FUGAZI

FUGAZI
13 SONGS (1989)
256-320 KBPS

Disregarding all the wordiness and adjectives that can be heaped like a pile of horse dung at Disneyland upon great, timeless albums, the importance of this record can perhaps be more suitably measured by the number of people who remember the first time they heard it. 13 Songs (a combination of the Fugazi and Margin Walker EPs) is usually among the first records that spring to mind when defining alternative rock. Furious, intelligent, artful, and entirely musical, it's a baker's dozen of cannon shots to the gut — not just a batch of emotionally visceral and defiant songs recorded by angry young men, but something greater. Nearly every song here reaches an anthemic level without falling prey to pomposity. Most of these songs are anthems of the self rather than a rallying cry of accusation or unification, with "Waiting Room" and "Suggestion" serving as two examples. The attention-getting drop into silence that occurs at the 22-second mark of the former is instantly memorable. The relentless ska/reggae-inflected drive of the song is equally effective, as Ian MacKaye tells everyone listening to get off their behinds and do what they want. During the Meters-meets-Ruts thrust of "Suggestion," MacKaye switches genders for an entirely convincing rant on the objectification of women. Guy Picciotto takes on the persona of an addict on "Glue Man," whose blurred sense of reality is also conveyed in the warped, psychedelic guitars. Picciotto threatens to set himself on fire during "Margin Walker"; given the spirited play of the remaining members, it sounds like the same could be said for the rest of them. Foreshadowing the band's knack for introspective and mid-tempo concluding tracks, the disc ends with MacKaye's "Promises," examining the pitfalls of trust in relationships of any nature. A landmark record.

1. Waiting Room
2. Bulldog Front
3. Bad Mouth
4. Burning
5. Give Me the Cure
6. Suggestion
7. Glue Man
8. Margin Walker
9. And The Same
10. Burning Too
11. Provisional
12. Lockdown
13. Promises

REPEATER + 3 SONGS (1990)
320 KBPS

Repeater is perhaps the band's high-water mark, expanding and improving the template laid down by their debut 13 Songs. The dual-vocalist approach was finally crystallized (Guy's singing sounds more confident on this album), the lyrics became more assured and intelligent (not to say 13 Songs was lagging in this respect), and the songwriting is tighter. Lally and Canty's rhythm playing is top-notch, punching out dub-inspired grooves and angular beats with ablomb in a manner that recalls Gang Of Four at their best. The twin guitars crash, plink, and screech all over the dynamic stop/start/loud/quiet rhythms, establishing that MacKaye/Picciotto are not only great vocalists--they may have been one of alternative/punk's best guitar duos (up there with Lee and Thurston of Sonic Youth).
Turnover kicks off the album with a cautious report of feedback leading into an excellent Guy song (I love how he sings against the rhythm on the second verse). The title track throws a pounding jungle pulse over Ian's rants. Merchandise is the band's manifesto--it speaks for itself ("You are not what you own!"). Sieve-Fisted Find sports more Guy vocals over a RAD bassline. My favorite, Blueprint starts quietly with an instantly memorable repeated guitar figure before exploding into another Fugazi classic. Shut The Door closes the LP with Ian's haunting observation of domestic abuse. The 3 Songs EP adds an instrumental (Joe #1), the solid Song #1, and Break-In which is perhaps the most hardcore-sounding track on the album.
Fugazi are no more, which is too bad but fortunately they have left a discography that (along with Helmet) laid the foundation for post-hardcore. Repeater is punk with heart, balls, and a brain. Get it.

1. Turnover
2. Repeater
3. Brendan #1
4. Merchandise
5. Blueprint
6. Sieve-Fisted Find
7. Greed
8. Two Beats Off
9. Styrofoam
10. Reprovisional
11. Shut the Door
12. Song #1
13. Joe #1
14. Break-In