Fugazi Albums
It's really hard to do a band like this justice, but I’ll try. Ian MacKaye started the "straight edge" movement in the early 80's with his band Minor Threat, while Guy Picciotto and Brendan Canty (best drummer if ever there was one) were in the first "emo" with band Rites of Spring. Coming together from those two bands rose Fugazi, a truly monumental band that changed music forever. They are definitely not immediately accessible, but once you have got into their world of music, it will be impossible to imagine your life without them. They influenced people by setting the best example possible: they have their own record label (the very successful indie Dischord), they refuse to be associated anything promoting liquor or tobacco, their concerts are never more than minimum price (usually $5), but most of all, they made better albums than anyone in the 90's. The streak from Repeater-Red Medicine is one that no one has ever matched in my opinion (4 masterpieces in a row????), the exception perhaps being Sonic Youth (the stretch from Evol to Dirty).
Even from their beginnings in the late 80's, the band never stopped evolving, and gave music a new meaning. They are self-political, preaching inner truth over politics, and constantly play benefit concerts in their area for no money. Not just the best punk band ever, perhaps the best band ever (but that is open to personal opinion) and if you think I am being too generous on these ratings, check other sources. Not since The Beatles has a band got as unanimously good reviews, and that proves something for sure since there was no media machine behind the group it was build from honest music and word of mouth (and this band never writes something as simple as "love songs").
Band Members:
Ian MacKaye (vocals, guitar), Joe Lally (bass, vocals), Colin Sears (drums, 1986), Brendan Canty (drums, 1987-present), Guy Picciotto (vocals, guitar, 1988-present)
Best Album:
Red Medicine
Biggest Influences:
The Clash, Gang of Four, The Minutemen, Wire, Slint, Sonic Youth, Led Zeppelin, Bad Brains
Albums Chronologically
1990 - 97% - Repeater
1991 – 95% - Steady Diet of Nothing
1993 – 93% - In on the Kill Taker
1995 – 100% - Red Medicine
1998 – 72% - End Hits
2001 – 92% - The Argument
Compilations
1988 – 97% - Fugazi EP
1989 – 100% - Margin Walker EP
1990
Repeater - 97%
Fugazi’s first LP, Repeater is a furious leap into the realm of rock n' roll. This is the band at their most intense, but Fugazi is a band who has realized something: how to make good, complicated songs. While the songs are complex for such fast music, it is more rewarding that way. Did I say fast? Repeater contains some of the most punishing music you will ever hear, but not in a painful way. The band screams for people to wake up and see the light in songs like opening salvo "Turnover", the dynamically powerful "Blueprint", environmental education in "Styrofoam" and personal worth in "Merchandise". With shouts of desperation like, "We are all bigots, so filled with hatred, we release our poisons; like styrofoam" and "When we have nothing left to give, they'll be no reason for us to live," some people will be scared off, but they would be wrong not to praise the bands message.
No one can refuse the common sense the band uses: "It's just a matter of knowing when to say no or yes!" Musically there are few bands that could ever be this good, and the tricks keep you coming back from song to song. The short blast “Greed” provides in itself the band’s manifesto in under two minutes. Repeater is necessary for a music collection, and there are no weak spots I can find, though the remake of "Provisional" from 13 Songs and "Sieve Fisted Find" itself can be a bit grating in delivery…but perhaps that is the point. The group is in such a turmoil and frustration with modern society, that the message comes out fast and strong because it has to. Try to find another album where urgency has such a purpose despite the genre, from other so called punk groups to the heaviest of heav metal bands. It is so intense that it can make queasy people crazy by the end,
So is Repeater an acquired taste? Yes, but one that will totally transform a listener into what is possible. Even if you are not a fan of the type of music I am talking about, try listening to “Shut the Door” eithout being moved in some way, try not to get taken a aback by how groovy “Two Steps Off” is, and try not to feel like you are on a roller coaster on instrumental “Brendan #1”. Lead singers Picciotto and MacKaye bounce of each other creating quite a seamless listen, and Joe Lally is an indispensable bass player that hold it all together while Brendan Canty can often be playing another song entirely (in a good way). When understanding what you are getting into and seeking out meaningful music, there really is not any album that can fulfill you for its entire length in quite the same way, the fact that it came out in 1990 before even the “grunge” explosion” is saying something, Repeater created its own path through the underground music scene by just being…itself. Trust Me, these words don't do the music justice; go listen right now!
Best Songs: Blueprint, Merchandise, Two Beats Off, Shut the Door
sidenote: Most copies of Repeater today come with the 3 Songs EP attached, and at least "Song #1" goes right along with the consistent amazement.
