Hexen Definitive
I Feel Voxish
Pat Trip Dispenser
Mere Pseud Mag Ed
Garden
English Scheme
Words of Expectation
Wings
2 x 4
C.R.E.E.P.
Backdrop
Kicker Conspiracy
Ludd Gang
NOTES
68 minutes
Backdrop released on the expanded version of Perverted by Language
An excellent quality soundboard. Some tape cuts on Wings otherwise exceptional.
Another excellent recording from the late ’83 tour. This is a particularly fine capture of the gig. Clear evidence of the “new” guitarist joining for Pat Trip Dispenser onwards. This is the sound of the band re-inventing itself….the mordant defiance of several months earlier replaced with a fresh new attack.
Having said that the version of “Mere Pseud Mag Ed” is oddly slow and somewhat lumpen in places with Smith getting the words mixed up and turning to keyboard splurges until the middle 8 when the band picks up the pace and goes at it hammer and tongs for a few bars and then returns to the swampy blues version – more keyboard splurging etc and drum beating conclude a most peculiar presentation.
A mammoth “Garden” holds the attention for its full ten minutes – some interesting licks added by Brix to the original – a Fall tour de force. To follow this with the manic shortness of “English Scheme” is particularly Fall like – with I assume Brix on keyboards – and is particularly appropriate given just over nine minutes of “Expectation” follows. However this is not the intense baleful version of earlier in the year – indeed no – a looser funkier more (somehow) joyful version.
Feedback announces an odd reading of “Wings” with Hanley S. on particularly fine form however Burns/Hanley P seem to beating the life out of their drums. There are some tape issues here and some of the words are missing.
“2×4” is relatively new and shows. It is dominated by a tinny flanged guitar sound from Brix which tends to over play and an odd contrapuntal backing vocal line from Craig. Similarly a early version of “C.R.E.E.P.” finds the band still trying to find its feet around the new perky poppy Fall sound. Hardly any guitar is audible and from this I deduce Brix is playing keys. Wonderfully fresh and unpolished version.
Atonal keyboard monotone precedes “Backdrop” which is driven as usual by the rhythm session into a lengthy piece of uber-prog. Smith slurs and drawls the words with insouciant aplomb – his voice adopting a variety of cadences/modulations over the rhythm. There is an exquisite low key semi-improvised middle section where the band loosens the volume/tightness of the riff which is brought back in with some masterful playing from Hanley S. Smith manipulates and drives the band throughout with some interesting vocal variations used. Towards the end Smith plays with feedback through his microphone and the band brings it to a juddering halt.
“Kicker” is fantastic and focused/direct after the rambling madness of the previous – some interesting lyrical variations to watch out for here – given this was the contemporary single this seems a little odd.
The gig ends with a magnificent version of “Ludd Gang”.
All in all a fascinating gig – a mixture of the old and the new and a revitalised and focused band heard clearly.