Fall from grace

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 12

Fall from grace

THE FALL “This Nation’s Saving Grace” (Beggar's Banquet Bega67). MADNESS “Mad Not Mad” (Zarjazz JZLP-1). “This Nation’s Saving Grace” is, by my count, the ninth LP from the British band, The Fall, and it is sad to relate that Mark E. Smith and crew are starting to lose the edge they displayed during their 1982 New Zealand tour.

For nearly nine years, they have released their fiercely uncompromising music, fuelled early on by punk, but slowly developing into one of Britain’s most interesting bands. Their 1982 tour coincided with some of their best music, including the brilliant “Lie Dream Of Casino Soul” single, and the

“Grotesque” LP, a record that still stands as the best example of Smith’s uniquely English rant. Throughout, they have maintained an honest approach that has so far kept them away from the charts — only New Zealand has put them in the top 20. Since 1982, however, changing membership and (apparently) eccentric behaviour from Smith have contributed to a decline in the quality of the band’s output, although last year’s “The Wonderful And Frightening World Of The Fall” LP had a few bright spots. The new music is riffy, almost structureless rhythm

and blues, compared with the almost slick arrangements of “Lie Dream” or “It’s The New Thing.” Some will see this as inspired improvisation, but, to me, it just sounds lazy. . Still, this is The Fall, and there are a few songs that recall their past excesses. “I Am Damo Suzuki” is a powerful dirge, mainly due to Karl Burns clattering drums, and “L.A.” is an instrumental lampoon of a Moroder disco lick — the sense of humour is thankfully still intact. But ten slabs of this rather disinterested music is too much, even if Smith’s lyrical output is as wacky as ever. The spirit of The Fall is still intact (check the scrawled do-it-yourself credits on the sleeve), but this is not the LP they are capable of. After releasing an album’s worth of hit singles, the British band, Madness, are finally shaking off the “nutty boys” tag they acquired during their ska music heyday in 1980-81. Their last two LP’s, “The Rise And Fall” and the dour “Keep Running” have slumped their chart ratings, but their sound has now developed into a far more exciting proposition than singles like “Baggy Trousers” indicated.

The band’s latest LP, “Mad Not Mad,” has been released overseas to rave reviews, and with good

reason. Not only is the sublime “Yesterday’s Men” single included, but the overall strength . of the songwriting is almost up to Costello standards. Graham McPherson has also matured into a fine singer, and the rest of Madness are more than competent enough to cope with this rather more sophisticated sound. This does not mean “Mad Not Mad” is hip young MOR music. Something strangely bitter lurks in these songs — “Yesterday’s Men" is supposedly about the Torries, but it could easily be about the band’s declining fortunes: “will we be here in the long run?’ r ; Side two of this record is ' superb pop music, starting off with a jagged version of Scritti Politti’s finest ■ moment, “The Sweetest ‘ Girl.” “Burning The Boats” • reveals a massive hookline, ' and “Tears You Can’t Hide” is McPherson’s finest - moment. ‘ The other side is almost » as good, featuring the title « song, the single, and the ' opening “I’ll Compete,” the closest thing here to the (J Madness of old. » “Mad Not Mad” is Mad- ' ness growing up but not J getting too old — the record they should have made a long time ago. Best of 1986 L so far! : - —TONY GREEN. “