Pretty much how I've always felt about The Fall.
I love the idea of this album. Execution was mediocre
Didn't hit. Wrong day for me with it maybe.
Vocals kill it
Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room
This band is what I imagine it would sound like if someone in the early 2000's traveled 10 years back in time to sing karaoke to LCD Soundsystem in the style of a drunk Townes van Zandt.
Je me souviens plus de quoi il s'agissait mais je suis de mauvaise humeur alors ce sera 2
This Nation's Saving Grace was one of the better discoveries I made on the generator so far, but despite that I was still a little surprised to see a second album from The Fall, especially one released in the 90's. As I had feared, this work failed to live up to what I had heard from them thus far. To put it into even more context, this album came out the same year as In Utero and 36 Chambers. That said, despite sounding dated, tired, and dare I say complacent, there are enough interesting melodies and riffs and bass lines to keep me from writing it off completely. 2 bald-headed men out of 5 👨🦲👨🦲
Forgettable, didn't really like it.
If you're going to make your album 2 hours long,I (perhaps incorrectly) expect it to be able to listen to it idly in the background. This one proved too challenging for me to do so I'll be interested to read what the book has to say about this one.
"i love music so much, my off-key singing is exactly where i want to be, and if it sounds bad to you, that's your problem, man"
This album sounds as though a good song was being done on karaoke by an atrocious and drunk singer. The production isn’t stellar, but the instrumentation and arrangements are fine. Didn’t hate them, but I did and do hate whatever style you’d call the vocals. Not fun. 2/5
Musically, it was great. Lyrically and vocally? Wtaf. The first third of the album I spent wondering why the dude didn't just sing, then I found out that he can sing, just not well. Then the rest of the album I was nostalgic for the one song that was sung. Great instrumentals with random, mushmouth, stream-of-consciousness ramblings laid over.
Strange, lead singer's voice reminds me of Lou Reed.
started out strong then idk where the fuck it went towards the end
I'm being generous with a 2
This could have been a good post-punk album if literally anybody else sang it. This guy is even worse than Loud Reed. I hate Lou Reed. The bonus tracks are awful. Favorite song: Glam-racket
Creative
The Fall have always passed me by. This doesn't change that.
The Fall flirt with industrial. I feel like the genre suits them well, with Mark E. Smith's flat delivery. The Fall, however, continue to elude me; some songs drag on a bit past their welcome, and when it's one repeated stanza over and over again, it grates. Favorite track: "Past Gone Mad"
Didn't like it ... 2 stars
2/5
Nothing about this was one bit memorable, I mostly forgot there was even music on.
Didn’t really like this at all.I didn’t like this guys vocals and the songs weren’t catchy.The instrumental was inspiring.Not great at all.
Eh
Cool riffs, cool drumming, terrible production. I wish the vocals were a little less apathetic, it sounds like the singer is trying really hard to sound like he isn't trying hard. God damn "I'm going to Spain" sounds so bad. It's like outsider music without the intrigue. I'm trying to find something that I don't dislike and the lyrics are pretty bad as well. Didn't love this. "Service" and "A Past Gone Mad" are two tracks that were cool to me but I didn't like much else.
Meh
this album is a tragedy because while the band is killing it, the singer is trying to kill me. the voice is terribly monotonous with little to no musicality, and the lyrics are bland as well. such a shame to waste the band's talents on this album, without them this would be a 1
Nope. The “preacher speak” killed it. Everything-uh was spoken-uh like this-uh! The entire-uh album-uh was done this-uh way. Musicians were good, some of the tracks were ok minus the vocals-uh. Maybe a 2.5 at best. And thats very generous.
This band sucks. Just boring alternative British garbage that in truth, no one apart from the author of this book would ever care about. Yet this is the 3rd album here. Seriously, fuck off already. 2/5.
Listening to this album I was faced with many questions. Why does this band have more than one entry on this list? Why do the first few songs sound like if Pavement was mediocre? Why do the rest sound like the Talking Heads were being tortured? Why am I listening to this? Will I ever escape? Is Robert Dimery a psychopath? We’ll never know the answers to these questions. But I do know that I will not be listening to this album again.
