The Argument
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The 2001 album The Argument was the sixth full-length album from the seminal alternative rock band, Fugazi. It was released by Dischord Records, which Fugazi singer and guitarist Ian MacKaye co-owns. The Argument was recorded at Inner Ear Studios and the Dischord House between January and April 2001 and released on October 16, 2001.
Contents |
Track listing
- Untitled Intro – 0:52
- "Cashout" – 4:24
- "Full Disclosure" – 3:53
- "Epic Problem" – 3:59
- "Life and Limb" – 3:09
- "The Kill" – 5:27
- "Strangelight " – 5:53
- "Oh" – 4:29
- "Ex-spectator" – 4:18
- "Nightshop" – 4:02
- "Argument" – 4:27
Recording details
- Ian MacKaye - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
- Guy Picciotto - Vocals, Guitar
- Joe Lally - Vocals, Bass
- Brendan Canty - Drums, Piano
- Jerry Busher - Second drums, Percussion
- Bridget Cross - Backing vocals
- Kathi Wilcox - Backing vocals
- Amy Domingues - Cello
- Chad Clark - CD mastering
- John Loder - Vinyl mastering
- Jem Cohen – Cover design, Photography
- David Bryant - Photography
- Steven Skovensky - Photography
Overview
For a band which barely existed at the turn of the century, at least by the standards of the mainstream media, the critical response to The Argument was remarkable. Indeed, one is hard pressed to find a single dissenting view of the album. This would be all the more impressive by anyone else's standards but utterly consistent with most Fugazi fan's view that each album has improved on the last. Fittingly released mere weeks after the 2001 terrorist attacks upon America, The Argument became an unintentional voice of reason during an otherwise ugly era.
The major break-through on The Argument was probably that the band had loosened up enough to allow outside contribution from other musicians, specifically the addition of percussionist Jerry Busher. Elsewhere, there are choruses of female backing singers, layered cello and piano tracks and even an acoustic guitar or two. Fortunately, these experiments fit seamlessly into the well-established Fugazi sound thanks to deliberate, concise song-writing. Of course, the guitars of Ian Mackaye and Guy Picciotto still snarl and chime throughout but there is a stronger sense of melody overall.
Themes
Cash Out
An anti-gentrification song and one of Mackaye's most direct lyrics since Repeater. The song is especially critical of the self-serving nature of bureaucracy ("the elected are such willing partners").
Full Disclosure
This song could well be about the desire to be excited or surprised as a form of affirmation ("I want a mutually assured destructive life-seizing separate culture to take me over"). The phrase 'mutually assured destruction' is a military phrase usually associated with stand-off weaponry such as guided missiles.
Epic Problem
It is likely that the lyric to this song was inspired by the creation of the song itself. Picciotto - "the song 'Epic Problem', we've been working on that for probably eight years. It's called 'Epic Problem' for this reason." Fittingly, the body of this song appears to be about conflict resolution. The first verse is written in the style of a Telegram.
Life And Limb
The lyric to this song appears to be a reference to the violence inherit within American culture. The idea of "violence doubled" may be a reference to capital punishment, which is still employed in several states in the USA. It could also be a response to the aggressive foreign policy employed by the Western allies at the slightest provocation and the rise of the 'eye for an eye' ethos. Picciotto, in reference to Bush's 'War On Terror' - "There's a lockdown on the press so intense that we can't know what's happening. Have we reached an appropriate quota of dead civilians over there to balance out our dead civilians over here?"
The Kill
A song which appears to be concerned with the concept of nationality and heritage, much like the songs 'Latin Roots', 'Stacks' or 'Place Position'. Fugazi have consistently made reference in their songs to the idea of being born into other people's pre-conceived notions and the resulting sense of entrapment. It also seems to make reference to being drafted into the military and the feelings of futility associated ("laying in this cold field/waiting for the call/feeling right here in this uniform"). This could also be extending the metaphor that a 'citizen' is buried in expectation and duty in the same way a soldier is. There is also a reference to the barbiturate Sodium Pentothal, which is used in both truth serums and lethal injections.
Strangelight
A rather abstract lyric which does make repeated reference to a closed construction of some description ("It's hard to punch the clock on the site where production stopped" and "There was a light at the window/there was light under the door/but it's not there anymore"). It could be about the ramifications of a collapsing industry and it's subsequent impact on the work-force.
Oh
A reference to the issue of corporate globalisation, another common Fugazi theme. 'Oh' states that "there is no foreign soil" to big business anymore because of the increased interest in generating income overseas ("Global like a hole to every money match-maker/splicing green as fast as you can"). Picciotto - "I think the thing is that there was really an amazing anti-globalization movement that was coming together, raising a lot of intense questions about the way global economy works. And it was gathering a lot of momentum, and was one of the more optimistic things to happen in a very long time. But in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it's come to be seen as disruptive. But I think the issues it was raising aren't going anywhere; that stuff is still true. It's going to have to be dealt with sometime, particularly now that we're finally admitting to a recession."
Ex-Spectator
This song is most likely about the conflict of interest inevitably generated when those with financial agendas are placed in positions of power or government. One of the given foundations of capitalism is that those in office are usually from a corporate back-ground and will most likely return to the field after serving. 'Ex-Spectator' seems to pose the question of whether there really can be complete separation between these two fields ("Can an observer be a participant?/have i seen too much?/does it count if it doesn't touch?").
Nightshop
A song which appears to reference both a desire to escape the mediocrity of the 'fast food nation' ("Your next meal is calling/loosely trade-marked as the best ------- thing you've ever had inside your mouth") and the rationale of social responsibility ("who works for who/who you working for?").
Argument
A song which appears to reiterate the band's own commitment to protest as well as highlighting the misplaced attention of others. Mackaye acknowledges his own "mission to never agree", hence the title of the song and the album itself. It also serves to question the priorities of others within the protest movement itself ("that some punk could argue some moral abc's/ when people are catching what bombers release") and no doubt the detractors of the band within the scene they helped spawn.
General Info
- Some of the songs existed under different titles before the album was recorded. 'Cash Out' was called 'This Little Piggy', 'Strangelight' was called 'Amble' and 'Ex-Spectator' was called 'Link-Wray'.
- The additional musicians on The Argument are Jerry Busher (All Scars, Fidelity Jones) and Amy Domingues (All Scars, Garland of Hours) on percussion and cello respectively. Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill, Frumpies) and Bridget Cross (Unrest, Velocity Girl) also provide backing vocals.
- 'Oh' is the only song which has vocals by Lally, Mackaye and Picciotto.