Reviews (page 3 of 7)
I had to look on Wiki to tell me the bands that cite them as an influence, but yeah now I can see the LCD Soundsystem influence for sure. I don’t really want to hear it again, but I respect the influence.
As far as punk or punk-adjacent music goes it’s not bad. A lot of the songs sound very similar but this is interesting enough to make me want to listen to their later albums.
First time listening. Love the energy. A bit long in the tooth after a while though.
It's cool to hear an early punk album like this that I otherwise wouldn't listen to
Rock ni idea
I quite like The Fall - this project has shown me how much I like Punk and Post-Punk stuff, and The Fall sit nicely in that niche for me. This album is a bit samey, however, and while I enjoyed it there is some growth for the band to come.
I’d never listened to The Fall and was ready to do it under duress as I’m a live album hater so discovering it wasn’t one was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed this but as a northern southern hating punk I enjoyed the lore more than the album so I’m hopeful more of their discography will come my way.
Seems kinda like proto-White Stripes. If Jack White wasnt influenced by this album I'd be surprised! Decent but not my cup of tea on average.
Rumors is a better album
This was a hit and miss for me
Cool. Kinda weird.
I was unfamiliar with The Fall prior to listening to the album. It’s a good album. It’s challenging in a way that it’s not straight forward. You get the post-punk/punk and it works. Songs are good and some get stuck in you head. I can understand why it’s on the list.
Gostei do sintetizador e do baterista. mas além disso não é meu estilo favorito de pos punk
I had never heard of this band or album and I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely raw, but in the best way possible. No need for gimmicks and tricks. I was even more impressed when I found out they recorded the whole album in a day. They must have really known these songs well by the time they got into the studio. Going with a 3.50/5
Some songs are good but it’s also kinda meh
Probably would have liked them more in high school… but not bad.
Ok
Astute title, I guess.
Bit punk/sloppy for me but could be my mood today
Liked the guitar!
Good but feels a bit like the fall lite.
I can be a fan of punk rock and I liked parts of this record while some of it was just not quite my taste. The album starts really strong with Frightened, but unfortunately none of the other songs are as strong as the opening track. I almost rated this a 4, but it falls just below it like a 3.8. I could see this album/band growing on me in the future and could be benefitted by repeat listens. Favorite Track - Frightened Least Favorite Track - Crap Rap 2/Like to Blow (I could have put the title track here, but that feels unfair since it is not really a song and more of a 50 second transition between songs) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Despite being a Manchester band, I've never really paid attention to The Fall. I'm obviously aware of Mark E Smith and I knew that Marc Riley was in the band briefly, including for this album. I got pretty much what I expected which was a solid if unspectacular listen. It's piqued my interest for more.
6/10 Where do you start with a band that released 31 studio albums in 38 years? Especially one that also released many part studio/part live albums, live albums, compilations, EPs and more. The first studio album seems as good a point as any. This is definitely an interesting musical step away from punk into something a bit more artsy over the more attitude-pure sound of trad punk. The rhythm section do a lot of the heavy lifting here, particularly Karl Burns on the drums, who pulls the record along with a good, varying pace that, for the most part, maintains a really good momentum. There are echoes of bands like Joy Division, The Clash and more in tone and attitude, but it doesn’t quite manage to pull itself into as completely coherent a sound as either of those bands, despite starting to show signs of an interesting musical direction. There were times when the repetition became hypnotic and effective and others where its lack of intensity lead it to become a little on the duller side. Mark E Smith certainly has a charisma and “fuck you” attitude that oozes out of every pore of the record, and you can tell almost instantly that he’s probably the kind of guy who’s fun to know, but an absolute shit heel to be friends or colleagues with. There was a rawness to the performances on this record that largely worked in its favour, with that punky DIY aesthetic imbuing the sound with a certain edge of authenticity, but it rarely edged into sloppiness, with one real exception. I feel like the keyboard player, who seemingly only played on this record for the band, has some pretty simple and fairly uninteresting lines that are sometimes given too much prominence in the mix and are also often performed pretty poorly, with timing that slips out of the scope of rawness and into the sloppy. It’s a shame really, because those lines often don’t even offer a great deal extra to the track anyway, so just chopping them out completely wouldn’t have made a lot of difference. Aside from that, I did feel that the record had the sound of a band finding their own direction and sound, so it was a fairly enjoyable taste of that journey. It did have its lulls, and drift into moments of ennui here and there, which doesn’t make me feel like this is a great album, but it’s certainly a good one and has made me interested to see where the band went next. Frightened - After starting in a slightly discordant way, this drifts into a more tonally regular sound quite quickly, but still has a little edge of weirdness to it that I like. The drums are really punchy and drive things forward, with the bass adding in some great fills at the top of its ascending line. It’s quite repetitive, but manages to offer enough variety to keep your ear busy while also building an edge of hypnotic engagement to the composition. Mark E Smith is half way between angry and dismissive and that fits really well against the insistence of the instrumental. Crap Rap 2 / Like To Blow - This takes us in way more of punk territory. It’s driven and pacy, but has a slight lag into the beat that makes it feel deliberately halting in places just to slightly disturb the flow. The keyboard part sounds a bit like the sound a car makes if you leave the door open with the ignition on, which is a bit weird. Not something to consider in 1979, but certainly a tiny bit distracting in 2026. I like it though. The band are tight and deal with that (seemingly) deliberate drop of the rhythm really nicely to add an edge of wonkiness to the sound. Rebellious Jukebox - Oof, the bass line here is quite dissonant for quite a lot of the track, which makes it a challenging listen. As a track it doesn’t quite have the range or quality of performance of the first two tracks either, and it becomes overly repetitive as a result. Luckily it’s pretty short. No Xmas For John Quays - Back to something more darkly punk. It’s menacing and intense, with the drums doing a lot to add interest and aggression to the performance. It has an edge of dissonance, but it works really well thematically here. It feels quite deranged in its composition and has that hypnotic quality to the repetition of the arrangement too. The breakdown sections give it a bit of breathing space too, which works well. Mother-Sister! - The tempo switching in this is pretty cool. It feels like it’s sinking into a repetitive flow, especially with the music having a fairly short cycle, but then they just chuck in a double speed section really briefly that throws off your ear really nicely. There’s a bit less to this, so it does become a bit too relentless by the end, but there are at least those little moments to elevate it. Industrial Estate - The sound of this is good, but it falls again into the trap of being a bit too repetitive and focused on a loop that’s just a bit too short. I think the attitude, pace and delivery of it is really good, it’s just not quite got enough going on for me to get fully engaged in it. But again, it’s short so less of a problem. Underground Medecin - The double tracked vocals in the intro are pretty cool here and then the pace and sharpness of the track proper are really good too. It’s got a punky franticness to it, but it’s clear and crisp production that works well with it. The drumming is great and there’s that edge of dissonance in there that gives it a slightly menacing edge. Pretty good stuff. Two Steps Back - This is a bit more ponderous. I quite like aspects of it, but the keyboard part feels a bit aimless and meandering, particularly as it is so prominent in the sound. It’s an interesting sound, but it feels a bit jumbled and unfocused, even rhythmically at points. It’s also too long to maintain interest, with the meandering and off-kilter approach to the composition not helping in that regard. Live At The Witch Trials - A bit of an odd interstitial track which seems a bit rambly and pseudo-intellectual. Meh. Futures And Pasts - This is based around a decent riff. It drives along nicely with some really good driving that has a tasty bit of swing to the fills. The keyboard player has an exceptionally simple line that they can’t seem to play in time, which is quite distracting. Other than that, this is a pretty good punk track. It’s got attitude and pace and it shifts in and out of its different sections really well. Can’t look past that terrible keyboard playing though. Music Scene - This is a bit of an epic. The keyboard parts are again very simple and not particularly well execute, but the rest of the band are pretty consistent. The track roams and develops quite nicely, although it could probably do a bit more with its length. It’s a tad rambly, but it works pretty well as an album closer as they take their time to drift between different ideas and let Smith’s vocal have a bit of breathing space. Still a bit too long though.