Every track sounded the same
I’m not sure what is special about this but Kollaps gave me a whole new meaning of a 1 rating.
Ok album, this is my third from the Fall in this list. It was ok, I really find the spoken vocals to be not my thing. A two at most, didn’t want to give it even a second listen
The backing music was great. The vocals were meh for me. I just don't get UK music many times i think. But really enjoyed the beats.
A lot of talk-sing-ing, but not in a good Cake way. A little house music/dance music feel to some songs. Not offensive, not memorable.
I want to think, that it is 1993 and this is a breakthrough album in its genre. But honestly I can't hear through all the "recitation".
I reserve 1s for the absolute worst things like Kid Rock and that noise metal thing that was a hate crime. This is awful. There isn't anything worthwhile about it, but I still feel like I will give it a 2. Just a boring and worthless album.
Each song drags on and the talking vocals and repetitive undynamic monotone drumming make it truly unbearable.
Started out as a decent new wave album but as the album went on and the electronic dance music was unnecessarily added, my impression of it decreased
2 If you’ve ever wanted to listen to a drunk British dude’s impression of Iggy Pop, then this is probably the album for you. Unfortunately, this isn’t nearly as interesting as anything that the former-Stooge has ever put out - this is like if Iggy decided to make a career out of being a dancer instead of a punk. Like, was this an alternative rock record or a dance record? I’m not against cross-genre fusion by any means, but it didn’t work for me here. And then combined with this guy’s voice… Look, I’m not normally picky about vocals, but man I feel like I’m listening to karaoke from a guy who’s about to be cut off at the pub. It never feels like he’s giving any more than maybe like 60% effort max, and for a studio recording, my guy was noticeably struggling to hit some of the notes (I’m Going to Spain was especially bad). Not much else jumped out at me, except for maybe The League of Bald-Headed Men, but mostly because I read beforehand that it was accused of ripping off Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin. Personally, I think it’s a coincidence, but I can definitely hear it. Not much else to say on this one. I didn’t hate it, but I don’t see myself coming back to it.
I'm 161 days into this and, so far, I keep coming back to the same conclusion. A list of 1,001 albums is too long to be a quality list. We end up with a lot of duds, like this one. There are much better albums out there, but the almighty listmaker didn't want to include multiples from bands that are popular, I assume because they're afraid of being seen as cliché. Somebody needs to whittle this list down to a solid 500.
Some of the worst singing ever. Imagine being a bandmate and you've practiced your craft playing guitar or drums, and then this shmuck gets on the mic and starts mumbling nonsense. Also a 2 hour album. All that "singing" and nothing to say. 4/10
La verdad no me gustó mucho, si bien los temas que se acercan más al rock estuvieron bien, en otros los efectos me hacían pensar que estaba escuchando el soundtrack de Matrix o algo asi
Mark E. Smith sjunger ju inget vidare.
Not a Fall period that I like
4/10. Not much fun to listen to. I like that there was a song about going to Spain though
Music was mediocre but the vocals really turned me off. 4/10
The singer sounds like he's 2/3 the way through the cheapest bottle of off brand vodka he could find with the loose change he found in-between the cushions of the couch in the half way house he now resides after doing a 12 month stint in jail for being caught masturbating in front of a 83 year old lady named Doris pissed off his gourd with a urine stain down the front of his trousers.
Meandering and clumbsy sounding. The final track was a minor, pyrrhic victory.
I'm not entirely sure what this is, but I'm sure that I don't care for it.
Rough rough late new wave
With Mark Smith being the only truely consistent member of The Fall, you'll find they're never quite the same band that they were a few years prior. The Infotainment Scan, compared to Saving Grace or Witch Trials, is muhc more dance-focused while still maintaining the general personality through Smith. Unfortunately there have been better 90's dance albums made. This one felt like it came and went with no real impact upon hearing it. At least Light / Fireworks made for an interesting closer.
