Customer Reviews

The Argument

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Fugazi is one of my favorite types of bands, that being one who spits in the face of such tawdry things as "labels", or "genres". These guys take the rawness of punk and indie rock, and the complexity of jazz and prog, and strike a seemingly impossible balance between the two. This album is a wild roller coaster of layered complex rhythms, jarring time changes, loud, crashing walls of noise, and plaintive, tranquil melodies.

Nowhere is this diversity more evident than on "Nightshop" and "Ex-Spectator", both full of wild, unpredictable dynamics, all brought together seamlessly. Elsewhere, the band is ever dynamic, from loud punk anthems ("Full Disclosure", "Epic Problem"), to softer, ambient ballads ("Strangelight", "The Kill"). "Cashout" and "Life and Limb" are equally bizarre and catchy, with singable melodies superimposing odd, offbeat rhythms, once again showcasing this band's tremendous songwriting talent. Anybody can do all of these things, but to bring them together as they do is truly special.

Most bands that fall into the punk or indie genres are not well-known for their technical prowess, but Fugazi are undoubtedly an exception. The drumming is dizzyingly dynamic, going from wild and erratic to subtle and subdued, sounding completely natural either way. The guitar and bass are both raw and stylish (and "Ex-Spectator" even features some cool finger-tapping from both), and frontman Guy Piccioto is the perfect vocalist to match it all, going from hair-raising howls to Beatle-like choruses.

Simply put, Fugazi is one of the best rock bands there is, and a must for any music-lover. And better yet, the band works to keep the prices of their CD's low, so you have no excuse. Buy all their stuff.

13 Songs...Repeater...Red Medicine Fugazi has never released a bad album, each one great on their own. But each time they were just a little bit off from greatness, the next level that I knew they would achieve one day. A huge change from their first couple of albums, The Argument is very radioheadish, acoustic guitars are more prominent and much more creative song writing is used and not only does it work, creating Fugazi's masterpiece. But it also creates the cd that's the best for a new listener to pick up.

Catchy songs that partialy resemble the Fugazi of old like Full Disclosure sound like they COULD become radio hits, will they? Nope not a chance, the public is too wrapped up in style over substance. Songs like Cashout, The Kill, and Nightshop show off the new more experimentive sound of the band, offering a great contrast that I never get bored of hearing in an album.

This is like the OK Computer of the punk genre, complex, thought out, and extremly catchy (in a good way) not only should punk and emo fans pick this up, but anyone who enjoys music as a whole should too.

The Argument is my fourth Fugazi album, and while it's not to be confused with the incendiary Gang of Four-aping Repeater, the thoroughly confrontational In On the Kill Taker, or the wildly experimental noise rock of Red Medicine, it is an interesting conclusion to the career of a band that had obviously outgrown the post-hardcore genre that it helped to define. "Maturity" is often a loaded term in music, especially alternative music-it often just means a band has lost their edge and become safe and inoffensive-but The Argument really does feel like a natural progression from the band's earlier work. Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto obviously have a long-standing reputation as iconoclasts in their field, and The Argument saw them expanding their sonic palette well outside Fugazi's aggressive origins. Even the angriest, most in-your-face tunes here have some melody and catchiness stitched in, making the band's traditional tricky arrangements and genre-bending structures go down a little bit easier. The result is an album that's at times raging, at times reflective, and always distinctive.

Most importantly, though, the songs here are simply better written than what you'll find pretty much anywhere else. With the exception of the brief intro track, everything here has something to offer. Cashout switches from quietly reflective to righteously angry in the blink of an eye, befitting its indignant anti-gentrification lyrics; the shouted mantra of "Everybody wants somewhere!" easily pushes the song from good to great. Full Disclosure interrupts its whiplash-inducing guitars and maniacal screams long enough to inject some sunny vocal harmonies (check out those "oooh"'s in the chorus!). Epic Problem and Ex-Spectator are taut, angry numbers, filled with screeching guitar noise and abrupt time changes, that wouldn't sound too out of place on Repeater. The eerie, late-period Sonic Youth-esque Life and Limb is built on surprisingly clean and expansive guitar tones, Guy's trademark sneer, and some gently insinuating melodies. The album's best song, Strangelight, is almost shoegazerish in its first half, driven by hushed vocals and droning rhythms, before flexing its rock muscles for the denouement. For its part, the dub-inflected Oh, while not Fugazi's best moment, is one of its catchiest, owing to its jarring, mathy rhythm section and jagged guitars. Nightshop could easily be called an indie-pop tunebecause, well, that's basically what it is, even if it's a little bit more foreboding than what usually falls into that category. The title track ends the album on a philosophical note, with a guitar-driven lament about the reality of human disagreement that burns slowly before exploding at its conclusion.

So, is The Argument Fugazi's best album (of the four I've heard, anyway)? Well, that depends. If you want an album exploding with righteous indignation, try Repeater. If you want hardcore fury to come bursting out of your speakers, In On the Kill Taker should be right up your alley. And for originality and unpredictability, Red Medicine is probably the best place to start. However, the best advice this reviewer can provide is to get them all. Depending on your preferences, some might take longer to "get" than others, but all are essential documents of one of the most bold and important bands of the past 15 years. Even if (like me) you're somewhat of a latecomer, Fugazi more than deserve the investment it will take to appreciate the full range of their sound.

