Pitchfork: The Fall Prepare New Album

The Fall's discography is intimidating enough as it is, but it's about to get even more confusing. A new album plus an arsenal of reissues will spurt forth within the coming months.

In an e-mail to Pitchfork, president of Narnack Records (the Fall's label) Shahin Ewalt revealed that the upcoming album, entitled The Fall Head's Roll will be released on September 20. Produced by spectacularly belligerent frontman Mark E. Smith in New York and Manchester, the record is nearly finished with only four tracks remaining to be completed within the next couple of weeks. As for the album's sound, Ewalt wrote that it is, "Exactly the way Mark wants it. Either very garage rock sounding or just garage rock." A full tracklist is not yet available, but some song titles include "The Grass Is Greener", "Clasp Hands", "Pacifying Joint", and "Assume". The first single, "The Grass Is Greener", will be released in the middle of July and a video for it should go into production soon. A probable B-side for the single is a version of "Blindness", a track off Interim, which was released earlier this year.

Another tantalizing tidbit about the upcoming album Ewalt shared with us was that "Supposedly PJ Harvey did a stop in to play the banjo." We can only hope that Elvis Costello contributed a washboard solo.

Coincidentally (or not), the Fall will do a full tour of the U.S. in the late fall in support of Head's Roll.

Like we said before, things are about to get messy. As part of its comprehensive series of reissues of Fall albums, Sanctuary Records will release Room To Live and Perverted by Language on June 13. Room to Live is Smith at his vitriolic best, recorded during a creatively fertile period fed by England's involvement in the Falklands War, which eventually led the Fall to produce Hex Enduction Hour (also reissued by Sanctuary). Marking the debut of Smith's wife Brix with the band, Perverted by Language-- to be released as a double CD-- saw the band veering into somewhat accessible, pop-friendly territory. Both reissues will feature bonus tracks, special album art, and most likely, extra material such as a DVD. Also on Sanctuary's already impressive schedule will be reissues of In a Hole, The Infotainment Scam, Middle Class Revolt, and Bootleg Box Set, Volume 2, which contains all the Voiceprint Live two-finger salute discs. This wealth of re-found sound is due the second half of this year.

Yet to be announced are the release dates and full tracklists for the reissues of The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall,This Nation's Saving Grace, and Bend Sinister. Before our hearts explode, we will provide updates as details emerge.