This Nation's Saving Grace

About

Welcome to the wonderful and confusing world of the Fall. 1985's <i>This Nation's Saving Grace</i> is often cited as The Fall's finest album. Yet there are several variations, and each mixes and matches ever so slightly. For hardcore fans, there are the six-minute version of "Cruisers Creek" and "Ma Riley." The original album is a dense collage of riffs, broken poetry, and the band's most accessible sound to date, courtesy of Smith's then-wife, Brix. "I Am Damo Suzuki" (referencing the former Can vocalist, who serves as one of The Fall's chief influences), "L.A.," and "My New House" are essential Fall tracks that display the band's ability to do everything from grinding hard rock to the then-novelty of synth-pop. The rough mixes are an insider's glance at the group and prove just how much leader Mark E. Smith labored over the final sound. "Demo Suzuki" is a tougher mix. Smith's rough mix of "My New House" changes the tune's texture. Several singles ("Rollin' Dany," "Couldn't Get Ahead," and the aforementioned "Cruisers Creek") are included, along with the obscurity "Edie" and other rough mixes.

via Apple Music

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