I still don't really get into The Fall. Something about their energy or delivery just doesn't work for me. I don't dislike it, it just really doesn't keep me interested so I'm happy to move on at the end of their albums I've listened to. 2.5/5
Interesting post-punk album. The use of synth was mostly excellent, although sometimes distracting. It didn't wow me, but it was a good listen.
Early Fall. Postpunk
There are some sounds in there that are beyond their time. There are ideas in there from their time
I don't think I'd ever call myself a The Fall fan. But I can see why people get really fanatical about them, and how they have been low key influential for decades. It's ramshackle, but full of energy and spit and anger and other bodily fluids. Dirty business. But enjoyable.
cva nog tbh
This was a pretty decent post punk album. It’s rough around the edges in a way that works, and it doesn’t try too hard to be polished. The attitude is what stood out the most. It reminded me a lot of the Sex Pistols or The Clash, just that sneering, slightly unhinged energy running through everything. You can tell they cared more about vibe and statement than perfection. Nothing blew me away, but it was a solid listen with some real bite.
Mid 2.5/5
"Frightened", "Mother-Sister!", "Various Times", and "Dresden Dolls" were tracks that I really liked and will listen to again. The rest......not so much. Most of the singing sounds like a cross "Peaches" by The Stranglers and if Joe Jackson forgot to take his meds. I can see where this band would have strongly inflenced a lot of British new wave (Siouxsie and the Banshees being the most evident). However, being influential doesn't automatically make your album worth listening to. These guys should have learned how to edit rather than get so caught up in themselves.
Ehhhhh
Likes: production quality is objectively rough, but very charming; atonal and erratic guitars are my jam; creamy grooves in the rhythm section; keys don’t quite match the band aesthetically, but somehow it really works for me Dislikes: vocal style isn’t my favorite; album starts really strong, but doesn’t maintain that momentum; false starts/intro jams of some tracks are better than the actual songs Overall, I was a little disappointed. Thought this was gonna be a 4 based on the first few songs, but it didn’t hold up
eh, it was interesting sorta punk, but punk is a tricky genre for me to enjoy. Sometimes it's great, but sometimes it just sounds like a guy yelling energetically and rhythmically. This album toed the line somewhere in between for me.
If they had a better singer, this could have been a four-star album but this guy gives a poor imitation of Johnny Rotten. The drummer is especially good but because of the singer I can only give it three stars.
This is a grower. In my first listen, I didn't get it. I typically enjoy this style, this humor, aesthetic, etc; all that goes into making a record like Live At The Witch Trials, but not much grabbed me. I was interested. I wanted to like The Fall. A few more listens later, and I'm starting to get it.
Interesting early fall direct basic but containing all the elements.
J'ai entendu d'autres album de the Fall que j'ai préféré. Il y a un coté un peu trop brouillon qui d'habitude, n,est pas quelque chose qui me dérange, mais là, c'est un peu trop. Je comprend que l'album a été enregistré en une journée, c'est malade, mais je pense pas que ce soit essentiel. Un 3.49!
ragaca nacnobi jgeradoba qonda bevri artistis mix. gamocdamde vusmine da tan holokosts vswavlobdi
The comparisons made with Public Image Ltd are apt. And when it comes to the music backdrop, I love it. Kind of like PIL’s Metal Box (aka Second Edition), but brighter, shinier and less brooding. Wonderful post-punk vibe. When it comes to the vocals, Mike Smith channels Johnny Lydon but for some reason I’m less forgiving. Not so interested in a derivative PIL here. It’s like, dang, the music sounds so good I’d love to see what other direction this could go. Teenage me would have loved this though. That leaves me unsure whether to round down to 3/5 or up to 4/5. I don’t know what I’ll do but by the time you read this review I will have made my choice.
Post punk. Noisy. It was fine.
I didn’t hate it. 2.5
Despite its name, not actually a live album -- although some of the same ethos remained
Kul!
Inget som kändes jättestarkt, men det övergripande soundet och en otroligt bra titel på albumet gjorde mig ändå positivt inställd till det hela.
A band with sounds that would make you guess they're from the 90s 2000s
This would probably be more enjoyable in person honestly. I think if I had been introduced in that way I would like it more. Reminds me of the show the Young Ones. Not really my cup of tea to listen while driving or working out but would definitely go see it in concert or play it as a vinyl.
Kinda reminded me of Talking Heads. Seems they were trying too hard to be outlandish. I am over that style
I would consider this record in the optional category: not an essential listen, not even by the standards of the list, but it's interesting none the less.
The spirit of uncut cantancerous spite in audio form. Wierd rhythms, staccato performances, shifting song structures, none of the parts really cohere - it's like all the parts of the album were thrown into a cement mixer and poured straight onto wax. Sounds like total shit - a terrible singer spitting out putrid verse, awful musicians using cheap keyboards and tinny amps, recorded poorly for a weak thin sound - nastiness so pure it's inspired. Grotty, rebellious, annoyed and annoying, the sound of lashing out.
The Fall is a pretty cool band! never listened before!
Hmmm….i don’t know. I don’t hate this, but I’m not sure I’m in love with it. Kinda like a prototype version of Idles. It wasn’t my thing, but one thing I found impressive is that the whole album was recorded in a day. Bands nowadays would pay big dollars and time to have a record sound like it only took a day.
