''The Frenz Experiment'' is the tenth studio album by English

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

band The Fall. It was released on 29 February 1988 through record label Beggars Banquet. In October 2020, an expanded remastered edition was produced, containing singles, b-sides and other tracks recorded in the same era.

Background

Smith originally intended to call the album ''Gene Crime Experience'', until he realised that its initials are " GCE". The phrase does still feature on the back cover of the CD. A strong similarity between "Athlete Cured" and Spinal Tap's "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" has been noted. In his autobiography ''The Big Midweek'', bassist Steve Hanley confirms that the resemblance was not accidental, admitting that the group had been jamming the Spinal Tap song in soundchecks and that

Mark E. Smith Mark Edward Smith (5 March 1957 – 24 January 2018) was an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead vocalist, lyricist and only constant member of the post-punk group the Fall. Smith formed the band after attending the June 1976 Sex Pistol ...

had decided to make use of the results. Hanley also states that producer

Simon Rogers Simon Rogers is an English musician, record producer, and BAFTA and EMMY nominated composer, who has been a member of The Fall and The Lightning Seeds. Biography In 1976, Rogers entered the Royal College of Music, London, later becoming an ...

had been so annoyed by the lift that he came close to walking off the project. Guitarist

Brix Smith Brix Smith (born Laura Elisse Salenger; November 12, 1962) is an American singer and guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and a major songwriter for the English post-punk band the Fall during two stints in the band (1983–1989, and 1994� ...

claimed she co-wrote a number of the tracks but was largely omitted from the song writing credits.

Release

''The Frenz Experiment'' was released on 29 February 1988. It reached number 19 in the UK album chart, making it the Fall's first Top 20 album. The group promoted the release with a live appearance in

HMV HMV is an international music and entertainment retailer, founded in 1921. The brand is owned by Hilco Capital and operated by Sunrise Records, except in Japan, where it is owned and operated by Lawson. The inaugural shop was opened on Lo ...

Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running between Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road via Oxford Circus. It marks the notional boundary between the areas of Fitzrovia and Marylebone to t ...

store in London. They opened the short set with "Cab It Up!", a new song that would appear on the group's following album, '' I Am Kurious Oranj''. Like the group's other albums with Beggars Banquet, ''Frenz'' has a different track listing across various formats (LP, CD and cassette). A number of tracks are credited exclusively to

, but the album also incorporates two cover versions (or one, depending on the format): " Victoria", originally by

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British ...

, and "

There's a Ghost in My House "There's a Ghost in My House" is a song written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland of Motown Records, together with R. Dean Taylor. It was originally recorded by Taylor in 1966, and it reached No. 3 in 1974 in the UK. Backgroun ...

", a

northern soul Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged in Northern England and the Midlands in the early 1970s. It developed from the British Mod (subculture), mod scene, based on a particular style of African American music, Black American ...

track first recorded by R. Dean Taylor in 1966. The Fall's version of "Victoria" was released as a single, making it to No. 35 in the British charts. The latter cover version only appears on the CD version of the album, having been issued as a single in April 1987 and reaching number 30. This was the group's highest singles chart position to date and remains so. In October 2020, a remastered, expanded edition of the album was released on double vinyl and CD, including tracks from the singles "There's a Ghost in My House", "Hit the North" and "Victoria". The CD version also contains the Fall's cover of

A Day in the Life "A Day in the Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the opening and closing sections of the s ...

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

, from the

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

charity album '' Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father'', and a BBC Janice Long session.

Reception

''The Frenz Experiment'' was generally well received by music critics. ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'', in a 2000 review, gave the album a positive rating but described it as "a bit of a mixed bag. On no other record than the weak 1994 effort '' Middle Class Revolt'' do they sound more like they're on autopilot."

Track listing

Original UK LP Bonus 7": ''Bremen Nacht Run Out'' (UK/German first pressings only)

2020 expanded CD edition

2020 expanded LP edition

Record 1 ''as per original LP.'' Record 2

Personnel

; The Fall *

– lead vocals, electric piano on "Bremen Nacht" *

– lead guitar, backing vocals *

Craig Scanlon Craig Antony Scanlon (born 7 December 1960 in Manchester) is an English guitarist, best known as a member of the Fall between 1979 and 1995. During his tenure he was a stalwart member for 17 albums and co-wrote over 120 of the group's songs; s ...

– rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Steve Hanley – bass guitar, backing vocals *

Simon Wolstencroft Simon John Wolstencroft (born 19 January 1963) is an English rock drummer best known for playing with the Fall from 1986 to 1997. He also played with early incarnations of the Smiths and the Stone Roses. His highly praised autobiography ''You ...

– drums, backing vocals * Marcia Schofield – keyboards, backing vocals ;Additional personnel *

– semi-acoustic guitar, electric saxophone, keyboards, backing vocals ; Technical * Simon Rogers – production *

Grant Showbiz Grant Showbiz (real name Grant Cunliffe) 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 has worked on more albums by both the Fall (15 ...

– production * Dian Barton – production, engineering * Ian Grimble – production, engineering * Step Parikian – engineering * Dave Luff – arrangement on "Oswald Defence Lawyer" * Paul Cox – front cover photography * Steve Pyke – back cover photography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frenz Experiment, The 1988 albums The Fall (band) albums Albums produced by Grant Showbiz Beggars Banquet Records albums