The Fall - Levitate

When I bought this in 1997, I was incredibly disappointed. I had heard bad stuff from The Fall before, but I realised (as I thought) they would never do anything worthwhile again. (I was wrong.) Listening to it again, the really disappointing thing is the way in which a lot of the songs seem to be created by laying down the musical base, and then Mark E Smith sticking the vocals on as an afterthought. A bit like making pizzas - and I'm talking Domino here, not (eg) the excellent Boca Cabana in Grasse. The only song where Smith seems truly with-it is "4 1/2 Inch". Some of the music could have made awesome Fall songs - "The Quartet Of Doc Shanley", "Hurricane Edward", "Ol' Gang", even the cover of Hank Mizell's "Jungle Rock". What a waste.

And whose idea was the cover of Bob McFadden's 1959 novelty hit, "I'm A Mummy"? Now "Monster Mash" would have been interesting. Perhaps it's not too late...