Following the direction taken in the previous year's The Wonderful And Frightening World Of The Fall, this 1985 release saw the band's at their most coherent and approachable: guitarist Brix's influence on her husband--lead vocalist Mark E. Smith--and on the band reaching its apogee. The tunes and riffs show The Fall working tightly and powerfully as a unit, not just as backing for Smith's admittedly brilliant lyrics--the fact that the record opens with an instrumental is testament to the sonic confidence and new-found democracy in the group. Great songs, too--the springy punchiness of "Bombast" and "Spoilt Victorian Child", the witty acoustic guitar framed experimentation of "Paint Work", and, best of all, "I Am Damo Suzuki", a krautrock-inspired tribute to German band Can's famous lead vocalist. Another wonderful Fall album--and a good introduction for neophytes. --Burhan Tufail
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