Austurbaejarbio: Reykjavic Live 1983

This is simply a beautiful and, quite frankly, essential live album by the Fall. A bootleg-gone-official recording, Austuraejarbio showcases what would be a temporary lineup of the band giving a strong performance in Reykjavik, Iceland. Most of the set list was made of new songs that would soon be recorded for the critically acclaimed studio album Perverted by Language, but on this day of May 1983, guitarist Brix Smith had still to meet singer Mark E. Smith, while guitarist/keyboardist Marc Riley had already left. The two drummers Karl Burns and Paul Hanley try to fill the void and guitarist Craig Scanlon and bassist Steve Hanley handle their roles very well, but the band feels like it's walking on a high wire and having a lot of fun looking down below. Brix Smith's pop touch is still unknown to the Fall and the songs most fans know in their studio versions here sound considerably more harsh and dirty. Add to that very different renditions of "The Classical" (excitingly on the verge of collapse) and the 12-minute showstopper "Backdrop," and you get a must-have for the fan and a solid example of the band's live potential even for the casual listener. The sound quality is very good, except for some drops on "I Feel Voxish"; all instruments are heard perfectly, stereo separation is excellent, and the whole thing has been carefully enhanced for the CD release. Candy for the fan. ~ Francois Couture