The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)

I've been told that you don't listen to The Fall as much as you immerse yourself in them; there's a quality to Mark E. Smith's slightly caustic, acerbic delivery that fits perfectly into their jagged and abrasive rhythms and demands a lot from you as the listener. 

That they might agitate your senses into oblivion is of little to no consequence here- this album serves more to hold you hostage in a scuzzy London basement, alternating between showing you snippets of snuff films and electrocuting your temples.

Like all challenging music it makes you work hard for it, and you'll likely discover before the album is halfway done that to listen to The Fall is more of a visceral experience than a passive one. That all being said this is the most accessible of The Fall's 80's output.

This is a great starting point for one of the most underrated bands of all-time. I've previously blogged their 1982 album Hex Enduction Hour, which I actually like more than this one- this is probably a better starting point and I say give it a go if you've ever wondered what this band was all about. 

The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (Beggars Banquet; 1985)