Live At The Witch Trials

On my first listen, I approached with caution after hearing about The Fall's thorny and abrasive reputation. I enjoyed "Frightened", and then spent the rest of it trying to decipher Mark E Smith's incendiary rants. On my second listen, I started to lose hope that I'd find anything rewarding in "Live at the Witch Trials". It was initially intriguing, but quickly wearisome and seemed more like something to appreciate at arm's length. But then, on my third listen, I was suddenly confronted by the stench of sausage meat, docklands debris, dusty paperbacks and fermented whiskey. I turned round to see the ghost of Mark E Smith, hunched in the doorway and scowling at the books on my shelf. He had absolutely nothing to say to me, but I thought I'd better make conversation. I let him know I was listening to "Live at the Witch Trials" and struggling to enjoy any of it. "Why are you pissing away your time listening to something you haven't the brains or the balls for?" "Well, it's part of this online album generator, it's in the book of 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die". "I always hated those fucking books. Imagine having to be told what to listen to- does this Robert Dimery bloke tell you how to get dressed or wank yourself off as well? Anyway, who the fuck would bother with all that nonsense? I can tell you now that the whole list will invariably be total shite." I steeled myself and pressed on. Told him I couldn’t really connect with the album's format. It degenerated into repetitive, one-note ranting, was poorly produced, had no display of musical skill, and was hindered rather than helped by its "recorded-in-one-day" slapdash feel. He rolled his ghostly eyes to the back of his ghostly head and said I reminded him of all the bum-boys at NME. After some more staggered back-and-forth, I thought I should try and look for common ground. "Do you want to hear what I have given five stars?" "Not really." "The Smiths- The Queen Is Dead." "Never could stand them. Pseudo-intellectual snivelly pap." "Pavement- Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain." "Those rip-off twats have never had an original fart, never mind a song." "The Beatles- Abbey Road." "What the fuck is this, 'Music To Be Breastfed To'?" I gave up after that. He did a very deep sigh, and reached for a swig of my beer but just poured it onto the carpet ("I'm always doing that", he said). He told me he really didn't care what I - or anyone on this website, for that matter - thought. He told me that we were all insignificant to him, he's a legend and we never will be, that if I didn't get it and would prefer to listen to The Beatles it's my fault, not his. So, all things considered, I don't feel remotely bad giving this two stars. Sometimes infamy and reputation just can't account for personal preference.

If you're not in the mood, this is just a drunkard singing pub songs. But i'm always in the mood, and when you are, this is one of the most most clever artist. Those bass-lines are proper good. It has a perfect mix of the madchester funkyness mixed with post punk. RIP.

Close to what I like but not exactly

We are the Fall Northern white crap that talks back We are not black. Tall. No boxes for us. Do not fuck us. We are frigid stars. We were spitting, we were snapping "Cop Out, Cop Out!" as if from heaven. PREFS: TOUT MOINS PREFS: RIEN

Bit shite and it just goes on and on

Snarling, growling, like a dog in the corner, Mark E Smith is utterly terrifying, all bark and all bite as the band make incredible post punk. I think this might be genius. I think this might be a work of art.

Easily one of the greatest album titles ever. I’m not sure it’s the best Fall record, but it’s a damn fine one and makes a for a good intro to the the band. If you like this one, check out Hex Induction Hour, which, surprisingly, isn’t on this list.

nope

My second album by The Fall in two weeks, which has put me in a strange place where I am ranting at the coffee shop and leaving strange notes for my postman. I even tried to fire my wife from the band, but she didn't know what I was talking about.

Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Innovation: 17/20 Bangers: 20/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =82 Fuckin crackin mate

A surprisingly decent, very old album. Has meaningful and cryptic lyrics with an abrasive sound throughout

I like the energy and attitude, but the songwriting just isn’t there in most cases. I could see later albums by this band really growing into something cool, but this debut just doesn’t do it for me

For a while I was waiting for traditinal songcraft to emerge from the assembled disorder of these boldly struck notes. But after spending a few moments considering the title Industrial Estate, I reckon cascading riffs, tumbling drums and vocals on the point of jumping up and running out of the room are better when only loosely connected. To borrow a phrase from Chuck Eddy, call it soundcraft.

I was introduced to The Fall by a room mate back in 1979 with this album. It is an absolutely terrific post-punk clatter of an album with Mark E Smith's vocals to the fore. I still don't think it's the best Fall album, but what a debut. I went on to buy pretty much all their albums as they were released - until Smith died in 2018. This is an essential album.

