This Nation's Saving Grace

[oh oooh]

The Fall's best album, I'd say, and there's something close to a consensus among fans.

MOJO have a two-page article this month, here's a so-so scan from an Fb page:







The power of the thing still knocks me out. It's hard rock, really, but not Dio.

Choose your favourite three tracks.

[rayge]

It's too long ago for me to choose any tracks, because my memory can't separated them, but I agree it's probably the best of theirs I've heard. Although I was buying everything with the their name on it from the first Step Forward single on, I could never really enjoy them at even an album side's length until Brix joined the band, and brought that feminine pop sensibility hard rock sound to the band. It was groundin. My favourite track of the period though is the extended version of No Bulbs that appeared on the B-side of a 12" single - Call for Escape Route

[DarknessFish]

Might have to give it a listen later, it's one of the few Fall albums I own. I seem to recall Bombast and Paintwork as being my favourites, but I can't remember what the latter sounds like at all now.

[DarknessFish]

Well, I listened to it all, but I can't honestly say I loved it. Most of the tracks are overlong and really repetetive, they just don't seem to have enough ideas to fill the timespan, I don't get why it's universally liked. Only "Paintwork" and "I am Damo Suzuki" feel like really strong tracks with a proper purpose and sense of character about them. "Barmy" is quite cool, but doesn't go anywhere, but it got my other vote, anyway.

[oh oooh]

Repetition was always central to what they did. Same sort of thing you get with Suicide, the Cramps, those sort of bands.

'Spoilt Victorian Child' is one fuck of a racket tho' don't you think?

[DarknessFish]

Yeah, Spoilt Victorian Child was enjoyable enough, and I thought Gut of the Quantifier was a reasonable stab of aggression, too. I'm not against repetition per se, I love Suicide and Killing Joke, and lots of psychedelic loopy things, I just don't think it really works for me in this type of thing.

[Reactionary Rage]

Bombast. One of my favourites. Love the opening monologue (shall feel the wrath!), the utterly relentless diamond hard Fall groove and the thrilling moment whenever the guitar barges to the front and you get that repeated climatic riff smashing you around the head with the vigour of a dog shaking a child's doll in its mouth. One of those Fall songs I would stick on a beginners style compilation.

Spoilt Victorian Child. A great big, clattering Fall noise that at times feels like it's about to fall over and smash its drunken head off a table but just keeps clattering on. Great title too and it reminds me of the interview MES did with a slightly obsequious Frank Skinner where Skinner says that SVC was the song that turned him onto the Fall and MES is sat looking at him like he's a complete bloody fool. lol

I Am Damo Suziki. Drum beat.

[Reactionary Rage]

I prefer the Brix era these days as a general rule but I'd put Hex above Nation just cos its highs are higher and the first side is probably the greatest thing they ever did.