Labels: Dischord
Review by: Alex Deller
Fugazi: back in the saddle and as good as ever. First impressions are mellow and introspective but “indie rock” would be an ugly misnomer. Since they began it’s been evident that Fugazi can write a nice tune when they want to, a fact becoming more and more evident by the time they were releasing the likes of ‘Red Medicine’ and ‘End Hits’, but this time around they’ve gone and written a whole album chock-full of the buggers. A logical enough progression, still angry as hell but often subdued and tuneful. Guy’s patented caterwaul and Ian’s foghorn bellow are both still intact, duelling over arpeggiated guitars and the kind of choruses that’ll lull you into the haziest of daydreams andlodge in your head for days end, occasionally hitting something danceable that’s capable of putting a slink in your walk that you never new existed. Each listen reveals new intricacies, the throb of understated basswork, the poetically abstract lyrics, multi-layerd vocals, bursts of fury juxtaposed with sweet serenity demonstrating a band constantly evolving and changing their stride to suit themselves as and when they feel like it. Darn tootin’.