Repeater

i made a mistake. i went and looked at some of the other reviews before i started writing my own. my original review probably wouldn't have said much, because it's impossible for me to be objective about this album. but you know what, i was there for this - i saw it happen first-hand, and having read a bunch of people complaining that they sound like bands that came along after they did...kinda feels like i owe it to some random someone to put this out there. this was one of many projects ian was involved with, and is a direct descendent of minor threat. ian invented straightedge. he refused to platy shows that cost more than $5 to get into, because he wanted everyone to be able to go to shows. (i have a theory about how this ended up working out as a win for venues. knowing they were gonna get slaughtered at the door, they loaded the bill as much as they could, with the idea of making back their losses on future shows with opening acts, whose names were now much better-known.) anyway, ian was a big deal, is what i'm saying - though he was not (and probably still isn't) super comfortable with the idea of being a big deal. fugazi broke a bunch of rules musically, but they followed a bunch of others. they went into all kinds of improv live (as noted, i was there - at the channel in boston with 1200 other people sweating in leather and stomping in boots and reveling in the heat), and hell, the drummer (brendan canty) had a bell - like, kind of a big one - that he'd use in place of a cymbal sometimes. but at the same time, they were a reflection of their time, so a lot of the lyrics are angry screaming. sorry, that's just how it was. i like it, but i'm a product of that time, too. songs can feel a little repetitive - but that really really works when you're on your skateboard across town for 45 minutes to get to your girlfriend's house. and it works when you're in the pit and just swimming in the sea of humanity that was one of their shows. in short, this isn't an album that was meant to be on in the background while you write code - it's for going out and doing something in the world with. hit the ramp, hit the parking lot behind the grocery store and work on your power slides, climb a rock...whatever - just do a physical thing, and this album will feel more at home in your ears. if i'm wrong, i'll buy you a coke.

This album sits in the perfect place that is post-hardcore, but predates grunge making it that link that so many people unfortunately miss. Dirty, messy, noisy, lots of fun and perfectly imperfect. Love it!

Massive boners all round for this one I'm sure. Speaking of massive boners, I responded to one of those 'spam' emails regarding Viagra last month and the company kindly sent me over 6,000 little blue pills. Needless to say I've had an unbelievably painful dick for 26 days now. I'm in agony. Please help me.

Ian MacKaye, the punk GOAT. This album was so far ahead of its time but that's no surprise, MacKaye has always been ahead of the game. He was wearing the 21st century hipster staple tiny little woolen hat/skull cap thing in the 1980s. What a fella.

I don't feel like there is much left to be said about this album that already hasn't been said. Its an absolute classic and a wonderful entry into the world of Post-Hardcore. When i say Post-Hardcore I mean the amazing genre that started in the 80's and ran throughout the early 90's. I am absolutely NOT talking about those horrendus screamo bands that were popular in the late 2000's and early 2010's that also received the table Post-Hardcore for some reason or the other. This album is a fantastic listen, engaging from front to back, and you pick up new themes and lyrics every time you listen to it that totally change my perspective of each song. One of my all time favorites.

There are very few bands that I have allegiance to, but the five dollar shows, DIY ethos, messages of equality, politically minded rage against capitalism, an outlet for anger and angst are all things that resonated when I was 14. Fugazi (and Ian MacKaye in particular) helped shape my view of the world during high school and beyond. I’ve got nothing but love for this one.

First hidden gem for me! Jazz punk! Such creative instrumentation

Sorry I was late on the Marvin Gaye record, but after it made me pregnant the labor was complicated. Anyway…I think this is my favorite Fugazi record. When I was like 14 or something my family went to the beach and I spent a large chunk of the week shut in my room playing along to this cassette on my guitar. It was one of the greatest weeks of my life. I watched the Instrument doc last week on Amazon Prime. Listened to Coriky the other day. What I’m basically saying is that all the above is how I determine if a record gets five stars or not.

I don’t really like the vocals and although I see how this album could have been influential, I didn’t enjoy much of it. The almost yelled vocals that weren’t in tune were clearly on purpose and it’s hard to say that they are had but they did nothing for me personally. The instrumentals are pretty good but not good enough to make me want to listen to most of the instrumental songs again. Favorite songs: Styrofoam, Song 1, Joe 1 Least favorite song: Merchandise Light 5/10

No one likes this one

This album might've just jumped from zero into my top 10 favourite albums of all time. What a surprise. Why has it taken me so many decades to realise how awesome Fugazi are. They have always just flown under or besides my radar it seems. There is not a bad song on this album, only highlights. Songs with a dramatic tension, a great rhythm section, immense riffs, basslines and furious vocals.

Love Fugazi! Ian McKay is brilliant, and probably a direct influence on most of the music I loved in middle and high school. Didn’t discover Fugazi until my mid twenties, but all the songs still take me back to being a teenage somehow.

5 stars: one for every dollar it costs to go to a Fugazi show.

Angry Gen X white guy yelling. In 1990 this is too late to be authentic punk I guess? After wikipedia-ing it this is "post-hardcore." Repeater sounds like pissed off Modest Mouse. I'm sure this was an influence on them. Not as into the more (what I consider) punk tracks like Greed... I like the instrumental tracks. The songs are a little repetitive as I work through it. Strong start that kind of devolves into fodder for angry suburban white kids. Probably would not listen to any of this again.

A masterpiece of post-hardcore. It doesn't get much better than this.

Amazing. This album captures the punk spirit and the appeal of Fugazi beautifully. Not a single miss in the tracklist either makes the album a great listen. Highly recommended.

Simply one of the greatest records ever made.

Not super familiar with post-hardcore as a genre but this shit rocks. As an album this is my jam. Reading about the band, big fan of their ethos of not selling out even though these guys could have made an absolute killing exploiting the same target audience as Nirvana or something. No skips on here, a joy to listen to.

A post-hardcore benchmark album for the scene. Alternative rock interplay between rhythm and guitars throughout the album that tackles intense topics from greed, violence, and drug abuse and does so with an insistence that is prevalent throughout. Honestly, a fantastic good album.

Full of grooves and energy. Love the biting tone and just how infectious every track is on this record - its got that punk attitude and lyrical content, but it's paired with riffs and a musicality beyond a lot of the genre. Granted this is post-hardcore, which has plenty of musically flashy artists, but the rawness on here is seldom kept with such distinct guitar playing and focus on grooves

Utterly shit. Like a poor man's Papa Roach

not the best fugazi album, but infinitely better than most of the shit this list churns out.

So much energy, so much anger, and so much to say. This album is packed and non-stop from start to finish; punching you in the ears with pure punk rock aggression that it’s an absolute wonder the musicianship is as expressive and complex as it is. I have gotten plenty of electronica albums on this generator that seem to be gold standards of the genre, and I feel this is one of the few times I can say the same about another genre. ‘Repeater’ is a fantastic representation of post-hardcore. The riffs throughout the tracklist are loose, often purposely sloppy; or as I prefer to call it: an organised mess. Yet songs still teeter between that and being efficiently melodic when needed. On top of it all the raw aggressive vocals add both chaos and much needed energy; as societal and personal issues are screamed with such passion you can’t help but admire it. You’re getting just getting hard hitting punk rock, but you’re also getting complex alternative music that all fuses together to create something that both sounds positively familiar and incredibly unique. Special shoutout needs to go to Joe Lally, who is absolutely shredding that bass guitar in almost every track. Highlights for me: ‘Repeater’, ‘Brendan #1’, ‘Sieve-Fisted Find’, and the intense album finisher “Shut The Door’. ‘Repeater’ is a great album. It hits that potent punk anger so well, while also allowing you to enjoy masterful compositions and surprisingly strong production. It feels like a bit of an underrated album in the sense that I think it doesn’t seem to be talked about enough. It hangs with the best punk has to offer, and rivals that of the best alternative bands out there. 4/5

Musically I enjoy this album, vocally not so much. The bass work is amazing on this album and the way it fits in the groove with the drums is magical. And the guitar work is fairly intricate and fun for a garage/hardcore band. It just is not a repeat listen album for me. Based off the vocals alone I would give it a 2, but the music and legacy of the album inclines me to bump it to a 3. I was pleasantly surprised with the music.

