"Incontinent" is the second album by Frank Tovey, better known by his stage name Fad Gadget, released in 1981. Building on the industrial sound of his debut album Fireside Favourites (1980), Incontinent diverged somewhat by incorporating more traditional instruments, such as the accordion and jaw harp, while reducing the reliance on drum machines and found objects. The album also featured more prominent use of female backing vocals. The cover art depicted Tovey as the puppet Punch, a character from the traditional English Punch and Judy puppet shows. The album's lyrics were influenced by Tovey's 1980 tour of the United States.
The album includes tracks like "Blind Eyes," which satirized the complacency people feel after donating to charity while ignoring larger societal problems. The lyrics, "Send a few pounds to a charity / Now we're feeling so much better," echo this disconnection from global issues. "Swallow It" was another track that critiqued how the public passively accepts whatever is presented to them in the media. "Saturday Night Special" took its name from a type of American revolver and was a commentary on the macho attitudes of Reagan-era America, as well as the right to bear arms and the general notion of male dominance in the home.
The title track and "Manual Dexterity," which were placed as the last track on Side 1 and the first on Side 2 of the original vinyl, were instrumental tracks. "Incontinent" featured Mute Records founder Daniel Miller, while "Manual Dexterity" included Robert Gotobed of the band Wire.
Prior to the album’s release, a non-album single titled "Make Room" backed with "Lady Shave" was released on March 18, 1981. Later, "King of the Flies" was released as a flexi-single on October 2, 1981, and "Saturday Night Special" was followed by a live version of "Swallow It" recorded at The Venue on December 8, 1981, which was issued on January 5, 1982. A rerecorded version of "King of the Flies" with "Plain Clothes" was released in April 1982. Despite these releases, neither the singles nor the album made any significant impact on the mainstream charts.