Sounded weirdly raw and tame at the same time. A pleasant surprise though. Looking up their history, they seemed to have influence a lot of good bands that I've listened to and love including B&S.

consider my tickets to salem booked

If I had to listen to this at a witch trial, I'd be on my hands and knees begging to be burnt alive even and I'm not even a witch.

The title gave me the impression that this was going to be some dark shit. Some Emperor like band the were going to flex in my face. What I got were two noisy songs that sounded like it was recorded on a karaoke machine in 1977. I'm good.

What is the algorithm playing at? Yesterday I got Sonic Youth and today The Fall. Two Peel-beloved bands with sprawling discographies that I like but who are perhaps both best consumed in small doses. I own more Fall albums so would lean more towards them of the two though. This was their debut album so there's a sense the sound is still forming while Goo yesterday was the sound of SY hitting their stride. But you don't go to the Fall for maturity or musical complexity, the main draw is Mark E Smith's mad lyrical non-sequiters and I was surprised at just how profane he is on this. My favourite Fall song of this era Repetition is not actually on this, it was on the preceding EP but was pleased to hear it among the bonus tracks. The Fall often has great opening tracks and Frightened fits into that category.

The Fall, what can I say about them and this album? As fans say, there is no middle ground, you either get and love them or you don't and hate them. Luckily for me I have loved the Fall since I was 16. I got to hear this a few years later when I bought it from a record fair, and although it's not their best from their golden period (1979-95), it's still great. 'Frightened' is the best, and I've always had a massive soft spot for 'No Xmas for John Quays'. This is the sound of a band with limited resources and equipment making innovative music, which was a signature of their early years. MES RIP.

I don’t know how many other participants here appreciated this album, but this is an album I’ve returned to time and again - and a band whose entire discography I’ve bought a couple of times over the past three decades. While not my favorite Fall album (one of the candidates for that category would be Hex Enduction Hour) it is a solid work and a quite interesting listen. Mark E. Smith is one of the most literate and well-read lyricists in post-1976 rock music and here his vocals are clear as a bell vocally- something that would sort of devolve as the years progressed. The basic formula of the band’s sound is here - the musicians (it was rare when any Fall studio album had the exact same lineup as its preceding release) vamping repetitively behind Mark’s wordy vocals - with personnel changes frequently noticeable from album to album. Look for a version of the album that also has bonus tracks that include the band’s first two singles “Bingo Master’s Break Out” and “It’s The New Thing” plus their early John Peel Sessions.

Loved this!

Mark E Smith’s nimbus – part beer soaked carpet, part full ashtray, part fruit machine emptying sounds – hangs so heavily across my impression of The Fall that it acts as a sort of plasma wall; he’s forever stooped over a jar in a Wetherspoon’s in Salford called The Surface of Last Scattering. Just as well we’re here right now, then – ready to be reminded that there’s more to The Fall than just what can be seen through a pint glass, amber-ly. “Live at the Witch Trials” is a coy, lithe record that sort of charms you with its repeated threats of teetering – repetitious without becoming droning, atonal without becoming discordant, scuzzy without becoming sleaze. It’s always just about at the edge of itself; and while it pushes at plenty of boundaries, the songwriting, playing and togetherness keeps the record entirely on track (and “serious” too; there’s certainly plenty of humour in here, but it’s never cartoonish). It’s a cosmic blessing, I suppose, that The Fall and this record – which was almost derailed by Smith’s being taken ill – ever came into being in the first place. From nothing, a spontaneously occurring assembly of elements – then quickly thrown to opposing corners of the universe to propagate, or synthesise, or become entirely new things. Behind the plasma wall, though, they’ll forever be playing this.

Ah excellent, early Fall. My education continues. New facts emerge, you might say. None of the 'well known' Fall songs here, but all the attitude and the discord, all while haunted by the ghost of punk. Two Steps Back! We're still one step ahead o' you. Yes please. Also, great album cover. And name. Note: the 8 minutes Music Scene is cut off from the linked version but Spotify harbours a remastered version within it's vast and secretive cape, so simply search the album up for the full tracklisting. Plus bonus decent stuff like their debut EP and It's the New Thing. All good stuff.

Fabulous album , really enjoyed it x

Honestly probably the most iconic Fall album right up there with hex enduction hour and nations saving grace, maybe the number one best. 5 stars absolutely no two ways about it. If u rated it lest than 5 you are wrong and need some new ears.

