The Fall - The Unutterable

It is a bit of a curse to be prolific and have a career of longevity. Most long-standing prolific artists churning out albums left and right have records that vary in quality. Worse still, many of them might simply run out of ideas and lapse into mediocrity after the amount of classic albums that could be counted on one or two hands. It's a rare thing when 20+ years after your debut, a band is still capable of being an outstanding musical unit and also relevant. The Fall is one of those bands. On The Unutterable, released in 2000, band leader Mark E. Smith proves that with his trademark sarcastic and biting song texts as well as his unmistakably distinct powerful sing-speak snarl, he's still the underground rock personality par excellence he has always been. And the music is very good as well. There are synthesizers and other electronic embellishments on this record, that contribute to the dark, dense sonic picture of the band. Standout tracks include "Octo Realm/Ketamine Sun" that starts out with an odd slice of techno, but then transforms into a sludgy slow-burning rocker. Then there's "Dr Buck's Letter" with Smith's surreal and witty musings set to a haunting amalgam of droning guitars and menacing electronic rhythms. Aside the more experimental quirks, several tracks like "Two Librans", "Sons of Temperance" and "Hands up Billy" rock out really hard, while "Hot Runes" is one of the Fall's rockabilly-inspired numbers. With its crunchy guitar work, driving rhythms and brain-searing electronics, The Unutterable is a late-period The Fall classic that never fails to deliver a healthy dose of abrasive sonic density and it also manages to sound like a memorable musical experience.