In 2001, after nearly 15 years together as a band, Fugazi released the best album of their career, The Argument. Sure, the record bared little resemblance to the group's louder, earlier work, but the maturity suited them well, and the band proved that they're like a fine wine that only improves with age. Perhaps more impressively, the same comparison applies to Fugazi's entire record label, Dischord Records, whose releases become increasingly remarkable with each year.
The label's release, the self-titled debut by Black Eyes, provides a good overview of just how much the label has grown. Instead of using the simple, repetitive chord structures of the early hardcore music Dischord used to release 20 years ago, Black Eyes employs an upbeat, shuffling baseline as the skeleton of their songs, then subsequently adds layers of jagged guitars and cauterwauling vocals. The resulting sound is fast and spazzy, with plenty of sing-along potential. Whether the band succeeds in their goal of driving listeners to the dance floor is debatable, but the album should serve as something of a newfound Bible for fans of Les Savy Fav's art-rock or the burgeoning Screemo movement pioneered by bands like The Blood Brothers.
This month Dischord also sees the release of a second album by El Guapo, Fake French, which will inevitably find the band continuing their explorations in noise, albeit without the constant groove that makes Black Eyes so much fun. Still, those with an inclination toward the advant-garde will find much to love.
The most successful of the new Dischord bands, artistically and commercially, however, is Q and Not U. In the short time since playing in Madison last fall, the band has seen their fan base skyrocket and has become critical darlings after the release of Different Damage. Although the band is young, they have already displayed an impressive progression from the enjoyable but straightforward rock of their debut, No Kill No Beep Beep. Drummer John Davis explains that much of this change resulted from the band kicking out their bass player and continuing as a trio, although he admits that the initial audience response wasn't always encouraging.
\We were just learning all the new songs and new instruments, and it was a completely different sound from what people had expected,"" he said. ""We knew it would take probably a year to establish that we were a trio, and that this is who were are now, and it's better than what we used to do.""
Davis is clearly excited about the direction in which the band is headed. ""Different Damage is about trying new things, and it's truly the document of a band just starting to do that,"" he explains. Their live shows, for instance, now incorporate long improvised jams, with dual guitarists Harris Klahr and Chris Richards also switching between ocassional keyboards, bass, a bass synthesizer, a melodica and a recorder. For his part, Davis pushes the boundaries of innovative percussion, drumming with one stick while playing the tamborine with his free hand, or even ditching the sticks all together and playing the drum set with maracas in order to get a fuller sound. He cites jazz drummers like Elvin Jones and Joe Morello among his influences, and it clearly comes across in the band's music. They are currently in the middle of a tour that stops in Milwaukee for two shows April 21, but they plan to release a single later this fall and then another full length album early next year.
Sure, fans of Dischord will likely be disappointed that Q and Not U's jerky guitars and odd time signatures bare little resemblance to the label's early, hardcore days. But by that same token, neither does Fugazi's latest album. It's precisely this trend toward progression that has kept the label's music so fresh and downright essential for more than 20 years.
evanryt@yahoo.com. www.dailycardinal.com.
