Music Arcades: The Fall: Escape Route from aie Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall

A couple of months ago M.J. kindly gave me some pointers to recent Fall albums I should investigate. I downloaded a few tracks from The Infotainment Scan but haven't yet listened enough to make my mind up. The problem I have with The Fall is overabundance. When they announce a gig in London, I think, "Maybe I'll go," but then, "they'll be back again in six months, and perhaps my diary will feel less crammed then." Consequence: I haven't seen them for 20 years. It's a bit like with the overwhelming volume and density of their albums.

Escape Route from aie Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall was the first one of theirs I got, in what we now see as the early days. More out of peer pressure than real enthusiasm, to be honest. Thanks for that, Nick Hopwood and Matt Seaton. Over time I found little things to enjoy, like the way Mark E Smith languidly repeats "Over the hill goes killer civil servant" over a fabulous bassline. And for while I got The Fall habit. Then I lost it and found it difficult to pick up again.

And, yes, that's not a typo, Escape Route from aie Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall does appear to be the correct title. Look at the cover, and see this Discogs record of the cassette release. As Wikipedia explains, this cassette version has sixteen tracks to the original LP's nine tracks, and a different title, to boot.

The cassette also has a different version of C.R.E.E.P. from either the LP or CD — and it's a version I prefer. So I dared to wonder if the cassette might now be a valuable rarity. Sadly not: Discogs has a copy available for £4; not a good return on the £6.99 investment I made at Our Price in 1985.