Fint punk album, ret overrasket over hvor tidligt det er udgivet, virker lidt foran sin tid. Stadig intet bemærkelsesværdigt
This was alright. Vocals weren't my cup of tea.
I have a vinyl original issue copy of the album in my collection. Just looked on Discogs and seen it’s worth quite a bit now. Seem to remember buying it as John Peel on his Radio 1 show rated it. I also seem to remember that it was marketed at a cheaper price than normal LP’s at the time. Looking at my copy there is the remains of a round sticky patch on the front cover which indicates there may have been a cut price label which I have removed. Long time since I listened as having bought it I was never over impressed and I have never really liked The Fall’s style of music. But today’s listen was enjoyable enough and served as a reminder of what a unique band The Fall were. 3/5 1/1/26
mmm okay 3.5
The Fall sound right up my alley, but after listening to the four album in this list I didn't really feel the urge to plunge further into their discography. Maybe I need to revisit them? It has been a long time after all. Key tracks: Rebellious Jukebox Underground Medecin
Couldnt finish it 4.6/10
The debut album from a band that is among the most influnetial bands for music that would follow. Witch Trials is not the best album by the fall, but I can see why the critics selected their first. I enjoyed the listen. It has been awile since I listened to this band.
My rating 2.5
Second I've heard by these guys I think, the other came over a decade later and sounded very different. This may have been very interesting in context, but now just kinda sounds like every british "post" punk band of that era - johnny rotten lite snarl and fast rough music. It's fine, but it's been done.
Just not all that exciting I guess. There's much better post-punk out there.
Sounds like a drunk singing but it is all pretty catchy.
Low 3? Not a bad record but nothing really stands out to me
They definitely have a "we don't give a fuck" punk attitude, and I dig it.
I suspect that this album could grow on me. I had not listened to The Fall before this but they are adjacent to a lot of music I enjoy. A bit punkier than a group like Gang of Four but there's crossover.
Nice
I've heard this sound done better by others. I enjoyed some of it, but in the end, it left me wanting listen to other artists in the same vein.
Ehkä yllättävänkin moderni saundi 70-luvun lopuksi! Olisin antanut nelosen perjantaina, mut nyt viikonlopun jälkeen on sanottava, että levy oli kokonaan unohtunut ja piti käydä kuuntelemassa tänään uudestaan :D 3/5 siis.
I was malding thinking this was another FUCKING live album but it's not. You got me, bri'ish list.
interesting listen.
Another album by the band it's cool to name drop to show your music cred but how many people who claim to love this band actually listen to them reguarly? Another issue with this list is the inclusion of debut albums just because the band is seen as "important"(cf. The Rolling Stones debut). This is another album just like that. The Fall have made better albums than this one. The blueprint of all the rest of their career is here - if you listen to this you're not getting anything you wouldn't get from other albums, it's just not as good.Best Tracks: Frightened; Rebellious Jukebox; Industrial Estate
It was........ Ok
Sparse and jaggy.
Better than expected.
This album had to compete with Unknown Pleasures and 154 for the best post-punk album of that year. Tough for a Wire covers band.
Is it Pop? Is it Punk? It's Ponk! Like my joke, the music was rather dull. 6/10
The album surprised me. I really liked the style and didn’t get tired of it at all because it’s so short. I even wanna listen to a few more of their songs 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — Frightened — Crap Rap 2like to Blow
I kept thinking oh the next song I will really like - had a lot of potential to be songs I liked but they just were a little not exactly what I want to jam to - surprising bc I knew nothing about them - on a re listen there may be some songs I come back to - reminded me of fontaines dc a bit Would give a little less than 3 if possible
A pretty good punk album but not my favorite by any means.
Overall an enjoyable album but it is lengthy and there is not a lot of dynamics in the song writing so it began losing my interest by the end.
I started off thinking this really wasn’t for me but liked it more as it went on. Is “side two” just better or are the Fall an acquired taste that I was gradually starting to acquire?
Quite good punk - but not good enough for a 4.
3/5 Generic punk/post punk, with ok playing and yet another terrible singer.
Oddly intriguing
It's post punk, it's OK, didn't mind it, wouldn't make an effort to seek it out.
The influence off this is pretty remarkable. That said, I really only like one whole song.
Sjov punkplade, fed energi
Very medium. Rock with off key singing but nothing that sticks.
Has that very early punk sound with the quick drum beats. Enjoyable. Favorite song: Future and Pasts
Drummer works overtime on every track, bass guitar is excellent, not sure what keyboards are doing. I liked the manic punk tracks the most
Quirky, odd and intriguing. Not a huge fan of the vocal style.
Interesting
The fall's music is all in that fine to listen to once but don't wanna listen again tier for me
This one didn’t quite land for me. It’s got that scrappy, abrasive energy that The Fall are famous for, but here it often feels more like a chaotic rehearsal than a fully formed album. The rawness can be exciting in short bursts, but over the course of the record it started to wear me down a bit. Mark E. Smith’s sneering vocals and rambling delivery have their charm, but they also make it hard to really sink into the songs. Musically, there are some interesting ideas scattered throughout, with jagged guitar lines and tight, driving rhythms that hint at the band’s potential. But the production is so rough and the performances so loose that a lot of it blurs together. There are moments where it clicks and you catch flashes of what made The Fall such a unique force, but for me, those moments were few and far between. I can see why this album has its place in post-punk history, and I get the appeal of its raw DIY spirit, but it just didn’t grab me in the way I hoped. It feels more like a document of a band figuring themselves out than something I’d come back to regularly.
It was fine. 3 star fine
Not inspiring. Not terrible. Sounded like the vocalist was an ex punk rocker.
I’m so tired. My dedication to keeping this up is running thin, but I must persist. This album is fine.
Interesting to hear the early stuff but also reeks of being cornered by someone's dad with a pint who won't stop talking about how he used to hang with Mark E. Smith and list all the "not quite famous" bands he played bass in and how they could have been as big as The Fall if they didn't settle down and have kids.
Frightened 3.8 Crap Rap 2/Like to Blow 3.4 Rebellious Jukebox 3.4 No Xmas for John Quays 3.3 Mother-Sister! 3 Industrial Estate 3.1 Underground Medecin 3 Two Steps Back 3.3 Live at the Witch Trials 3 Futures and Pasts 3.2 Music Scene 3.3 Score: 3.254545455
I never really got the Fall. It feels like I had to be there.
expected to like this more but it didnt really impress me. i wouldnt mind hearing it again but its not something id reach for
Album 912 of 1089 The Fall - Live At The Witch Trials (1979) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Some solid post-punk here and overall a pretty good listen. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, while I did enjoy it, there isn’t a lot I’m going to take away from it other than the memory of a decent album. It represents its post-punk genre well, with that rough edge and raw delivery, but nothing really reached out and stuck with me.