Yeah I fuck with it

What a mess

Although this is not an actual live album, despite the name, it really does have a raw, live feel due to its stripped-down, low-budget production. This is definitely one of my all-time favorite post-punk albums and The Fall’s debut. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by their extensive discography, this is a great starting point. Besides the raw and gritty production and early punk elements, I love the keyboard work on this album. It adds so much texture and depth to the music, providing catchy and melodic hooks. And you can’t forget about Mark E. Smith’s vocals. When I say “singing,” I mean that very loosely. Smith is a master at delivering his vocals in the laziest way imaginable. It’s almost like spoken-word commentary mixed with humming and moaning to the music, but somehow it works perfectly. His vocal style is truly the driving force behind the band’s identity.

Abrasive, challenging, raw and so rewarding. Recorded in one day (!) in 1979 (!!) and sounds so fresh Added to my library, and set me off on an exploration of The Fall. Loved this!

Unstoppable energy. Killer rhythm section. Strong standouts like "Two Steps Back" and the album closer "Music Scennnnn-eh" really show Mark E. Smith's casual vitriol. (Find the 1979 version of this if you're new to The Fall - spotify version has 21 tracks and then bludgeons you with a second disk of live sessions. I love the lads, but that was too much even for me . . .)

On their debut release, The Fall evoke some of their post-punk peers like Public Image Limited, Wire, The Slits and The Stranglers (that electric piano, mostly) while sounding like nothing else. “Rebellious Jukebox” sounds like Gang of Four, with its runaway percussion and agile bass line combining for the album’s most tuneful track. The rest is fairly boilerplate Mark E. Smith: acerbic and inscrutable, speak-singing his weird scotch-in-the-afternoon misanthropic musings and non sequitors over music that constantly threatens to veer off the tracks.

I know of the Fall. I haven't ever really given them a list, though. Which is odd given they've released...(scrolling...scrolling)...30+(?) studio albums!? Wow. It's good post-punk fun!

Long and a bit too pretentious. It's not a bad sound, but it definitely started to get tedious about halfway through.

I am pretty sure that I don't like this album at all, but I was in a peculiar mood on my walk this morning and found myself laughing at a couple of moments that I guess I found absurd...so maybe that is a sign that there is something there. On second listen...I was right, I really don't like this album.

Live at the Witch Trials by The Fall (1979) You can add this one to the list of albums that aren’t worth taking the time to put on a list. The Fall (basically Britisher punker Mark E. Smith and his Britisher punker buddies du jour from 1979 to 2017) has made a steady living shoveling feces our way since this debut album “Live at the Witch Trials”. Pity. There’s good punk rock out there, but this ain’t it. The less said about the ‘lyrics’ and the ‘vocals’, the better. Musically, most of these tracks amount to anti-melodic discord lazily draped over an almost competent rhythm section (The drummer, you see, is afraid of his own fills). And it sounds like the entire album was recorded in one day (It was). A clue to their version of artistic seriousness is the last three lines of the closing track: “Six minutes! 6:40! Ok, studio, that’s plenty.” Now to be fair (I always try to be fair), there’s some beautiful honesty in the titles of some of the tracks (“Crap Rap 2”, “Rebellious Jukebox”, “No Xmas for John Quays [junkies, get it?]”, and “Two Steps Back”), but that’s where the beauty ends. I think I hear the witches screaming, “Either turn that crap off or light the damn fire!” But no, this is one of the 1001 albums they must hear before they die. 1/5

This album is a....no. Just no.

Hoooooorrible punklike kind of music

hated it

Nahhhh

No favourites. Least favourite album so far.

Not my thing.

yeah ok some kind of vaguely punk, art rock, anti-music sort of nonsense. you know this is music for people who like to think they "get" it, when really it just isn't very good. it's annoyingly self-referential, uses jarringly dissonant chord progressions (probably on purpose), singer just talks/yells in a grating northern English accent, presumably thinks he's telling poignant stories. 1/5 - I'd give it 2 just because it probably pre-dates black flag and doesn't drag on for an hour, but then I'd feel bad for Arcade Fire yesterday, getting lumped in with this sort of silliness.

Great debut and in the top tier of the Fall’s albums. A very unique lineup yet it still sounds instantly like them. Mark E Smith adds so much personality to the songs. The album is full of fantastic raw songs that only get better and the non album singles added on are just as great. This is definitely their punkest record. The start to my favorite band of all time. Rating: 4.9

After having to listen to a couple of duffers in a row, it was a pleasant surprise to see a second Fall album on this list. Easy 5.

Punk I've never heard. Awesome!

