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.
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube