The Fall - Room To Live

Band: The Fall
Album: Room To Live
Country: UK
Release Date: 1982

Room to Live originally appeared in 1982 and remains as essential to the Fall's discography as the previous year's Slates EP. Room to Live was similarly one of the great Fall collections of this era that was too short to be called an album and too long to be an EP or single. Its seven tracks epitomize the "Undilutable Slang Truth!" -- the phrase scrawled across the cover -- which in Mark E. Smith dialect translates as possibly the most archly political and scathing collection of diatribes the Manchester legend spewed forth onto record during what is arguably the group's creative peak. Room to Live marks one of the most inspired periods of the group, the era that produced the masterful Hex Enduction Hour and was in part fueled in by the political upheaval in England circa 1982 during the Falklands War (the subject became a bone of contention with many artists, yet few railed so spitefully as the Fall). Mark E. Smith is at his very best lyrically when getting riled up against the middle class, such as on "Hard Life in Country" and the hilarious "Solicitor in Studio." The latter track gathers a chugging momentum until peaking in uncontrollable feedback, and contains some of the most experimental and risky instrumental behavior his supporting cast ever brought to the studio. Room to Live may be a short, sharp stab of chaos, yet it remains undeniably one of the greatest pieces of post-punk genius the group ever recorded.

1	Joker Hysterical Face	4:48
2	Marquis Cha-Cha	4:31
3	Hard Life in Country	6:11
4	Room to Live	4:15
5	Detective Instinct	5:43
6	Solicitor In Studio	5:21
7	Papal Visit	5:32
8	Fantastic Life	5:20
9	Lie Dream Of A Casino Soul	3:10

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The Fall - The Infotainment Scan

Band: The Fall
Album: The Infotainment Scan
Country: USA
Release Date: 2006

Returning to the indie label world with a bang, the Fall unleashed a winner and a half with The Infotainment Scan, one of the band's most playful yet sharp-edged releases. The choice of covers alone gives a sense of where Smith's head was at -- tackling Lee Perry's "Why Are People Grudgeful?" is one tall order to start with, while a cover of the novelty tripe "I'm Going to Spain" is just silly fun (even if the guitar does sound like early Cure!). Even more astounding, though, is what the band does to the Sister Sledge disco classic "Lost in Music" -- nobody will ever mistake Smith's singing for that of the threesome, but the band's overall performance is an honest to God tribute to the tight but full Chic Organization sound. Craig Scanlon throws in some scratchy work around the edges, but otherwise the group takes it as it is and does a great job. As for the originals, Smith and crew are in fine form once again, Scanlon, Steve Hanley, Dave Bush, and Simon Wolstencroft once again a dynamic, inventive unit. After the explicitly techno nods of the recent past, Infotainment balances that off with more straight-ahead rock, though with Wolstencroft's strong, sharp drumming still setting a brisk, danceable pace while Scanlon whips up his usual brand of tight, memorable riffing and Bush adds subtle textures and catchy melodies. One of the best numbers is the explicitly Gary Glitter-styled romp "Glam Racket," a great shout-along, while the beat-crazy "A Past Gone Mad" wins for this line alone: "And if I ever end up like U2/Slit my throat with a garden vegetable." "The League of Bald-Headed Men" also deserves note, as does another strong motorik-inspired number, "It's a Curse." Best song title of the bunch? "Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room," with a high-strung and aggressive arrangement to boot. [In 2006 the Sanctuary/Castle label reissued The Infotainment Scan with a bonus disc including two radio sessions for the BBC, the Why Are People Grudgeful? single in total, and seven unreleased outtakes and alternate versions.]

CD1

1.	Ladybird (Green Grass)	4:00
2.	Lost In Music	3:50
3.	Glam-Racket	3:13
4.	I'm Going To Spain	3:28
5.	It's A Curse	5:20
6.	Paranoia Man In Cheap Sh*t Room	4:28
7.	Service	4:13
8.	The League Of Bald-Headed Men	4:09
9.	A Past Gone Mad	4:21
10.	Light/Fireworks	3:49
11.	Why Are People Grudgeful?	4:32
12.	League Moon Monkey Mix	4:37

