The Fall Cup: Stage 1, Groups 19-20

         


Group 19

Black Monk Theme Part II, C’ n’ C-S.Mithering, He Pep!, Words of Expectation, Assume, The Acute, Squid Law/Squid Lord, Ten Houses of Eve, Bremen Nacht, Rememberance R, Everything Hurtz, Chino, Solicitor in Studio, I’ve Been Duped, Open the Boxoctosis #2


Even by our usual standards, this was a group lacking in consensus, with five of the songs getting at least one 10 or 12 mark but also attracting a zero from someone else.

The Fallen

Whilst AYAMW has its defenders (I would certainly argue that it's better than many people say), I've never come across anyone championing 'The Acute'. That didn't change here, even if bzfgt does 'dig it sometimes'. Eric's comment was: 'not a good song, awful vocals, and the usual trashy AYAMW sonic miasma hovering over everything'. Richard was similarly unimpressed: 'Do I look like I have on my forehead “I’ll accept any quarter-arsed shit with The Fall on the cover”?'

'Assume' is a solid enough track (although, as Lewis commented it's 'as subtle as a sledgehammer') and was a bit unlucky to join our list of zero-pointers. Richard: 'A good honest barrel along a greasy riff which doesn’t deserve zero, but neither does it deserve to win any awards'.



I'm not a big fan of 'everyone in the studio chant along' backing vocals (hence my zero for 'Senior Twilight Stock Replacer' in group 2) so as much I generally love Eleni's contributions, 'I've Been Duped' got nothing from me - or indeed anyone other than Eric, who thought it 'charming... nice in its context on Imperial Wax Solvent'.

'Black Monk Theme Part II' picked up a few points from Eric and Richard, but overall nobody had any particular disagreement with my assessment in You Must Get Them All: 

'Whatever made them think that giving Monks’ 'Oh, How To Do Now' a hi-NRG/Eurovision treatment, complete with manic Casio keyboard handclap effects and tortuous key changes was a good idea, God only knows.'

I agree with bzfgt that 'Open the Boxoctosis #2' 'deserved way more points' and have some sympathy for Eric, who thought it was a 'complete-package Fall song, propulsive, exciting, aurally rich, and stuffed to the brim with feisty MES expressing strong views about something or other'. Eric was also a big fan of 'Squid Law/Squid Lord', as was bzfgt ('I just love everything about this') but it fell just short of qualifying. 'He Pep' also came close, but was largely scuppered by Eric, who found Brix's contributions 'annoying'.


I was very disappointed to see 'Rememberance R' make an early exit. For me, it's a far more satisfying take on ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ than 'Elves', and I love Ding's sardonic closing monologue. 


The (Are You Are Missing) Winners

Only four points separated the top three, all of which enjoyed strong support from everyone, apart from 'Ten Houses of Eve', which Eric considered 'wan' and 'skippable'. Although Richard didn't give 'Solicitor in Studio' any points, he did comment that 'there’s an awful lot to like here, but 1982’s output was so preposterously brilliant that this pales. Killed by context.'

'Words of Expectation', which was clearly going for the long-form epicness of 'Garden' or 'Winter', divided the panel. Lewis thought it 'monumentally great' , and that view just about prevailed. 




Group 20

Wings, Ride Away, Mountain Energei, H.O.W., Before The Moon Falls, Cyber Insekt, Pumpkin Head Escapes, Happy Holiday, 50 Year Old Man, Latch Key Kid, Crap Rap 2 / Like To Blow, Kick the Can, Say Mama / Race With The Devil, Nate Will Not Return, Monocard


The Fallen

We all agreed that 'Happy Holiday' is rubbish, and we largely felt the same about 'Say Mama / Race With The Devil' (Eric: 'extraneous cover chaff') although Richard's comment was 'I actually rather like Say Mama, but the forced and unnecessary smash into that boozy take on Race infuriates.' He also captured the general view of 'Kick The Can': 'Who will win in this epic battle between thin garage and stunted rockabilly? Boredom will.' (I actually don't mind the studio version, but listening to multiple bootleg versions that are often turgid and not-in-a-good-way repetitive have given me a jaded view of the track.)

The fact that 'Pumpkin Head Escapes' is about Craig Scanlon's cat and there's a link to a 1951 Kirk Douglas film is perhaps more interesting than the song itself. I quite enjoy the sheer ludicrousness of 'Ride Away', but not enough to help it qualify. bzfgt is a fan ('I really love this, sue me') but Lewis found it 'silly, annoying and far too long'. 

Many of the panel couldn't resist assessing 'Nate Will Not Return' in rhyming dictionary style. Lewis' version was 'Some say it's not great, it's one to debate, but our panel will seal it's fate'. Richard went with 'This is not great, with the power to irritate, it is dead weight, I have sealed its fate.'

'Crap Rap 2 / Like To Blow' had, according to Eric, 'that herky-jerky early post-punk thing going on that hasn't aged well', although Lewis thought it 'short, sharp and full of f*ck'. I agree with Lewis that the From The Basement version of 'Latch Key Kid' is marvellous, but there was little enthusiasm elsewhere. Despite strong support from Richard, the doom metal of 'Monocard' fell just short - Lewis thought it 'just too long and too tedious'.




The (Are You Are Missing) Winners

Lewis was 'not a fan' of '50 Year Old Man' (especially the 'bloody banjo bit'), but overall there was much more consensus with this set of qualifiers than was the case with group 19. 








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