This Nation's Saving Grace (Omnibus Edition) [Box set]

Having been a Fall fan since the 90's and adoring the band since i first heard them and seeing them live many many times i was well familiar with this album. Long held in such high esteem by critics and fans alike (not to mention former members of the band who appear on it). This album has long since been seen as a fairly safe starting point to get into the band. I never owned an original vinyl version of this album. So only had the Beggars Banquet CD of which was a mish mash of the original album and singles, b-sides and ep's released in the year of the record. These are mixed through the CD and not as in most cases added as bonus tracks to the end of the album. And although the album features the famed line-up of Mark E. Smith, his wife Brix on guitar, Craig Scanlon (fan favourite) on guitar, Steve Hanley (longest serving member of the band excluding Mark E.) on Bass, The ever elusive enigma that is Karl Burns on Drums and recently added Simon Rogers (classically trained musician who now writes the score and theme-tune for Hustle) on Keyboards and Guitar. I always felt strangely under satisfied with this album. Also i was not impressed by the overall sound quality on the original CD's of the famed Beggars period. But after buying the Omnibus edition of "The Wonderful and Frightening World...." and being astounded by the clarity and sound reproduction of that album. And the package of boxset featuring the original album sleeve in replica slip case and the subsequent ep's and singles, not to mention a live CD and Peel Sessions. I had such high hopes for this album. I was not disappointed. Again the packaging is sublime. Coming in the boxset along with the original replica vinyl gatefold sleeve and replica slip case along with bonus discs of the ep's and singles and the compulsory Peel Sessions. Though strangely a concert disc is absent from this Omnibus Edition leaving it as a 3 Disc Boxset. And the sound quality is again immense. Sounding truly sonic and with such clarity. The band are really tight throughout this recording. And features some of the bands most well known mid-period songs. From the excellent Spoilt Victorian Child to the glorious Brix led L.A with lyrics of Mark's point of view of L.A. and the Hollywood fame obsessed world "odeon sky, uncanny, the bushes are in disagreement with the heat" an excellent lyric from the scathing pen of Mark E. Bombast the band are so tight with a Riff led by Steve Hanley and the song Barmy, which Mark says features a riff he stole from an obscure Monkees track called "Valleri". The lyrics of What You Need are based on an Old Twighlight Zone episode with a fantastic Craig Scanlon Riff which drives the song. Gut Of The Quantifier is a Brix led track which sounds uncannily like "The Changeling" by the Doors. And My New House an acoustic based song all about Mr & Mrs Smiths purchase of their new home that was painted blue and fitted with Persian rugs but nothing else. And Paintwork which was recorded in Simon's room on 4 track, with Mark's vocal added later straight onto a Cassette and the recording actually features an uncorrectable mistake in which Mark, when listening to a playback of it accidently pressed record and you hear Mark speaking, repeating the lyric and the background Television. Which only adds to the tracks charm. All of which leads us to the albums Centrepiece and key track. "I Am Damo Suzuki" a homage to the Can singer of the same name, whom Smith is such a fan of. The track is just epic, grinding, classic raw Fall. With 2 seperate takes being used. A take of the band playing the song with a Mark E. vocal removed and a Mark E. vocal from a different backing track version. Added on top. Producer John Leckie tore his hair out over this, saying it would never work. But Mark insisted and he was right. This is truly Classic Fall. All the tracks here are great Fall tracks and were my favourite on the original mish mash CD (funnily enough, it never occured to me just to programme my CD!). And for those of you who miss the extra tracks, they are all here on the 2nd Disc, so if you can't live without Cruisers Creek, Petty (Thief) Lout or the Fallabilly of Rollin' Dany then they are all here for your enjoyment. And actually sound better grouped together with their original ep counterparts. If you are a fan of The Fall, don't delay. You must own this Omnibus edition of the album, along with "The Wonderful and Frightening World...." in my personal opinion the better album. Get them here, especially at this price. A bargain and value for money. Lets hope Beggars do the same and release "Bend Sinister" in full Omnibus Edition treatment next!

Two albums into their Beggars Banquet era and everyones favourite Mancunian curmudgeons release what for many is their best album. We know this because the polls on Fall forums tell us so; yes these surveys exist oh yes. According to the exhaustive booklet it appears to have have been a favourite of the band members themselves and an era of better recording budgets and more comfortable tours is recalled. Just the 3 discs this time, including the related singles and radio sessions. The original album itself comes in a facsimile of the gatefold album cover and it is difficult to disagree that they have rarely topped this record, awash with Fall classics as it is . If still you dither, this is a good an entry to delights of the Fall, I doubt it will disappoint.

Now, 6 disc version of "Bend Sinister" , anyone.....

Very well presented edition of this Fall classic. A lot of thought has gone into this with collectors being highly regarded, the book has many great photos which are excellently reproduced and the various writings within the book are all interesting and nicely set out. All in all this boxset is lovely and a joy to own, it looks good on the shelf too. Oh yeah,, by the way, the music is some of the best you'll ever hear from the mid eighties, a full 3 cd's worth, total bargain!