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Average: 4.5 (27 ratings)
- Date Released: May 20, 2003
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Post-Punk
- Label: Beggars Banquet
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We Say...
A paranoid, cryptic album, with images of chemicals and war erupting from its darkly riffing murk and chittering synthesizers. But it's also got a couple of surprising pop moments, like a wry stomp through the Other Half's garage-rocker "Mr. Pharmacist."
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They Say...
Again working with John Leckie on production, the Fall's third Beggars album, Bend Sinister, was a distinctly down affair -- not that the Fall were ever a shiny happy band, of course, but both music and lyrics seemed like a darker corner to dwell in. Happily there was no worry that the Fall would ever go goth; one suspects Mark E. Smith would rather have his tongue removed. Still, opening track "R.O.D." makes for a distinctly lower-key start in comparison to recent leadoffs like "Lay of the Land" and "Bombast," almost sounding a bit like fellow Mancunian legends Joy Division, Smith's lyric his own depressing vision of a beast slouching toward Bethlehem. Leckie's production emphasizes space in the recording, while the band as a whole sounds generally more deliberate and understated, even Craig Scanlon's guitar not leaping quite as much to trebly life as is normally the case. Songs like "Gross Chapel - British Grenadiers" favor Steve Hanley's bass work as much as anything, while the almost industrial/hip-hop beat of "US 80's-90's" sets the tone for a glowering vision of the States from, as Smith puts it, "the big-shot original rapper." Elsewhere, there's Smith's vision of the eternal outsider comes to life once again -- "Shoulder Pads 1," a hardly disguised sneer against being surrounded by people who "can't tell Lou Reed from Doug Yule," for all that there's a slightly quirky arrangement thanks to Simon Rogers' keyboards. Still, there are certainly moments of sheer fun -- in keeping with the band's regular ear for good cover versions, this time around psych-era obscurities the Other Half get the nod with a brisk rip through the obvious drug references of "Mr. Pharmacist." Brix again shares vocal leads with Smith at various points, notably "Dktr. Faustus," a distinctly reworked version of that particular legend that turns into a frantic, audibly unhappy dance groove.
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You Say...
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| 01. |  |
R.O.D. |
4:36 |  |
| 02. | |
DKTR Faustus |
5:35 | |
| 03. | |
Shoulder Pads 1 |
2:55 | |
| 04. | |
Mr. Pharmacist |
2:21 | |
| 05. | |
Gross Chapel-British Grenadiers |
7:21 | |
| 06. | |
Living Too Late |
4:30 | |
| 07. | |
U.S. 80's-90's |
4:36 | |
| 08. | |
Terry Waite Sez |
1:38 | |
| 09. | |
Bournemouth Runner |
6:05 | |
| 10. | |
Riddler! |
6:22 | |
| 11. | |
Shoulder Pads 2 |
1:57 | |
| 12. | |
Auto-Tech Pilot |
4:53 | |
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Credits
- The Fall - Main Performer // Paul Hanley - Drums // John Leckie - Producer // Simon Rogers - Guitar // Simon Rogers - Keyboards // Simon Rogers - Machines // Craig Scanlon - Guitar (Acoustic) // Craig Scanlon - Guitar (Electric)
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