Taking Artistic Control

Two Sound of Science releases in two days? Well, I never! Wisconsin instrumental math rockers Control put out this tasty cassette Schulte A little while back, that is now out on all formats (vinyl, digital and CD). The trio have been doing EPs with artists doing screenprints, a great collaborative interest that at $15 each is a deal and a half. I was originally turned on by their influences - Fugazi and The Minutemen, how can you go past that? - and the music fulfils my taking a chance. The music is tight, athletic, energising and a lot of fun. They are worth checking out, and you can get their stuff in any format you want (three guesses which one Ill be championing...) right about here.

Salo Bring The Discordant Pestilence

Glasgow has never been found wanting when it's come to intricate, loud and weird rock, and so it remains with the introduction to the debut self-titled EP by Salò. Its incredibly discordant, somewhat similar in tonality and darkness to Manchester's Kong (although not as good in my opinion). On Overlook Records, Salò’s sound stems from a shared love of the discordant end of 80s and 90s post-hardcore, such as Fugazi, Shudder To Think, The Jesus Lizard and Polvo, while also bringing in a range of more left field influences, from Swans to Beefheart. It shows.

In the immediate future, Salò will be playing as many shows as possible in support of the EP, and will be releasing a limited edition 7″ with Struggletown Records before starting work on new material. Looking forward to it, boys. Check out their song 'Valis' amongst this Overlook Records compilation, which isn't bad in itself.

FUGAZI – RED MEDICINE (DISCHORD)

FUGAZI – RED MEDICINE (DISCHORD)

When Red Medicine hit the shores it was at a time ripe for the picking. This was a post-Kurt world where hardcore was now changing and their true innovators were leaving the grunting apes behind, much like back in the seventies on both sides of the pond.

This was the first Fugazi record I bought on the day of release and naïve as I was I was shocked when the record store only charged me £7. Surely this was some kind of mistake because prior to this I had only heard In On The Killtaker and I was blissfully unaware of the politics of the band, instead rightfully it was the music that grabbed me first and only later would the ethos of the band begin to loom large on my consciousness. As a result of my savings I was then able to return to the other record store and buy my first Ramones record (“It’s Alive”).

Taken from a hardcore stance/perspective Red Medicine is a true achievement. The playing is crisp and the vocals back so much punch, clear and defining running out riddles and rhymes that require and encourage research and revision.

Held within this record are some timely references to the state of the nation of punk and youth culture at the time. A lyric such as “they’re marketing the use of the word generation” from “Target” screams true disgust and despair at the way and manner in which their apparent music world/climate has been co-opted and their audience has been led blind towards such frauds and posers as Bush (“another thousand grudging young millions”).

Red Medicine contains perhaps my favourite Fugazi track in the form of “By You.” With its storming torrent, the slow building cacophony displays for me what is the culmination of their maturity away from their hardcore roots.

Without a doubt this is the best Fugazi record.

Thesaurus moment: completion.

Fugazi
Fugazi interview
Fugazi live
Dischord Records

FUGAZI – THE ARGUMENT (DISCHORD)

FUGAZI – THE ARGUMENT (DISCHORD)

It would look like for the best that this is/was the final Fugazi album and one that I always felt saw as something of a hic-cup in proceedings considering that the previous two studio albums (Red Medicine and End Hits) saw the band at their absolute pinnacle of their powers.

Perhaps the politics took over and the craft moved to more focused on the lyrics than the music (as with what would eventually be depressingly bland The Evens). After something of a revitalisation in the “scene” as Nirvana and grunge became a distant memory and this brand of alternative music returned cleansed, maybe the expectations were too high as a fresher and wider audience began to expect more.

It is not until “Full Disclosure”, three tracks in, that you feel the powers have be have even woken up. One song later however the record feels as if it is faltering once more.

I remembering heading into town from work at lunchtime on the day of release of the record very excited. This was before internet leaks and after I stopped receiving promos from Southern. When I finally got it home I was presented with something that was sedate, bordering on weak, when I was expecting something to rock my world, to spring me up into action to do something to improve the world and myself.

The record was released in Oct 2001 which represented a tough period for me as early into counselling (including a dream about seeing Guy beat up a fan onstage during a gig) I was sailing out the final days of some kind of relationship with a future lesbian and my increasing lack of involvement in my own record label (Gringo Records). So perhaps the record was received into the environment of the time and as a result personally judged by me on merit based on poor reasoning. That said though, at a time when feeling angry at the world and desiring and requiring some kind of outlet, there is very little overt anger, energy or aggression to this album as it seldom lets loose and gives the listener little opportunity to act out in response.

The saving graces of the record come too late in the form of half of “Oh” (the latter half ruined by Mackaye’s appearance on vocals) and Blonde Redhead-esqe “Ex-Spectator”.

Eventually it came to represent the Fugazi record I have listened to least even despite the fact for ingenuity it probably betters the early records. The band officially jumped the shark when someone decided it was a good idea to include whistling into a song.

Thank you for the memories.

Thesaurus moment: adieu

Fugazi
Fugazi interview
Fugazi live
Dischord