Dischord
2005
The Evens
About This Album
With the hiatus of Fugazi, lead singer Ian MacKaye found himself with some spare time and decided to make a left turn stylistically into stripped-down pop, or at least music as poppy as a post-punk pioneer can get. Collaborating with Warmers alum Amy Farina, MacKaye went into the studio with longtime Dischord resident engineer Don Zientara during the summer of 2004, a time ripe with political tension, discourse, and a hotly contested presidential election campaign. The fire, discontent, and mistrust of systems political and otherwise that were the hallmark of MacKaye's nearly two-decade tenure as dean of D.C. anger remain firmly entrenched in the Evens' carefully crafted 12-song eponymous debut. But in place of his trademark growl and yell, which could lift the strongest of houses off its foundation, MacKaye provides quiet, contemplative harmonies only hinted at briefly in latter-day Fugazi material (check "I'm So Tired" from Instrument and "Pink Frosty" on End Hits for solid reference points) to reinforce the somber sobriety and dire exasperation of his political frustrations. The lyrics are some of the most straightforward and politically caustic of MacKaye's career, packing a punch equal to some of his most visceral moments in Minor Threat.
Track List (try tracks 4,6,7 and 9)

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