Glorious 20th Century issue 1: The Fall
Since I've been listening to a lot of old indie records for the last two weeks, it was only a matter of time before I come up with another segment (Glorious 20th Century) dedicated especially for bands from the last century that I love and has made a significant impact on the music scene. So, it is with pleasure for me to present, the first band to be covered for this segment, The Fall. Formed in 1976 in Prestwich, Bury, The Fall is best known for its abrasive guitar-driven sound and Mark E. Smith's distinctive vocals and his often cryptic lyrics. The record that I have been listening to is Hex Enduction Hour, recorded in 1981 in Iceland and was released on March 8, 1982; a one hour art rock record which sound can be found similarly copied by the likes of Nirvana and Pavement. Music critics say this album is one of their most accessible for the mainstream market; it could be a joke really. The opener "The Classical" is the very anti-thesis to that statement because if speaking of accesibility in terms of sound then yes, perhaps. But the mainstream market may find Smith's opening line: "Where are the obligatory niggers?/ Hey there f**kface" in that song a bit leftfield. Politically incorrect or not; the song was one of the many great moments that makes up the gem that was Hex Enduction Hour.
Brilliant.
