Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Country On The Click, January 5, 2005
Such is the proliferation of Fall product flooding the market that this album title was needed to guide the confused Fall punter. The subtitle is explained by the fact that the tracks were originally recorded between December 2002 and January 2003 and were mixed by Grant Showbiz and Jim Watts in February 2003 for early release as Country On The Click. Promos were sent out and 3 of the new songs were previewed in March on an absolutely sizzling John Peel session, their 23rd for the show.
The release was then delayed after a mix appeared on the internet, causing a put-out Mark E Smith to partially remixe, re-record and re-sequence the album.
The line up of Mark E Smith (vocals), Ben Pritchard (lead guitar, vocal), Jim Watts (bass, guitar, computer, vocal) and Dave Milner (drums, vocal) was augmented by this time with Elenor Poulou (the latest Mrs Smith) on keyboards, and heralded the Fall Mk. 30 (approximately).
I believe this is the first studio album to be recorded since Are You Are Missing Winner (I could be mistaken), but a live album, 2G + 2, appeared in 2002. The material and overall sound seem to be the strongest for some years with Theme From Sparta FC just missing out on becoming the John Peel Festive Fifty No. 1 for 2003 (by one vote apparently), and fade-in album opener Green-eyed Loco Man also voted in to no. 26.
Contraflow conjures up urban M62 hell with a suitably barbed lyric where Mark E counters perversely, "I hate the countryside so much." As always there is an unlikely cover, this time Lee Hazlewood's Houston, and the award for the strangest title goes to Last Commands Of Xyralothep Via M.E.S.
All is right with the world
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another GREAT Fall album!, August 6, 2004
I've been a huge Fall fan since 1984, have seen them live a number of times, and have most of the albums (I can live without the crappy stuff recorded live on cassette tapes). The last Fall album I really enjoyed was "The Unutterable." I was not thrilled with the line-up on "Are you are missing winner?" When I saw them live last year I noted that the bassist and drummer were very mediocre musicians who could only play well enough to keep up with the music (barely). I'm glad Mark replaced them on this new album. The bass and drums are much better here, the production is better, the songs kick butt! "Mtn. Energie" is one of my new all-time favorite Fall songs. Still, the presence of Stephen Hanley's bass playing continues to be missed. His bass lines and Mark's vocals/lyrics were for me the heart of the band. I wish Mark would find another bass player of that invention and caliber and let her/him take the band to the next stage.
If you're new to the Fall this is a great place to start, along with "Code: Selfish," "Shift-Work," "Bend Sinister," "The Infotainment Scan," "The Wonderful and Frightening World of," "The Light User Syndrome," and "The Unutterable." That's a good start! (I know many Fall fans hate the albums I've just recommended; but loving the Fall takes many forms . . .)
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Know what? Good Fall lp, edit., March 1, 2005
The last dozen or so Fall albums have been pretty mediocre. If you know your rock and you know the Fall and how bloody amazing they have been, you'd have to agree. But this album is great. Truly. It buzzes and divebombs with the best of them, it comes alive, and, with a couple of exceptions, is full of the kind of hooks and slyness you know they're more than capable of when they want to. I don't know who is in/out in the band and i don't care, i just want them to rock and tease and insult and kick and this thing scores on all counts.
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by The Fall 