Not for me. Obviously amazing musicians but this could benefit from some melody and clarity. Did not really enjoy

Fugazi is one of those post-hardcore groups renowned for "breaking the rules", not just musically, just preaching anti-violence at their shows and beyond. This record is no-doubt super influential on bands growing up listening to their music, but I've never quite been able to connect the dots to my own musical experience. While I appreciated the opportunity to sit down and listen through Repeater for the first time, I'm afraid I'll never be able to experience it in the right setting and at the right age. 2.5/5 Fav tracks: Styrofoam and Merchandise.

Much like The Minutemen, I appreciate Fugazi more in principle/theory than in practice. Their ethos and philosophy are really admirable. While I can also appreciate their influence on alternative rock bands to follow, I'm not moved by their music in the same way I am by Hüsker Dü and others. The snarling vocals are a little too grating for me. It probably belongs on this list, but I doubt I'll revisit it. Rating: 2.5/5 Favourite songs: Merchandise

I was disturbed to discover that there's actually a genre called "post-hardcore", yet pleased I had an album I could dismiss quickly and get on with my life. BUT then, guitar riff in the opening track blew me away and I read that there would be piano somewhere too (song 13 actually). Throughout, the guitar work is original, very riff-based - kind of Gang of 4 meets 80s metal, and they give the bassist and drummer room to play around a bit. The instrumentation deserves high marks, as do the lyrics, but the singing style is not for me. I can tolerate the 80s metal style but I'm not a fan of the pre-post-hardcore shouting.

Enjoyed the music. Not such much the vocals. Good pre-grunge stuff though. I knew who this group was, but had never listened to much Fugazi before.

This album is all about taking big chunky swings at big topics with a simplistic fury. But I can't help but prefer Fugazi's faster, simpler fare.

Cool, got this after just rating Minor Threat so it's gonna be neat to hear the progression for Ian MacKaye. Not sure I love Guy Picciotto's vocal styles, I think I prefer Ian's. The track Repeater definitely could be the opener for me. That squealing guitar is neat, definitely post-park with the interplay between abrasive and clean guitar. In general though... not a huge style of this rock sound.

I'd never heard of Fugazi before this, and as soon as I heard the first song, I knew it was the singer from Minor Threat - one of my favourite punk bands ever. Unfortunately, this doesn't even come close to Minor Threat, and nor would I have expected to. Nevertheless, this was a solid album and an enjoyable listen. My main gripe with this album is nothing really stood out to me. As a piece of art I did enjoy the sit down and listen through of it, but did anything really pop for me? Not really. I don't have anything I hate about this album, at all, honestly there was no skips on this album - but every song kind of just meshed together as one piece. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but there's nothing in here that draws me back. This was such a hard album to rate. If there was a 10 star scale it would be a 6.5 or 7 out of 10. I was inclined to give this a 4 because it really was an enjoyable listen, but it just feels too forgettable for me to rate it higher than a 3.

A pretty interesting and complex album. I enjoyed listening to it a few times but I don’t think I’ll ever seek it out. The instrumentals are solid and rocks pretty nicely. The lyrics and singer are what I find difficult to relisten to this. It’s definitely not bad but not good enough for me to really enjoy. 5.5/10

I think even if I heard this is in 1990, I still would have found it extremely tiring. Had a drunk pub karaoke rock vibe. Absolutely could not wait for it to end. ‘Joe 1’ is the only ok track due to it being instrumental.

The only album yet that I simply couldn't finish.... sorry 😔

Is this punk? It's mostly yelling. I don't like it. Pass.

