"Grotesque (After the Gramme)" is the third studio album by English band The Fall, released on November 17, 1980. It marked the band's first album on the Rough Trade label and was a significant milestone in their career. The album reached number one on the UK Independent Chart, where it spent a total of 29 weeks, solidifying the band's prominence in the post-punk scene.
The album introduced drummer Paul Hanley, the younger brother of bassist Steve Hanley, who joined The Fall earlier in the year at just 15 years old. The album also featured contributions from Kay Carroll, who was Mark E. Smith's girlfriend and the band's manager at the time. Carroll played kazoo on "New Face in Hell" and provided backing vocals. Grotesque was recorded at Cargo Studios in Rochdale and Street Level in London, with production handled by the band alongside Grant Showbiz, Geoff Travis, and Mayo Thompson. The album's sleeve, the band's first to feature color artwork, was designed by Smith's sister, Suzanne.
Prior to the album's release, The Fall had already released two successful singles, "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man'" and "Totally Wired," both of which were included on later CD reissues of the album. The album was initially considered for release under the title After the Gramme – The Grotesque Peasants, as noted in the Slates & Dates press release.
Musically, Grotesque (After the Gramme) is often described as "Mancabilly" or "Country 'n' Northern," a blend of the band's punk roots with influences from traditional country and rockabilly. The album opens with "Pay Your Rates," a track that critiques small-minded conformity. "English Scheme" follows, with Smith's lyrics targeting middle-class liberals. "New Face in Hell," a paranoid narrative inspired by the 1968 film P. J., delves into the theme of government agencies targeting innocent individuals. "C'n'C–S Mithering" is a sharp critique of California and the music industry, including a reference to The Fall's meeting with A&M Records co-founder Herb Alpert. Side one concludes with "The Container Drivers," which subverts the romanticized image of truckers, depicting them as ignorant and gluttonous.
The second side opens with "Impression of J. Temperance," a dark tale of cloning gone wrong. "In the Park" is about outdoor sex, while "W.M.C. – Blob 59" features lo-fi recordings of rehearsals and conversations. "Gramme Friday" is described as a "hymn to amphetamines." The album closes with "The N.W.R.A" ("The North Will Rise Again"), a track exploring the socio-political divide between the "soft south" and the "grim north" of England, and which some critics interpreted as a vision of political upheaval in Northern England.
Grotesque (After the Gramme) is regarded as one of The Fall's key works, capturing the band's unique blend of post-punk energy, sardonic wit, and social commentary.
