The Fall - In-A-Hole (Live in NZ 1982)

This live document from an Auckland, New Zealand gig in 1982 gained notoriety more from its rare status than its quality as a live recording featuring the group in all their menacing pre-Brix era glory. The band is mostly tight, though the drumming gets a bit ropey in places, but perfection was never the Fall's reason for being. "Room to Live," "Fantastic Life," "No Xmas for John Quays," and "The Classical" are all delivered with a fury by Smith, who uses live gigs to extend and improvise on the themes outlined in the studio versions. A few rarities -- "Backdrop" and "Solicitor in Studio" -- made this worth picking up for the more than casual fan. The album was shoddily released on CD in 1997 by Cog Sinister, mastered apparently from a dusty copy of the original vinyl, skips included.