The Fall’s five releases from 1980-1983, – Grotesque (After The Gramme), Slates, Hex Enduction Hour, Room To Live and Perverted By Language – fused garage punk and droning Krautrock stasis with primitive improvisation, Mark E Smith in expansive lyrical flow. The Fall were the rock refusenik’s rock band. But in 1984 a pre-album single, the heretically shiny c.r.e.e.p, boded ill to purists, with clanging casio keyboards, clipped female backing vocals, Tupperware percussion and childlike melody. And then, suddenly, there was The Wonderful And Frightening World Of… , a pop album of sorts, resubmitted here for your reconsideration, a quarter of a century later, the first of Beggars’ Banquet’s Fall ‘omnibus editions’.
The first CD offers the album proper, crackling with previously obscured details.
Lay Of The Land’s Quatermass chant cuts into a stop start polka built on twin tautened telegraph basses; 2 by 4 revels in the rockabilly rhythms with which the Seventies Fall endured an oedipal relationship; Copped It is closest to the one chord drones of Hex and Perverted; Elves closes the album’s first side, one of many Fall rewrites of I Wanna Be Your Dog.
So far there’s little to scare the horses, but on side two Mark E Smith struggles to expand the definition of what The Fall could be. Slang King’s propulsive funk riff and fairy light keyboards frame the oft-quoted lyric ‘Put the Curly Wurly back’; Stephen Song’s modal clatter sees Brix E Smith’s backing vocals finding a pop hook that no-one else could hear; Disney’s Dream Debased pressgangs hazy California sunshine pop into The Fall’s post-punk drizzle.
The meandering Bug Day is the only hint of filler. Just as their punk peers began to ossify The Fall struck out for strange new territories.
A fifty page booklet of key players’ reminiscences accompanies a further three discs. The cd of singles and rough mixes includes the indispensably insolent Pat – Trip Dispenser and a newly discovered recording of the oddly euphoric anthem to domestic lighting difficulties, No Bulbs; a live disc from September sees the band replicate the album with an accuracy which perhaps sells them short; a disc of BBC sessions includes the soon abandoned work-in-progress Words Of Expectation, a magnificent nine minute torrent of words over a luxuriously lugubrious groove, but nevertheless a now redundant last gasp of the former Fall sound.
The following year The Fall were on The Tube in eyeliner and leather, where Bo Diddley praised the snake-hipped, Southern fried rock and roll of Cruisers’ Creek, and my teenage Goth cousin had their picture next to the inverted cross on her wall.
The Fall had made it as big as Peel-patronised bands ever did in those days. This Nation’s Grace, perhaps The Fall’s most accessible album, is dirty urban psychedelia. Its sleeve, reproduced here in a miniature gatefold, depicts Blakean charioteers surging over decrepit tower blocks. The songs are big and beaty and alterno-disco primed, subversively in synch with prevailing trends.
Bombast and Gut Of The Quntifier offer the usual fractious barked poetics; the stomping chants of What You Need, My New House and Paintwork reveal the caveman within every consumer; I Am Damo Suzuki and Mansion plagiarise Can and The Deviants respectively, placing The Fall in the cult band continuum; Spoilt Victorian Child is a career high-point of spiky psychobilly and LA is a throbbing fug of Batcave blues.
A second disc compiles previously unheard album demos, including Ma Riley, a petty dig at Smith’s former Lieutenant Mark Riley. A third collects all the album’s attendant singles and Peel session tracks. Rewarded for their patience, The Fall’s constituency coalesced, and cling loyally to this day.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk