Sunday, April 24, 2011


The Fall- Live at the Witch Trials (1979) Expanded Edition (Bonus Disc) MP3 & FLAC


"He spits in the sky. It falls in his eye, and then he gets to sitting, talking to his kitten."

Misanthropy can be a compelling form of artistic expression when it avoids taking itself too seriously, and nowhere is this more in evidence than on The Fall's sprawling, ironically titled debut, Live at the Witch Trials. Falling somewhere between the aggressive anti-aestheticism of Punk and the dark artiness of Post-Punk (and somehow embodying the best traits of both), while also verging into the experimental excess of Kraut-Rock, The Fall, in their original incarnation, were a shambolic, frightening, convention-flaunting enigma masquerading as a Punk band a year late to the party. All of these elements are clearly on display on one of the album's standout tracks, "Two Steps Back," with its strange, simplistic keyboard part juxtaposed to the ominous atonal guitar tearing through the mix, and then there's Mark E. Smith chant-singing through what sounds like a bored sneer. Also well-worthy of mention is "Music Scene," a funk-based song that anticipates Gang of Four's early eighties material, and features Smith lyrically skewering- you guessed it- the music industry. A deserving target if you ask me. Live at the Witch Trials is not for the faint-of-heart, but if you have even a passing interest in the UK Punk movement of the late seventies, this iconoclastic gem is essential listening.

Live at the Witch Trials (2004 Expanded Deluxe Edition)

Disc I:
 1. Frightened  (5:02)
 2. Crap Rap 2 / Like to Blow  (2:04)
 3. Rebellious Jukebox  (2:55)
 4. No Xmas for John Quays  (4:38)
 5. Mother-Sister!  (3:20)
 6. Industrial Estate  (2:00)
 7. Underground Medecin  (2:08)
 8. Two Steps Back  (5:03)
 9. Live at the Witch Trials  (0:51)
10. Futures and Pasts  (2:36)
11. Music Scene  (8:00)
-Bonus Tracks-
12. Bingo-Master's Break-Out!  (2:22)
13. Psycho Mafia  (2:14)
14. Repetition  (4:55)
15. It's the New Thing  (3:27)
16. Various Times  (6:39)
17. Dresden Dolls (Bootleg 7")  (3:37)
18. Psycho Mafia (Bootleg 7")  (2:20)
19. Industrial Estate (Bootleg 7")  (1:47)
20. Stepping Out (Live at The Electric Circus, June 1978)  (2:45)
21. Last Orders (Live at The Electric Circus, June 1978)  (2:21)



Disc II:
 1. Rebellious Jukebox (John Peel Session- June 15, 1978)  (3:00)
 2. Mother-Sister! (John Peel Session- June 15, 1978)  (3:07)
 3. Industrial Estate (John Peel Session- June 15, 1978)  (1:45)
 4. Futures and Pasts (John Peel Sessions- June 15, 1978)  (2:35)
 5. Put Away (John Peel Session- Dec. 6, 1978)  (3:34)
 6. Mess of My (John Peel Session- Dec. 6, 1978)  (3:13)
 7. No Xmas for John Key (John Peel Session- Dec. 6, 1978)  (4:14)
 8. Like to Blow (John Peel Session- Dec. 6, 1978)  (1:47)
 9. Like to Blow (Liverpool 1978)  (2:05)
10. Stepping Out (Liverpool 1978)  (3:09)
11. Two Steps Back (Liverpool 1978)  (5:51)
12. Mess of My (Liverpool 1978)  (3:24)
13. It's the New Thing (Liverpool 1978)  (3:48)
14. Various Times (Liverpool 1978)  (4:59)
15. Bingo-Master's Breakout! (Liverpool 1978)  (2:48)
16. Frightened (Liverpool 1978)  (5:35)
17. Industrial Estate (Liverpool 1978)  (1:530
18. Psycho Mafia (Liverpool 1978)  (3:01)
19. Music Scene (Liverpool 1978)  (9:26)
20. Mother-Sister! (Liverpool 1978)  (3:31)



17 comments:

  1. hoooooly crap, thanks a million! I was searching for this in FLAC, happy easter! :)

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  2. senn_heiser, glad you like the post. Happy easter to you as well

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  3. Excellent post! Thanks so much for the continued kindness (and your fantastic musical taste). Kurt

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  4. This goes right to the top of my listening cue. Thanks so much for this one.

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  5. Kurt & t-ador, you're welcome! I'll post "Dragnet" soon

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  6. Never heard this record. Have Dragnet lossy, but my favorite Fall period seems to be in and around the Perverted By Language/Nation's Saving Grace or even Kurious Oranj stage. Though I do like Grotesque (After The Gramme)... Looking forward to hearing this.

    So many Fall records, hard to keep them straight! I feel a marathon listening session coming on.

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  7. Frackin' great post V I love this album!

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  8. Yeah, that's everlasting Mark E.Smith!!!! After so many years The Fall are still thrilling band. Interesting to hear this album from their beginnings!I'm not sure about my favourite album, but it seems that whole 1986-1992 era is my fav! Please more!!
    Thanks!

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  9. iggy1, I have it in mind to post "Dragnet" soon

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  10. Opinion revised. Like sradams777 says, frackin' great.

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  11. The part 2 zipfile is coming up as "unavailable" on MegaUpload ...

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  12. Anon. I'll look into it, but MU does this from time to time. Try again tomorrow :)

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  13. Thanks so much. I've spent too much $ on inferior versions of this.

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  14. Thanks for the wonderful Fall stuff.

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