That was decent, nothing amazing about it.
Early punk
Yeah I really liked this. I like The Fall but I don’t listen so much. Glad to listen to this one. I’ll come back to it
Ahead of its time, but not particularly exciting in a modern context.
English Punk. Never heard anything from this album before this listen. Album had great flow and intense energy. Two tracks that stood out were the opening Frightened and the final track Music Scene. Would be a good album to have knowledge of in certain settings... settings that I often don't find myself in.
It was OK, pretty similar to the previous two 'The Fall' albums. I do like the very unpolished delivery of the lyrics!
This is #day402 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… time to cross another band off the list. This is my third and final album by The Fall, and fittingly, it's their debut. Raw, tight, and unmistakably late-'70s post-punk, with the drumming standing out almost as much as Mark E. Smith's ever-present snarl. And then there are those strange, computer-like keyboards. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day403.
C’est sympa ! Ça sent qu’ils ont inspiré plein d’autres groupes
Lots of rolling, roiling drums and guitar. Less noisy than typical punk bands, but equally anti-establishment. I listened to a few of the live versions of tunes, and I liked them.
Okay I did not like it, then I liked it. It’s an acquired taste unless you are a disaffected working class youth. In which case just Fuck you! Lol
Hann hefur sungið skemmtilegar en tónlistin er nógu áhugaverð til þess að ég leyfi því að slæda. Skemmtilega hátt mixaður bassi líka.
When I was paying enough attention I enjoyed it, but those moments were few and if the album struggles to keep me engaged it can't be very good.
More like 3 and half really. Not bad, but not super my thing.
I like the eerie, stream of consciousness post-punk. Each song begins to blur though and after a while I lose track of what I'm listening to. 7/10
The beginning of the album wasn't too bad. But as it went on, the music started to get on my nerves a bit. 3/5
The Fall's post-punk debut album from the late 1970s, it's not something I love but altogether it wasn't bad either.
I like some the The Fall's stuff, but this was just OK and the Live side was the same over and over.
Annoying and repetitive, but it works in an edgy way. I don't mind the vocals.
As one of the reviews indicated, there's a lot of similarity to Public Image Limited.
Had never heard of these guys before. Not horrible, but nothing special.
The vocals are a bit underwhelming, but other than that, this album is pretty good. It's very simple in its composition and doesn't do anything impressive, but it sounds pleasant and is easy to listen. And I liked that goofy synth that sounds like a toy that in a couple of tracks, for some reason. 7/10
The ur-angry mancunian hollering about stuff I don’t really get over music that I find enjoyable
I was prepared for this to be prog rock, so I found it to be pleasantly more punk inspired than I expected. Unfortunately it doesn't get the memo that punk albums are supposed to be, like, 33 minutes long - I felt like it went on for at least seven songs too many. What was there was fun enough.
This was a pretty chill album, nothing too exciting. The first song had a nice solo towards the end, and the rest of the songs sound a bit outdated nowadays, but they're alright as a background listen.
Starts with incredible energy and originality, loved the opening triumvirate! It loses its way in the middle but peaks again towards the end of the album. I’ve been listening to quite a bit of Big Special and could really hear influence in some of this album, especially “crap rap 2 like to blow”. I almost really liked this, but lacked consistency for me.
Didn’t grab me, but interesting listen
3.5
I thought the first song was cool. The rest less so. 3 stars.
This started to grow on me by track 13 so that's something. I like what they're about, I like what they're doing, it's just the same argument of there's so much going on at the same time and since that this doesn't stand as tall as I think it once may have. Still, I am glad I had to listen to it. There's some great songwriting here, some really intense performances, but I can't imagine putting this on in any situation other than this list.
6/10
Interesting album but I preferred the Infotainment Scan. Rebellious Jukebox was one of my faves and the punk energy was going hard throughout. I think it deserves a relisten (and first listen to all the live recordings I skipped on the two disc Spotify album) but it’s not a great album to me right now.
no coole postpunk. gest premieretag vom classic openair drum kei ziit gha zums am tag lose. de drumsound nervt mi aber des todes find d snare meeega nervig. aber d energie, d sloppiness und die hässige vocals macheds eigentli sehr cool. 3.
2.5 I listened to this on a not-perfect car stereo and the drums sounded distractingly bad throughout. I will have to give this a go on a more suitable stereo. Nothing really stood out as good/bad beside the drums
Entertaining punk. Lately been struggling to remember what I've listened to, but I remembered "no Christmas for a junkie"
I like the Fall but had not heard this one ( they have a BIG discography). Not one of their best IMHO but still a solid effort.
Good instrumentals. The laziest vocal performance ever. This combination made most of the album boring. 5/10
Flipped back to my youth
El debut de uno de los grupos más prolíficos del post-punk británico y banda de culto, The Fall, a la cual, tengo que admitir, nunca le he prestado mucha atención. En el libro se dice de ellos que "compensan sus limitaciones musicales con vivacidad, humor e inteligencia". Y la verdad es que limitaciones no les faltan. La mayoría de canciones no son más que dos o tres notas repetidas hasta la saciedad por el bajo; las guitarras, tres cuartos de lo mismo; un órgano disonante a todo lo demás; una batería intensa que no da descanso, y una voz como de borracho que ni siquiera trata de entrever alguna melodía. Todo ello aderezado con una producción mediocre, orgullosamente "realizada en dos días", y unas letras cínicas y bastante crípticas. Excelente.
The limited bits I had heard of them washed over me with little more than the impression "goddamn this is British as hell." This, too, was British as hell. I found myself enjoyed the snotty, punk-ish vocals more than I had in the past. Scratches a nice post-punk itch without profoundly standing out from the crowd. I bet it did in 1979 though.
Live album jumpscare! Or, at least, I thought so. Great title for an album – I'm intrigued. I’ve heard about The Fall because they share the same name as my favourite Gorillaz album, though I’ve never actually thought to check out their music. I’m curious to see how this one pans out. Yeah, I like this album. The music is similar to Public Image Ltd, which is a big surprise as I think the music of that band is remarkably shit. Anyways, there are some good tracks on here. The breakneck energy of Crap Rap 2 / Like to Blow is pretty enjoyable. Rebellious Jukebox has some catchy hooks. I like the brooding guitar riff on Underground Medecin. The guitars on Two Steps Back are also pretty cool. That instrument definitely hogs the limelight of this album. Music Scene has many interesting parts, though I think the song is admittedly way too long for my taste. May as well check the book for why this is on here. “One of the most most distinctive and influential British bands ever”. Bold claim to start your review with. Recorded and mixed in two days. “...an instant success”. Continues to have influence in recent times. Yeah, this seems like a solid inclusion. The punk picks have been surprisingly lacking thus far, so I can agree with more of them being on the list.