1991
Steady Diet of Nothing - 95%
Yes, they are changing. On Fugazi's second record, they realize a change is needed. While Repeater was a great record, the overall sound of it can get kind of hostile on too many listens. Here, each songwriter of Fugazi morphs in a different way. Picciotto realizes how to write a good melodically complicated song, "Nice New Outfit" being the best example because halfway through the song, it changes into a mantra that improves on the typical punk rock song, here they show us music can evolve naturally and take on a progressive rock atmosphere. He actually dominates in terms of songs here: “Latin Roots” is the funniest song on the album, “Runaway Return” is about someone addicted to smoking and it doesn’t even come off as condescending, “Exit Only” is a powerful opener.- how good is this guy at writing amazing, heart pumping songs?? On "Dear Justice Letter", a song whose lyrics reference the fact that when the democrat Supreme Court judge retired, many conservatives took his place, Picciotto become as great as Bob Dylan or Springsteen for his generation.
MacKaye gets slower in his song’s tempo wise, and also more structurally complex, with the dynamic "Stacks" and "Reclamation" (noiiiise rock guitars) leading that charge (a lot of MacKaye’s songs on here sound a lot like "Shut the Door" from Repeater). “Polish” is the only song that makes me scratch my head on Steady Diet of Nothing, not that it is a bad tune it just kind of pales to what comes around it. "KYEO", a guitar riff for the ages over a blistering punk rock attack (“We will NOT be beaten down), both vocalists actually team up on vocals. "KYEO" is one of Fugazi's defining songs, and one of the best guitar driven rock songs ever. Both songwriters get more focused in their intensity, and this record has a very jerky, kind of simple guitar sound; in other words, they make it look so easy to write powerful songs, even though it's not.
The instrumental "Steady Diet" has outstanding drum work from Canty and is very complicated in structure, but it shows the band's desire to expand. The songs on here might sound too much like Sonic Youth-like guitar at first, but as you listen they really build upon that band’s blueprints into something else entirely. The topics of the songs are great on this album as they range from politics to family origins to .....long division (“Long Division” has a nice stripped down energy and serves as the band’s first sort of ballad). That is what is moving about a band like Fugazi: the music and cross rhythms of their songs are great and their lyrics are always meaningful (best sample: "America is just a word but I use it"). Very influential, and a unique melodic masterpiece in my opinion.
Best Songs: KYEO, Nice New Outfit, Stacks, Runaway Return
1993
In On the Kill Taker - 93%
As the first Fugazi album I ever got, this was my first impression of them. The songs on the album really do flow well together, from extreme to different kinds of extreme. Making out the lyrics is not even the point anymore, most of them are almost impossible to decipher (perhaps taking that lesson from Husker Du). The coolest thing happens from the hard rock chanting at the end of “Smallpox Champion” to the emotion of “Rend it”, then to the craziness of “Returning the Screw”, the soft rock of the instrumental “Sweet and Low”, then blasting you out of the water with “Cassavetes”, a song that manages to reference an underground filmmaker (and his awesome wife) but still come off in an accessible way. Accessible is a hard word to use with Fugazi, but this is probably the bands most accessible record. Listen to the way the band plays off each other, a kind of chemistry simply lacking in most bands. In On the Kill Taker harks back to the harshness of Repeater, while showing the lessons learned from the slower controlled distortions of Steady Diet of Nothing.
Songs like "Rend It" where Picciotto starts chanting its his ‘love song’, the insane driving while racing down the road feeling of "Public Witness Program", and crowning summation of "Instrument" are new types of punk rock the band has perfected. Here is a band who gives us emotional, life affirming music but the run all the gamut’s possible, it’s almost like every type of music is contained somewhere in here. Still, this is not radio friendly or anything, because the band still demands the viewer meet them on their own terms with complex songs like opener with many different synapses "Facet Squared", "Walken's Syndrome" with its haunting chorus and odd time signatures, and the "Greed" from Repeater update "Great Cop". There are some minor lulls in this listening with "Last Chance for a Slow Dance" and "23 Beats Off", but neither song is awful, just kind of dull melody wise or like failed experiments. The other songs make up for it though, making the album still deserving of the highest rating. One of my personal, favorite records that still amazes me to this date with its deep emotion and genuine attitude, delivered in the form of fast-paced hard rock.
Best Songs: Public Witness Program, Cassavetes, Returning the Screw, Sweet and Low
1995
Red Medicine - 100%
Fugazi’s 4th album (not counting their 2 ep’s) is their best and most musical so far, and in its own way contender for best album ever made. It has three great musical rockers at the beginning: "Do You Like Me" is a Picciotto scorcher that shows in one song the diversity the album will pick up; "Bed for Scraping" is a fast, blistering punk song that is just sooooo energetic and the drumming is spectacular; "Latest Disgrace" is Picciotto at his guitar warping best, as he makes the oddest structures in a song sound so easy. Then, the album shifts to odd territory for the next six songs. Among those, "Combination Lock" is their best instrumental yet, and the emotionally wrenching "Forensic Scene" about a failed relationship (again, not a typical love song from Picciotto) and "Fell, Destroyed" are mature, slower songs that don't even sound like Fugazi of old but they work in branching out the band's sound with the rhythm section of Lally and Canty being so subdued.
