By the end of 2016 Falls will have released two EPs, completed multiple tours and spread the righteous word of their funky rhythms right cross the UK. But the question is, could their second EP of the year stack up to the whimsical rowdiness of ‘One Hundred Percent Strong’?
Out of context it’s amusing. In the confides of the record, it’s still amusing – “I’m a fucking dog, that wants to shit on you”. Ever the poets, Falls make will laugh and bang your head simultaneously. ‘Berries’, as is the case with most Falls songs, is a wonderful blend of party rock and intelligent musicianship.
Metallic isn’t usually the primary word to describe Falls, no strangers to a riff or two, but surprisingly the release’s most noteworthy moments all come in the form of stone cold metal riffs. Absolute doozies are dotted all over the place – the boys have been busy beefing up an already fierce sound with a generous helping of doom. The fantastically heavy final track, ‘Liberator’, simply put, absolutely crushes. The hypnotising riff wails on and on and, with a battering drum performance alongside, it ends the EP in epic fashion.
Definitely more diverse than previous material, the listener is hard-pressed to find a dull moment or any momentary silence. Every conceivable gap is filled with gang vocals, off kilter guitars, comedy gold lyrics, and rumbling bass tones. It seems that Falls decided to throw everything they could into this release. Despite creating some excellent music, that driving ambition may have hindered their famed knack for catchiness.
LEW TROTT