The Fall

Few of the original punk-rockers remain as cantankerous and contrary as they were during their initial infamy. But Mark E. Smith, who's been wailing for the Fall since the group's birth in 1977-era Manchester, England, isn't about to go soft. Take Fall Heads Roll, issued by Narnack Records last October...

By Michael Roberts

May 25, 2006

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Few of the original punk-rockers remain as cantankerous and contrary as they were during their initial infamy. But Mark E. Smith, who's been wailing for the Fall since the group's birth in 1977-era Manchester, England, isn't about to go soft. Take Fall Heads Roll, issued by Narnack Records last October. In what feels like a typically obstinate Smith move, he begins the disc with "Ride Away," a meandering, reggae-inflected exercise in lameness that's easily the album's weakest cut, and "Pacifying Joint," a synth-pop flashback that sounds more like an outtake than a finished song. Afterward, though, the material improves dramatically: "What About Us," "Assume" and the concluding "Trust in Me" exude enough edginess and snideness to recall early Fall platters such as 1984's The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall. Did Smith hide the good stuff behind a pair of second-rate efforts as something of a test -- a way to scare off poseurs and reward more resilient listeners? Could be. All these years later, Smith remains enough of a bastard to pull such a stunt. And for that, he should be proud.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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