Peel fell for Fall — and so can you

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Oct. 29, 2004 | 8:56 a.m.

The music world lost a grand champion on Monday, when famed British disc jockey John Peel suffered a fatal heart attack at age 65.

Throughout his life -- the last 37 of which were spent broadcasting on BBC station Radio 1 -- Peel made it his personal mission to shine a light on acts that might never have been heard from otherwise.

Joy Division, the Smiths and Wire were just a few of the seminal bands showcased on Peel's celebrated live-in-the-studio "Peel Sessions."

In tribute to Peel, this week's Patterson's Pick focuses on one of the DJ's favorite groups, British post-punk outfit the Fall.

From 1978 through this past August, the Fall recorded a whopping 24 "Peel Sessions," all of which are rumored to be headed toward a boxed-set release sometime soon.

That project will certainly be a must-have item for any serious Fall fan, and could also serve as a handy -- albeit somewhat lengthy -- introduction to the band.

Newcomers would also do well to track down the Fall's best studio albums, though sifting through their massive and inconsistent discography can be a daunting task for all but the most dedicated fans.

A basic rule of thumb: Everything from the band's 1979 full-length debut "Live at the Witch Trials" (which isn't really a live album) through 1985's "This Nation's Saving Grace" is well worth snatching up.

After that, the Fall's output is a mixed bag, alternating between solid efforts and those with limited appeal.

An excellent starting point is 1979's "Dragnet," the band's second full-length record.

One of six Fall albums reissued this year by UK label Castle Records, "Dragnet" has been lovingly remastered -- a must in the case of the group's hastily recorded early works -- and expanded to include 11 bonus tracks.

By the end of opening cut "Psykick Dance Hall," listeners should have a fair idea whether they will revere or despise the Fall. Set atop a jagged backbeat, frontman Mark E. Smith's vocal is thick with attitude and a Manchester accent, making it something of an acquired taste.

Adventurous souls who soldier on will discover a host of oddball delights: off-kilter yet strangely catchy melodies, buried noises straining to be heard and half-spoken lyrics that teeter somewhere between cryptic and vivid.

"While young couples discuss their poverties of their self-built traps / And the junior clergy demand more cash / We spit in their plate, and wait for the ice to melt," Smith snarls at the start of "Before the Moon Falls," one of many standouts on "Dragnet."

Challenging stuff, to be sure. But true musical exploration always is, as John Peel understood better than most.

Artist: The Fall.

Title: "Dragnet."

Year of release: 1979 (reissued 2004, Castle Records).

Tracklisting: "Psykick Dance Hall," "A Figure Walks," "Printhead," "Dice Man," "Before the Moon Falls," "Your Heart Out," "Muzorewi's Daughter," "Flat of Angles," "Choc-Stock," "Spectre Vs. Rector," "Put Away." Bonus Tracks: "Rowche Rumble," "In My Area," "Fiery Jack," "2nd Dark Age," "Psykick Dance Hall" (No. 2), "Rowche Rumble" (Take 2), "Rowche Rumble" (Take 3), "Rowche Rumble" (Take 4), "Rowche Rumble" (Take 5), "In My Area" (Take 1), "In My Area" (Take 2).