The recent years have seen a number of very specific compilations ofFall-related material, collections of singles and explorations of earlyeras of the band's development, all adding to the smoldering flame ofcontemporary interest in a group who has soldiered long and hard atdeveloping a catalog that is deep and wide enough to reward perusal.The very volume of material that makes the Fall worthy of such intensescrutiny can also be quite taxing for the uninitiated who could easilyget lost in the myriad of styles, sounds, labels, lineups, attitudes,and confusing bends along the way. 18,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrongoffers a competent selection of the various Falls—enough to serve aspoints of demarcation along their career and plot a rudimentary roadmapto the Fall that suits you best, or the one that might fit a particularmood. The two disc set spans from the bands inception all the way up tothe present, with selections from The Real New Fall LP. Thenorth star of this catastrophic cartographic challenge is Mark E.Smith, ruefully half rapping in a slew of disassociations and complexslurs. The dominance of his personality directs the music, from theinitial barking and bristling scrawls of "New Face in Hell" across theyears to slicker tracks like "High Tension Line" and "Telephone Thing."These latter songs lose nothing to the greater care afforded theirproduction, as Smith's wry delivery is equally as cutting. To hear themusical constellation around Smith shift over the years, gainingincreased fidelity and more precision can be startling at times. Anevolution that may have spanned a record or taken a few tracks to getused to can be dropped in here at a moments notice, and may disorient,however proper orientation and comfort should most likely not be a highpriority for anyone seeking to inure themselves with the Fall. 18,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrongarrives just on time, with the band seemed poised for a millennialrenaissance, producing new and vital music while highlighting thestoried past behind them. Any future pressings of this collection willno doubt need to push that number up much higher.Read More
