CD Review: Fugazi: The Argument
Fugazi: The Argument

I bought Fugazi’s Argument 4 years ago, and I haven’t put it down since. I don’t think there is an album that I’ve ever listened to more times than this one. To call it an excellent work of art does not even begin to explain its quality, myriad of different levels, and sheer genius. Describing it as a “must have” album would be like describing your significant other as merely “a person you love.” Simply put, The Argument is one of the most amazing musical experiences I have ever had.

The Argument was my first real introduction to the world of Fugazi. When I first listened to the album, I could not quite understand what I was hearing. It was amazing, powerful, and unlike anything I’d ever heard. I replayed the first track, Cashout, over and over again, utterly confused at how a song that was so musically complicated could end up sounding so simple and fiercely enjoyable. The rest of the album follows en suite. No matter what the tempo, the songs were jaw dropping. Although there are certainly some songs on the CD I prefer over others, I cannot select a single track that disappoints.

Often when you find an artistic album, its fun is sacrificed for the technical aspects of the music, but not The Argument. Fugazi’s skills allow you to nod along with the groove of their slow songs, and let you rock out (jump around, mosh, or whatever dancing you prefer) to the fast ones. Forever abandoning the myth that enjoyable music needs simple (power) chords, Fugazi has demonstrated that you don’t even need guitars to pick out chords (several of their songs do not have a single point where a guitar plays more than one note at a time). Their complex guitar and bass-work convalesces into distinct and interesting melodies which even the musically inept can appreciate, but can be carefully picked apart and analyzed by theorists. Similarly, the rhythms laid down by the drums seem rather simple (and therefore easy to keep your toe tapping in accord), but are often amazingly complex in style and substance.

The album’s lyrics are just as polished as music. Covering everything from landlords to governments, and psychology to war, the songs frequently boil down to many problems that people don’t think about, or don’t want to. Although Fugazi could be accused of oversimplification, many of the songs are merely rejecting grey areas that people throw up to hide their evils.

This album oozes careful thought and planning. Each track musically and thematically leads into the next, but they do not bleed into one another like so many CD’s do these days. From the beginning explosion of Cashout, The Argument thrashes around a bit, and then mellows out into The Kill and Strangelight. From there the album ramps up again into Nightshop, which contains both a fierce peak, and a relaxation into the final song. Everything comes around full circle, musically and lyrically, with the last song and title track. The Argument uses similar techniques to Cashout, but possesses lyrics that cover the entire breadth of the album’s ideas, and summarizes them into one word: argument.

I am giving Fugazi: The Argument a Buy rating. I’ve never heard anything like this album, and probably never will again. It contains amazing tunes, thought-provoking lyrics, and a passion for music that is so often forgotten by today’s artists. It is an amazing CD that can be enjoyed by the casual music listeners and aficionados alike. Its inexpensive price (a result of Fugazi and Dischord’s DIY mentality) only makes the deal sweeter. Anyone’s musical collection would greatly benefit from this work of art.

Fugazi: The Argument gets 42 thumbs up, my highest rating ever!