Perverted by Language [Extra tracks]

This version comes with expanded tracks, that make the original Eight-track album a bit easier to listen to. A few of these are captured on 'In the Palace of Swords Reversed': the Krautrock-bleeping 'The Man Whose Head Expanded', which extends on 'I'm into CB' and offers the great line:"sounds like a lot of hic-wap-uh?". Classic- this was the first song I heard by The Fall on John Peel, so is always welcome. We get the double-a-side 'Wings'/'Kicker Conspiracy'; the former is a fantastic tale in the mode of 'Jawbone & the Air-rifle'. While the latter is one of Smith's bizarre predictions- while 'Zagreb Day' predicted the Balkans, 'Kicker...' predicts the changes in the Football League (!) It's a great pulsing thing...The other tracks are 'Ludd Gang' (referred to on the sleeve of 'Palace') & 'Pilsner Trail'- predicting the theme of songs like 'Australians in Europe'.

The original album opened with 'Eat Y'self Fitter', one of the funniest Fall-songs and chosen by John Peel for Desert Island Discs. The lyrics are brilliant: "became a recluse"-"it was an 'Easy Rider' coup"- in addition to the sinister chants of the Lot in the background. Perhaps someone ought to publish Smith's lyrics in book form?...'Neighbourhood of Infinity' is as dark as 'Hex Enduction Hour's 'The Classical' and much better than the live version from 'Palace'...'Garden' is an epic-oblique song, with some searing guitar and the killer line "sodomized by presumption"...'Hotel Bloedel' is a slightly unsuccesful lead vocal by Brix- sounding like the girl who sang with the House of Love. Bit of an odd one...'Smile' was the dark single, violent and atonal and not unrelated to 'Who Makes the Nazis?'...'I Feel Voxish' is another leftover from the Riley-years- the drumming is great as ever and the song is not unlike something you could dance to...'Tempo House' was recorded live at the Hacienda and sounds really odd compared to the rest of the album- Hanley's bass stands-out...The album concludes on 'Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot'- which is a bit of a lo-fi hangover.

'Perverted by Language' is worth getting, especially for the extra tracks; but it is a dense, ambiguous work and not close to masterpieces like 'Hex', 'This Nation's Saving Grace' and 'Shiftwork'. Still, there's nothing quite like it:"SEE what flows from his mushy pen".

Back in 1983, however things were altogether different for Mark E Smith and his band of merry men. Feted by the music industry but largely ignored by the buying public, MES was perhaps at his most astute and lyrical observant as this collection will testify.

The previous year The Fall had released the seminal " Hex Enduction Hour" a record which is still widely regarded nearly twebty years after it's release. The same can be said of " Perverted By Language" their final long player to conclude a stormy relationship with " Rough Trade".

The album is littered with Smith;s clever metaphors and play on words from the social climbing paen on the outstanding opening track " Eat Y'Self Fitter", where Smith delves behind the psychology of Job Hunting where no-one " Wants to be a victim" to the apparent religious dabbling of " Garden" where the " the bells stopped when he rose" Aand the character hides " a Kingdom of Evil book within a German History Book".

The album succeeds largely due to the taut playing of then Fall regulars, Steve Hanley and Craig Scanlon. They create the hooks and Smith;s lyrics roam around the fringes, much more audibly than some of his more recent work.

Success and minor stardom would lie just over the rainbow for The Fall, but this record remains in this writer's opinion, one of their finest, and an ideal starting point for those requiring acquaintance with the band's 1980's output.

Having said that a large number of Fall albums are very good and The Fall are remarkable for the amount of albums they have produced without getting too stuck in a rut. I know there are people who will say all Fall albums sound the same, but actually it is Smith's voice that is very distinctive, if you listen to the music there is actually a huge variety in it.

The important thing about this album is that it is when Brix joined, and if you look at the albums when she was in The Fall (including when she rejoined in the 90s) they really are the best Fall albums - she seems to have inspired Smith to rise to heights he couldn't otherwise have reached, as well as being a powerful artist in her own right. I think she doesn't get enough recognition, and it is a pity she isn't still with the band.