I LOVE the fall

This is their most unhinged and hopped up work. The Fall are frequently categorized as "post-punk" but this is really as "punk" as anything. I mean, Industrial Estate alone crystallizes everything the punks were about - anger, misspent youth, anti-establishment, anti-authority, delivered with a mocking acserbic monotone, bored , nasty, repetetive. It's 2:01. Genius.

Hell yeah! Great debut album for an import and in the wild world of music.

The mad genius and outstanding talent of Mark E Smith.

Post punk does it for me more than punk punk.

Early fall is hilarious in its shoddiness

Fabulous, as good an introduction to The Fall as you could ask for. Genesis of all the shambolic dysfunctional chaos that was to follow in the next 40-odd years, all of it magnificent in it's inimitable way.

Hell yeah wear that funny hat and put as many Fall albums on here as you like. Knew you dickheads wouldn't like this. All my previous Dimery anger is now directed to any sub 3 star loser. Up the Mark E, down with lists. That most popular review is full of it.

## In-Depth Review: The Fall - *Live At The Witch Trials* (1979) ### Overview The Fall's debut album, *Live At The Witch Trials*, released on March 16, 1979, is a landmark in post-punk history. Despite its title, it is not a live album but a studio recording completed in a single day (December 15, 1978) due to Mark E. Smith falling ill and canceling three scheduled studio days . Produced by Bob Sargeant, the album captures the band’s raw energy and establishes their signature blend of punk aggression, literary wit, and avant-garde experimentation. ### Lyrics: Cynical Rants and Social Commentary **Themes and Style**: - **Working-Class Alienation**: Tracks like "Industrial Estate" depict the grim reality of factory life with lines like *"The company air will fuck up your face"*, contrasting sharply with romanticized portrayals by contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen . - **Drug Culture**: "Frightened" (written by Smith at 16) explores speed-induced paranoia, while "No Xmas for John Quays" (a pun on "junkies") and "Underground Medecin" dissect addiction with bleak humor . - **Anti-Industry Vitriol**: The 8-minute closer "Music Scene" rails against music executives with sarcastic quips like *"Oh aye, you’re a good lad, and here’s a pound note"* . - **Existential Absurdity**: "Mother-Sister!" weaves cryptic, Oedipal imagery, while "Crap Rap 2/Like to Blow" delivers the band’s manifesto: *"We are The Fall / Northern white crap that talks back"* . Smith’s lyrics blend Mancunian slang, fragmented narratives, and biting satire, rejecting punk clichés for a more intellectual, if abrasive, approach . ### Music: Post-Punk Chaos and Innovation **Sound and Influences**: - **Genre Fusion**: The album merges punk’s rawness with Krautrock repetition ("Two Steps Back"), garage-rock organ (Yvonne Pawlett’s "twee" keyboards), and dub-inspired basslines (Marc Riley) . - **Instrumental Highlights**: Martin Bramah’s "Beefheartian" guitar work on "Mother-Sister!" and Karl Burns’ primal drumming create a claustrophobic, "schizoid" atmosphere . Tracks like "Rebellious Jukebox" feature serpentine basslines that "coil like inside-out dub" . - **Structure**: Songs eschew traditional verse-chorus formats for hypnotic riffs ("No Xmas for John Quays") and chaotic improvisation ("Music Scene"), prefiguring post-rock . ### Production: Lo-Fi Urgency **Approach and Impact**: - Recorded and mixed in under 48 hours, the production is stark and unpolished. Instruments are separated distinctly—bass, drums, and guitar occupy isolated sonic spaces—creating a tense, "edgy" sound . - **Strengths**: The immediacy captures The Fall’s live intensity, exemplified on "Frightened," where Pawlett’s keyboards and Bramah’s "smear guitar" build a "monstrous atmosphere" . - **Weaknesses**: Some tracks suffer from muddy mixing (e.g., "Live at the Witch Trials" feels undercooked at 51 seconds), and the rushed process limits dynamic range . ### Themes: Alienation and Rebellion - **Class Struggle**: The album channels working-class disillusionment, framing Northern England’s industrial decay as a backdrop for defiance . - **Anti-Conformity**: "Rebellious Jukebox" positions the band as cultural outsiders rejecting pop trends (e.g., ABBA) . - **Psychedelic Dread**: Drug narratives evoke psychological turmoil, with Smith’s vocals oscillating between sneering detachment and frantic despair . ### Influence: Blueprint for Alternative Music - **Post-Punk Foundations**: The Fall’s abrasive minimalism influenced bands like Sonic Youth (the "wall of sound" on "Frightened") and Pavement . - **Legacy**: Critics note its role in shaping gothic rock ("Before the Moon Falls" on *Dragnet*) and art-punk . The album’s inclusion in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* cements its cult status . ### Pros and Cons | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | **Lyrical originality**: Smith’s wit and social critique remain unmatched . | **Vocals divisive**: Smith’s "drunken rants" alienate some listeners . | | **Innovative sound**: Fusion of punk, Krautrock, and dub creates a unique template . | **Inconsistent production**: Rushed recording leads to uneven mixes . | | **Historical significance**: Captures post-punk’s ethos of rebellion against commercialism . | **Accessibility**: Lacks melodic hooks; challenging for newcomers . | | **Band chemistry**: Bramah’s guitar and Burns’ drums drive relentless energy . | **Underdeveloped tracks**: Short songs ("Witch Trials") feel fragmentary . | ### Conclusion *Live At The Witch Trials* is a seminal but polarizing debut. Its strengths—lyrical brilliance, sonic innovation, and raw energy—solidify The Fall’s status as post-punk pioneers. However, its lo-fi production and abrasive delivery may deter casual listeners. As Pitchfork notes, the album’s "wobbly and toxic" sound remains a defiant antidote to polished rock . For those willing to embrace its chaos, it’s a foundational text of alternative music. > **Key Takeaway**: Not a gateway album, but essential for understanding The Fall’s 40-year reign as "Northern white crap that talks back."

