The Fall - Light User Syndrome (2002 Reissue) (CD)

Coming nearly two decades into the band's long and amazingly prolific career, 1996's Light Users Syndrome is an excellent example of THE FALL's '90s work. Though unfortunately lacking the presence of Mark E. Smith's ex-wife Brix, who had briefly rejoined the band for this album's predecessor, Cerebral Caustic, Light Users Syndrome nevertheless maintains some of that album's guitar-pop-oriented vibe. It is a welcome return to form for the band after the more electronic releases of the early '90s. The opening "D.I.Y. Meat" is one of Smith's best songs in ages, an impassioned rant about vegetarianism and politics, while the album ending "Secession Man" slyly quotes the Kinks. Light Users Syndrome is a worthwhile starting point for neophyte fans daunted by THE FALL's prodigious output.