The Fall 'The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click) ' album

Fans usually either love or hate the Manchester madness of Mark E. Smith and The Fall. You either get it or you don’t. They have experimented with almost every style and genre but always had a signature sound. They have been together since the late 70’s and Mark E. Smith does not seem to be slowing down at all. Go into any good record shop and you will find endless albums and live LPs in The Fall section. Last year, Internet bootlegging hit The Fall too. Their album “Country On The Click” was so heavily downloaded that they had to release “The Real New Fall LP (formally ‘Country On The Click’)” on Action Records in the UK. Fast forward to 2004 and Narnock Records re-released the LP in the US with 2 extra tracks and 2 of the older tracks re-mixed. While their last album, “Are You Are Missing Winner” was a shambolic, raw, and uneasy affair, “The Real New Fall LP (formally ‘Country On The Click’)” goes back to the basic indie-rock guitar driven song structure. Mark E. Smith takes some time to get used to. Many times, he just rants and repeats his lyrics over and over again. Here, he does sing a bit. He yells. He talks. There is enough diversity here to satisfy fans and bring them some new ones too.

A typical Fall album has some relatively catchy songs and some wild songs that are hard to listen to. In this case, “The Real New Fall LP” is an upbeat, somewhat diverse, indie-rock guitar driven pop masterpiece with the usual odd references and Mark E. Smith rants. Still, most of the songs have somewhat of a pop song structure. “Green Eyed” (also known as “Green Eyed Loco Man”) is a perfect driving song with noisy yet subtle guitar work. Smith sings the hook making this a typical yet classic Fall tune. “Mountain” (also known as “Mountain Energei”) is absolutely perfect. The pounding and rolling drums complement the keyboard melody and guitar riffs. With references to The Partridge Family, Dolly Parton and Lord Byron, we enter the wild mind of Mark E. Smith. “And water’s flowing – down the mountain” is repeated for the sung hook. “Janet Vs. Johnny” is probably the best track on the LP. The swirling, bluesy guitar hypnotizes as Smith sings the hook: “Janet and Johnny and James”. In the middle of the song, the drummer switches up the beat and uses a rim shots for rhythm. It is a truly amazing modern Fall classic. “Boxoctosis” is a hard rocking driving track where Smith rants, “Open the box! Open the box! Open the goddam box!” These abstract lines are wide open to interpretation. “Contraflow” is another interesting track where Smith claims, “I hate the country folks so much!” Almost every Fall album has a cover track. (Who can forget “Lost In Music” from “The Infotainment Scan” or “(Stay Away) Old White Train” from “The Light User Syndrome”?) “41 Loop / Houston” is a well-done Lee Hazelwood cover with a chanted chorus about going back to Houston. “Mike’s Love Hexagon” is an addictive track that gets stuck in your head. The loud guitar work and the pounding drums are accentuated by Smith’s brash vocals. Smith sings, “…When I die / Love is all around / When I die / Love is in the air…” Other wonderful tracks include the single “Sparta 2XX” which was also known as “Sparta FC” on the UK version. The Fall are once again in excellent form.

When it comes to the UK and the US version, there are some differences. The main difference is the inclusion of 2 extra tracks. While “Mad Mock Goth” is noisy and takes some hard listening to get used to, “Portugal” is nice surprise. “Portugal” includes a guest vocalist talking as Smith chants “For the record”. You have to love a song that uses the phrase “snot balls”. “Recovery Kit #2” is an electronic remix from the original. The added synths complement Mark’s drunken hush singing, giving the song a cinematic feel. Noisy yet somewhat dance friendly, “Recovery Kit #2” is an exceptional way to end the album.

The Fall are back! Well, they never truly went anywhere. They were always releasing albums but some fans may have lost faith since “Are You Are Missing Winner”. (Note: I never lost faith in them!) “The Real New Fall LP (formally ‘Country On The Click’)” shows Mark E. Smith and his (yet another new) line-up return to top form. They push the envelope of difficult listening just enough to satisfy the true lovers of obscure music but maintain a pop sensibility to the average ear. Even with a broken hip, Mark E. Smith rants on and tours relentlessly. They put out an album almost every single year. While there are two or three tracks that may give the average listener a headache, “The Real New Fall LP” is yet another exceptionally odd and wonderful addition to the ever-expanding catalogue of The Fall.

9 out of 10
Review by Todd E. Jones
toddejones@yahoo.com

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MP3:
"Protein Protection"
http://www.narnackrecords.com/mp3/nck7018b.mp3

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The Fall - The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click)