I don't even think I've heard of The Fall but this is awesome. Maybe my favorite album from this list yet, I've gone back to it more than any other. NO CHRISTMAS FOR JOHN QUAYS!!!

A leftfield choice but one of my favourite Fall albums. I love how weird and lo-fi it is, somehow jaunty and creepy at the same time. Also I love the classic MES weird pronunciation of the 'scene' as 'sken-eh' in Music Scene

Genius. Should be on the curriculum.

Can't believe this come out at 79, greatest discovery so far

Just so completely insane and brilliant.

Rough shod and angry, not an easy listen at all and far from their more polished ( if the Fall could ever be called polished) later work. Grows on you with each listen. Mark E. Smith was a genius

Great album. Was playing while riding to work and another cyclist complimented me on my choice of album; so I told her it was my first time with it because of 1001atltbyd lol

So unrefined, and raw. For a punk album it captures the essence quite well.

About two years ago, I found my 'in' with The Fall. It was The Infotainment Scan. I tried this, their debut years ago and couldn't get into it, but this time I loved it. Sarky, angular, and 'difficult'. But difficult meaning it's trying to push you away in a way that only gets you more interested.

Such an incredible first album by this band. Industrial Estate is probably the stand out track or maybe Music Scene is. Anyway the blueprint for just about everything I like about The Fall is here somewhere all ready and perfectly formed. Who would have known just how prolific Mark E Smith would turn out to be. I'm looking in my music collection and I have almost 70 albums by The Fall. This is a definite 5 stars.

New band to me, love it!!

How have I never heard this? Loved it, will listen again for sure. It was noisy and fun.

Love The Fall! They're prolific as hell and I don't think this is their best, but it's still great. A very biased 5 since I doubt they have many albums on the 1001.

Unmistakeably the Fall and the tones of Mark E once you get past the attitude and toneless tirade is quite mesmeric. The band is marginally better than a pub band and the production sounds like it was mixed in someone's shed. But at the end of the day it's The Fall.

never heard oof this band before but this album is most definitely going into my rotation. such a good early punk album.

cool

The Fall and McCarthy/Stereolab are the best European bands from the 80s-90s. The generator already did a Stereolab, and now we get the debut Fall album. You could argue perhaps that later Fall songs were a bit more instant-melodic (LA / Hit the North etc) depending on which of the 1000 Fall members was in the band at a certain time, but these are just epsilon-differences. Life at the Witch Trails already sounds as the definitive Fall album. 10/10

i wish i'd been in the fall. i'd probably have been booted out after a couple of weeks of taking shit form MES but still, what a badge of honour.

Non-linear as MES is, already top form, we get a brief interpolation of our normal human calendar in Christmas song. You can read in the essence of a live album, a rhythm section drowning all else out. Skeletal but wonderful.

A raucous, melodic good time. Melodies and countermelodies balance the punk aggression without muting it in the slightest.

Love the fall and love this album

nice

Unhinged, weird, but I kinda loved it in all honesty. I think I prefer this one to another The Fall album the generator gave me a month or so ago, This Nation's Saving Grace. Favourite: Mother-Sister! "-Uh, what's this song about?" "-Uh, nothin'."

