The Complete Peel Sessions [Box set]

Some of these tracks are surfacing on the definitive Fall reissue programme, but this is one that is nice to have in one place. Some of the versions of songs here could be argued to be superior/as great as their recorded counterparts - the storming version of 'U.S. 80s-90s', a groovier 'The Mixer' (predicting 'The Remixer'), future b-side 'Hot Aftershave Bop', a more comic take of 'Australians in Europe' and epic takes of early delights such as 'New Puritan', 'Hip Priest' (the 'Silence of the Lambs' one) & 'Garden.'

A few versions are of academic interest to the Fall scholar - the version of 'Guest Informant' slightly different and missing its reference to Marillion! Many of the sessions precede the LP version, so things like 'Immortality' (from 'Code: Selfish'), 'Touch Sensitive' (two years before its recorded version & several years before appearing in a car advert), 'Faust Banana' (later known as 'Bend Sinister's 'Dktr. Faustus') & 'Athlete Cured' (which is sharper than the 'Frenz Experiment' take and reminds me of a song by Spinal Tap!).

This is one that the hardcore Fall fan needs to own and provides entertaining contrast to the reissue programme - which has made me realise that all Fall records need to be owned once more. I'm listening to all my old LPs and tapes at present and rediscovering the joys of Mark E. Smith & co. There are many highlights - the anti Lloyd Cole-intro to 'LA'; the updates of 'The Man Whose Head Expanded', 'Glam Racket' & 'Mere Psued Mag. Ed'; the fiddletastic take of 'The War Against Intelligence'; a wild cover of 'Strychnine'; the 'LA'-referencing 'Clasp Hands'; the cover of Lee Perry's 'Kimble' (a single in the early 90s with 'C'N'C Hassle Schmuck' on the flipside); rarities like 'Job Search', 'Whizz Bang' (later 'Butterflies 4 Brains'), Xmas songs and the mythical 'Words of Expectation' - one slice of genius to rank alongside 'Backdrop' & 'New Puritan.'

It's great...it's The Fall - though there are sessions that stand out - notably the third-session (Container Drivers-Jawbone-New Puritan-New Face in Hell), the fifth 'Hex'-era session (Deer Park-Look, Know-Winter-Who Makes the Nazis?), the tenth session (Hot Aftershave Bop - R.O.D. -Gross Chapel...-US 80s-90s), the sixteenth (Ladybird-Strychnine-Service-Paranoia Man...)...though the strongest seem to be the more recent sessions here, when the band have settled into its best line-up since the early 90s: the twenty third and twenty fourth. The final session is probably one of their best and shows that the Interim/Fall Heads Roll-material is up there with previous greats - 'Clasp Hands' is wild rockabilly garage rock that nods to 'This Nation's Saving Grace', 'Blindness' genius, the Harold Shipman-referencing 'What About Us?' already a Fall-classic, and the closing medley sees a return to 1988's 'Wrong Place, Right Time' fused with the fiery cover of The Move's 'I Can Hear the Grass Grow.'

Some people might draw the line at the great compilation '50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong', while others may pick out certain favourite albums ('Live at the Witch Trials', 'Hex Enduction Hour', 'This Nation's Saving Grace', 'Bend Sinister', 'Extricate', 'Shiftwork', 'The Infotainment Scan', 'The Marshall Suite' & 'The Unutterable' often cited as the masterpieces in the brilliant career). I'd go for the lot though - and the Peel Sessions is a geat box-set which is screaming good value 97 tracks at this price? As Peel said "The Fall, a band by which, in our house, all others are judged." Though don't get the idea that this box-set anyway captures The Fall definitively - classic singles ('Kicker Conspiracy', 'Totally Wired', 'Ed's Babe', 'Hit the North', 'Hey Luciani!', 'Rowche Rumble') aren't here, while loads of personal faves aren't either - 'Disney's Dream Debased', 'Bill is Dead', 'Shiftwork', 'The Birmingham School of Business School', 'I am Damo Suzuki', 'A Figure Walks', 'English Scheme' etc). But it gives you a great counter-history to '50,000 Fall Fans...' - obligatory listening to anyone interested in literature or rock'n'roll. Buy Fall cds 1978 - 2004!!!

Obviously the most complete guide to the fall

Tremendous live feel to all your faves

Great to replace all those degraded cassettes

BUY IT NOW

Worth many more stars than are available