Live at the Witch Trials

My review is for the Cherry Red 3cd version. I assumed that it would have more bonus tracks than my 2cd version. However it's exactly the same track listing as the Castle reissue from 2004, only spread over three discs instead of two. Why?? I sent mine back.

The Fall entered the British underground in '78 with a flash and a bang (namely the "Bingo-Master's Breakout!" single), and remain a driving post-punk force today.This reissue of their first LP, "Live at the Witch Trials", includes:disc one-the original album in fully remastered, crisp form-their stellar aforementioned debut single, which includes the driving, playful post-punk of the title track, the punky rumble of "Psycho Mafia", and the ironic drone of "Repetition"-the peppier, catchier single "It's the New Thing", with the narrative-based post-punk b-side "Various Times" that would predate their later epics-a home rehearsal, featuring the phenomenal post-punk rarity "Dresden Dolls" and the already-known punkier songs "Psycho Mafia" and "Industrial Estate"-the two live tracks they committed to the "Live at the Electric Circus" post-punk compilation - their energetic, primitve first recorded material!disc two-two peel sessions - totaling eight tracks - featuring six tracks off "Witch Trials", one song that would appear on Dragnet, and a rarity-the of the entirety horridly mixed (this is beyond lo-fi to the point where the drums are inaudible for half the concert recording - the obnoxiously loud bass helps with figuring out how to play these songs on bass/guitar though!) Liverpool '78 ( Fall in A/Liverpool 78 ) live album, featuring single, Witch Trials, and now-rare favoritesAll in all, great album, cool singles, and interesting rarities, but the second disc is largely unnecessary - I could do without 3 versions of "No Xmas for John Quays" on the same reissue.

Check the guy's rock record. This is where it began for the Mark E. Smith Show, otherwise known as the Fall. Fave of John Peel and punks and then hipsters. A little nascent, but still scabrous, and 100% attitude. But not facile pre-packaged attitude like is worn on the sleeves of many modern music makers. This is attitude that says I play this way, I sing this way, if you don't like it go F yourself. If you get on here it's a 40 album ride.

I love the Fall! This is their first album. I have gotten quite a few of middle period Brix stuff and quite a few earlier releases, both studio albums and live stuff. This album smolders with energy and passion. The musicianship is actually tighter than you would expect on a first album by them. Really primal but so cool and real. M E Smith is a genius. The bonus tracks are great too. The early singles, John Peel sessions and a live show that I have heard some describe with displeasure. But it's really great! Kind of where you see the vulnerable M E Smith, a little self-deprecating and humurous. I wrote a poem about the Fall. I posted it on my blog: alternateuni.blogspot.com. Please check it out. The album and my blog.

I love this album. For years I had it on a tape together with Dragnet. Finally got it on CD. This album sounds stripped down, nothing fancy just great music and Mark E Smiths distinctive voice. The entire album was recorded in one day and mixed the following day. The Fall are an underrated band to come out of the punk / post-punk era of England. This album sounds just as good today as it did when I first heard it some 17 years ago. Although it is the Fall's first album it sounds remarkably mature and together. Highly recommended to those who have an open mind to music.

Amazing album plus the bonus singles and performances make it worthwhile to buy this edition, even if you already own the unexpanded. Frightened, Repetition, rebellious Jukebox, these are ESSENTIAL songs.

