Album review: The Fall, 'Your Future Our Clutter'
Through 34 years, 28 studio albums and countless lineup changes, the Fall remains remarkably consistent, thanks to the irascible vision of singer Mark E. Smith. The British band has tried on various music styles, from punk to electro, but no matter what the outer trappings of the music, the central elements remain: a love of drone, driving rhythm and caustic wordplay. Alongside fellow iconoclasts such as the Mekons and Pere Ubu, Smith is one of the godfathers of resolutely independent music, trends be damned.
On “Your Future Our Clutter” (Domino), the singer sounds as vital as ever, directing one of the better recent Fall lineups, including his wife, Elena Poulou Smith, on keyboards. With drums and bass slamming away and keyboards and guitar swirling with hypnotic force, Smith mumbles, mutters and spits like a drunk ranting on a streetcorner. But as the songs progress, he gathers himself and his words and phrases coalesce into short, sharp jabs. “Your future, our clutter,” he pronounces on “OFYC Showcase.” The songs sometimes meander in search of focus, but once they do, the band bangs away with a fierce, bulldog tenacity. After demonstrating how to do it right, Smith punctuates the album with a sneer: "You don't deserve rock ‘n’ roll."
greg@gregkot.com
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