250) The Fall - Reformation Post TLC

The album opens with the excellent track Over!Over! with a mad laugh from Mark and a lyric “I think it’s over now; I think its ending.”  What could he mean?

We have a line-up that has made a good album (https://www.albumsin200words.co.uk/post/240-the-fall-fall-heads-roll) and had toured solidly but Mr Smith has decided its erratic time again. On a tour in America Smith causes bedlam and Pritchard, Trafford and Birtwistle quit leaving The Fall as a duo, Mark, and his wife Eleni. Whilst we have had John and Yoko, Sonny and Cher and Johnny and June, Mark did not relaunch The Fall as a duet (I’m not sure even I’d be able to listen to that) but his record label got hold of Tim Presley, Rob Barbato and Orpheo McCord from other bands to complete the tour, ah that’s what he means.

There is a lot of locking into a groove on this record second track Reformation! is a six minute beast with a great big dirty bass from the off with Smith occasionally shouting and Fall Sound is an apt title as the riff hits us and Mark storms all over the top, and My Door Is Never the band are engaged but I am not sure Mr Smith is but good stuff so far.

However, this is a Fall album of contrasts as, for me, there is poor stuff on this record, The Usher, The Bad Stuff and Outro if you never hear you are not missing anything. However, on your death bed you can thank me when I tell you to not waste ten minutes of your life listening to Das Boot, as stated Mark and Eleni may not be John and Yoko but as we know they also did some bizarre electric stuff as well and this is dire.

Of the rest the cover of White Line Fever is passable. I enjoyed the bass on Insult Song (and Mark almost laughing), Eleni’s straight delivery on The Wright Stuff and Systematic Abuse is another groove lock in but all three go on way too long whereas Coach and Horses is short and sweet, and Scenario is interesting in places.

A record of moments and disappointments.

6.25/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Fall Sound