The Fall
title:: Masquerade
label:: Artful Records
format:: 10inch
Masquerade was a song on The Fall's 1997 Levitate album. The Masquerade 10inch has 2 mixes plus the original track.
In the mid- 90s The Fall were in their "techno" phase, considered a low point by most fans of the band. This 10inch shows that with slight re-construction, The Fall had a powerful sound even then and could write excellent tracks.
The Mr. Natural (named after the R Crumb character, no doubt) mix of Masquerade is the gem here. Everything sounds punchier, and the track is given breathing room by looping Mark E Smith's Don't you worry lyric around a bit. There is little to criticize here - the bass sounds crisp, the drums pop, and nothing lags or sounds rushed. Rock and dance people can each finds a lot to like here.
The PWL mix of Masquerade has a lot more electric piano than the album version. PWL is the name of the studio that The Fall recorded Levitate in. the record was produced by Mark E Smith, as is this 10inch, leading me to belive that Mr. Natural and PWL are just alias' for Mark E Smith or someone on his team trying out something different.
The album version has a faster beat, a dryer sound, and more studio effect on the synth. It is not bad by any means, but isn't as distinctive as either of the two remixes.
---Carl
- Side A
- Masquerade - Mr. Natural mix
- Side B
- 1. Masquerade - PWL mix
2. Masquerade - album version
