The Fall’s 29th studio album, in 35 years, finds Mark E Smith fronting a kind of amphetamine drone rock band. The 2011 model grooves on two or three chord riffs, pounding bass booms, and Eleni Poulou’s retro keyboard blips, like some ancient krautrock legend, but pin-eyed with punk intensity, spattered with Smith’s kaleidoscopic shards of dog-growled observations, and serrated throughout by Pete Greenway’s stuttering guitar skree.
And when Poulou takes the mic to intone Nico-style over the bittersweet Happi Song, it’s one of The Fall’s most successful changes of mood.
Dear me.
Now all other rock music suddenly seems rather silly. The Fall remain our most vital group.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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John Robins, Comedian
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter