Album number-eight, most bands dream of making one album, The Fall had another twenty-five to go.
The same line up from Perverted By Language but this was to be Paul Hanley’s last, so the wonderful twin drum sound was coming to an end.
Lay of the Land is a great opener with chanting and a driving beat with glorious guitar from Brix and Craig Scanlon (even the feedback is great) and if you go on YouTube you can see the band perform as Michael Clark dances around with his bum hanging out on Whistle Test.
2x4 is up next an enjoyable song, surprise surprise great bass by Hanley, with Brix vocals working well with Mark’s. Its what I would call classic Fall.
Copped It and Stephen Song both feature Gavin Friday from Virgin Prunes, Both are worthy additions with Friday fitting in to The Fall’s sound as Mark shouts into a megaphone. Stephen Song features great drumming and backing vocals from Brix.
Elves was annoying me as I knew it sounded like something I had heard before. Yet again thanks to the excellent Steve Pringle’s You Must Get Them All (I will say it again any Fall fan should buy this book) for identifying it’s The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog. It’s a good song but The Stooges deserve a credit!
Bug Day is filler and Craigness meanders along pleasantly for two minutes thirty seconds and then Smith screams, careful if you have headphones on.
Disney’s Dream Debased is a good ending and allegedly based on Mark and Brix time at Disneyland where a woman was decapitated. They may now have embraced some of Brix pop ideas but The Fall were still dark.
8.5/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: 2X4