Review / Book Review
Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley
Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall

Faber Publishing (2021) T

Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley – Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall cover artwork
Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley – Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall — Faber Publishing, 2021

When it comes to what is referred to as “post-punk” and repetitive-driven guitar sounds accompanied by tense, circular bass lines and grimy, otherworldly vocals with the an enigma of a frontman meandering through tropes of British magic realism that seemed to be fuelled in equal parts by uppers and downers, you cannot go past The Fall.

After the untimely demise of singer Mark E. Smith in 2017, it was about time for an ode to the legacy of a this idiosyncratic band and its impact at large, which Excavate! does justice to not merely by biographically chronicling The Fall’s history, but approaching the subject matter from a myriad of angles with essays from seemingly unrelated fields, which all contribute to a whole that is much more than the mere sum of the individual parts.

By highlighting contradictions, subtly raising questions and suggesting that due to the band’s mercurial DNA no definite definition can be offered, The Fall is contextualised not merely in their own musical time and age, but in history at large and even the most illuminated aficionado is bound to discover something new and rewarded with new facets to add to their appreciation of The Fall and “excavate” their own philosophy from it.

Needless to say, the at times substantial written elaborations on the antithesis that was The Fall are framed and embedded in graphically detailed, visually appealing eye candy galore ranging from artwork, photographs, gig posters, hand-written communiques and everything in between.

An insightful and fantastically challenging book that is channelling the spirit of a uniquely shape-shifting and paradoxical band.

8.0 / 10T • November 2, 2021

Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley – Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall cover artwork
Tessa Norton & Bob Stanley – Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall — Faber Publishing, 2021

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Detention

Dead Rock ‘N’ Rollers
Left For Dead Records (2024)

Life ain’t so easy in the detention home- Dead Boys. Emerging from the underbelly of Jersey, made up primarily of three brethren. Raised on rock and roll and sipping from the chalice of early punk rock stalwarts like Da Bruddahs from Queens, Hey Ho! and the Pistoleros of Sexual Nature screaming banshees from across from the large pond. Thus forging … Read more

Nightfreak

Nightfreak
Big Neck Records (2024)

Semi-feral punk outfit NightFreak are back with a self-titled LP filled with breakneck riffs and 70s metal bombast. The Chicago group haven’t slowed down since 2022’s Speed Trials but they have filled out. NightFreak the album is lousy with warm back beats and melodic guitars; although, hardcore vocals and tight drums still reign supreme. Album opener “Blackout” is dead serious … Read more

Death By Unga Bunga

Raw Muscle Power
Jansen Records (2025)

I’m pretty sure I became aware of Mike Krol when The Whiffs posted about playing some shows with him. Krol is a bit of an anomaly. Not only is he on Merge and collaborates with Mac Superchunk- a dream scenario imo- but he’s also been elusive of my fan boy attempts at cold dm’ing him about stuff even tho we … Read more