I'm so glad Fugazi put out a new album. It takes a few listenings to get into (as does most Fugazi) but it's really one of their best albums in my opinion. It's quite a bit different from their earlier stuff, like 13 Songs and Repeater which were dominated mostly by angry post-hardcore anthems. It's more mellow and melodic, but they still cut loose on a couple tracks, "Epic Problem", "Full Disclosure", and "Ex-Spectator"(which has the coolest multi-drum intro part) are a few of the more energenic songs. They've definitely expanded musically, Ian trades in his usual monotone yell for a breathy singing voice on "Cashout" and "Arguement" which are two of my favorite tracks. Guy has a some good ones too, the afformentioned "Full Disclosure" and "Life and Limb"(both with nice female vocals) come to mind immediately. Joe sings one too, "The Kill" is a great mellow bass driven song with an interesting anti-military (I think) theme. I also recommend the Furniture E.P. which came out the same time as this one. "Furniture" is hard, Repeater-era Fugazi that they've been playing live for years but never recorded until now, "Number 5" is another of their great instrumental songs, and "Hello Morning" is Guy being his crazy, yelping and somewhat incoherent self.

When i first got this album, i was honestly a bit dissapointed. Fugazi is a band that you have to listen to for a while before you really start to like them. Fugazi has a different sound. Its Obvious that some of the greatest bands of our time are influenced by these people (at the drive in, refused). This cd is not really a cd that has a catchy beat or sound, you like this cd for its individuality and its subtle genius... what i mean by this is, this doesnt sound like a typical rock and roll album, it is mainly meant for musicians in the way that it isnt about sound, its more about music theory. It is very simple. It kind of reminds me of a Pedro the Lion version of at the drive in. they could so easily make this cd catchy if they wanted it to be, it just that they arent rythem oriented, Some songs on the cd are relatively rythem oriented such as tracks three and four. fugazi sounds like it came from the sixties. It will take you a while to like this cd if you are new to fugazi. this is for fans of minor threat, at the drive in, pink floyd, and refused.

Fugazi continues down the sonic path that began with RED MEDICINE and END HITS. Abandoning the noise and jaggedness of their earlier albums, Fugazi's sound is now more about feel and space. Some of the songs stretch out around a few notes on the guitar or a mellow bass line--quite a change from the super aggressive songs of the past.

Worth picking up, especially if you have seen Fugazi live recently. Be sure to listen with an open mind, this album may not be what you expect. If you are a big fan of the "old" sound, be sure to check out the 'Furniture' single.

This album is phenomenal, easily their best, no question about it. Every song is great, but my favorites are "Life and Limb", "Cashout", and "Full Disclosure". "Epic Problem" is great too.

No back to the basics. No back tracking. This is one of the two forward thinking albums I've heard last year and I can't think of any band in the rock genre that can touch it. Simply put: Fugazi has made another classic(Repeater being the other. Essential listening to anyone who loves guitar rock).

What makes this CD so good compared to, well everything else is musical progression. It shows evolution in the truest form. A band that can stay true to its roots but still not go backwards "for the fans" route that seems to be all to popular. For that reason alone, its worth a listen. Well, that and there is some great song material...

From that openning rip-chord of "Cashout", the piano hook of "The Kill" to the amazing soft spoken, almost contridictory closer "The Arguement", Fugazi's newest release grabs your attention and holds it all the way through. Relevent political and social lyrics have always been part of the Fugazi name and while little has changed here, it's as tight as ever and shows great maturity. Guy and Ian are still the great guitarists they have always been(the riff on Full Disclosure is to die for), but with much larger dementions than before. Joe and Brendan both still provide an extremely tight rhythm section but more complex and challenging than before.

If there is anything to be gathered from this review is that this CD is all about maturity and progression. But to be able to do it as stylistically as Fugazi has mangaged is something of an art itself. While there may or not be a future for Fugazi([heck], most thought that End Hits was going to be the last of Ian and the gang), I don't think they'll ever be able to make another record like this. It goes beyond my words and praises. Simply put; if you are to buy one album this year, make it The Argument. It can do you no wrong.

I give "The Argument" four stars because there is always room to grow, even though Fugazi expands their pallete with each recording. Never have they made the same record twice. It is perhaps the Fugazi swan song, and I think that it is a pretty sure (and sad) bet at this point that the band has called it quits, though nothing is official.
To put matters simply, they seem to take elements of each record that they have produced before "The Argument" and the result is a rich, textured, abraisive, melodic, and moving document. Raw and well-recorded, Don did another fantastic job at Inner Ear.
Some complain of the abraisive quality in Fugazi's music. I believe that this is part of their beauty---their ability to constantly take risks with their fearless musical visions. It is always funny when people tell me this and they enjoy the music of Sonic Youth, Glen Branca, Deerhoof, etc. While I am into all of these artists, there is something so unsettling about Fugazi. Their records are like the musical equivalents of cinema verite documentaries. They are not out to prove anything cosmic, just to expose what they are feeling at that particular moment in their lives.
I have nothing more to say that has not already been said. If it is indeed the end of the road for Fugazi, arguably one of the greatest punk (and rock) bands of all time, then they ended on a note so high that it is still being grappled with by music-lovers.
Side note: go see the members perform in their new groups. I have yet to see Joe Lally's solo project, but I was fortunate enough to the The Evens in a capacity 50 venue in Columbus. Ian was one of the most down-to-earth people that I have met. I am dying to see Brendan drum in the live incarnation of Bob Mould's new band as well because A. I worship Bob Mould and everything that he has done for this world musically and B. It is Brendan Canty! Incredible talent.

"It's time to harvest the crust from your eyes." Thank you gentlemen. Your music will continue to inspire me for the rest of my days.

I think as a whole this is the most unique and mature and musically beautiful Fugazi album. Some songs are very melodic and almost hypnotizing. Guy is at his best and not quite so whinny and Ian sounds great as always. Like all their albums, this one very much stands alone and it's a little bit softer in some ways than other albums, like Steady Diet and Red Medicine, but still very interesting and "Fugazi-esque." I have all their CD's and I listen to this one, Red Medicine and End Hits the most.