CD2

1.	Ladybird (Green Grass) Peel session	4:05
2.	Strychnine (Peel session)	2:54
3.	Service (Peel session)	3:36
4.	Paranoia Man in Cheap Sh*t Room (Peel session)	4:19
5.	Glam Racket (Mark Goodier session)	3:34
6.	War (Mark Goodier session)	2:36
7.	15 Ways (Mark Goodier session)	2:51
8.	A Past Gone Mad (Mark Goodier session)	4:35
9.	Why Are People Grudgeful? (Permanent single)	4:28
10.	Glam Racket (Permanent single)	3:33
11.	The Re-Mixer (Permanent single)	6:03
12.	Lost in Music (Permanent single)	3:50
13.	A Past Gone Mad (alternate version)	4:38
14.	Instrumental outtake	3:43
15.	Service (instrumental demo)	4:41
16.	Glam Racket (instrumental demo)	3:17
17.	Lost in Music (mix 3)	4:39
18.	Lost in Music (mix 7)	4:35
19.	Lost in Music (mix 14)	4:30

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The Fall - Dragnet

Band: The Fall
Album: Dragnet
Country: UK
Release Date: 1979

The Fall's second album was also one of the hardest to find in later years, getting only sporadic represses and reissues. Though some opinions would have it that there was a good reason for this -- namely, that it was something of a dead end sonically -- it's not as bad as all that. It's true that more than a few tracks come across as Fall-by-numbers (even then, already better than plenty of other bands), but there are some thorough standouts regardless. There's also another key reason to rate Dragnet -- it's the debut album appearance of Craig Scanlon, who picked up on the off-kilter rockabilly-meets-art rock sensibilities of the initial lineup and translated it into amazing guitar work. No less important is the appearance of Steve Hanley, who would soon take over fully on bass from Marc Riley, who in turn moved to guitar, forming one heck of a partnership with Scanlon that would last until Riley jumped ship to form the Creepers. Generally the songs which work the best on Dragnet throw in some amusingly odd curves while still hanging together musically. The full winner is unquestionably "Spectre vs. Rector," an amazing combination of clear lead vocals and buried, heavily echoed music and further rants, before fully exploding halfway through while the rhythm obsessively grinds away. Another odd and wonderful cut is "Muzorewi's Daughter," which starts out sounding like stereotypical Hollywood music for Native American tribes before shifting between that and quicker choruses. "Dice Man," with its rave-up melody and slower vocal- and guitar-only chorus, not to mention the weird muttering elsewhere in the mix, says it all in under two minutes and has fun while doing it. Through it all, Smith rants and raves supreme, spinning out putdowns, cracked vocals, and total bile with all the thrill and energy one could want from a good performer.

1.	Psykick Dance Hall	3:48
2.	A Figure Walks	6:08
3.	Printhead	3:15
4.	Dice Man	1:45
5.	Before The Moon Falls	4:31
6.	Your Heart Out	3:07
7.	Muzorewi's Daughter	3:43
8.	Flat Of Angles	4:55
9.	Choc - Stock	2:37
10.	Spectre Vs Rector	7:56
11.	Put Away	3:30
12.	Rowche Rumble	4:01
13.	In My Area	4:05
14.	Fiery Jack	4:43
15.	2nd Dark Age	1:59
16.	Psykick Dance Hall (No. 2)	3:39
17.	Rowche Rumble (Take 2)	4:05
18.	Rowche Rumble (Take 3)	0:33
19.	Rowche Rubmle (Take 4)	3:53
20.	Rowche Rumble (Take 5)	1:35
21.	In My Area (Take 1)	0:48
22.	In My Area (Take 2)	5:06

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Nao Wave - Brazilian Post-Punk (1982-1988)

Band: Various Artists
Album: Nao Wave - Brazilian Post-Punk (1982-1988)
Country: Brazil
Release Date: 2005

A strange object surprised music fans in Brazil in 1982. An independent 7“ single, with an obscure cover in black and white where the band name could be read: Agentss. Here were 2 tracks impressively synchronised with the electronic music that was happening at that time in Europe and the USA, from Gary Numan and Fad Gadget to Gang Of Four, ESG, New Order and Liquid Liquid.

It was the first manifestation of a phenomenon that developed during the whole of the 1980's: Brazilian bands working from the same post-punk references as scenes occurring in London, New York and Berlin. In the following years dozens of releases revealed an invigorating and vigorous generation of bands. From 1982 to the end of the 80s bands like Ira!, Smack, Mercenárias, Muzak, Voluntários da Pátria, Chance, Vzyadoq Moe, Akira S & as Garotas Que Erraram were some of these names - all of these coming from the city of São Paulo.

With today´s groups like Bloc Party, LCD Sound System, The Rapture, Whomadewho, Radio 4 and other contemporary punk/dance bands taking their influences from the early eigthies, the music of the groups included on Não Wave (all of whom have remained unknown outside of Brazil until now) will be a surprising revelation.
The tracks that Andy Cumming, Alex Antunes and Miguel Barella compiled in this collection give an idea of what was the Brazilian "Não Wave". An idea that is perhaps incomplete, because what was documented in the studios was often less explosive than the live experience - but still intriguing none-theless to see how current some of these tracks sound.

Não Wave track details, by Alex Antunes

01 Agentss "Agentes"
Technopop band that were the predecessors of the Brazilian new wave. Formed in 1980, they released an independent single ("Agentes" / "Angra") in 1982, and another for a major label ("Professor Digital" / "Cidade Industrial") in 1983, splitting up in the same year. The few live shows they did always had a huge impact. The leader, vocalist and keyboard player Kodiak Bachine continued with an obscure solo work, while the guitarists Orion Mike (Miguel Barella) and Duo (Eduardo Amarante) went on to work in important bands in the following years such as Voluntários da Patria and Azul 29.

02 Black Future "Eu Sou O Rio"
The darkest ("dark" being the name given to Brazilian pre-goths) and most experimental band from Rio de Janeiro, where the radical musical scene was based round the club "Crepúsculo de Cubatão" owned by the exiled English bank robber, Ronnie Biggs. Black Future were led by vocalist Márcio Satanésio and keyboard player, violinist and artist Tantão, two eccentric composers from the bohemian neighbourhood of Lapa, influenced by pop culture in general and comics in particular. The group appeared in 1983 and the album was released in 1988, promptly disappearing. One of the most well-known tracks is "Eu Sou O Rio" (I am Rio), which ironically celebrates the city, mixing punk funk and samba.

03+04 Akira S & As Garotas Que Erraram "O Futebol" + "Sobre As Pernas"
Anarchic punk funk band formed by bassist Akira S and vocalist Pedreira Antunes in 1984. Akira S & As Garotas Que Erraram (Akira S and The Girls That Fucked Up) were the highlight on the seminal compilation Não São Paulo. Can member, Holger Czukay participated in the hit "Sobre As Pernas". In 1986, the year of the recording of their only album, they also performed with American no wave guitarist Arto Lindsay in a show that ended up in confusion and rioting with the vocalist Antunes inciting the audience to destroy the club Zoster. Pioneers in the use of computers on stage.

05 Azul 29 "Ciências Sensuais"
The principle Brazilian technopop group, carrying on the heritage of Agentss, from whom they inherited guitarist Eduardo Amarante. Between 1983 and 1984 they released two singles ("Metrópole" / "Olhar") and ("Video Game" / "O Teu Nome Em Neon") for a major label before disappearing.The bizarre performance of vocalist and composer Thomas Bielefeld on this exclusive unreleased track ("Sensual Sciences") with his falsettos recalls the German operatic pop singer Klaus Nomi.

06 Chance "Samba Do Morro"
One of the most experimental bands in São Paulo, formed by composers Nena and Scot and by singer Marcinha. Combining low tech a la early Cabaret Voltaire with the Brazilian rhythm of samba (the title is a word play with "morro" where the favelas are based in the mountainsides in Rio and the first person form of the verb "morrer" - to die). Highly conceptual, they performed rarely, and when they did it was with video equipment, a revelation at that time. They left just two recorded tracks on the Não São Paulo compilation with Akira S and Muzak.

07+08 Fellini "Teu Inglês", "Funziona Senza Vapore"
One of the most unusual bands of the time, Fellini formed in 1984, as a (more or less) conventional new wave group, scoring the hit "Rock Europeu". The band was used as a medium to convey the obsessions of composer / multi-instrumentalist Thomas Pappon (founder of Voluntários de Pátria and Smack) and vocalist Carlos "Cadão" Volpato, combining low-fi samba and sung poetry.

09 Ira! "La Fora Pode Até Morrer"
Still an important band in Brazilian rock, Ira! appeared in 1981 directly influenced by punk and post punk groups like The Clash and Gang of Four. The angular ska-like song "La Fora Pode Até Morrer" was recorded for their first demo tape and has never appeared on any album. The bassist and drummer would change soon after this recording. Later the group would clearly show the more seventies and mod influences of the composer, guitarist Edgard Scandurra, considered one of the best in the country on the instrument. Today Ira! have 12 albums and various collections released, and have never lost their credibility along with their audience, even when guitarist Edgard experiments with techno in his solo career.

10 AKT "Prince No Deserto Vermelho"
Underground feminine supergroup formed by bassist and vocalist Sandra Coutinho (Mercenárias), Guitarist Karla (R. Mutt), Keyboard player and vocalist Dequinha (Bruhahá Babélico) and drummer Biba Meira (DeFalla). The quartet recorded some tracks in 1990, of which two were released on the indie compilation "Enquanto Isso...?!". They had a short existence with very few live performances before two of the members moved to Germany.

11 Vzyadoq Moe "Redenção"
From the city of Sorocaba, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, the young band Vzyadoq Moe came together - the name, which has no meaning, appeared in a dream of one of the members. With sombre vocals in the style of Bauhaus and percussion from junk metal inspired by Einstuerzende Neubauten their debut album was released in 1988 by the independent label Wop Bop. Members of the band are still active today working with electronic music as VZY.

12 Mercenárias "Polícia"
Aggressive feminine band formed in 1984 released their first album, the indie "Cadê As Armas?" (Where are the Weapons?), with the production skills of Edgard Scandurra of Ira! and the Englishman Peter Price, collaborator with members of Wire. The first LP directly attacked institutions such as the police and the church while the second LP, recorded for a major label, was much more sophisticated, adapting, for example, the "Proverbs of Hell" by William Blake. The incomprehension of the public and the label bringing on the end of the group.

13 Muzak "Ilha Urbana"
One of the more vigorous bands of the Paulista scene, thanks to the furious beat of the now deceased drummer Victor Leite and the heavy and tense playing of guitarist Nivaldo. Appearing in 1984 they were a revelation on the important independent collection Não São Paulo (on the label Baratos Afins). Later they recorded an EP for a major label, however, it had a weak production and a more acoustic sound which didn't match their reputation as the "Killing Joke of Brazil", soon after they disappeared.

14 Voluntários Da Patria "Iô Iô"
Formed at the end of 1982 by drummer Thomas Pappon and the guitarists Miguel Barella (former Agentss) and Minho K, the Voluntários witnessed a long line of ever changing vocalists. The album recorded in 1984 borrowed the singer from Ira!, Nazi, at the same time the guitarist Giusseppe Lenti replaced K. Barella and Lenti, both alumni of Robert Fripp, invested in the interaction of the guitars, in the style of Television and Talking Heads. Produced by the group, the album launched the new wave phase of the independent label Baratos Afins, which became the main focus of the local scene.

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Pop Group - We Are Time

Band: Pop Group
Album: We Are Time
Country: UK
Release Date: 1980

Le Pop Group ne possède de Pop que le nom et cette compilation le démontre très bien. Le groupe mélange de façon exceptionelle funk, dub et punk, en fait on devrait plutôt parlé de collision que de mélange. Laissez-vous le Pop Group vous déstabiliser..... domage que le classique We Are All Prostitute ne s'y trouve pas, mais on ne peu pas tout avoir.....

Allmusic guide review:

Some artists churn out records for decades and leave behind little of significance. Others record little and leave a substantial legacy. The Pop Group belongs in that second category, releasing two studio albums and the odds-and-ends collection We Are Time during a three-year life span. When it becomes de rigueur to call an obscure band "seminal," it's worth reiterating why that band is important and reinvesting the cliché with some meaning. The Pop Group was among a handful of acts that harnessed the energy of punk, truly recognized the possibilities it opened up, and took music in exciting directions. The band used punk's back-to-basics ethos as a springboard for experimentation with funk, dub, and jazz, blending dance rhythms and rock in ways that continue to inspire artists. They also politicized rock with an intensity and urgency that put rebel poseurs like The Clash to shame. In addition to different versions of already available tracks, We Are Time features previously unreleased live, studio, and radio-session material. Demos from 1978 like "Trap" and "Sense of Purpose" display the frenetic rhythms, jagged guitars, and free jazz inclinations that would be further explored on the 1979 debut album. Taken to the brink by Mark Stewark's wailing vocals and Gareth Sager's squalling sax, the searing "We Are Time" and the staccato punk-funk rush of "Thief of Fire" show the band was as strong live as in the studio. The unlikely standout is "Amnesty Report" -- an alternate version of a 1979 B-side -- featuring Stewart's shouted recitation of an "Amnesty International Report on British Army Torture of Irish Prisoners" set to a fierce, heavily funky soundtrack. The Pop Group's official studio releases alone contained a wealth of musical ideas that still resonate. We Are Time simply confirms that the "seminal band" clichés are justified.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Trap (demo) Thief of Fire (live) Genius or Lunatic (live) Colour Blind (demo) Spanish Inquistion (live) Kiss the Book (live) Amnesty Report (alternate) Springer (live) Sense of Purpose (demo) We Are Time (live)

4:17 3:56 3:52 4:05 3:21 2:47 2:41 1:09 4:24 7:11

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