Though
Live at the Witch Trials was the first
Fall album, the band already had some singles and recordings under its belt, conveniently collected on the self-descriptive
Early Years, along with a few post-
Witch Trials efforts. Various initial lineups appear -- some tracks have
Martin Bramah on guitar, others with
Marc Riley after he switched from bass, while
Craig Scanlon first steps out with the commanding rave-up
"Rowche Rumble." Then there's the keyboard work of
Una Baines, later
Bramah's partner in
the Blue Orchids, who brings her own semi-
psych feel to the proceedings. No matter who's around, though, it's still very much
the Fall,
Smith's immediately identifiable vocals leading the way. It's amusing to hear the semi-conventional
punk edge in his voice on some of the earliest songs, but that said, his approach did more or less appear fully formed, down to the drawling "-uh" at the end of nearly every word.
Bramah's guitar work contains a delicacy that wouldn't last, at least quite the same way, while first and future drummer
Karl Burns throws in his own flair more often than not (including the near-
disco moves on
"Psykick Dancehall"). There are even some gently pretty moments when least expected -- consider the flow of
"In My Area," a portrait of urban breakdown that's almost winsome, or would be if
Smith was a conventionally calm singer. The leadoff track -- actually a B-side for the first single,
"Bingo Master's Breakout" -- is pretty much
the Fall manifesto in a nutshell:
"Repetition," drawing together
punk's obsession with the basics with
avant-garage art rock focus courtesy of
Krautrock. ~ Ned Raggett