90’s punk music that started to all blend together after a while. It was hard to distinguish between tracks and I unfortunately found myself waiting for it to end midway through.

Fuck yeah! Never took the time to listen to this before. But every band that has any roots in punk mentions Fugazi, and i understand why. Pure explosion of energy but at the same time super tight. Love it! And what a cool band name!

I like when Ross said fugazi

ouro puro

I needed to listen to this at a much louder volume. Would have killed to see them live back in the '90s. 4.5/5

It reminds me of stuff I listened to in the early 00's that must have been influenced by this (bands like Fuel), but this is better. Can also hear how a band like say, Tool, might have heard this and been influenced. I really feel like they nailed down a sound that would be hard to improve upon by subsequent bands that might be using it as a precedent. Maybe this is a 4-star album for me, but as I'm revisiting it I'm liking it better, so I'll bump it up to a 5 just for fun.

This was my first Fugazi listen, and it has been on rotation to some degree ever since. It set me on the path to full-blown fandom. I like Repeater because it really defined the band's sound and came before the lyrics progressively became too obtuse, so it retained some of that punk origin. Song #1, the title track, and Merchandise are my faves.

pas besoin de le réécouter je le connais par coeur, 1 2 3 REPEATER - blueprint est incroyable

this album was great and i really enjoyed it. the post-hardcore/punk sound leads to a lot of high-energy songs that are musically varied and interesting, in my opinion. i don't mind the vocals at all and the more i learn about fugazi, the more i admire their perspectives, politics, and DIY attitude. i hadn't heard more than a handful of their songs before now, but these'll go into my regular rotation. i almost gave this four stars but i just rated rolling stones as four and this was so much better. five stars, dammit! favorites: turnover, repeater, blueprint, sieve-fisted find, two beats off

This is giving me mosh pit energy. Loved this one.

One of the best, if not the best Post-hardcore record. Everything here is fine. The melodies, the shoutings, the message. I could listen to it all over again once it’s over.

All around good album

I feel like you can either see they influenced certain artist or vice versus other artists influenced them. Their music sounded familiar and unique all at once. I listened to the album twice I liked it so much.

I love this album, what a genuine surprise, I have already listened to it several times.

Punk rock primitivo que parece grabado ayer, hardcore marginal. La voz los hace auténticos, las guitarras suenan melódicas y el bajo clava lo que falta para hacer del disco una joyita ruidosa y precisa. Nunca les hice mucho caso y acaban de abofetearme en la cara por idiota. Grandes.

Loved this

Great! Tight, feels like very little is wasted. Goes hard too.

I don't know if it's punk. (and I'm not a punk "fan," so I don't have to make it a hobby of arguing about it) But it's visceral AND musical. Plus, Ian Mackaye.

Wooww love this kinda hard-core post punk stuff. Hadn't even heard of the band before but imma definitely listen to their other stuff

Always one of my favorite albums, and I was pretty happy to see this on my list this morning.

Amazing how some people hear a song like "Shut The Door" and think it's nothing more than just punk. Even more amazing is the fact that this isn't even Fugazi's best album

Repeater, Brendan 1, Blueprint, Merchandise

I liked this when it came out, but never saw them live unlike many of their contemporaries. Back then, this would have been lumped into the UK music presses catch all 'U.S. Hardcore' moniker, and many of the bands from the 1980's/90's have now either mainly categorised in 'noise rock' (more experimental with chord/dischord and song structures) or 'hardcore' (like thrash punk) however, like all over analysing of the past some years later, it's all splintered further, like 'Grunge' which is a stylistic offshoot of these two genres, so I get the 'post hardcore' tag this band have been given. Anyway, now that has cleared up my understanding of the modern terms these bands are now linked to, this album is excellent! The title track and 'Shut the Door' are good examples of the mix of 'noise rock' and p'ost hardcore' with their discordant, start/stop, fast/slow style. Whereas 'Merchandise' leans more to 'Hardcore' Standout tracks: Repeater, Blueprint, Styrofoam, Shut the Door. Now I've rediscovered Fugazi, they will be payed more often now. A low 5.

