Wise Ol’ Man, 7 track EP features new tracks, remixes and alternate takes of songs from last year’s Sub-Lingual Tablet LP along with a reworking of “No Xmas for John Quays”.
The discrepancy between Mark E Smith’s public demeanour and the music he produces is rather wild. Actually the fact that he manages to make any music at all is quite an achievement.
The lead track on this between album EP is a case in point; it has some rather good bits and pounds along nicely to it but never quite catches fire to elevate it anywhere near ‘classic’ status. Not bad but a certain lack of dynamism holds it back. Better is the more difficult ‘All Leave Cancelled’ which has the most sludgy of bass riffs and lots of guitar scree, alas Smith is not the vocalist he once was…
320 kbps | 81 MB UL | MC ** FLAC
… – where in past times he would deliver inspired and memorable vocal performance, here he just kind of rants along and certain sections sound like what the Fall basically are these days – a reasonably good band jamming along whilst a local drunk takes to the stage.
Elsewhere various alternate versions of things from Sub Lingual Tablet. ‘Dedication’ has been one of the best songs from the recent live shows but they can’t seem to nail it on record – there’s a version here which has acidy synth bloops and a filthy bass line. ‘Venice with Girls’ (also on Sub Lingual Tablet in different form) is here is reproduced in rawer rock style. The song flits along on a half riff with a nice staccato slap instead of a chorus and some good Smith double tracked vocals that gain in intensity.