Re: OT - The Fall: Reformation! Post TLC
Date: May 3, 2007 23:06
balders Wrote:
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> The new album is fine though not outstanding. 4
> killer tracks. Cant beat the 6cd peel sessions
> released after John Peels death for an overview of
> the history of this amazing band.
>
> Ive seen them about 6 times in the last few years
> and all bar 2 gigs were fantastic, though if Mark
> isnt up for it on the night you waste your time-
> tickets are always reasonably priced.
>
> The new band are excellent but so was the band he
> sacked last year!
You should've seen them between 1983-92. That was their peak live era. I saw them about 17 times then. A few gigs were lacklustre, but, more often than not, they delivered. Smith was mesmerising, the lyrical equivalent of a Charlie Parker or Charles Mingus. The band changed, shed personnel, but always retained a core nucleus of Craig and Steve. They were a great foundation, really fertile ground. The Fall were relentlessly experimental too, each album very very different to the last. It's not the case anymore. Now it's one or two standouts and much boring rockabilly riffing. Very dull. And his lyrics are only mildly more interesting than Paul Weller's these days.
I'm afraid what we're witnessing with The Fall now is a fairly dull soap opera with a will-he/wont-he punchline revolving around Mark's erratic performances.