Yesterday I finally took the plunge and ordered Interim after finding a used copy for $19. On the board I've seen mixed reviews and the level of expectation I find myself with is on a par with how I felt after hearing AYAMW. I thought Jim's, Cropdust, and Gotta See Jane were great; Bourgeois, Kick, and Classmates OK; Bastardo and Afro amusing yet increasingly annoying; and Acute/Hollow Musically pretty worthless(lyrically they were OK). Certainly not an album I felt like listening through start to finish, but OK in spots. Did anybody who bought Interim have a similiar take on AYAMW? What were yr thoughts?

But there's no comparison! AYAMW is an album, perhaps the The Fall's most interesting and perplexing release. Interim is more like the equivalent of Seminal Live.

There I've said it.

You need them both to experience the rich sensation of the complex dynamics of being a fan of this band...... :P

:lol: Well done Eccles that's perfect!

There is to some of us. I'll give you "perplexing." Can't be bothered with "interesting," though.

Yep agree with this, but I would say Interim is the better of the two. AYAMW is just a waste of time, although some like it, I have to say definetly my worst Fall album AYAMW. AYAMW just doesn't have any redeeming qualities about it in my opinion, where as even though Interim is not the best work the Fall ever did it can redeem itself. After all Interim does have the best version of Sparta, an ok-ish version of Blindness, it also has Mere Pseud Mag Ed, Spoilt Victorian Child and Blindness that are all very satisfactory versions.

AYAMW is definitely worth persevering with - I think that a lot of folks were annoyed with the band after the excellent Unutterable album, and it's an oft-criticised album, with common descriptions being "lazy", "half-arsed", "under-produced" etc, etc.

I fell into that camp, I admit, but returning to the album now I actually do quite like it - OK, not as much as say Hex or TNSG, but certainly it's an improvement on Middle Class Revolt (regs will know my own working class revolt of this album...).

Interim is a whole different ball-game. It certainly isn't a logical follow up to RNFLP, but it's an album that needs to be taken in context - clearly the band wanted to release something to their fans, and there is the suggestion that Interim was a short-term petty cash fund for the band in between "proper" albums - I'm naturally delighted at having chucked a fair few coins into the Fall bucket if that is the case.

Even if it isn't, it's still an interesting observational album - embryonic versions of Blindness and What About Us, revisits of a few RNFLP tracks, a mighty rework of Mere Pseud Mag Ed and a "Mark live mix" version of Spoilt Victorian Child. Then there's the very tempting instrumental I'm Ronnie....

The two are like chalk and cheese - Eccles has had the nail squarely on the head with his comment :)

Poll started here, this thread closed (can't merge when there's a poll involved).

Dunno if this one has been done before - but I reckon Interim is better...
but what do you think?

I reckon Interim has a lot more going for it....

Interim is better with out a doubt, although this thread does seem familliar, I am sure I went into detail somewhere on why Interim is a lot better than AYAMW. I don't think I'll ever like AYAMW, definetly the worst album the Fall has ever done. AYAMW is probably the worst album the Fall will ever do as well, come to think about it.

I always thought I was missing something with Are Your Are..but I've given it many listens and it just doesn't stand out for me

Interim on the other hand is instantly re-listenable, and likeable in every way

strangely though, I reckon Interim will be more critically determined by the next album...and could possibly be seen in a different light

Well that is exactly my theroy mate:

Interim=very likeable and relistenable

AYAMW=crap, take it away from me

I am looking forward to the new album and I agree with you on the fact that Interim might be seen in a different light once the new album is released.

Yep here is the link to the other thread on this. Although I think this thread is better as it is an actual poll, so we can tally up the scores. ;)

Here it is

I personally would stick to this one and just use the link for reference, or maybe somebody can merge the threads together.

Can't merge threads where one has a poll - have closed t'other and redirected it here.

Well I actually like Interim.

so do I...it's a release that flows quite easily...dunno where all the criticism came from at all.

sorry Clayts...didn't realise there was another thread on this....was drunk last night

neck +neck for me - they are the two Fall records most listened to here - by a long way.
Kind of a see-saw, depending on moods:
INTERIM is pep in happy times - just to hear mes "aahaahaah" to himself before clasp hands, and the jangling guitar riff provides instant smiles; rurmissingwiner reassures when I'm feeling ..crushed.

Interim by a country mile :devil:

But these two are not bedfellows.

Removing issues of quality for a moment, AYAMW is the sound a of a band's Year Zero re-birth; Interim, a band in form capitalizing on a well-received studio album, shows and a Peel session. There's no connection whatsoever.

Surely a more germane parallel is Interim vs Seminal Live, or Interim vs 2G + 2, or even Interim vs Totale's Turns?

Sorry to be a bore but you are not comparing like with like....the premis of the two albums is completely different

They both have their own weaknesses and strengths but its simply not valid to attempt to draw a comparison

It would be pointless regurgitating the arguments pro and con AYAMW as thats been done to death elsewhere

Both need to be seen in context of the history of the Fall. With a band that has gone through so many changes in its career I would respectfully suggest that unless you can embrace the logic of both albums in the development of the history of the band then you are missing the point about the Fall and its raison d'etre.

I have never considered that MES has sold me short on any album - some have been more challenging than others - aome have taken longer to get into than others. However eventually I have always worked how any particular album fits into the canon of work and where it sits in the logical progression of the music/form.

:)

Ahh right, I didn't know you couldn't merge if one was a poll.

I think there is a comparison to be made here.

AYAMW, to me, sounds like a work in progress - a band cutting its teeth together who want to put out a record, either for money or as a measure ("this is how far we've come")... and Interim is just about the same thing, only on the other side of this line-up's major contribution to the canon (RNFLP) and after years of touring.

I think you can look at Interim and see some elements in the band now that were sorely missing on AYAMW. Of course, this perspective only works if you find AYAMW to be somewhat inferior.

Surely the fact that people have voted shows that this is a valid premise for a poll. I seems that people are just nitpicking for the sake of it. What's wrong with saying 'which album is better: A or B?'? That seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me.

You're absolutely right, in the context of this poll. But I'm referring to a general forum-wide feeling that the two are somehow analogous. I'm just saying I don't really get it, that's all.

:rolleyes: jesus


Look - I was drunk when I posted this, and my logic at the time was that we have...from 2001 - 2005 three Fall albums of any merit amongst fans on the forum....AYAMW, RNFLP and Interim...I'm not including 2G+2 cos it is just awful proper...

but we have AYAMW - which some regard as crap, whereas others think it is great...

RNFLP...which is class and outstanding as a studio album...

Interim....which is inbetween the two....

I was just trying to draw comparisons between two relatively recent albums that have divided opinions... :banghead:

Why do you sound like you're apologizing? Your thread has created discussion. That's about the best you can expect for anything you post. B)

I support your poll, Bez.

So do I, and do hope you didn't think otherwise. It's the oft-quotenedess of the comparison that foxes / interests me, but I think Rex has answered that above.

Can't agree about 2G + 2. I love it. For me, this and Interim emulate the The Fall live experience much more capably than any dedicated live album (with the possible exception of Fall in a Hole).

I was also drunk when I wrote that 'jesus' bit too

:lol:

I am not drunk but i prefer Interim. Don't see any problem with this poll. You know, which do you prefer: The Unutterable or Live At the Witch Trials :P

Are You Are Missing Winner – 11
Interim – 13

Remarkable voting!

i voted rurmw

much as i hate the album... i hate interim more

much as i love them both

i love interim more