379) House Of All - Inklings

In 2023 five ex members of The Fall came together as House of All (lead singer and guitarist Martin Bramah, bassist Steve Hanley, guitarist Pete Greenway and two drummers Paul Hanley and Si Wolstencroft) and they improvised a record in the studio. They enjoyed it so much they did it again in 2024 and in 2025 adding a member of Brannah’s other band, Blue Orchid’s Phil Lewis and ex Fall drummer Karl Burns. (Re-read this paragraph and count, yes that’s right they have three drummers).

We have six ex Fall men and a Blue Orchid. They could all sit in pubs with a pint in their hand telling people they were in The Fall and many, well me without a doubt, would be impressed by this but they are showing the same work ethic of their old band with this their fourth album in four years. They are a band who can stand on their own and do not need to remind us they were in The Fall, however let me contradict that by telling you they have a song on their new record called Ours Is The Fall. Built around heavily hit drums Brannah becomes more frantic as the song progresses and as he sings/shouts “Come on you cowards,” surely Mr Mark E Smith is smiling wherever he is, or maybe not.

This record, unlike the first three, was not improvised, these men like spending time together and it is a joy to hear that this late into their careers they have the talent and the inclination to produce these records and not let standards slip.

Opener Spirit Salient breaks us in gently, the band opting for a mid-paced  melody, plenty of fuzz on those guitars. Rebel Duke the drums open like the Bay City Rollers Shang a Lang, no come back, it soon settles down a fine stamp along with backing harmonies that I could have been possibly hired for with my terrible voice, it works though.

Wrecked powers along the band riffing away and Brannah leading them to the shout of Wrecked with his talking/singing vocals, its direct and magical. Valiant Heart was released earlier this year a shuddering shuffler of a song.

Prince of This World does remind me of The Fall, that’s high praise, as the band hit a recurring riff and keep going and Greenway and Lewis delight in guitar wizardry and Time Is Out Of Joint let the hypnotic tune and beat draw you in.

Of course we can’t have a record where Steve Hanley appears without mentioning his bass playing, usual top notch throughout but he is the bedrock of My Throbbing Heart underpinning the song with the band working off his lead and Sweet Remembrancer Brannah’s phrasing is just right throughout and you have to think his lyrics are from a different time and if to prove my point the last song is called I Am Thine, a laidback end to the record with lovely guitar to take us home.

There are members of this band who have been making music for nearly fifty years, maybe they thought they were finished with bands and making records. This opportunity has come along, and they have grabbed it with both hands. Same time, same quality release next year lads, thanks very much.

9.50/10 (give me a week and a few more listens will be a 10)

GIVE IT A STREAM: Wrecked