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.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus