The Unutterable
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| The Unutterable | ||
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| Studio album by The Fall | ||
| Released | 6 November 2000 | |
| Recorded | ??? | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 55:42 | |
| Label | Eagle | |
| Producer(s) | Grant Showbiz, Mark E. Smith |
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| Professional reviews | ||
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| The Fall chronology | ||
| The Marshall Suite (1999) |
The Unutterable (2000) |
Are You Are Missing Winner (2001) |
The Unutterable is an album by British rock band The Fall, released in 2000. It was recorded with much the same line-up as had appeared on the group's previous album, 1999's The Marshall Suite, although Kazuko Hohki—the singer from the English-based Japanese band Frank Chickens—provides extra vocals on one track. The Unutterable was generally well received by the critics, being praised as a "career peak" by Dave Simpson of The Guardian[1], and prompting Piers Martin of the NME to suggest, "...this is as vital and relevant as The Fall have sounded for a considerable length of time.[2]"
Lyrically, the record covers a diverse number of the themes. On "Dr Bucks' Letter", thought to be a tribute to the American writer Charles Bukowski[3], lead singer Mark E. Smith appears to dispraise superficial materialist modernity, stating, "I was in the realm of the essence of Tong", an oblique reference to British DJ Pete Tong. In the song, Smith lists the five things that he, or rather, that Tong, can't leave home without: sunglasses, music, palm pilot, mobile phone and Amex card. Elsewhere on the LP, Smith's lyrics discuss such issues as drugs on the ranting "Ketamine Sun", his aversion to roundabouts on "Way Round", and on the jazz-influenced "Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes", his favourite meal.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- All songs by Mark E. Smith, Tom Head, Adam Helal, Julia Nagle and Neville Wilding, except where noted
- "Cyber Insekt" – 3:19
- "Two Librans" – 3:57
- "W.B" – 3:30
- "Sons of Temperance" – 3:47
- "Dr Bucks' Letter" – 5:19
- "Hot Runes" – 2:18
- "Way Round" (Smith, Head, Helal, Nagle) – 3:21
- "Octo Realm/Ketamine Sun" – 5:36
- "Serum" – 4:56
- "Unutterable" – 1:05
- "Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes" (Smith, Grant Cunliffe, Helal, Nagle) – 2:54
- "Hands Up Billy" (Wilding) – 2:47
- "Midwatch 1953" – 5:32
- "Devolute" – 4:36
- "Das Katerer" (Smith, Nagle, Simon Wolstencroft) – 2:42
[edit] Personnel
- The Fall:
- Mark E. Smith – vocals, sound effects
- Neville Wilding – guitar, backing vocals; lead vocals on "Hands Up Billy"
- Adam Helal – bass guitar, Pro Tools, backing vocals
- Tom Head – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Julia Nagle – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals, programming
- Kazuko Hohki – vocals on "Cyber Insekt"
- Steve Evets - vocals
- Ben Pritchard - guitar on "Dr. Bucks' Letter" and "Midwatch 1953"
- Grant Showbiz - backing vocals
- Rob Ayling - executive producer; vocal on "Octo Realm" (uncredited)
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Simpson, Dave (3 Nov. 2000). Review. The Guardian.
- ^ Martin, Piers (Nov. 2000). "The Unutterable". NME.
- ^ Bush, John. Review. All Music Guide. Retrieved 21 Feb. 2006.