"By You" is bassist Joe Lally's feedback drenched masterpiece of atmosphere, harking to more classic rock like The Who or Led Zeppelin (see: “When the Levee Breaks” albeit with more Sonic youth guitar) with a guitar/feedback outro at the end that is beyond description and MUST be heard to be understood. They pull all this experimentation off very well though, it is not at all boring, but it should be noted that "Birthday Pony" almost gets a little too silly, and "Version" is almost too far in another direction ( what amazing organ sounds) and fights cohesion. As I have gotten older and learned more about music I see twoer more experimental tracks as nods to their favorite experimenter icons- from The Contortions to The Clash to even Pere Ubu and Bad Brains- though even the thought of tracks this avant-garde coming form Fugazi will turn off some long term fans. I say be patient, with time they will grow on you, Fugazi finds a unique way to combine all that has come before into their spaztic version of punk music.
It all kicks back in with “Target”, first of the last four great rockers. You’ll think that “Target” is the coolest song you’ve ever heard when you hear it the first three times, no doubt about it, great lyrics (about the bastardization of what was once an ‘alternative sound’, now gone mainstream and coopted by the Major Label record companies) and rhythms that groove and rock like the heart of rock n roll it self (it may be my favorite rock song ever). The searing "Back to Base" and "Downed City" are more complicated songs; the latter uses three ideas for songs and throws them all together! The closing song does what it needs to and clams the album down while being very poignant about the whole universe.
This is Fugazi's finest album up to this point; MacKaye matches Picciotto in songwriting strength here and two truly become one force. I have always thought that Picciotto was a little stronger as a songwriter, but "Bed for Scraping" and "Long Distance Runner" are as great as anything else on the album, with Lally’s “By You” being the icing on the cake. The songs flow from one to the other as well as comparable classics by rock giants before them: Husker Du’s Zen Arcade, XTC’s English Settlement, The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers, Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation, or any other album a songwriting team has ever done. One of Fugazi’s finest moments that is way ahead of its time in thrilling hard rock and finally free of genre.
Best Songs: Target, By You, Latest Disgrace, Long Distance Runner, Downed City
1998
End Hits - 73%
Fugazi has this sound that changes with each album they make, it is really amazing. Their 5th full length LP, End Hits, is an evolution for the band. The sound is great, and songs like the more jazz-influenced “Break” and “Arpeggiation” really show how the band is evolving. No Fugazi collection is complete without Lally’s mysterious "Recap Modotti", as he is again on the level of MacKaye/Picciotto for at least one song per album! "Forman's Dog" is one of Piccitto’s best with a killer guitar riff and shifting tempo – there is also a nice call and response with MacKaye in the chorus. Along with the spiraling guitar work in “Gulliford’s Fall” this is some the best song evolutions the band has made. Other tunes have their moments, the tuneful “Place Position” has great drumming as always by Canty and Picciotto definitely tries his best to make it unpredictable, though the song lacks a destination. “Closed Caption” is like Fugazi in slow motion, full of melody and Tortoise inspired electronic drums, if I am in the mood I will listen to it but I don’t think it fully gels.
There are some holes in this album however that hurt it. Songs like “No Surprise” (phaser shift vocals) and "Caustic Acrostic" actually drag on too long or seem completely unfocused, and “Floating Boy” and “Pink Frosty” never should have been made; they just are failures at what they are attempting to do, far down the post-rock spectrum and reaching out and finding nothing there to latch onto. Some of the good songs aren't as original as usual also, "Five Corporations" sounds a lot like The Pretenders' "The Wait”. It is ok the band slipped up here though, who can blame them? Fugazi's constant experimentation and need to push themselves and change is practically unmatched, and to see their new album is something that will always be a joy. So they messed up on some songs, repeating Red Medicine which is a perfect album and perfect version of experimentation, would be impossible. No Fugazi die hard would let that stop them from listening to the album and forming their own opinion, and such is the magic of good music. End Hits marks the first album that Fugazi has had bad songs on, making it their weakest album to date, but for Fugazi that is still pretty good.