Classical Fugazi. Not the best album of them, but a solid piece of awesomeness.

Why wasn’t I into Fugazi in the 90s?

Classic, what a rocker

Somehow this album has missed large play by me. I had a copy in college, but lost it at some point and this is the first time I've heard it in years. Which is a shame, it's an amazing album that I should listen to a lot more. 13 Songs is the album I know the most, but this one might be a better album overall.

Helt vilt bra

It's a classic. Was familiar with Fugazi since youth but mostly from thumbing past them in record shops. About 10 years ago I finally listened to them, starting with Ten Songs and loved it. Of course I did, it's right up my alley. Much more so than Minor Threat it seems. So it all sounds fresh, but I suspect it would still sound fresh anyway. Love that several songs are lead by the rhythm section, its a very different structure and probably what keeps it fresh. Brendan 1 and Repeater are perfect examples of this. Then there's Merchandise and Styrofoam, absolutely made for flying down dirt track hills on your bike to, and with a great message. Blueprint absolutely kicks arse. Fucking love it

Slaps claps buns and baps. 5/5. Lyrics are where I want em, intensity is there, and I find it's well mixed. Good guitar/bass interplay

Best post-hardcore album of the decade.

Liking every track.

Already had this album. It's great. It's a great band

Don't need to play a second of this to give it a review, as it's probably one of my most played albums of all time by maybe my favourite artist of all time. It's everything that rock music should be: it's energetic, loud, aggressive, the lyrics have meaning, and the vocals are delievered with so much emotion. It's amazing that they somehow kept this quality up throughout their entire career. What a band.

Brilliant, and probably not one I would have heard without this. Punky, grungy, sort of metal at points, with a prog undercurrent. A clear influence on loads of bands I love - obviously Nirvana, but also At the drive in, Biffy, Royal Blood, and loads more. A new favourite for me!

Love Fugazi! One of the greatest bands of all time. This is an absolute classic. Not necessarily my favorite Fugazi record but all their records are great. Hard to think of another band with such a consistently strong catalog. Got to meet Ian once after an Evens show (another great band, "Get Evens" is a great record) - was a nice guy too.

To just Stop it up Pass it on Shove it to shelf it To lead it on and I’m only I’m only sleeping (Turnover)

awesome im in love

Stone cold classic. Imitated by others, but never matched. Both grooves and shreds. And the lyrics are just as strong as the music.

ovog gospodina sam gledao neki dan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeEAqRIzfJA i njegova priča o Fugazi. Fugazi je kvaliteta, jebiga. Pogotovo ovaj album. Prve dvije stvari su bomba, najviše Turnover - ubija stvar. Dakle 9/10 odmah bi dao, definitivno jak album, jak. Moguće da mi se nijedan njihov album neće svidit kao ovaj.

fugazi sets the high watermark for early hardcore punk. this is NOT a blind spot for me, as i very much enjoy this band's bass-heavy and exciting songwriting. a lot of punk bands put the bassist in the corner, but not fugazi they're inventive, lyrically clever, loud, and unabashed. this album came out in 1990! so influential, so cool, overall very fun and interesting stuff. love love love this band and so many bands they influenced

Noisy, Raw, Political, Hardcore, Energetic, Punk, Distorted

FIVE STARS A personal favorite of mine. As is usually the case with those five-stars albums, I won't write a full-blown review about this particular record, because others have already written wonderful stuff about it and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. It's just a gem. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. [Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 991 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 3 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 4 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 3]

The cover of this album is so iconic, I've seen it for decades on stickers, posters, featured at record shops, etc. Having finally listened to it, I was very impressed and now understand why it's so highly influential and regarded.

Que buenos eran Fugazi. Me encanta el ritmo del disco, siguen sonando bestiales

What is there to say? A perfect album from the post-hardcore GOATs.

