Extricate [Bonus Disc]

• Artist: The Fall
• Rating:
• Release Date: June 05, 2007
• Genre: Rock

Review

The Smiths had divorced around the time of Extricate, but Brix's presence could still be felt on Fall records. Some thought the mid-'80s signaled an end to the ragged, jagged Fall of old; the '90s must have made them apoplectic. Working with producers Rex Sergeant, Craig Leon, and Adrian Sherwood, the post-apocalyptic sound of the '70s had been smoothed to a sheen. There were still moments of anarchy and dissonance, but generally they were swaddled in synth-driven beats and high-tech production that smoothed out any remaining rough edges. Again, this was not a bad thing; after all, Mark E. Smith was still upfront and still ranting, but even he was singing more, and shocking as that was, it made for even better music. For this period, the place to start is Extricate, which proved beyond a doubt that the Fall were not too old to still be a part of this punk rock thang. Since this record follows on the heels of the Smiths' divorce, it's tempting to assume that Mark E. Smith's ranting has a more conspicuous target, but enigmatic as he tends to be, this is mere speculation. Still, "Sing! Harpy" and the title track will give you pause as to the source of Smith's considerable consternation. The band sounds great, especially longtime members Steve Hanley and Craig Scanlon. Extra kudos to the solid backbeat provided by Simon Wolstencroft. [The 2007 two-CD reissue on Fontana/Universal Music included ten bonus tracks.] ~ John Dougan, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Sing! Happy		The Fall	(5:24)
I'm Frank	Craig Scanlon	The Fall	(3:22)
Bill Is Dead	Craig Scanlon	The Fall	(4:32)
Black Monk Theme, Pt. 1		The Fall	(4:35)
Popcorn Double Feature	Larry Weiss	The Fall	(3:44)
Telephone Thing	Jonathan More, Matt Black	The Fall	(4:11)
Hilary		The Fall	(2:29)
Chicago, Now!		The Fall	(5:59)
The Littlest Rebel	Craig Scanlon	The Fall	(3:37)
And Therein...		The Fall	(2:53)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Telephone Thing [Extended Mix]	Jonathan More, Matt Black	The Fall	(4:21)
Telephone Dub	Jonathan More, Matt Black	The Fall	(4:26)
British People in Hot Weather	Craig Scanlon, Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(3:08)
Butterflies 4 Brains	Craig Scanlon, Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(4:16)
Arms Control Poseur [Single Version]	Craig Scanlon, Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(5:04)
Arms Control Poseur [Original CD Bonus Track]	Craig Scanlon, Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(4:45)
Zandra		The Fall	(2:49)
Black Monk Theme, Pt. 2		The Fall	(2:01)
Extricate	Craig Scanlon, Adrian Sherwood	The Fall	(3:46)
Theme from Error Orrori	Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(4:13)
Chicago, Now!		The Fall	(5:34)
Black Monk Theme		The Fall	(4:06)
Hilary		The Fall	(2:23)
Whizz Bank	Simon Wolstencroft	The Fall	(3:01)

Credits

Cassell Webb (Organ), Cassell Webb (Vocals (Background)), Craig Leon (Organ), Craig Leon (Vocals (Background)), Craig Leon (Producer), Bob Berry (Cover Photo), Martin Bramah (Guitar), Martin Bramah (Vocals), Dale Buffin Griffin (Producer), Craig Scanlon (Guitar), Marcia Schofield (Percussion), Marcia Schofield (Keyboards), Adrian Sherwood (Producer), Mark E. Smith (Vocals), Mark E. Smith (Producer), Mark E. Smith (Author), Simon Wolstencroft (Drums), Mike Engles (Engineer), Mike "Blue" Edwards (Guitar), Daryl Easlea (Liner Notes), Kenny Brady (Fiddle), Julián Fernández (Project Coordinator), Benita Kimera (A&R), Charlotte Bill (Flute), Charlotte Bill (Oboe), Anthony Frost (Cover Painting)