Like it

The Fall - Live at the Witch Trials [Deluxe Bonus Disc] [import] (Castle UK)-2004.This is the 2 CD edition and like the original version it's NOT live.Check it out at <a href="[...]"where I bought mine new on November 26, 2009 for $[...] USD including S/H. Sorry about the price increase since I got mine. :-(What you get is 41 songs, 2:23:55 total time of music.What I got was 11 songs, 43:05 total time of above 3 star (4-5) songs.Here is an excerpt Review by Ned Raggett from All Music Guide (AMG)The story of the various versions of Live at the Witch Trials' re-releases over the years is its own part of the Fall lore, most notably including a terrible CD release in 1997 taken from a scratched vinyl copy. A later 2002 version improved on this but this two-disc, 25th anniversary 2004 version on Castle/Sanctuary, part of a thorough reissue series covering the band's earliest days, clearly becomes the definitive digital version of the Fall's first album, not least because it is finally mastered directly from the original tapes...The first thing I noticed about this 2 CD set is that the bass guitar is more noticeable then on their latter albums/compilations. It might also have to do with this set being the BEST sounding version.BE FOREWARNED: There are a few songs (different versions) that sound as bad as the blackmarket versions, but luckily there will always be a version that sounds GREAT!FYI: There are nine Lo-Fi songs on this 2 CD set. Just read the above to calm you down.BOTTOM LINE: If you liked some songs by this band, you may want to check it out. I'm glad I got it but wont base my reputation on it.There was one song that left an impression on me:Two Steps Back - The Fall - 1978 - "Good first impression. Nice guitar riffs and drum work. BEST track on disc 1 of 2? On chugging tracks like 'Two Steps Back,' it's not hard to tell Smith's Krautrock fandom is coming into play."

The first thing to note is that this 40th anniversary 3-CD clamshell box-set edition of Live At The Witch Trials is pretty much a straight reissue of the 2004 Castle Communications release. The packaging is nicer and there's a spot-it-if-you-can audio remastering, but there's no music here that hasn't been available before. If you already have the 2004 edition and cash is tight you won't be losing out on much by sticking with what you have.For those arriving late with an interest in the early Fall, dive right in. This version of the band is different from the later incarnations in that Mark E. Smith isn't quite the sole arbiter of what's going on, with guitarist Martin Bramah and keyboardist Una Baines having a significant impact on the sound. So the early Fall are slightly more aligned to typical post-punk procedures than was subsequently the case. The sound has more space and a totally different texture to the dense, abrasive guitars and murky production that came to characterise the I'm In Charge-ah era that followed. The chewns are a bit poppier and more accessible too. Some reviewers think this version of The Fall sound like Magazine. At times they certainly sound like The Stranglers.So it's not quite The Fall we know and love but it's still a wonderful thing. Disc one features the original album and some tracks - Rebellious Jukebox, Industrial Estate and No Xmas For John Quays - are still considered Fall classics. Disc 2 contains other studio recordings of similar vintage (singles, Peel sessions) and the two live tracks from the "Live At The Electric Circus" compilation which - preceding the "Bingo Master" EP by a matter of weeks - were the first Fall recordings ever released. The gem here, of course, is Repetition, The Fall's Rosetta Stone/mission statement. and as sarcastic, confrontational and self-directing as it was when I first heard it on John Peel's show in 1978. The final disc is a live set that captures the energy and thrilling contradictions of the early Fall. The three discs as a whole are packed with spite, jokes (this is probably the funniest Fall era), hooks and quotable lines - Smith's lyrics are a bit more accessible here than they became later.Overall, the music here may not be quite the Fall we came to adore, but every Fall-loving home should have a copy, and this is the version to get, unless of course you're counting your wee bawbies and have the time and inclination to find a copy of the out-of-print 2004 edition.

I'm a completeist, an obsessive and what could be termed " a disciple " of The Fall ...I buy every album because I missed some of the singles in the 70's and only use digital music now ( cd's and streaming) and this has lots of singles and b-sides from that periodI already have over 120 Fall albums ( multiple re-issues, compilations etc) and love getting more, I'd be crazy not too

An excellent remaster capturing the musical and visceral nature of one the greatest punk bands ever, beautiful jarring rhythms juxtaposed guitars that clash against primitive keyboards sounds that add to the backdrop of the lyrical genius that is Mark E Smith.

The early, tuneful stuff. Bingo-master's break out, yeah yeah industrial estate, no Xmas for junkies and the like. They play well.

Best at raised volume.