Though Fall leader Mark E. Smith has expressed misgivings about his deal with Receiver Records, the first trio of resulting albums—Sinister Waltz, Fiend with a Violin, and Oswald Defence Lawyer—have their charms and will surely be appreciated by the Fall fanatic who already has all the official albums. These are demos, live tracks, and alternate versions and mixes. Their cover of Jeff Lynne's "Birthday" (sung by Lucy Rimmer) is a rarity and far more pop than 99 percent of the band's catalog. The lower fidelity of "Edinburgh Man" actually works well with the song's claustrophobia. "Wings" excels in the live forum. "Couldn't Get Ahead," "Blood Outta Stone," and the spy novel–like "Dr. Faustus" sound looser and punchier. "Arid Al's Dream" adds manic keyboards to the surrealist approach. "The Knight, the Devil and Death" is a brilliant instrumental piece that builds a dense wall of sound. The Fall is masterful with repetition and keenly understands which elements hold a song together. While this release is aimed at devoted fans, the performances are worthwhile for all.

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