CROW (THINK I'LL EAT SOME)....After the tongue-lashing I gave THE FALL for their (his) post-1985 output, you can bet that there was a queue of squawkers ready to fight me shock and awe-style in defense. Well, how about that, y'all might have something there. One such defender made me a CD-R of 2001's "Are You Missing Are Winner", and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. No "Infotainment Scam", this -- "Are You Missing Winner", which is actually their/his most recent record, is chock-full of bile ("Crop-Dust" being the standout), locked-groove repitition, and fairly up-front guitar (and electronic) screeching. The band is not shambling and loose a la "Grostesque" or "Hex Enduction Hour", but are a tight, well-coached and -practiced machine. It's not your father's FALL, but it doesn't need to be. Smith sounds outrageously pissed, drunk, or both -- more so than ever -- and in his country it's the same thing! I'd truly recommend getting ahold of this one, something I haven't said about a Fall record since "Mr. Pharmacist"....

posted by Jay H. at 11:46 AM