It’s better than “The Infotainment Scan” that’s for sure. Not a very high bar, though.
very weird sounding, i like the 8-but sounding synth that plays in a lot of the songs but i hear it a bit too much making a lot of the songs sound very similar, the vocals sound like he’s drunk which i like in a funny way, i think overall it was decent but i don’t think i’d go back to it
It's not as bad as I thought it would be, and I mean that in the sense that I'm not really into this genre at all. So it's not to my taste, but there's things to appreciate in here. There's some nice grooves, and he has a manic energy that works. Very rough around the edges, but it's got a bit of bite. 2.5 rounded up.
Apparently recorded in one day, this is certainly as energetic and raw as you would expect. The lyrics are a talking point. It's good to hear challenging music like this but I am on the fence in terms of actual enjoyment.
I have tried many times to board The Fall train, but I just don't get the appeal. It seems like the kind of genius you come up with on a drunken night and regret in the morning.
Interesting yet chaotic
Very smooth for classical punk. Pairs well with vacuuming rugs or hosing off the driveway.
It's yet another punk-album on this list. It's solid, but nothing special and I think with the post-punk approach where you usually find The Fall categorized in I'd find more interesting stuff.
mark e smith is a bit annoying
There are albums that demand your undivided attention (Portishead 3, The Band brown album, many others), and many more that want to demand your attention and just wind up annoying (the vast majority of popular music, to be honest). Alas, Live at The Witch Trials is just a postpunk Bob Dylan album (or a Mountain Goats album, or to be honest, a rap album, with certain exceptions)--too much effort put into the lyrics compared to the musical output. If you're not paying attention to the lyrics--I mean staring at your speaker and hanging on every word--this album will only serve to frustrate you. Mark E Smith was perhaps a better author than musician.
Better than Coldplay
Old school punk. i'd take a few songs but wasn't in the mood for the full album
= the Beatles
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Heard some good things about The Fall, and this is my first album. Pretty good, the drums are really loud in the mix but solid post punk stuff
Enjoyable in its special way. A good Fall album, but including it on this list maybe feels generous.
Rating: 7/10 Somewhat catchy post-punk.
This is normally the type of stuff that I really like, but this was just kind of boring to me. Cool for a few songs.
When an album sounds so fresh and new and is so old its impact is obvious. The Fall's 'Live At The Witch Trials' sounds modern and indie and very reflective of the post-punk era that at times I was thinking it was Television. 3.5/5
I always get The Fall and The Alarm mixed up. But I don't know either. However, you can hear the roots of some pretty prominent indie bands here. Fontaines DC's Grian Chatten has clearly heard of them and my have even adapted some of the drawl of Mark E. Smith. This album appears to have unleashed a torrent of follow-ups. How have I never heard them? I listen to Television, Wire, Husker Du. Odd. But a good album. Something I could probably really grow to love on repeat listens in the right mood. Man, the 70's and the punk scene were so gloriously weird.
I have only heard one track by this lot before, Bremmen Nacht, and I rather like it. So I was hoping for something similarly different. And yes it sort is. It's sort like the bastard child of Depeche Mode and the Sex Pistols. A bit of a mixup of electronica and punk. I'm undecided at the moment 2 or 3? I'll probably end up over scoring it with a 3 because of the potential it has with me. I'm sur if I listen to it a few times it'll grow on me, but don't think it'll get that chance.
3.5 I previously referred to The Fall as sounding like “karaoke from a guy who’s about to be cut off at the pub”, and I still stand by that here - but in the case of this particular album, it worked for me. The more conventional punk sound does huge favors for that kind of performance, and while it tends to border more on drunken ramblings than it does any kind of charged commentary, a part of me was still like “Go off, Mark!” with each song. Yeah, a lot of the stuff in the middle sort of blends together, especially considering the loose structure and same general Homestar Runner-esque keyboard patterns that are paired with most tracks, but when you keep things short and catchy like this does, it’s pretty hard not to enjoy yourself at least somewhat, incoherent as it might be. I can’t say that I listened to the full 2.5 hour deluxe edition of the album found on Spotify, but I thought that the 11 track, 38 minute run from the original release was perfect. This isn’t really the kind of thing that feels like it needs to be longer than that (hence my hesitation with the deluxe edition), though ironically, my favorite songs ended up being two of the longest ones, Frightened and Music Scene, the opener and closer, respectively. This probably isn’t the kind of thing I personally would call a must-listen, a masterpiece, or even really all that important aside from being among the earlier post-punk albums, but I found it enjoyable - and sometimes, that’s all music needs to be.
Favorite Track: Frightened
Habil punk. En genre som, i mina öron, svårligen når särskilt högt. Men rätt klassisk punk och det är smånajs.
Aaahhhh yes, the pretentious man’s “this is what you SHOULD be listening to”. The Fall has really good material scattered throughout their catalog, yet none of it hits you hard enough to make you love them. Stand out tracks: Rebellious Jukebox, It’s the New Thing, Various Times. This band does a lot, and not a lot, at the same time, and not in a charming way.
Interesting early punk, enjoyed the Brit-trash vibe
Fav song: Frightened I didn't hate this but I didn't love it either. I'm not into Smith's singing style but I don't mind it either. I really liked the production in many parts. I'm not overwhelmed by this album. It's fine.
Was alright but didn't strike a chord with me. Probably won't listen to this again.
I think the last song ends with some QCHORD!!!
Pretty dang goood
Reminded me a bit of fugazi to honest. It started strong and then got a bit repetitive
Enigmatic and influential, this is also pretty good as a debut.
