Every good band has a good drummer, if you don’t have the man at the back who can keep time then you are in a bit of trouble. House of All have delivered two excellent albums so far with the two ex-drummers from The Fall Paul Hanley and Simon Wolstencroft. Anyone who knows anything about House of All know that it contains ex members of The Fall and if you have an interest in them there is a very good chance you have read Dave Simpson’s excellent book The Fallen where he tries to track down all ex members of The Fall, with one notable exception, Karl Burns.
Burns was in The Fall on three separate occasions and finally walked away from them in 1998 and has disappeared since then.
Guess who is on the new album for five tracks? Yep, why only have two ex-Fall drummers when you can have three, welcome back Mr Burns. House of All now a seven piece with six ex Fall and Phil Lewis from Martin Bramah’s other band Blue Orchids on guitar as well.
Albums one and two were recorded at the same time so this new one appears after the band have toured and played together over the last three years, I praised the first two and guess what, this is just as good. The Fall were known for their repetition, House of All have built on that, its darker and more atmospheric and although I still have a few Fall albums to review, I miss being able to praise Steve Hanley. Listen to his bass on the marvellous A Creature Came Slinking, he is one of the absolute best.
The Devil’s House opens with a riff, Bramah’s spoken like vocals and then the rest arrive, and all is good in the world again. The Good Englishman the band find more space, a bit of Wire like guitar and nice drum roll ending. Queen of the Angels a heavy metal like riff welcomes us in good to see Peter Greenway feeling himself back in after long term illness, listen to Infamous Immoral Sister to see he has lost none of his talent.
Elsewhere Tempest and Storm Mr Smith would have loved on a Fall album, great shouty backing vocals on O Dayspring
Born at Dawn and Dead At Sunset is the grand finale starting like Wandering Star(but good!) and plodding through (but in a good way!!) giving us a suitable climax (in a good way!!!).
If these men had never done anything again, they could always tell people that had been in The Fall, for many that would be good enough, these men disagree they have so much more to say with House of All.
10/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: The Good Englishman (get yourself over to Bandcamp for a purchase or listen)
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