Disco de The Fall: “Wonderful and Frightening World of T”

I know what you're thinking. Why do I need to splash out for a 4-disc box set when there's a perfectly good

available (with extra tracks to boot!)? Or why buy discs at all? Aren't MP3's the modern way to listen to music?

Well, as Mark E. Smith might say, "Pony up, ¢ø¢k!" The Omnibus Edition of The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall is an essential purchase for both Fall completists and for more casual fans who don't yet own the album. Beggars Banquet has done a great job compiling and remastering the music on all four discs.

The album itself, of course, is one of the best in the Fall discography. Brix Smith was beginning her drive to push the group's sound forward by grafting her pop sensibilities to The Fall's core repetition-repetition-repetition Mancabilly rumble. Add in major-label quality production and recording. What do you get? A great record that truly showcases the awesome "always different, always the same" nature of The Fall.

Discs 2-4 are all worthwhile as well. While committed fans probably already have the singles and Peel Session material, there are generous helpings of alternate versions, rough mixes, and unreleased live performances (see the Comments for this review to see an interesting explanation of how this set came to contain a lost version of "No Bulbs"). The Pandora's Music Box Festival show on Disc 4 is especially cool, with a tough, gritty performance by the group.

One thing Beggars could improve, not just in this set but in all of its Omnibus Editions, is the layout and organization of the book. Perhaps in an effort to differentiate the Omnibus Editions from other labels' box sets, Beggars arranges the interviews, graphic material, and track commentary into a single, very long chronology. I prefer the more customary style of box set book, where there are a few broadly focused essays, a track-by-track breakdown, and commentary from band members, all in their own sections. This is a relatively minor quibble, though, and doesn't detract much from the high quality of what's actually on the discs.

Bottom line: a nicely put together set, with individual album-style sleeves for each disc and excellent graphic design throughout. Outstanding sound and track selection. One star penalty, on what would otherwise be a five-star box set, for the disorganized book. Also keep in mind that this is a limited edition of only 5,000. Four stars.

Get the 180-Gram version. The vinyl is seriously thin and the sleeve is about the thickness of construction paper. This will warp fast if not diligently monitored and cared for.

For myself, I consider "The Wonderful and Frightening World of..." as a definitive album for The Fall. It was the first album of theirs that I had heard, having purchased on a whim back in 1985 or 86. I really liked this album back then, probably because it was so different in comparison to anything else around at the time (maybe PIL or Wire, but they were on hiatus or in flux). There is a certain looseness in their music that pushes the threshold of groove and compliments Mark E. Smith's barely sung vocal stylings. I don't consider myself a big fan of The Fall, but this Omnibus Edition release reaffirmed its appeal to me. And like my initial purchase of the LP years ago, I threw caution to the wind and dove head first. I am not disappointed even considering the price. I don't think $27 for a four-disc, imported box set is unreasonable. I've also purchased previous Beggars Banquet Omnibus Editions, such as The Cult's "Love" (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Omnibus-Cult/dp/B002GU605G/ref=pd_sim_m_3), Bauhaus "Mask" (http://www.amazon.com/Mask-Deluxe-Bauhaus/dp/B002HWRMNM/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1297612283&sr=1-1), and "In The Flat Field" (http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Field-Bauhaus/dp/B002HWRMNW/ref=pd_bxgy_m_text_b). So I knew what kind of quality product to expect and a fine one at that.

If you already have some familiarity with The Fall, this album should impress. In my humble opinion, it is only rivaled by "This Nation's Saving Grace" (http://www.amazon.com/This-Nations-Saving-Grace-Omnibus/dp/B004A1NMWI/ref=pd_sim_m_1). But, I'm basing my assessment on my personal taste, past experience, and the other releases I own, namely "50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats" (http://www.amazon.com/000-Fall-Fans-Cant-Wrong/dp/B00024729G/ref=sr_1_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1297613094&sr=1-6), "Words Of Expectation"(http://www.amazon.com/Words-Expectation-Fall/dp/B00007KK80/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297613416&sr=1-1), and "Real New Fall Lp Formerly Country on the Click" (http://www.amazon.com/Real-Fall-Formerly-Country-Click/dp/B00024I2X6/ref=sr_1_20?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1297613171&sr=1-20). Complete-ists will find a treasure trove with the collected single releases and BBC Sessions. Those persons familiar with later offerings may not be so impressed with "The Wonderful and Frightening World of...", but may be more impressed with "This Nation's Saving Grace".

For those not familiar with The Fall, a recommended starting point is "50,000 Fall Fans...". The Fall is eclectic yet distinctive. Starting off with this grandiose re-release may not be ideal. Although, I heartily recommend this album. It may appeal to fans of Wire, Mission of Burma, PIL or other mid-1980s post punk.