The Fall - Extricate / Shift-Work / Code: Selfish

Even fallow period reissues throw up plenty of gems

Contrary to popular belief the Fontana, rather than the Beggars years, saw Salfordian post-punk poet Mark E Smith nearly sell out. Sure, they had achieved pop hits in the late 80s, but in the early 90s they tried to strip away all the esoteric bits, at times sounding tired and toothless.

This new path, with easier to understand lyrics and simple pop arrangements and production, led to some timeless tunes such as the paean to his recently deceased dad, Bill Is Dead. For the most part, though, it was the more “angry”-sounding tracks on Extricate, such as Telephone Thing’s phone tap trip-hop, that appealed. Shift-Work is arguably their weakest album, crippled by sentimentality (Edinburgh Man) and paper-thin production. The 18 bonus tracks prove they still had it, though. A hilarious cover of White Lightning, numerous Italo house remixes and punchier Peel Sessions rescue this entirely.

Thankfully Smith snapped out of his post-Brix/bereavement funk for Code: Selfish and ushered in a new era of experimenting with machines and production techniques. The Birmingham School Of Business School sees Smith with his teeth back, ready to tear an ex-business partner a new arsehole. Always different, always the same: even when they’re a bit mediocre, they’re still largely brilliant.

Fontana | 9847463 / 9847464 / 98473

Reviewed by John Doran
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