I couldn’t take the awful singing. If you could call it singing. The music was fine.
Weird album.
I appreciate it, I just don't get it
Two hours and six minutes? Cut it down to 40 and I would have been good with three stars but it just was too much. Some good songs but nothing I’m rushing back to listen to.
Well, this album couldn't end soon enough for me. I didn't dig the vocal stylings and it was a tedious task to listen today.
Way too long
Nicht mein Fall.
Not a fan of this one
Yeah this is just the kind of incoherent mumbling that really brings the whole album down. Music good but i can’t give this more than 2/5
Why so many covers? Not for me I’m afraid. Plus, I’m on team Riley….
It got annoying after a bit.
Not a fan. Some of the vocals were okay some of the time, but a whole album of this was too much.
Just skimmed
had potential, but ruined it.
Some Tracks have potential, but potential alone doensn't make them good...
these last few albums have not been good
First unknown entity to me in this project, so I was excited about this one. There are some cool grooves going on here but the vocals are just weird. A bit like Pavement at times, but not in a good, absurdly fun way. Just some dude vibing over the music like he’s trying to decide how the real vocals should sound later. Except the real vocals never get recorded. I might like this as an instrumental.
Rochdale's finest? I hope not. It's massively disappointing to me. The Lost in Music cover sounds like they are taking the piss out of everyone.
ta raro
You know an album that you never heard of is British 90s pop/indie just by seeing the cover pop up. The Fall's 'The Infotainment Scan' is a great example of 'If at first you don't succeed, maybe try 14 more times…" The Infotainment Scan is an okay album. I've never heard it before and this period is when I was at my prime new music listening. It's not a great album and it surely is not something that you definitely need to hear before you die. 2/5.
2, this was ok
Mark E. Smiths delivery isn't for me. The input from other band members is clear as there's some great music on this. I don't really know how to rate it
It's interesting. Cool sounds. Not a fan of their vibes though. Might need context to appreciate them.
Wasn’t that good. Pretty annoying.
The singer is not doing it for me at all.
I'm going to cut and paste from the review I gave this band for the another of their albums......... awful..... when you think about what is missing from this list, you wonder how on earth albums like this got on it.......
This is decent. The other to albums I've gotten by the Fall were instant 1's. This juuuust gets to a 2
The instrumentals are decent, but vocals are very bad and unpleasant
This album has little to no direction, which understandably can be a draw for some listeners who revel in the aimlessness. The lyrics have a punk feeling to them, saying a lot of things without really saying anything unless a poser you were not. At first glance, the album title appeared to be "The Infotainment Scam" which would be apropos, as this album was neither info rich or entertaining. Musically, the album has a lot of groovy moments, the kind that says the album should be enjoyable but the lyrics and lack of resolution get old really quick. "Service" has a distinct and nice groove, but it never veers from that. It stays there while the vocalist seemingly just ad-libs. A hidden gem, perhaps, in "A Past Gone Mad" where a higher energy is reminiscent of future sounds from the Crystal Method and even Moby. The album has few merits but not enough to earn a higher score in this review.
This was a bit fatiguing to listen to. I generally like The Fall (I think?) but I could do without this one for the most part. Not terrible, but to be that guy: the old stuff is better.
Because this list is so british-centric I'm getting this band for the 3rd time already and I don't understand why. The birits are really hurting my 90s decade score as well which is getting rather annoying. The fall 3 times yet no Tool? No tragically hip?? C'mon!
This list's maker obviously loves The Fall much more than the general public does, given this is 3rd album from The Fall that I'm getting here. My verdict is similar to the previous two occasions: The Fall's music is very far from being able to hold me interested for an album's entire duration. And as before, I fail to see what's so special about it.
Hier kon ik zeer weinig mee.
Nee, doe maar niet. Bijna vals ook.
Bizarre stuff. The band are playing alright, but the vocalist is just running a one-trick-pony thing over the whole album. This band may have been his baby, but it baffles me that some record execs back in the day heard this album and decided to invest money and time into it. Heard it, will never listen to it again.
terrible
Jesu ovo napravili oni pijanci koji su uvijek na glavnom kolodvoru? Ima neke zanimljive produkcije i instrumentala al mi je ostatak jako iritantan
Think this would be good in small doses or for those trying hard to be cool, as it is, just listening to it for music I did not enjoy.
2/5 nothing interesting
Not for me. The singer’s voice was wack. The music was fine but not that interesting. Lot more electronic sounding than I thought it was going to be.
Does this guy ever actually sing or just talk into the mic the whole time?
2/5
I imagine this is some sort of insane popular fad music from the 90s in England. For me, it’s awful.
Idk maybe with a closer listen I’d like more. Seems promising but 2/5 on first run
Didn't love this album. Thought it was just okay.
I didn't Know this band. It's not bad but it's not the kind of music I heard.
03/08/22
bit on the mad side, liked some of it but went on far too long
Horrible singing. Great bass.
First Listen. I really enjoyed the Fall's, "Live at the Witch Trials" album so I was looking forward to this one. It didn't really grab my attention on this listen. 2/5
It's ok with me if you like it. I don't especially. But I can see why you do.
Weird
Rating: 5/10 Best songs: I’m going to Spain
Hummmm. Uh. If “most accessible of their umpteen albums” is the reason to put it on the list, then does it need to be on the list?
Decidedly average
it's a cœur-SUHH
Not much to say here. Okay music, nothing too special. I did really like "Light/Fireworks" which was so different that I thought I had started a new album. Just not much here for me. Favorite tracks: Light/Fireworks, It's a Curse. Album art: A cool design, but the picture comes up blurry here and on Apple Music. I doubt it's intentional, but the album didn't really pop for me so maybe a little blur makes sense. 2.5/5
4/10
nah, gave up
Not a fan of this at all. Its the speaking-music type style. Not always a bad thing but I just didnt feel it with this one
Wow for a band to have their 15th (!) album in the top 1001 albums either some of their other stuff juuuust missed out or it wasn't that good to begin with. The Fall's 'The Infotainment Scan' is reminiscent of early to mid 90s alt rock with house/dance undertones throughout. It has a very abrupt, poetry style to the lyrical content of the album. Overall an ok listen. Best: Ladybird (Green Grass) Worst: Light/Fireworks 2.5 Stars NOTE: Spotify had the double disc version of the album. I only listened to the first disc as it would have been released on CD at the time.
I've never managed to get into the Fall. It's not that I don't like, I just don't see what the fuss is about. Mostly sounded the same to me. Also, Mark E. Smith seemed like a twat and was really horrible to Adam and Joe when he was on the Adam and Joe Show.
No coherence, this seems to be a running trend in most of the albums I don't like. They tend to be less albums and more strings of songs.
Ok not gonna lie -- this was another TOUGH one for me. I am sure they were influential and have a unique sound, but to me it sounded like a far worse, more repetitive version of like the Talking Heads (which I like). Not a keeper for me. Looking forward to the next.
Well, I really don't like this guy's voice.
Don't care for it. I feel like other bands do it better. The music is nice, but I'm probably never listening to this again.
I can see how this is important, but I didn’t like it
Screams to be bumped off the list for something more deserving. Some of it's decent, like Glam-Racket and I'm Going To Spain. The album does get somewhat better as it goes along. I can't help but think I'd have a more favorable opinion with a different vocalist. Maybe it'll improve on repeat listens, but I currently have no desire to listen to it again. Actual rating is 2.5.
Most accessible of The Fall albums. I like the instruments and music direction, but geesh those vocals hurt. Every damn song. Almost ruins the experience but it does remind me of shoegaze vocals (only clearer) so I can bear through it.
idgi
Has a vibe, but very weird overall. Every track is mostly repetitive (sometimes spoken) vocals with uninteresting riffs in the background. I typically like early punk but I wasn’t a fan of this album.
Kind of strange rock and roll. A little talky and not very singy. Not a huge fan.
