The Fall Album: “Shift-Work [Bonus Tracks]”

This has always been one of my favorite Fall lp's. And one that seems to float pretty regularly to the top of the stack when I'm in the mood for a bit of the Fall.

In terms of the early 90's Fall, it's the one that seems least keyboard and programming heavy and for the most part the songs are as relatively pop and tuneful as the Fall ever were/are.

For my money this one and "Cerebral Caustic" are the highlights of the Fall's 90's catalogue.

Your mileage may vary.

Always the same yet always different and experimental, that's what I like! SHIFT WORK is The Fall's 1991 album release and the CD version also contains some singles tracks such as HI TENSION LINE - with its basic but effective guitar lines and vocalist Mark E. Smith using forgotten lines to his advantage 'I must keep these words from wandering!'. Absolutely! There's also a punk cover version of The Big Bopper's WHITE LIGHTNING, which was a minor chart hit in the UK and still popular in indie music discos. As for the album tracks, the band here show a mellow side on tracks like ROSE, EDINBURGH MAN - in which MArk E. Smith rants satirically about the arty Edinburgh Fringe Festival - and the disco-friendly THE MIXER, experiment with rock in THE WAR AGAINST INTELLIGENCE and IDIOT JOY SHOWLAND, a satire on popular music has-beens even namedroping Freddie and the Dreamers(!). A LOT OF WIND and SHIFT WORK are tracks that maintain that early Fall abrasiveness and minimalist one-chord guitar chugs from long-term guitarist Craig Scanlon and because of this these two are the stand out tracks. THE BOOK OF LIES is also worth a mention as they now seem to be inspired by 1980s gothic sounds yet cross it over well with 1950s rock'n'roll on this track! A great mix indeed, if somewhat weird! Overall, if you love the Fall, then check this album out for its great use of musical inspirations made all the more original by the presence of MES ranting away in a style all his own. Fantastic.