I first tried The Fall by borrowing the murky Dragnet from the CD library in 1999. Apart from Your Heart Out, I couldn't get into it. About a decade later, I was chatting with an artist at his exhibition opening. I told me I had to give the Fall another chance. By then, it seemed to late, and I wasn't going to do what some poncey painter told me to do. Two years ago, I gave them another go. Hex Enduction Hour and This Nation's Saving Grace are murky too, but not in the same way as Dragnet, lyrically and conceptually murky. Live At The Witch Trials falls somewhere in between. If the Fall was intimidating, it wasn't the sheer quantity of albums, but the brusque, inscrutable character of Mark E. Smith that presented the challenge. By then, though, I'd read enough Machen to grasp the urban gothic fantasies of Smith's rantings: "Someone's always on my tracks... I'm out of my place... I'm frightened." The grotesquery and mental contortions are much scarier than any goth or metal album, because, whatever happens, the grimness of British working-class is always visible. "By the window I didn't scream!" It's possible to read Smith as glimpse into the Lovecraftian conservative mind: "I don't know how to use freedom"; "We are not black"; "No Xmas for Junkies"; "Non-sympathetic to spastics"; "And aye you're a good lad, Oh here is a new flat" - something about social housing?; ridiculing 'the new thing.' However, I see him better described in this passage from Hieroglyphics by Smith's believed Arthur Machen: "I think that the Hermit (as I shall call him) had begun to find the perpetual solitude of his years a growing terror, and he was not sorry to have a listener; at first, indeed, he talked almost with the joy of a child, or rather of a prisoner who has escaped from the house of silence." 3 Paul McCartney tells a story that just after Revolver was completed he listened to an acetate of the whole album and was gripped by the notion that the whole thing was out of tune. He contacted the rest of the band in a panic and they had to reassure him that it sounded alright. That story popped into my head early on listening to Live at the Witch Trials and the album might be, I think, somehow more Beatles than it is punk. It has the bones of pop music. The top line is not melody exactly but not unmusical nonsense either - it has lots of rhythmic character and repeats ideas; it’s a sort of rhythmic and structural placeholder for a melody that might have been worked out later but wasn’t. The drums and the bass, while not quite Ringo and Paul, are alluring even when ‘wrong’ (*that* bass note on Rebellious Jukebox turned my stomach) I detected no irony or contempt for pop music here either - there is a palpable sincerity about this record that is difficult to explain. I liked it, although I took the notion early on that the drummer takes too many rolls and then that spoiled it for me a bit. 3/5
I feel like I've heard of this band before but now I'm not sure I've ever listened to them. They're post punk but definitely have a punk like sound.
Simple but effective. The punkier songs were better than I expected, and the album is bookends by two really solid if basic songs. Not something I thought I would've liked, but very solid. Top tracks: Frightened, Futures and Pasts, Music Scene
This didn't do much for me, good, jagged, and snarling punk but pretty forgettable. I'll take Buzzcocks any day over this
Mixed feelings on this. Some cool tracks and experimentation but all together, pretty forgettable. Rounding up to 3 stars but probably a 2.5 for me. Not super familiar with The Fall but from what I've heard by them, this seems pretty far from their creative peak
The humble beginnings of The Fall. The music is kind of good but also kind of... not. It's so unpolished and uncaring that it's a little charming. The cheap keyboards and performing style remind me of a high school punk band. They're not exactly great but you kind of root for them because they have potential. That kind of feeling runs through much of punk and postpunk history so I can kind of see the appeal of The Fall. But I also wouldn't necessarily return to this one.
It's a bit of a shame that this debut album came so soon in the collection after their later album "This Nation's Saving Grace", as they're the type of band that seems best taken in small doses. Of course, I'm not sure I'd ever really warm up to their style and sound, as this album didn't really do much for me; I thought "Rebellious jukebox" and "Two steps back" were perhaps the best tracks. And I appreciated it that most songs, and the album cover, were relatively concise time wise. I suspect this is the type of band and album that would have been much better appreciated and enjoyed back when it first came out, as it's clearly rebelling against contemporary music and the labels that produced more popular fare. It also sounds like they had great live shows, which would have been fun to see and hear.
Great album title! Well done but just not my thing.
This was serviceable but didn't blow my mind. Not loads to say. At least it was short.
2.5 stars. Early rudimentary early punk. A little too noisy and formless for my taste but can see how it would be influential and there are some decent guitar riffs. Standout is "Mother-Sister".
Love the drums, do not love the synth.
very rough and raw, not my favourite fall album but did enjoy it!
Don't know what I was expecting for this but I enjoyed it more than I expected I would, I'd listen to it again
Favorite track: frightened other picks: music scene, no xmas for john quays, industrial estate
worth another listen
Pretty raw sound. Punchy snare.
"No Xmas for John Quays" is insufferable but the rest is generally good proto-post-punk
Was really intrigued after the first track. Reminds me of the elevated production punk you hear on London Calling. Did not deliver too much beyond that but overall a good experience.
there's a certain playfulness to this where it seems like they're just having fun, that makes it hard to get too upset at it. it's not exactly unlistenably bad, but well, i probably won't be listening to it again of my free will either
I like Rebellious Jukebox and Mother-Sister, Industrial Estate, Futures and Pasts. I don't particularly care about the long, meandering, dissonant songs. I got easier to listen to as the album went on.
Opening song was really good, but afterwards the style turned from experimental into a classic post punk, which was drilling a hole in my soul with each subsequent song. Not my favourite album, but still quite better than others from the genre.
couple of bangers. interesting album. might rate it higher after a revisit but a solid 3 for me.
First of all this is a dope name for a record. Sounds a lot like The Clash to me which is good, pretty grungy which I like. At times a little repetitive (I mean the bonus tracks have a song called Repetition) but I like it. Probably better than I'm giving it credit for but I don't know how many times I would wanna listen to it.
Compelling style and attitude, but diversity on the album is a bit lacking. The rudimentary keys are enjoyable for me. I’ve always loved that kind of thing. It makes the music feel more accessible.
Ret sjovt eng. punk. Fountains DC har taget noter
Low 3 for the last fall album I got,high three for this one. Similarly interesting lyrics, with a bit more interesting angular guitar work and some songs which aren't just the same loop over and over. That said, still quite repetitive. Live tracks on the extended version give an idea of how fun they would have been live. Not appalling, bit not grabbing me much.
I've tried listening to the Fall before but never really liked them however I quite liked this one. Post punk fun.
I have two Fall facts: 1, I know the bloke who did the cover art for this album, and 2, my band did a gig supporting The Fall once, and Mark E Smith came out of the dressing room straight on to the stage with a big wet piss stain down the front of his troons. Rock and roll.
It's absolutely hilarious how rinky-dink the keyboard sounds. I liked it when they found some more melodic grooves in the second half and it wasn't purely atonal skronk.
One's a fan but get that this isn't for eveyone and it's certainly not the F"s best effort. Still, a unique/original, if highly spiky and often sour, effort.
Recorded in a day and mixed the day after, The Fall begin as they intend to continue, by not meeting any expectations whatever. It is punk/new wave in its homemade, lo-fi three-chord ethos and it’s angry but the difference is the poetic reach of Mark E Smith’s lyrics. There’s no anthemic sing along chorus a la Love Song; this is uncompromisingly spiky. Smith very consciously channels Johnny Lydon at times. Best track: Probably Music Scene. Fun, if obvious, fact: it’s not a live album, despite the title.
okay but not for me
17/1001 I don’t really have much of thoughtful insight for this album. I liked it, but I don’t think I would listen to it front to back again. I like most of the songs but as an entire work, it just becomes a bit repetitive. The vocals (like a lot of post punk) are a bit over the top and become tiresome. The bass lines are catchy, the drums are solid, and overall the music is really good. It is just the vocals that make it hard to want to listen to several songs in a row.
