For a band as prolific as the Fall, you’d think a stopgap EP would be unnecessary. Like most releases of this ilk, the cheekily titled Wise Ol’ Man is about 70 percent filler, with two new songs, three remixes and alternate takes from the last album, and the two new songs done again as mostly instrumental versions. But the new songs are great, especially the title track.
This lineup is one of the longest tenured in the Fall’s history, and on the title track, the band members actually sound like they’re having fun. “All Leave Cancelled” dabbles in the group’s trippier side, and would’ve completed a nice seven-inch. To be fair: The remixed and reworked tracks from Sub-Lingual Tablet are three of the best from that album. These versions are generally rougher around the edges, and “Facebook Troll” (called “Fibre Book Troll” on Sub-Lingual) is also randomly adjoined by a live version of “No Xmas For John Quay,” connecting a song from the Fall’s 31st full-length to one from its ’79 debut.
—Matt Sullivan
