As Christmas Day draws ever nearer, so comes another declaration of identity from Brixton scrimshanks, The Fat White Family. The B-side of this week’s ‘I Am Mark E Smith’ single is ‘I Am Joseph Stalin’, a creeping chunk of discombobulated drone, wedded to the sound of Gregorian chanting taking place in some seedy vestibule. There’ve only been 700 copies of the 7" released on the band’s Without Consent label, so for those of you not fortunate enough to have procured one, we’re rather chuffed to host a stream of the track above.
‘I Am Mark E Smith’ came in at number four on tQ’s Tracks Of The Year list, published yesterday. Speaking about its myriad qualities, Quietus editor (I Am) John (V.) Doran said: "Junior highlife rock debasers Fat White Family are stranded in America; grotesque and after a Grammy. What really went on before they crossed the pond? All we have is this excerpt of twanging, acidic Residents evil and swollen gland, red right hand, magick band palaver. The junior gold medal holders and young pretenders drink the long draught down and give some appreciation to the governor. But what will his nibs think, given that he usually calls twattery not flattery when it comes to imitation? We at the Quietus, for one, would love to hear a collaboration. Come on lads, make it speedy – can you not just get it together and do some showing off?" Take a look at the list in full here.