Nice album 3/5
Unnecessary to my musical life, but not as bad as I expected. Noise punk.
3 Stars (8/15)
Strange noise from a strange man but listenable all the same
While I enjoy this band and the music, this album was waaaay too long. Guess you just pick the longest one (and 1st) when there are over 175 (!!!!) albums to choose from on Apple music alone.. Jesus! Also thank Christ this is not actually a live album. Phew.
Definitely the best Fall album we've had, interesting post punk where they weren't pushing the boundaries so hard that they ended up putting rubbish in. Definitely more influential than class in it's own right, though I did enjoy a lot of the songs. Futures and pasta and No Xmas For John Quays stand out from the tracklist. I don't think it's a 4 but it's a stronger three the other albums.
Preferred This Nation's Saving Grace, but this is decent. Accessible, and listenable. More focussed than The Infotainment Scam, and my favourite track was Rebellious Jukebox. Hometown hero.
I respect it but I don’t like it
This sounds like it cost nothing to make
#527. This album is not long and still it seems entirely too long. 3/5: whatever
Interesting and pretty fun, but I’d ultimately rather be listening to Joy Division.
Hmm yeah. 80's punk. It is under produced, decidedly British, and not unenjoyable.
this was a trip and a half 😆
Heard some Buzzcocks and some Pistols. Nothing hooked me in. But interesting enough.
God this must have been one of the first punk albums ever
Not a massive fan of the fall, but this is grand. maybe i just like their early stuff
I was digging the sound of many of the tunes, but it's too bad they're so repetitive. You can definitely hear their influence on many alternative bands. I just wish the songs went somewhere instead of repeating the same handful of notes over and over and over.
Didn't thrill me, sorry
It's kind of like seeing where all my favorite bands came from. Not everything on this album hit but I still respect it a lot. 3.5
Strange, but I like the first song. It's creative
Pretty good, super heavy British accent, grungy alt rock. Just realized it came out in 1979. Earlier than I would've guessed. Closest i can compare is a mellower groovier but still grungy Stooges maybe?
I've liked what I've heard of The Fall before, but its thats been more Mark E Smith doing weird spoken word singing. I didn't like the more chaotic sound of this record as much. I liked it, but definitely didn't love it. Album Cover: (B-)
"Crap Rap 2" is fun. I hadn't read the song title, and I thought they were saying "There's no xmas for donkeys". I was thinking that seems very unfair given that Mary literally rode one. Glad to hear that isn't the case. This kind of punk doesn't do much for me. It would be fun at a basement show with some drinks in me, but not as a casual listen. I didn't dislike it, but I wouldn't come back to it in a casual setting. 5/10
ну, мне не особо зашло
Only the last track stood out. Did not bother with the additional track added on re-release.
Good sound quality for a live album. Some very good drumming.
Pre punk rhythm wise. Wasn't sure if I would like it enough to rate fairly
I gotta be honest, I have never listened to an album by The Fall before this and I was half-expecting it to be a mishmashy mess, and it is, sort of, but in a way that makes sense rather than distracts. It's like a knife fight in an alley.
3.5/5
I'm not sure about this one. Quite a bit of impressive writing and creativity. Unfortunately, a bit mixed with some tedious songs. But overall, I think I dig it. Like a hair more than meh, but not quite so-so.
This wasn’t awful. But at the same time, I’d never put this on again. I found myself tuning it out often.
You can tell this band was influential on indie rock to come, although the voice and lyrics were a bit rugged.
The vocals are a bit of a mess, but the underlying music is captivating enough to keep at 3-stars.
Ah, what might have been. Some triffic post-punk indie vibes here and about the only Fall album I've listened to that might contain, what some people know as, songs. I know Mark E. Smith is a god to some, but wouldn't The Fall have been so much better if he hadn't been such a cantankerous arse. Dreading the remaining albums that I know are just waiting for me on this list.
I probably would have like this if I wasn't in such a bad mood.
Feels like a precursor to Arctic Monkeys in places, and like the cartoon rock band from 'Home Movies' screaming 'Freaky! Outie!' over and over again, too. So uneven but not unpleasant.
An alright album but no real standout so gs.
2.5
I thought it was 90s music. Cool drums, but the "singer"...
Hard to contextualise this awful greatness. I suppose that is the real root of awe but that doesn't mean we'll all enjoy the listen. Like a brutalist building of sound. Sharp, repetitive forms. A sublime harshness. Scoring it seems even more pointless than usual; simultaneously a 5 and a 1.
idk... theres something here
3.5/5
Garage post-punk style? I like it straight from the first track. I might not listen to it quite often cuz there are other better ones. Havy bass elements, just like what should happen in post punk music, satisfying. Some weird mixing, not sure if that's my headphone or. I'd really like to give it a 3-3.5/5, I first thought of giving it a 3.5-4 because I'm right in the mood for some new post-punk music, but this album is way tooooooo long.
What even the heck. This was a.....shockingly bland album.
I think this spoke to me a lot more than the last album we heard from The Fall. A better, shaggier and more rebellious sound to me. Also quite like the cover and album name
Standard punk rock album. Nothing bad here, just not the biggest fan of it. Played SF6 while I listened to the album. Standouts: Rebellious Jukebox, Industrial Estate, and Futures and Pasts.
More art punk
Favourite songs: Frightened, No Xmas for John Quays, Futures and Pasts Least favourite songs: Rebellious Jukebox, Industrial Estate, Live at the Witch Trials 3/5
I can see the appeal but it gets kind of repetitive after a bit.
1. "Frightened" 3,6 2. "Crap Rap 2/Like to Blow" 3,4 3. "Rebellious Jukebox" 3,3 4. "No Xmas for John Quays" 2,9 5. "Mother-Sister!" 3 6. "Industrial Estate" 2,6 7. "Underground Medecin" 3,2 8. "Two Steps Back" 3 9. "Live at the Witch Trials" 3 10. "Futures and Pasts" 3 Average 3,10
I wish I could use half stars because this is the most 3.5 album I've ever heard. I really, really enjoyed some of the moments that came out of the chaos, but too much of the album is really just chaos over a really repetitive vamp.
“Basic British beats belong here” -List Father to the tune of TMNT
Mark E Smith and The Fall are certainly one of a kind. Wiry guitars, prominent simple repetitive rhythmic bass, synthy key flourishes, and the off-kilter atonal mad ramblings put this album firmly in the early post-punk scene. They can capture both the tempo and energy of classic punk as well as the longer, repetitive, dronier post punk explorations. A lot of it blends together and not many tracks stand out as particularly special - it’s a good album and the start of an interesting career, but not a personal favorite.
