Live at the Witch Trials

Released

So the last great band of the 20th century came out of the box fully formed and only John Peel really noticed? Our Mark E. Smith is wandering around taking magic mushrooms and boiling cigar butts and making the jukebox fight back. This version had Karl Burns on drums, maybe a little less coherent than he would later be, but still plenty rumbustious. Martin Bramah didn’t last long in the band, which does not obviate his nutty and springy parts. Considering the range of approaches in the post-punk era, it helps to remember that this music isn’t particularly aggressive or weird. The Fall take little scraps of known rock and then just loop them while Smith tells us what he’s been thinking about. They sort of cycle on in the background, grinding away while he reads his latest notions out. It goes on like this until the end.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Suggestions
Beelzebubba cover

Beelzebubba

The Dead Milkmen
Sugarland cover

Sugarland

Talk Normal
I Love Rock 'N Roll cover

I Love Rock 'N Roll

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Divide and Exit cover

Divide and Exit

Sleaford Mods
David Werner cover

David Werner

David Werner
Skafish cover

Skafish

Skafish
Magic & Machines cover

Magic & Machines

Vanishing Twin
Love cover

Love

The Cult
No New York cover

No New York

Various Artists