The Wonderful and Frightening World of...

When The Fall hooked up with produced John Leckie and the much larger Beggars Banquet label for 1984’s The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall, many fans viewed the move with curiosity. But while the sonics are improved from the band’s earliest days, it isn’t a radical reorganization of priorities. The songs do sing a bit better, with actual melodies poking out in spots, but the emphasis is, as always, on the splatter-effect lyrics and vocals of leader Mark E. Smith. Subsequent reissues of the album have included the singles “C.R.E.E.P.” and “Oh! Brother,” b-sides, and the Call for Escape Route EP. Some tracks date from The Fall’s early days, such as “Copped It” and “Draygo’s Guilt,” and the performances range from complete and powerful (“Lay of the Land,” “No Bulbs”) to raw and impassioned (“Elves,” “Slang King”). “Clear Off!” is positively gothic, with its slow moody crawl. The album highlights the importance of longtime guitarist Craig Scanlon, whose riffs often make the difference (and for whom the raw “Craigness” is no doubt named). The expanded edition includes rough mixes and additional versions of the album tracks.