The Unutterable
Encyclopedia
The Unutterable is an album by British rock band The Fall, released in 2000. It was recorded with much the same line-up as had appeared on the group's previous album, 1999's The Marshall Suite
(although Kazuko Hohki—the singer from the English-based Japanese band Frank Chickens
—provides extra vocals on one track). However, whilst this version of the band was still coming together as the previous album was being made, by the time of the current record they'd had a year to gel as a unit. Therefore, while there is some similarity in the sound of the two, The Unutterable was a lot more consistent in its production and songwriting. It was generally well received by the critics, being praised as a "career peak" by Dave Simpson of The Guardian
, and prompting Piers Martin of the NME
to suggest, "...this is as vital and relevant as The Fall have sounded for a considerable length of time."
Lyrically, the record covers a diverse number of the themes. On "Dr Bucks' Letter", thought to be a tribute to the American writer Charles Bukowski
, lead singer Mark E. Smith
appears to dispraise superficial materialist modernity, stating, "I was in the realm of the essence of Tong", an oblique reference to British DJ Pete Tong
. In the song, Smith lists the five things that he, or rather, that Tong, can't leave home without: sunglasses, music, palm pilot
, mobile phone and Amex
card. Elsewhere on the LP, Smith's lyrics discuss such issues as drugs on the ranting "Ketamine Sun", his aversion to roundabouts on "Way Round", and on the jazz-influenced "Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes", his favourite meal.
The Unutterable is the only Fall studio album not released as vinyl LP
. It is also notable for not featuring a cover song, something that has been included on at least one format of all the group's other studio albums from This Nation's Saving Grace
forwards - although "Ketamine Sun" reportedly started life as a cover of Lou Reed
's "Kill Your Sons", there is little musical similarity between the two tracks.
The Marshall Suite
The Marshall Suite is a 1999 LP by The Fall, which builds on the techno-influenced beats of its predecessor Levitate , while also returning to a more rockabilly influenced sound reminiscent of earlier Fall line-ups...
(although Kazuko Hohki—the singer from the English-based Japanese band Frank Chickens
Frank Chickens
Frank Chickens are a female Japanese musical group based in London, who have performed songs mainly in English from 1982.Founder members of Frank Chickens were Kazuko Hohki and Kazumi Taguchi. Taguchi was later replaced by Atsuko Kamura and then Chika Nakagawa and others in the 1990s...
—provides extra vocals on one track). However, whilst this version of the band was still coming together as the previous album was being made, by the time of the current record they'd had a year to gel as a unit. Therefore, while there is some similarity in the sound of the two, The Unutterable was a lot more consistent in its production and songwriting. It was generally well received by the critics, being praised as a "career peak" by Dave Simpson of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and prompting Piers Martin of the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
to suggest, "...this is as vital and relevant as The Fall have sounded for a considerable length of time."
Lyrically, the record covers a diverse number of the themes. On "Dr Bucks' Letter", thought to be a tribute to the American writer Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Henry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
, lead singer Mark E. Smith
Mark E. Smith
Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
appears to dispraise superficial materialist modernity, stating, "I was in the realm of the essence of Tong", an oblique reference to British DJ Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
. In the song, Smith lists the five things that he, or rather, that Tong, can't leave home without: sunglasses, music, palm pilot
Palm (PDA)
Palm handhelds were Personal Digital Assistants which ran the Palm OS. Palm devices have evolved from handhelds to smartphones which run Palm OS, WebOS, and Windows Mobile...
, mobile phone and Amex
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
card. Elsewhere on the LP, Smith's lyrics discuss such issues as drugs on the ranting "Ketamine Sun", his aversion to roundabouts on "Way Round", and on the jazz-influenced "Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes", his favourite meal.
The Unutterable is the only Fall studio album not released as vinyl LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
. It is also notable for not featuring a cover song, something that has been included on at least one format of all the group's other studio albums from This Nation's Saving Grace
This Nation's Saving Grace
This Nation's Saving Grace is a 1985 LP by The Fall. It reached number 54 in the UK charts. The album is frequently cited as one of the group's strongest and most consistent...
forwards - although "Ketamine Sun" reportedly started life as a cover of Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
's "Kill Your Sons", there is little musical similarity between the two tracks.
Track listing
- All songs by Mark E. Smith, Tom Head, Adam Helal, Julia Nagle and Neville Wilding, except where noted
- "Cyber Insekt" – 3:19
- "Two Librans" – 3:57
- "W.B" – 3:30
- "Sons of Temperance" – 3:47
- "Dr Bucks' Letter" – 5:19
- "Hot Runes" – 2:18
- "Way Round" (Smith, Head, Helal, Nagle) – 3:21
- "Octo Realm/Ketamine Sun" – 5:36
- "Serum" – 4:56
- "Unutterable" – 1:05
- "Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes" (Smith, Grant Cunliffe, Helal, Nagle) – 2:54
- "Hands Up Billy" (Wilding) – 2:47
- "Midwatch 1953" – 5:32
- "Devolute" – 4:36
- "Das Katerer" (Smith, Nagle, Simon Wolstencroft) – 2:42
Personnel
- The Fall:
- Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
– vocals, sound effects - Neville Wilding – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals; lead vocals on "Hands Up Billy" - Adam Helal – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Pro ToolsPro ToolsPro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
, backing vocals - Tom Head – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocals - Julia Nagle – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, guitar, backing vocals, programmingComputer programmingComputer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
- Mark E. Smith
- Kazuko Hohki – vocals on "Cyber Insekt"
- Steve EvetsSteve EvetsSteve Evets is an English actor and musician, who found fame in the leading role in the 2009 film Looking for Eric.-Personal life:...
- vocals - Ben Pritchard - guitar on "Dr. Bucks' Letter" and "Midwatch 1953"
- Grant ShowbizGrant ShowbizGrant Showbiz is a British record producer principally known for his work with The Fall, The Smiths, and Billy Bragg plus as an artist in his own right with Moodswings. He continues his work with both Billy Bragg & The Fall to this day, having worked on more albums by both The Fall & Billy Bragg...
- backing vocals - Rob Ayling - executive producer; vocal on "Octo Realm" (uncredited)