Hex Enduction Hour, an album by The Fall
Stylwe: Art Punk, Post-Punk
Release: 1982
Length: One Hour
Round: Post-Punk
I understand post punk and art punk were still kind of new back in 1982, but even music can havew limits. Proof? You don't like hearing the samer thing over and over again, right? I'm not just talking about the 1000th time you've heard More Than a Feeling on the radio. I'm talking about the same four seconds being played more than 100 times in a row with little to no change, and that seems to be the case with this album. Is it good? Yes. It has great instrumentals and a quirky feel. But it's also repetitive.
Upon the first note, I became aware of the art-punk experimentation this band so gleefully exudes. Upon the first bit of singing, I became aware of how much like Remain in Light this would be. I suppose "The Classical" is about breaking the rules of logic as that seems to be the point of the tune for me. It is so different from anything I've heard in the realm of post punk before. The experimentation and raspy guitars remind me of Pink Flag, but the tone and production seems closer to the post-punk I've heard. Plus, it doesn't really "feel" like a punk album yet. There are three flaws I have with the song: The layout could be a little better, and the vocals could be easier to hear, and the song drags on after about 3 and a half minutes. So it's not perfect. But I suppose it does its job as an opener. I can only hope that the rest of the album is far more experimental. I like the song, but I don't want to listen to the same sound for an advertised hour. I hit "Jawbone and the Air Rifle," the title makes me think of Samson with a machine gun. I also note that the song makes the same flaws as the opener. I then think about how I was aware of "This Nation's Saving Grace" being the real "essential" album, even if this was the album that secured their famer through the ages. Still, a part of me believes this was not the best place to start The Fall on. At least the song feels like punk. "Hip Priest" begins with a very quiet beat. As soon as the vocals start, I think about how retard they sound. I think to myself the band may have taken the experimentation the wrong way. The song's dull. I ten find out the song lasts eight minutes. Why? I continue in the hopes that the song will shift pace at some point, and thankfully it picks up adfter the 12 minute mark on the album. Still, it's dull. I can't get into it. Then comes "Fortress"/"Deer Park," clocking in at seven minutes. I think to myself that since the song's got two titles, it's in two parts. But I only hope I'm right, sincve listening to the same thing for too long has proven tiring on this album. I appreciate the punk sound of the song, but I feel it steers away from the post-punk aspects that started the album. It definitely has more rhythm than the last track. Well, it wasn't sl\plit. It was the same damn ting for seven minutes.I'm thankful the next song lasts 3 minute. Plus, it's more clever. Taking a break from the wild atmosphere, a sdofter tune plays. Winter. So easy. It ends the side on a somewhat high note. it gets a little heavier at the end, but rightfully so.
The tune from Winter begins Side 2 with "Winter 2." Odd. I guess it's clever in the sense that it's not done before, but this only proves how often they play the same thing. Knowing it was 4 and a half minutes, I skipped the rest. "Just Step S'ways" starts with an ad. It later uses that vocal speaking style and turns it into singing, like making a commercial out of music. I find this humorous, because it was clever for a moment. Despite its short length, I think this is the best example of getting tired of the same thing, because all of the lines sound the same and I don't think there's any real change in the rhythm until the last minute, literally. "Who Makes the Nazi's" was actually pretty good, because it experimented the right way. I think it changed its direction (while keeping the same rhythm) long enough to contradict the tiring repetition of the album's tracks. Best track. Next comes "Iceland," a song starting with spoken words. I suppose it's a little creative for this album, as the song goes from white noise to a nice luittle tune. But when the singing starts, I think of how lame it can get. At least it has a nice tune to back it. But it dragged on as well, so I skipped the last two minutes. Next comes the final, 11 minute track... "And This Day." It begins with an obnoxious sound that I hope doesn't last the full twelve minutes. If the band knows ANYTHING about experimentation, they'll know eleven minutes of the same four seconds being played is just too mjuch, like Chinese Water Torture. At least it went by pretty quickly at the start. Every two minutes felt like 1. I let the sound drag on as much as possible before I get tired and skip a bit ahead. I'm impressed they were able to use drowned rhythms and new instruments to make this redundancy a lot less redundant, and I eventually grew to enjoy the track and part of me accepted it was a worthy ending. I also accepted it was the real best track. I actually enjoyed practically the whole song. Is this because the legnth of the album grew on me as I played it? I don't know. All I can say is that this one impressed me the most. I actually let it drag on until the end.
Overall, it felt like a mix of Talking Heads and Wire. Still, I think it often got too carried away with blending their artistic side with the post-punk side. This gets in the way of enjoyment for me. I think it could have been much better, and I think anyone wanting to get into The Fall should start elsewhere.
Despite how negative my review has been, it wasn't bad. Just tiring. I mean, instrumentally, it was good. Clever. But the length is the problem. It could easily be Hex Induction 40 Minutes. 76/100. Voting it off first because I think their attempt at artistic flair got in the way of music.