"Dragnet" is the second studio album by English post-punk band the Fall, released on October 26, 1979, through Step-Forward Records. Less than eight months after its predecessor, Live at the Witch Trials, Dragnet showcased the band's high productivity and frequent lineup changes.
Only Mark E. Smith and Marc Riley remained from the debut album's lineup. Drummer Karl Burns left shortly after recording, replaced by Mike Leigh. Founder Martin Bramah quit mid-tour in April 1979, while some material for the second album was already written. Smith recruited guitarist Craig Scanlon and bassist Steve Hanley, both just 18 and 19, who would become the band’s musical foundation until the mid-1990s. Riley switched from bass to guitar and began playing keyboards after Yvonne Pawlett's departure following the recording of the "Rowche Rumble" single.
Recorded from August 2 to 4, 1979, Dragnet's sound is notably muddy and lo-fi, a deliberate contrast to the cleaner sound of the first album. Smith claimed the studio was so displeased with the sound that they requested the removal of the studio’s name from the album sleeve. Bramah's contributions went uncredited, and several songs were heavily altered after his departure, including "Before the Moon Falls," which later influenced the Blue Orchids' "Work."
Lyrically, the album is self-referential, with tracks like "Printhead" and "Your Heart Out" quoting or paraphrasing reviews of the band's live shows. "Dice Man" is named after Luke Rhinehart's novel, while "Spectre Vs Rector" serves as a response to "Music Scene" from the previous album, with a sound described as sludge and subliminal menace. "Muzorewi's Daughter" is noted for its slow, relentless pace punctuated by Smith's distinctive shrieks.
Dragnet marked the Fall's final release for Miles Copeland III's Step-Forward label, with the band signing to Rough Trade Records in early 1980. In 2004, Castle Music reissued the album with remastered audio from the original tapes, including contemporaneous singles and previously unheard alternate takes. The album was also reissued on vinyl in 2016 by the Superior Viaduct label.