Genre: Post-punk This album’s first half is really overshadowed by its second. Most songs on the first half aren’t that great, and most of it wasn’t really striking to me. The second half has more decent songs I don’t mind though. The closer, Music Scene, while having its moments, doesn’t feel like it has to be the length that it is, which is eight minutes. I’m fine with long songs but this one was mostly a chore a get through. This album has okay performances and production most of the time thankfully, I think the bass, synths/keyboards, and drums sound really nice. The “recorded-in-one-day“ fact is a bit apparent sometimes though. The vocals could use some work in places and most of the time the music isn’t the most striking. While good stuff can be found here, most of this album feels a bit annoying to sit through. It has its moments, but most of the time it doesn’t really set itself apart from other post-punk albums that i’ve listened to. It’s meh, just didn’t really do a lot for
This is the third (and last) album by The Fall that was on this list. I didn't know I needed three albums by The Fall and I probably did not. Regardless, I feel the same about this one as I felt about the two other albums. There are good songs followed by what I would describe as "not good" music. Sometimes, like Crap Rap 2 the "crap" is written in the title. Frightened Rebellious Jukebox Two Steps Back Futures and Pasts All of these are good songs but followed by songs I care less for. My opinion on the Fall has not really changed. Very hit or miss for me.
All punk rock albums from the 70s sound the same. Every. Single. One of them.
This one was new to me. I’m a post punk, no wave fan, so it was a good fit.
Not bad, kind of like Gang of Four with slightly less interesting lyrics.
Meh. Not really bad.
Drummer knows what he's doing, but it looks like the others are deliberately going for an amateurish sound. Sometimes nice and sometimes annoying. 2.8
Alltså det ääär ju en cool skiva. En sån som man verkligen vill säga att man diggar. Men helt ärligt alltså, jag blev inte uppslukad. Kanske hade funkat bättre på vintern, när man går hem i snön typ.
Don't fully get The Fall fandom thing, some tracks have a certain charm but mostly incoherent
I almost like Industrial Estate, Underground Medecin, Two Steps Back
I think this thing is charming. It's brief, punchy, and I think the concept is solid. Aesthetically it's there. I think the first track starts off really strong. It can be hard to bridge rock music with cryptic and scary music which tends to be more polished and crisp. I think this is a valiant effort. I think the sound is pretty standard post punk. I think it mostly holds up but doesn't exceed expectations. I'm not exactly sure what he means when he says he likes to blow.
I want to go back and rank the Sex Pistols higher.
This early outing feels a lot closer to its post punk peers than their later outings…. but their sheer work ethic and output means that I’ve only just scratched the surface of this….
The fall is one of those bands you should like and there’s a lot to recommend them but I’m not the biggest fan. A bit like the smiths. Mark e smith was a very clever man with a great turn in lyric. Yes. You probably should hear this. But you mightn’t get it. Nonetheless it has a style. And is important to the growth of post punk and post classic rock.
If I'm in a certain mood, I'd like this, but it's a 2.5 star listen for me.
Normally music like this would be just what I needed. But there was something missing her preventing me from enjoying it. Just wasn't feeling it.
Oh wow, another British post-punk band from the 70s/80s. What a surprise. I definitely needed more of this. Yeah, I didn't care for this album much. I'll start with the praise that I have. I actually do like the instrumental sound quite a bit. It's pretty interesting. I'd call it good. "Frightened" is a pretty solid song. The album is a pretty decent length. The rest of the album isn't my cup of tea. I respect this album, but I just don't really vibe with it enough to give it a super high rating. The vocals are fine, I guess. They're okay and aren't too annoying. The writing could have more substance to it. I feel like this album needs more to keep me engaged. I don't know what it is, but I feel like this just could have been a more fun album. It's not the length. I can see potential here. This could be a great album, it just needs a bit more to it. Oh well, maybe I'll find that in one of the other two albums that this band has on the list. Really? 3 albums for The Fall? You serious? Those other two better be damn good albums. 3/5.
This was dumb but at least it felt like he tried. Corny record. I’ll still give it three. Again at least it sounded like he cared.
OK. I grew up LIVING the post-punk, punk scene. I used to go every weekend to the L&G Club in New London Connecticut and watch all sorts of psedo to genuine punk acts. I LOVE several of the old school hardcore punk artists, even went to see Billy Idol as an old man and it was still so amazing... Anyhow, sure, The Fall has the right sound, the right sort of singer, the right "feel" overall, but somehow... IDK? They are like... "Yeah, listen to this song and it is like punk is." But somehow it is not "Punk." I think it is the heart maybe? The real social and political "fuck the system" punk that makes it so magical. It is just sort of middle of the road, punk by the numbers. No offense. Some of the songs work. But the album is 41 songs long and it just becomes a drag...
still a long way to fall
I enjoyed how raw and hypnotic this album was. Rough around the edges garage punk vibe. I love the song No Xmas for John Quays. 3/5
Favourite Song: Frightened
Not using a private Spotify session. I knew of The Fall for more of their less punk more pop music(though using the words pop and The Fall seems wrong) never really listened to the punk version. This is music to listen to in a crowded bar, drinking low quality mass produced beer, while getting pushed shoved, and getting covered in other people's sweat and drinks. I tend to avoid that scene these days.
meh
Listened to the first couple tracks. It grew on me. Some real sweat on the stage British punk with some nice weird synth tones, clear present drums and interesting guitar textures. Fun, even if it’s not really my cup of tea.
Too long. Some cool stuff and some not cool stuff. Not my genre most of the time
Mark E. Smith doing Mark E. Smith things.
Not bad. I don’t know if I’d ever rush to listen to it again
Really good rhythm section but the guitar sound doesn't work here. Too clean and the use of open strings doesn't match with Mark Smith's vocals. Still, it's OK with Two Steps Back being a standout track.
Old rotty punk
3/5
The Fall doesn’t seem to do it for me even though I like this kind of music. Maybe they’re just too British. Favorite songs were Frightened, Futures and Pasts, and Rebellious Jukebox.
Day173 - i listened before looking at the reviews and they’re honestly higher than i expected. it’s loud,kind of a mess but fun
Can see how this is influential, but does not work for me
Interesting post punk album with Sex Pistols influence
Étrange effet de punk au son très clair et défini, presque «propre», si on excepte l'interprétation frondeuse du chanteur. J'ai trouvé l'ensemble un peu long et peu intéressant, peut-être parce que je l'écoute avec le recul et que je ne peux pas savoir ce que ça représentait à l'époque
Tight drums/bass & harsh guitar with sloppy vocals. I enjoyed it somewhat. Can’t decide how I really feel about it