40 Odd Years Of The Fall

The original Story Of The Fall website has now been updated and converted into a book - 40 Odd Years Of The Fall - with illustrations for each year by Greg Moodie and a foreword by Aidan Moffat. You can buy the book here.

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1977

Essential Links

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2010

 

986 Generator

BackdropThe art of repetition writ large as an unforgiving stomping beat ('Stomp on it!') carries us through eight minutes of slide guitar and randomly plucked mandolins(?) behind a consistent vocal pattern and lyrics about generators, liquorice papers and time travel. Then at 5.50 - woah - the BIG beat kicks in, taking it to another sonic level and on we go until eventually it all fizzles out into rain.

 

 

 

986 Generator (Your Future Our Clutter, 2010)

posted @ 13.20 PM, Nov 15, 2011

 

Get A Summer Song Goin'

BackdropOne of two tracks that only appear on the vinyl version of YFOC. Starts with a little bit of noise then pow! I love how it just explodes on impact. Almost a Tamla Motown vibe. That's if your idea of Motown is a thumping beat and catchy repetitive chorus. That rarest of beasts - an upbeat singalong that you could actually imagine dancing to. Imagine! Such joie de vivre is naturally offset by the woozy lyrics about floating pubs, 'white haired male nurses' and 'the mythical Guinness factory.' Dance!

 

 

Get A Summer Song Goin' (Your Future Our Clutter, 2010)

posted @ 13.00 PM, Nov 14, 2011

 

Weather Report 2

BackdropEpic. Melodic reverberating guitar backs a melancholy vocal as MES reflects on a 'very, very, very big mistake' and the fact that 'Nobody has called me sir in my entire life,' which is later reduced to 'Nobody has called me.' It's all very chilling, but broken up with incongruous references e.g. 'Murder She Wrote.' The mournful tone continues with 'You gave me the best years of my life' which eerily recalls Bill Is Dead. Then a pulsing electronic heartbeat darkens the mood even further as 'the whirlpools cascade' until the final whispered 'Never mind Jackson/What about Saxon’s recording of lost London?' ending on 'You don’t deserve rock and roll' followed by a short intake of breath. What a sign off. Utterly brilliant.

 

posted @ 10.50 AM, June 3, 2010

 

Funnel Of Love

BackdropA fifties scifi sound effect start, then spacey noises lurk throughout this brilliant cover of a Wanda Jackson number. An unfeasibly catchy riff sucks you in and just keeps bouncing. As close as you get to a Fall pop song. The change towards the end with thumping guitars and keyboards is stunning, as is the smooth organ sound.

 

 

 

posted @ 13.45 AM, June 2, 2010

 

Chino

BackdropOriginally called Chino Splashback in its live incarnation, there's no trace of that whimsy here. Now "an actual account of the operational experience." It's all very woozy with elements of a dentist drill and going under anaesthetic whilst hearing scary wee indistinct voices as we plunge into the dark. We're back in self reverie/weariness mode ("When do I quit?"). Chilling. The "tttt rrr" at the end is also spooky.

 

 

posted @ 11.15 AM, May 26, 2010

 

Y.F.O.C./Slippy Floor

BackdropSuitably spooky growled intro of "Tales from the Castleford crypt" gets the bass rolling and then some spine tingling twanged guitar basslines bouncing from speaker to speaker. The Y.F.O.C. part is an extended version of the intro to last year's single (see 2009), which then kicks off sounding much better and more frantic in this new context. The slide guitar snippet at the end is from "986 Generator" - a song on the vinyl version of YFOC. The audio cut-up this time includes a doctor(?) on the answering machine (including his number!)

 

 

posted @ 13.05 PM, May 24, 2010

 

Hot Cake

BackdropOld skool fuzzy rockabilly one simple riff Fall. No messing. Referencing 'Chino' and 'Slippy Floor' which a version of this track backed on last year's single. Again, images of confinement and frustration surface: 'I can't open the door/My dialogue is stuck.' Gotta love Eleni's 'ah ah ah....oooo!' This was a highlight when I saw them live in Edinburgh a few weeks back - the one where Mark walked off after six songs.

 

 

posted @ 13.15 PM, May 21, 2010

 

Cowboy George

BackdropThe surf cum spaghetti western vibe suddenly envelopes a Daft Punk sample as the railroad drums batter on amid snarls of 'unseen footage/unseen facts/unseen knowledge.' All nonsensical and fun enough until it all breaks down into a reverb nightmare of confinement and broken bones (or bottles). Amongst the incoherent ramblings of a convalescent emerge references to Chicory Tip and Robin Redbreast. Strange.

 

 

posted @ 13.05 PM, May 20, 2010

 

Mexico Wax Solvent

Backdrop'Trimidine is kicking in/And the barbituates are kicking in.' The fact that Mark E Smith recorded a lot of this album in a wheelchair and presumably in some pain adds an extra insight into the whole affair. Bloops and fuzzy bass kick it off and the mournful singing of 'Aqua Rosa' contrasts with the wacky/whacked out lyrics. Archibald Yates - didn't we see him at the beginning of the album somewhere? Medical matters float over the trippy yet heavy music - '12 year old doctor/A fresh faced physician.' Ends with echoey chimes/xylophone as if an announcement is coming. Many are of course. The album reeks of hospitals.

 

posted @ 13.25 PM, May 19, 2010

 

Bury Pts 1 + 3

BackdropCut and paste Fall at their best, with radio static leading into the first part sounding like a dodgy bootleg then morphing into full battle mode with accompanying scrapes and squawks and finally 'I'm on!' A proper stompalong with 'I'm not from Bury!' chants, derogatory reference to journalist Ben Marshall and a reference to the squirrel incident. You have to check out the hilariously overarty video.

'This song means something/Every song means something!'

 

Bury Pts 2 + 4 - video

posted @ 12.50 PM, May 18, 2010

 

O.F.Y.C. Showcase

BackdropAnd with a mumble and a rumble of backbeat breaking drums, the newest album roars into your ears like the return of a long lost pal. The phrase, 'a return to form' is now beyond cliche, and in The Fall's case, a lie, as they've always had form, just varying degrees of it. This album is most definetly a stunning addition to an already incredible output, though. I've listened to it for weeks now, and I'm still picking up new things at every listen. This opener batters you with layers of pulsing bass, garagey guitar and much much more. 'A showcase of Fall talent!' Absolutely storming. Plus - stylophone!

 

posted @ 14.45 PM, May 17, 2010

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