On my own (DAT)/Ol’ Gang
Calender
Touch Sensitive
Spencer must die
Scareball
The Joke
Ten Houses of Eve
Levitate
He Pep
F-Oldin’ Money
Powderkeg
Plug myself in
This Perfect Day
Released “officially” on vinyl on 13th April 2019 on Let Them Eat Vinyl, and on CD as Part of Set of Ten
58 minutes
Very good audience capture with some intrusive audience chatter in parts.
Second gig in for the new stripped down four piece Fall. The balance of feeling from reviews of the time was this was a top notch performance with MES back at his finest.
Karen Leatham bass playing is excellent, Head keeps it simple and tight and Julia provides layers of colour. Notably guitarless for the first two tunes, remedied with a protean “Touch Sensitive” on its sixth outing. One of the ladies takes backing vox at one point – not sure which one.
Convoluted taped noises and vocals precede an excellent and perverse “Spencer” complete with rattling synth sounds, loping lazy drums and languid vocals. A short and competent rattle through the one of eight appearances of “Scareball” is a nugget.
“The Joke” lacks chutzpah and tends to wander a bit. Audience participation replete with echo and vocals from MES, backing vox from Karen/Julia(?) from only half way through “Eve” reveals a technoish improv masterpiece.
Smith mutters his gratitude, slags off “Loaded” and intros a spectacular “Levitate” – probably one of the better readings in the groups canon. Taped spoken word of “I’m Bobby” from “Post Nearly” precedes and overlays “He Pep” which is echo dominated and guitar-less but works quite well for all that.
A stripped down “F-Oldin” is fine and infinitely preferable cf the version played around about this time on the Jerry Sadowitz show.
Convoluted taped noises and vocals precede an excellent and perverse “Spencer” complete with rattling synth sounds, loping lazy drums and languid vocals. A short and competent rattle through the one of eight appearances of “Scareball” is a nugget.
“The Joke” lacks chutzpah and tends to wander a bit. Audience participation replete with echo and vocals from MES, backing vox from Karen/Julia(?) from only half way through “Eve” reveals a technoish improv masterpiece.
“Powderkeg” is masterful as a chap in the audience says “where’s the bar man I’m gagging for pint” and then continues to rattle on throughout the song – go the bar you noisy person!! Mostly instrumental until approx 2 mins. Excellent vocal reading completely ruined by the whittering yahoo.
A rare and final reading of “Plug Myself In” is a tangled mass of noise and disruption….until MES yells his way into the song. A bit of a mess really but enjoyable for all that. Interesting jazzy guitar chords.
Matters conclude with an encore break, some martial music, and the band returning for a motorik rush through a great “Perfect Day”….predominantly drum and bass with doomy deep sizzling synth sound.
So a stripped down Fall playing interesting variations on material. Well worth a punt.