Stew compiled and annotated this compilation by The Fall.
…this is a fine collection; brave, broad and admirably biased…
It is, of course, an appalling concept. Allowing writer/ comedian Stewart Lee to compile a selection of his favourite, latter-day Fall tracks smacks of misguided marketing;an ill-informed attempt to glean the collegiate vote for what surely remains the most virulently anti-student band in Britain. Duh!
Anyway. The onset of the ’90s saw Mark E Smith-uh and his ever-changing chums embrace new technology with gusto – a gambit that would provide a fresh framework for Smith’s misanthropic, beanbag-faced rants. While tracks such as last year’s brilliantly disorderly ‘Touch Sensitive’ could’ve been plucked from the riotous preserve of their late-’70s heyday, ‘A Past…’ shows the ramshackle approach of yore superseded by a battalion of samples and grinding, zeitgeist-courting techno beats. It’s an approach that has yielded some of The Fall‘s finest songs – with the synth-heavy, anti-EU wrath of 1991’s ‘Free Range’ and the deceptively sweet ‘Rose’ proving Smith‘s invective wears many, equally effective, disguises. With ‘The Chisellers’ being the only glaring omission, this is a fine collection; brave, broad and admirably biased.
– NME
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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