Seems these guys are a shadow of the punk genre...not very good
A few good tracks, although I have taken off a star after learning they are covers! Not sure it was the best introduction to the Fall, if such thing exists.
Pretty Eh.
This was something for sure
This one was also pretty weird and just pretty uncomfortable to listen to. There were some interesting parts and parts I liked, such as the guitars on Paranoia Man. But on the whole, I was glad when it was over.
I just listened to this as background music while distracted. Generally speaking I wasn't a big fan.
Only listened to a few songs, it was okay.
Wierd, not really good wierd.
meh
A bit difficult to understand, but typical of brit pop back in the day. Also a bit too experimental in some places.
what?
The music is actually well done and I've definitely gotten into the groove on It's A Curse and Glam-Racket. Unfortunately i really don't like the lead singers mumble-talk delivery on these tracks. Not really that enjoyable.
The only thing that saved this from a 1 star was the instruments
Meh
Weird stuff, couldn't get into it at all.
no more The Fall.. dear god.. ick
The vocalist sounds kinda drunk. I like the instrumentation, but not the singer as much.
feels dated, very 90s. i dont think this aged very well, or is remarkable in any way.
Very eccentric brit pop rock, unique but ultimately unsatisfying
Every Fall album is different. Every Fall album is the same.
Overly aggressive
another shit album
Robert Smith had been in a good mood, listened to a lot of billy idol and got sloppy drunk.
Vocals are a bit meh
First song is reminding me of fitness gram pacer test. Other songs sound like davy jones from pirates of the Caribbean.
God I hated this. Truly awful singing, and I spent every track hoping it was the last one on the album
Something singing in another language? Maybe the title it must to be "1001 albums from EU and Great Britain"
If you like bad music and even worse vocals you are probably loving this album. For me it is 1 star or F.
OK so we have no Tool Harry Belafonte Chuck Berry Cranberries Deftones Mos Def Neil Diamond It's missing albums like Last Splash, ATLiens, Thick as a Brick and Paid in full. Yet we have this. I'm not sure historically if it's relevant, I've never heard of them before. Having listened to the album I'm really starting to be tired of this. This is not an album that is good, it's boring. It's not offering anything. Maybe it was someone's favorite band and they won a dozen awards and thanked The Fall. Somehow I doubt it. This is just a lame album, and for it to be a double album?! Come one now. If it were a concept sure I could understand that, like the 69 love songs. Yeah it's too long but that was partially the point. What is the point of this? It's not entertaining, informative, or fun. At no point while listening did I feel the urge to dance or sing along. It's joyless. Go listen to something that makes you feel something, don't waste your time on this.
Wow! This is terrible. I mean the production sounds like it was from a mediocre studio a decade earlier. Those vocals. Holy crap. There's lazy and phoned-in then there's this! I feel embarrassed for the rest of the band who actually sound like they put some effort into it. I'm not feeling generous on this one. 1 Star
don't get the love for this one
wow. i hate this. i'm actually kind of surprised by how much i hate this
Really cool sound unfortunately tarnished-ah by-ah whatever-ah this-ah is-ah
ok
Absolutely fucking not. This is the kind of shit only men can get away with.
insufrible, una reverenda mierda ZZZZZZZZ
1 canta para el culo
I just listened to this and I can’t remember a thing I heard
not really a fan of this. the number of artists who think they can drop 10 four or five minute songs in a row is too damn high. also what the fuck are these vocals? paranoia--i think this is giving me paranoia. which is not really what i want to get out of listening to music. i can't finish this 1/5
Yuck. Could not make it through one song. Zero stars
I really don't like this at all... :-(
If the primary appeal of the songs are the lyrics it'd be nice to have someone who is good at singing in your band. Or, failing that, someone who is intelligible.
Can’t stand the singing, made me very irritable this morning. But enjoyed the rest of the band when he wasn’t s singing
Couldn't listen to it. His voice is terrible.
This is a weird singing style, its like yelling random stuff but there's music? Best song: I'm Going To Spain
I guess it’s punk rock. Not sure. Not impressed with the music.
1.5 - not a fan