The Mighty Fall! Didn't know this first album, but as good as e.g. Wonderful & Frighening World of and Kurious Oranj. Saw them live once and was amazing, Mark E Smith made sure everything rhymes by e.g. putting "Uh" after each word, my FriendsUH dont count up to one HandUH!. 5 stars!

Wow I more knew of The fall and Mark E Smith before, but damn I loved that. Raw but crucially great tunes and lyrics, middle of the album sagged a little, but was great!

All I could think while I was listening was wow, what a strong debut album. I feel like the opening lyrics to 'Mother - Sister!' really encapsulates this album in the best way. "Er, what's this thing about? Er, nothing." I feel like the artists didn't worry about hitting you over the head with a message or conforming to what might have been expected from a debut album, they just created a series of rocking songs from start to finish. Some might dismiss it as sounding like drunken rambling at times, but I think that's what makes the album special.

what a fun album, really weird style but I loved it 10/10

Rinky dink, rattley old rollercoaster Post-Punk ramblings. Pre'y good innit.

Some good early post-punk. Very raw, great and simple but effective production and the vocalist's half singing half talking approach is quite unique. Some more energy could really elevate this, because it's consistently good but rarely amazing. Still, I enjoyed it all the way through.

Never heard of this punk group was super happy I got to know this band amazing raw album

Sometimes an album will grab my fancy for reasons I can’t fully explain. Am excited to dig deeper into The Fall catalogue. It kinda feels like smart punk? I’m intrigued.

Classic and more musical than most.

Virkelig solidt punkalbum. Glædelig fredag

Yaaass

Love the name of this album. And how timely with it being October 22 today. :) Hm I like the sound of this, it's borderline punk. Thick English accent. Rebellious Jukebox reminded me of that intro song on Misfits. Yeah dude this album is cool. Heading into a 4 star review. How cool would it have been an adolescent at the height of the punk era. 4 stars.

Television-vibbar. Ganske kult

Álbum de se esperar do final da década de 70 e início da de 80. Temas anti governo e anti estabilishment. Pessoalmente curti as tracks Industrial Estate e Two Steps Back, em especial a última, descrevendo a alienação do trabalhador de uma fábrica.

I love it. Fascinating to hear where it started for The Fall. Very playful lyrically. Some really interesting instrumental parts. Amazing drumming. Yes. Good.

I liked this! Wild, fun drumming and rhythms. Manifesto-like vibes at times. Playfully insistent. A strong start for The Fall that seems to lay out their ways and intentions. I'm into it.

This rocks. Another band whose name I've known forever but never took the time to listen to until now. Great post-punk here with a weird single-finger keyboard style that sort of sits on top of everything without seeming like it's totally out of place. Reminds me of a tamer Rudimentary Peni in energy and vocal style. Interested on the rest of their catalog now.

I can see why this is polarizing, but I dug it. Underground Medecin and Futures and Pasts added to Liked Songs.

I enjoyed this, there were a few tracks I wasn’t as into, but on the whole The Fall has been a good (new to me) find through the challenge. I’m just a bit annoyed this is the third album we’ve had by them. I don’t think this album was wildly different from the last two, if I was writing the list I’d put a cap on entries by the same bands unless their style drastically changed.

I love this kind of stuff but have only gotten into it in the last few years. I feel like I've kind of missed out on a lot of real punk and post punk outside what everyone knows. It has a lot to say, its fun to listen to, it energizes you. What else do you need from music? It's not exactly complicated but that's not the point. I'll definitely be listening to some others of theirs after this one and that seems like the mark of a good album to me. I get that this is not a style of music meant to be for everyone. And that's totally fine. But why this music is more generally panned than pop country or hip hop I'll never know. 3.75/5 on this one.

Favorite tracks: Frightened, Rebellious Jukebox, Industrial Estate I enjoyed most of this album, but I don't know that it's something to write home about. The songs are fun but felt really repetitive, even for punk (or post punk? Someday I'll learn the difference). A+ work on "No Xmas for John Quays" though, I didn't realize what it was about until I googled who John Quays is

Gotta say, the synths often feel like a peculiar tack on, but they don't take away from the experience. Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable punk record. Plenty of thick bass, punchy drums, and wandering guitars. Standouts for me were Frightened, the way Mother - Sister! comes together, and Two Steps Back. Also enjoyed the jamminess of the original closer: Music Scene. All around solid. Falls in the realm of low 4 for me.