No messing about no sackings, no fresh faces and no re-hiring and guess what they are in the UK Top Ten for the first time ever. Number nine placement. Get in. We will gloss over they have lost their major record label but that does not usually bother Mark.
Bit of drum & bass? No, not really but for the first thirty seconds of Ladybird the esteemed rhythm section goes for it before Smith and Scanlon’s guitar come in together. It’s a stomper of an opening song, things are looking good.
I am not really a fan of disco, but my partner was amazed when I said I liked Lost in Music, not by Sister Sledge obviously but this classic cover, I tried to convince her this could be her way into the music of The Fall, I failed obviously.
Glam Racket is aptly named, lovely, fuzzed guitar and thumping beat from Simon.
We hit the fourth song, I’m Going to Spain., and we are already on a second cover, but this is lovely, Mark stretched a bit vocally (many may say he always was) but laid back and swooning, not what casual observers of The Fall would imagine.
It’s a Curse and the keyboards at the start remind me of U2 New Years Day which I’m sure if Mark were alive would mean I’d get a mouthful, but it has a wonderful chugger of a guitar, Craig Scanlon is/was such an underrated guitarist, where is he now?
Mr Scanlon is again all over Paranoia Man but lurking in the background are some bizarre and magnetic electrics noises going on.
Service slows us down with mostly spoken words from Mark, but he is clear and is a nice contrast. The League of Bald-Headed Men was great when I first heard it at 22 now sitting here as a balding 53-year-old I’m not so sure I can appreciate it as much.
A Past Gone Mad starts as if it could be on a Chemical Brothers album before Mark arrives, all big beats and bass rhythms, not The Fall but it is The Fall, wonderful.
Forget Light/Fireworks is extremely poor, one to be skipped.
The Fall sixteen albums in and stormed the top ten who says good things don’t come to those who wait.
8.75/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: It’s a Curse