Mr Smith is now fifty so obviously we are entering calmer more relaxing times. Mark steps away from The Fall and makes an album called Tromatic Reflexxions under the moniker Von Sudenfed with Mouse on Marrs and publishes his autobiography, if you like The Fall both are well worth seeking out and I am sure you probably have, if you don’t you are probably not even reading this so I’ll carry on.
The Americans who had played on Reformations could not continue so Peter Greenway, David Spurr and Keiron Melling came in on guitar, bass and drums and we should insert a drumroll here from Melling as they stayed to the very end, six whole albums over a ten-year period, maybe he was mellowing.
Alton Towers would really make us think he is relaxing, woozy, and laid back, strange and unsettling. Then we hit the usual Fall thrash of Wolf Kidult Man where we see Greenway is up for this, blistering guitar, not a one off, listen to him on the closer Exploding Chimney
If you are fifty why not call a song 50 Year Old Man, make it nearly twelve minutes long, thrash along, insert a banjo solo, then let’s have some drums before riffing us back in. Does not overstay it’s welcome, enthralling.
I’ve Been Duped Eleni takes the lead and I enjoy the band shouting the chorus, and her deadpan delivery.
Strangetown is the usual cover which annoys me with the jumps throughout the song, they are obviously intentional but not for me, shame as the band is storming it.
Can Can Summer Eleni joins in with vocals over effective keyboards and the band then hit a groove on Tommy Shooter and Mark doesn’t slur once, you can see why these musicians bonded and the change in pace towards the end is an added joy and Latch Key Kid we have another magical Fall rhythm section in Spurr and Melling (great bass from Spurr on Senior Twilight) and Is This New could be used on a quirky 70’s TV show, two minutes of fun.
When I turned fifty, I finally stopped kidding on that I had hair and shaved my head, on this record Mark E Smith is showing he is not kidding on with these new members, wish I’d done something as exciting.
7.50/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: 50 Year Old Man
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