THE FALL- OPERATION DESTRUCT (cdr, unreleased, 2009, UK)

Having spent the bulk of 2008 in the post-LP doldrums, with a scattered series of somewhat airless, claustrophobic gigs, the new Fall material that emerged in the first half of ’09 was like a jolt to the nervous system. Boxed-in has always been a position of strength for Mark E. Smith, and the lineup of Greenway-Melling-Spurr (now two years on) finally began to explore virgin territory. Veering from the college rock/acid glaze of the last half-decade, they inched away from traditional song structure towards a more post-modern remit, utilizing Greenway’s effects-rich guitar (heard to superb effect here on the extended runout to “Latch Key Kid”) and pushing the avant electronics of Elena Poulou even further to the foreground. New songs are discovered within the riffs of the back catalogue, such as the stunning new version of “Strangetown” included here, that incorporates musical elements of “Wings.” Nothing exemplifies this fresh approach better than the lead track here, the cavalry-charge of “Cowboy George,” which tears up “Mountain Energie” and rearranges the pieces, turning a gentle tumble into an avalanche. Another gem is “Bury,” welding girl-pop stomp with one of Smith’s classic takes on British provincialism.

Tracklisting:

01 Cowboy George

02 Bury

03 Latch Key Kid

04 Strangetown

05 Funnel of Love

06 Carry Bag Man

07 Chino Splashback

08 Jack the Ripper

09 Hot Cake

Thanks to the Consortium for the always superb unofficial live recordings.

Source gigs in comments

THE FALL-MYSTERY AIR (CDR, UNRELEASED, UK, 2008)

The Fall's March 2008 UK tour was something of a strange affair. Supporting an album that had yet to be released, the Greenway-Spurr-Melling lineup didn't really coalesce until the later gigs, finally acheiving a sui generis hybrid of metallic-pop and hard rock that was closer to the hi-octane approach of the Pritchard group than the heavy, acid-peak remit of their predecessors. Greenway's freeform tendencies on display during the early gigs were eventually reigned in and his skittery guitar constructs, along with Spurr's monstrously huge, percussive bass sound, provided the framework for disciplined readings of catalogue material from the two previous studio LPs. On the new "Imperial Wax Solvent" tunes, the recorded takes were the starting points for live versions that were both expansive and focused, with Elena Poulou's tart elektro-synth pop motifs the cherries in the custard. Aside from some head-scratching vocal interjections from a member of the road crew (such as the untitled spoken-word piece that typically opened each performance), on most nights Smith plumbed a loose but brilliant idiosyncratic lyrical trajectory. Among the many high points on this disc are a cavernous, atmospheric "Alton Towers;" a very loud and percolating "I've Been Duped;" "Totally Wired" reconfigured as glam stomp; and "Tommy Shooter" featuring lead vocals from both Poulou and Smith.

Tracklisting:

01 Latch Key Kid

02 Strangetown

03 Alton Towers

04 I've Been Duped

05 Totally Wired

06 Exploding Chimney

07 Pacifying Joint

08 Wolf Kidult Man

09 "The Empresario of The Fall"

10 50 Year-Old Man

11 Is This New?

12 Mountain Energie

13 Tommy Shooter

(Many thanks as always to The Consortium, and Pike1957 for the absolutely superb live recordings)

(Source gigs in comments)