"Levitate" is the 19th studio album by the influential English band The Fall, released in 1997 through Artful Records. This album is notable for being the last to feature long-time members drummer Karl Burns and bassist Steve Hanley, both key figures in shaping the band's sound.
The recording of Levitate was marked by significant turmoil within the group, including personnel changes and Mark E. Smith's increasingly unpredictable behavior. Financial issues also loomed large, stemming from a substantial VAT bill that the band had accrued during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Originally, the album was to be produced by Keir Stewart and Simon Spencer, who had previously worked with Smith on the D.O.S.E. project. However, after a fallout over payments, they departed after only a week, taking much of the recorded material with them. The surviving tracks from those sessions included "4½ Inch," which was assembled from rehearsal recordings, and "Spencer," later retitled "Spencer Must Die."
The band faced further challenges when drummer Simon Wolstencroft left due to disagreements and financial pressures. Karl Burns, previously dismissed in 1995, was brought back to fill the vacancy. Julia Nagle contributed significantly to the album, handling programming and playing guitar and keyboards, while her young son Basil made a brief spoken appearance on "The Masquerade."
Levitate features a mix of original compositions and covers, including "I'm a Mummy" and "Jungle Rock." It also includes an interpretation of "I Come and Stand At Every Door," which is based on a poem by Nazım Hikmet and has been performed by various artists including Pete Seeger. Notably, "Tragic Days" is a lo-fi fragment from a jam session dating back to 1990.
The lead single "Masquerade" was remixed for release in February 1998 to coincide with Smith receiving the Godlike Genius award at the NME Awards, reaching number 69 on the UK charts. The sessions also produced a b-side titled "Calendar," featuring an early collaboration with Damon Gough, who would later gain fame as Badly Drawn Boy.
### Reception and Legacy
Despite the chaos surrounding its production, Levitate showcased The Fall's unique blend of post-punk and experimental rock. The album has been praised for its adventurous sound, although it did not achieve the commercial success of some of their earlier works.
The tour following the album's release was tumultuous, with Smith famously firing the entire group during a performance in Ireland, only to reinstate them shortly after. The band's financial issues continued to escalate, leading to further instability. Ultimately, the events surrounding Levitate set the stage for Smith to rebuild the band for their next album, The Marshall Suite.