This album should get 10 stars!

Fugazi have been a big uncomfortable hole in my musical palette - I know they're feted and have influenced dozens of bands I'm super in to, but I never set out to give them a listen and make their acquaintance. Hurrah for this project, I guess! To no-one's surprise, I loved this. A great and varied listen, with numerous little moments that made me stop and pay attention. I actually gave this 4 listens before rating it as each time it felt like it reward more attention, and it did indeed! Fave track - that's a tough one - "Merchandise", "Blueprint", "Two Beats Off" all caught me attention. "Reprovisional", though..... yeah, let's say "Reprovisional"!

KLESSIK

This isn’t even my favorite Fugazi album, but this album goes hard as fuck. What a one of a kind band.

holy shit

Great!

everybody movin everybody movin

Fugaze fugazi feels real self gazey... Love it tho

Great tone!

EZ 5 bby

Magical. 5

All-timer. Kicks so much ass.

Fugazi’s Repeater was an album I had on heavy rotation even before learning it was in the 1001. I love this band. Highlights: Repeater, Merchandise, Blueprint, Sieve-Fisted Find

I think I have other favorite Fugazi albums, but this one is good as well. It's driving and intense, just as Fugazi always was.

E ovo je moja šolja čaja❤️

Flows incredibly. Absolutely essential

There a fewer bands who truly mattered to its fans more than this one. And it’s easy to see why on the strength of this album. The guitar work is enthralling and surprising. The song structures always catch you off guard without sacrificing a hook or melody, though there are some which leave more of an impression than others. In fact, there are few album openers as fraught with tension and engagement as “Turnover”. Another favourite of mine is “Merchandise” which gives Ian Mackaye the necessary soap box to berate and animate you into action. The comparisons to GoF’s Solid Gold are justified to an extent, but it’s clear that Fugazi’s pop sensibility was a lot less pronounced than their English predecessors. Nevertheless, it is there and it’s to the overall benefit of the album’s flow. I was in-between 4 and 5 stars for this one but I’m going to go with the maximum rating in the end for what this band stood for - a musical and social revolution.

Never herd of this band… The album opens with turnover and my god I love how this song builds up it’s just epic. The chorus is really tense sounding making a nearly dramatic feel. Love this shit already! It flows perfectly into the album’s title track it’s a great display of the drum and bass skills of these artists the singing is a bit too fuzzy for me but it works really well when it goes spoken word. Then it kicks off the instrumental song Brendan 1 and yeah it’s awesome for an instrumental and just the right length. But where’s Brendan 2? Merchandise shows a punkier side of the band amazing instrumentals and sloppy but solid vocals just works great you know. Blueprint can be repetitive at moments but it’s still an amazingly written epic sounding song that should be at this position on the album really good It doesn’t look like this album had singles but this should’ve been one! I love the way sieve-fisted find builds up this song is darker sounding and heavier in an already heavy album it’s just wonderful and hard to fault. Greed is a short little thing with only a few lines just blurted out, not my favourite but I love when heavier albums have songs where they can just scream. ( If you like this see also six shooter by queens of the stone age). The album goes slightly more mellow with two beats off, this it still explodes a ton but the verses are done with little distortion which works as a good contradiction to the rest of the album! The rapid guitars in the mental track styrofoam are amazing; it’s a true screamer, dirty but with an awesome edge to it that other bands really lack. The penultimate track off the album reprovisional tricks the listener into thinking it will be slow and mellow but it reveals itself to be this sludgy and heavy mix of sounds. It’s probably the worst one out of the tracks that aren’t really short or instrumentals but it’s still loveable. The album shuts the door with shut the door this is definitely the most mellow of the songs but it still has everything that a listener would want from this band really cool. It might not be everyone’s cup of yea but I found it near impossible to find fault with this. It’s the kinda album I would wanna make if I knew what I was doing. Mental but with swagger!