The Fall / This Nation’s Saving Grace: Omnibus Edition

The Fall
This Nation's Saving Grace: Omnibus Edition
(Beggars Banquet)

You may well know Brix Smith as the perma-grinning arch enemy of Gok Wan on How To Look Good Naked ("I'll get you next time Gok!" etc) However, in 1985 she was lead riffer in The Fall and wife of the singer, ranter and general subversive mastermind Mark E. Smith.
This album, re-released to serenade its 25th anniversary, sees the two of them in action amongst what is commonly agreed to be The Fall's greatest album. While I haven't heard all The Fall's albums, I'd feel quite confident throwing a dart and agreeing with them.
As sarcastic and piss taking as Mr Smith is, his repetitive shrieks add an undeniable swing to songs like 'Spoilt Victorian Child' and 'Barmy', during which Brix provides a fantastic primal surf riff between the tea breaks for evil distortion.
Motivated by class anger, social anger and whatever anger happened to be going at the time, Smith is at his cutting best here, as typified by his legendary intro to 'Bombast';
"All those whose mind entitles themselves
and whose main entitle is themselves
shall feel the wrath of my bombast!"
'My New House' is up there with The Undertones 'My Cousin Kevin' for bitter sneering delivered as comic pop, albeit with a slightly demonic twist to the barely-tuned guitars. 'Paintwork' out-Blurs Blur with its scratchy surrealism delivered to a circus melody, with overdubs wiping the original score in sporadic moments of tape-chewing genius.
Topping off the record is the ritualistic death-boogie 'I Am Damo Suzuki' and the Velvets 'n Nico at the horror movies shuffle of 'To Nkroachment: Yarbles'. Throughout, Mark E. Smith's irrational, possibly drunken jabbering is an art form unto itself, but the band's contributions shouldn't be side swept: opener 'Mansion' is, after all, credited to Blix.
The downright sexy box set comes complete with rough mixes (CD2), singles and Peel Sessions (CD3), the former of which features songs under different names at different stages of development, as well as a tasty collection of unproduced takes and out-takes. Qua-li-tee.