This Nation's Saving Grave (Omnibus Edition)

The twenty-five years since the release of This Nation's Saving Grace have only enhanced the reputation of the album, considered by many to be The Fall's finest. Drawing from the well of primal rock 'n' roll, the band play with muscular spontaneity and inspiration to create music that still sounds unique and challenging, especially against today's anodyne imitations of rock and "guitar music." Disc one restores the CD to the original vinyl sequence with no bonus tracks. Disc two presents the original working mixes (most of the songs were recorded live in one take) and reveals different balances to the ingredients of the sonic jigsaw (often with clearer vocals). Though it's heresy to suggest it, some of these raw mixes have an energy that may improve on the final tracks. All these versions are previously unreleased. Disc three collects the singles and alternative edits and recordings with six John Peel session versions of album tracks. Compiled for fans, the Omnibus Editions are intended to expand and illuminate the development of specific albums, bringing together all the relevant single releases with previously unreleased studio, session and live recordings. This release is presented as a limited edition box set and includes CDs in the Japanese-style paper sleeves, reproducing the original vinyl cover art, with a forty-eight page book featuring new interviews.

'"Feel the wrath of my Bombast!" exhorts Smith on this follow-up to their groundbreaking Wonderful and Frightening World of. . . the Fall, and this collection is ample proof of the pure confidence the group had at this time. Stompers like "Barmy," "What You Need," and the mighty "Gut of the Quantifier" are all led by Brix Smith's twanging lead hooks, filled by distorted guitars and bludgeoning drums, on top of which Smith rants with conviction. But it's the departures from this sound that mark the real interest here: The synth-driven "L.A." looks ahead to the Fall's experiments with electronica; "Paint Work" is an impressionist piece interrupted by Smith accidentally erasing over some of the track at home; and "I Am Damo Suzuki," a tribute to Can's lead singer, which borrows its arrangement from several of that group's songs. The Fall sound mysterious, down-to-earth, and hilarious all at the same time.' - Ted Mills / All Music Guide