The Fall A Part of America Therein, 1981 LP reissue
Oh, to be a fly on the wall as the FALL caromed about the US during the summer of 1981, plying their sui generis mixture of rock n’ roil repetition, surrealist non-sequiturs, and dagger-like bon mots—all while leaving a trail of empty beer cans and crumpled bags of speed in their wake. By this point, the band was functioning (at least on stage) as one unit, lashed together with the rhythmic clatter that they were bashing out like a pack of hungry wolves. Most of this set, patched together from recordings taped at an array of US cities, is a study in how the FALL subverted the dirge form and reshaped it into something approaching rock n’ roll. In this spirit, “The N.W.R.A.” opens things up, reveling in a monolithic patience while also utilizing, naturally, a kazoo. The run-through of “Totally Wired” doesn’t quite live up to its title, but it does feature some choice Mark E. Smith ad-libs mocking punks and quoting Hunter S. Thompson. Recorded in Houston, “An Older Lover” has a nice, down-the-hallway feel, emphasizing its petulant response to emotional devastation. Few songs embody wandering around barren streets in a broken-hearted daze like this sublime number. Ultimately, the Live at St. Helens Technical College, 1981 LP that came out last year is superior to this set, but, really, you can’t go wrong with the band in question. There’s always another hole to fall into…