THE GHOST OF MARK E SMITH HAUNTS ON HOUSE OF ALL’S ‘GOOD ENGLISHMAN’

SINGLE REVIEW | HOUSE OF ALL – GOOD ENGLISHMAN by Tom Whittleton

The ghostly apparition of Mark E Smith can be seen in nearly every element of modern independent music. The Fall‘s uncompromising frontman and only truly consistent member of the band died in 2018 – leaving in his wake 31 studio albums, a mountain of bootlegs and 66 members.

So, what happens when you find yourself unemployed after a stint in The Fall? You start again.

House of All‘s newest single ‘The Good Englishman‘ from an upcoming 3rd album, keeps a lot of that Salfordian DNA from the strange world of there earlier employment period, but has a more modern sound and a vocal delivery which has a soft-spoken word approach.

House Of All‘s members have previously played on some of The Falls most revered albums such as Live at The Witch Trials [1979] and Hex Enduction Hour [1982]. Consisting of Martin Bramah on lead vocals and guitar with Peter Greenway as second guitarist, Si Wolstencroft on drums and completed by brothers Paul and Steve Hanley on a second drum kit and bass. Bramah himself has called the group a “Fall family continuum”

Order House Of All Souls now – released 14th February

It is hard to review a band whose members have such a legacy in their previous project, detaching my love for The Fall and focusing entirely on what is new about House Of All was a challenge so I attempted to cut out the little voice in my head that sounds an awful lot like Mark.

The track starts with a drum beat which sounds distant and industrial like clanging machinery or a marching band which ties in closely to the themes of the song. Playing on the idea of a ‘Good Englishman‘ with lyrics like “We have very different interpretations of our heritage; I was quite worried about my mortal soul”; a tongue in cheek narrative play on patriotism.

The vocal approach is the main source of my criticism of the song. It feels as if the vocals are out of place within the rest of the track, almost too quiet and the repeated phrase of “The Good Englishman” is entirely from the school of Mark E Smith. The soundscape created by the rest of the group builds on screeching guitar fuzz and wah with a simple yet effective bass drone. The duo of drums during the bridge adds a tribal rumble which centres the noise around it, which I could see myself bobbing my head too after each listen. A single guitar chord repeats sharply during most of the verses and wouldn’t be out of place on Live At The Witch Trials.

‘The Good Englishman‘ is an interesting single in a world without MES but doesn’t do much in the way of trying to detach itself from The Falls legacy, something which I do not see as an immediate turn off but more of a continuation of key themes and sounds found in those classic albums.

House Of All are heading out on a UK tour this March. Tickets can be found HERE.