The Marshall Suite

Untitled

The Marshall Suite is a 1999 LP by The Fall, which builds on the techno-influenced beats of its predeccesor Levitate (1997), while also returning to a more rockabilly influenced sound reminiscent of earlier Fall line-ups. The end result are songs like the primitive, catchy "Touch Sensitive", and the strange, complex, thumping jungle beats of "Crying Marshall" occurring in equal measure. Although this album is considered by most to be good by Fall standards, many felt disappointed by the apparent retread of themes and genres that were already explored on Levitate. The album is currently out of print.

The Marshall Suite was made immediately after a scandal during an American tour during which Mark E. Smith had an onstage fight with members of the band, was arrested for hitting his then girlfriend Julia Nagle while the remaining band members quit and returned to England leaving Smith in a New York jail. While Smith had to replace almost all of the line-up for The Marshall Suite, Nagle chose to stay in the band.

Around the time of release, rumours circulated that The Marshall Suite was a concept album about "The Crying Marshall". Smith stopped short of denying this, telling The Wire that I thought it would be good to do it as the story of his life, a themed LP, with a thread running through it. It's such an unhip thing to do. An unpublished section of the interview, later placed on the magazine's website, suggested Smith was far from finished with his creation: I do want to continue the Marshall theme, develop it. Maybe a five sided thing next, the return of the Marshall. [1].

Track listing

1. "Touch Sensitive" (Nagle, Smith) – 3:16
2. "F-'Oldin' Money" (Tommy Blake) – 2:45
3. "Shake-Off" (Tom Head, Hitchcock, Nagle, Karen Leatham, Smith) – 3:03
4. "Bound" (Smith, Wilson Brothers) – 3:19
5. "This Perfect Day" (Chris Bailey, Ed Kuepper) – 2:10
6. "(Jung Nev's) Antidotes" (Wilding, Hitchcock, Smith) – 3:27
7. "Inevitable" (Head, Leatham, Nagle, Smith) – 3:51
8. "Anecdotes+Antidotes in B#" (Nagle, Smith) – 2:59
9. "Early Life of Crying Marshal" (Hitchcock) – 0:50
10. "Crying Marshal" (Hitchcock, Smith, others) – 4:39
11. "Birthday Song" (Nagle, Smith) – 3:38
12. "Mad. Men-Eng, Dog" (Spencer Marsden, Nagle, Smith) – 2:18
13. "On My Own" (Nagle, Smith, Wolstencroft) – 3:12
14. "Tom Raggazzi (Finale)" [Head, Nagle, Smith] – 2.12

* track is exclusive to the LP edition

Personnel

• The Fall:
  • Mark E. Smith – vocals, guitar, keyboard
  • Julia Nagle – keyboards, guitar, computer programming
  • Neville Wilding – guitar, vocals
  • Adam Halal – bass guitar
  • Karen Leatham – bass guitar
  • Tom Head – drums
• Steve Hitchcock - string arrangements

External link

• Lyrics