Best Songs: Recap Modotti, Forman’s Dog, Guilford Fall, Arpeggiation
2001
The Argument - 92%
Fugazi’s 6th album is the closest they’ve come to a modern sound so far. This is their best album as far accessibility is concerned as it still touches on all their social rights and concerns for our society but does it with actual friendly melodies and as much singing as screaming! As far as flow goes, it uses Red Medicine as a template, which helps it never get old. The album builds up to the middle, gets into odd territory with Joe Lally’s languid "The Kill" and Picitto’s soft "Strangelight", though the latter succeeds a bit better as a ballad; then it gets back into rocking with the next four awesome songs. What makes this album a full evolution by the band into a more friendly version is the way it will have anger and tranquility in the same song, such as "Cashout" (some orchestra stings in there?!?), the rhythm of the guitar countering the rhythm of the percussion in the clapping "Life and Limb", and the usually shifty Picciotto tune with the excellent "Nightshop".
The songwriters have almost switched roles as to what kind of songs they write, with "Epic Problem" and its ending shift contrasting its harsher begging (a total Picciotto move) improving while still sounding like MacKaye of old, and "Full Disclosure" with its thrashing pounding repetition making Picciotto sound like the normally wailing MacKaye (think “Bed for Scraping” off of Red Medicine). Still, the singers are very much themselves on new classics such as "Ex-Spectator" (with its fabulous double drumming) and pensive closer "The Argument". The variety and complexity sounds even more controlled than any other Fugazi release, but most people would prefer this tweaked sound compared to the frenzy of Repeater and experimentation of Red Medicine. Because of the above mentioned instrumentation (Canty still proves he is the best drummer of our time in every song) and because of the new influences shown ("Nightshop" in its bridge sounds like Sonic Youth meets Jethro Tull), Fugazi still reign supreme in a time full of copycats. in the early 2000’s, their urgent and fast paced rock n’ roll is needed now more than ever. They keep getting better as a band and have let the times not change them, but remaining a beacon of hope in these troubling post 9/11 times (the album came out in October 2001 right after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers). The Arguments feels like a final statement from a group of musicians that have grown up together, and are now ready to settle down. Once again and hopefully not for the last time, awe-inspiring stuff.
Best Songs: Epic Problem, Nightshop, Full Disclosure, Ex-Spectator
Sidenote: Sadly, there's a 99% chance the band will never make another album. Canty and Lally later formed the great instrumental group The Messthetics. You never know though, there's always that 1% chance. Whatever happens, their legacy is etched in stone.
Compilations
1989
13 Songs - 99%
A combination of their first two ep’s, Fugazi’s brilliance really shines through. Though both of these ep's were recorded and released in the late 80's (Fugazi (1988) is songs 1-7, Margin Walker (1989) is songs 8-13), the way they are packaged on to CD will always be as 13 Songs, released in 1990. This music is still so far above anything else at its time that it is really sad, and looking back its stands on its own as the beginning of many genres that would permeate the next century (alternative rock, indie rock, and emo all have their roots here). Solid punk blasts like "Waiting Room" and "Margin Walker" are more durable songs than anyone could hope for, but at the same time they are about something. The former song can be taken many ways, but I view it as a rallying call to all other music to create more and not give in to pressures of conformity; the latter song an attack on surface level appreciation rather than diving into what under the skin and like most Picciotto songs it changes at the end to add something new and more interesting.
Their relevancy shines through today and with such "serious" tones set to fast, blaring music you want to sing along with, the band got its message across. There are so many great songs on here, so while there are highlights, they are not second to any other songs: MacKaye singing maybe his most poignant lyrics ever in the woman’s point of view of "Suggestion", the poppy and sublimely catchy "Bad Mouth"- "You can't be what you were, so you better start being just what you are." Advise like this put to music? Good music?!? All bands that heard it listened in carefully. My personal favorite mashup of classic rock "And the Same", channeling U2 surprisingly. Picciotto sings too, and shows his range from being almost soft on the prophetic "Provisional", emotionally intense as anything that came before on "Burning and the bands anti-drug stance is clearly drawn in the sarcastic "Give me the Cure". Just because those songs tower above most others of the late 1980s, there is plenty to love in the chugging "Bulldog Front”, dual vocal attack of a selfish man in "Burning Too", and the drug addicted tale of "Glue Man".
“Promises” definitely invents a whole new type of slow, brooding preachy music that might sound like too much on first listen but it burrows its imprints unto your skin. “Lockdown” is almost too much of a sonic attack to confine in one song, with lyrics about the working class needing to breakout of their working life schedules. “Give Me the Cure” is Picciotto’s anti-drug tirade, and maybe the only song where the lyrics are worth more than the music. This collection is maybe the closest to accessible Fugazi gets, with I would recommend Fugazi novices to start with this compilation. Music is rarely this well thought out and it feels not at all like preaching but like begging and encouraging us to hang in there as a society and aim to be something better.