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Podcast Episode
Season
Eight
number
390
Type
Album Review
Post Date
7/3/2018

The Fall

390 The Infotainment Scan by The Fall

The Infotainment Scan

Label
Permanent/Matador
Release year
1993
Producer
Rex Sergeant, Simon Rogers, Mark E. Smith
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English post-punk cult band The Fall embraced electronic music in the early 90s, creating an uneasy combo with Mark E. Smith's unique vocal

Author & Special Guests

Mark E. Smith of The Fall was a divisive character, turning people on or off with his kinetic one-note, occasionally slurred, stream of consciousness vocal delivery. After a decade and a half of abrasive post punk, line-up changes and restlessness led to a stylistic change, accounting for several electronic and IDM influenced albums. 1993's The Infotainment Scan falls into this era, while still featuring a jagged guitar line, clean (or sterile) production on programmed drums and synth keyboards dominates the overall sound, featuring odd cover song choices and sonic stretches that left us scratching our heads. There's a lovable cantankerous aspect to Smith's vocals that endears us to his limitations, but hearing the band go full rave seemed to a bridge too far.

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Songs in this episode

  • Intro - Paranoia Man In Cheap Sh*T Room
  • 14:17 - Glam Racket
  • 19:30 - It's a Curse
  • 28:44 - Ladybird (Green Grass)
  • Outro - Lost In Music

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The Infotainment Scan