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Fugazi - End Hits (Cover Artwork)

Fugazi

End Hits (1998)
Dischord Records

Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:


Contributed by: Chinatown
(others by this writer | submit your own)


Published on December 21st 2004


End Hits, unquestionably Fugazi’s most experimental album to date, finds the band writing songs like never before; full of crashing, distorted guitars that follow no distinct pattern yet remain accessible and brilliant, and songs about corporate evil and alienation. Unfortunately, they stumble a few times along the way.

Firstly, this record isn’t all experimental. “Place Position,” “Caustic Acrostic,” and “Guilford Falls” are standard Fugazi numbers (if you’ve been introduced to Red Medicine, that is): fairly fast post-punk with jazz-influenced drumming. There is a conscious effort to incorporate some electronic sounds, but overall, these songs are much like those from past releases.

It would seem almost impossible for a band’s fastest tune ever to be on their most experimental album, but that’s indeed the case with Fugazi. “Five Corporations” is an absolute monster of a song. I really don’t need to explain what it’s about, but here are some of the lyrics: “Check the math here/Check in ten years/Clusterfuck theory/Buy them up and shut them down/Then repeat in every town/Every town will be the same.” As always, no complaints about the lyrics.

Then there are the missteps.

“Floating Boy” is an atrocious, weird mess. Don’t get me wrong - these guys know how to jam, but there’s a difference between jamming and fucking around in the studio for the sake of fucking around in the studio. At almost six minutes long, it’s way too bloated, and does indeed float. “Pink Frosty” is another weird one. The music is low-key and scratchy, and Guy actually sounds bored as he mumbles through it. I guess you can say that it sounds like one of Joan Of Arc’s poor songs, which is pretty damn terrible when you consider the basement of Joan Of Arc’s repertoire.

For Fugazi’s standards, yes, this is a let-down. From the forty-seven minutes of its playtime, I feel as though roughly eight of them could have been cut off (a more concise “Floating Boy,” none of the minute-or-so of pointless doodling after the last song, and “Pink Frosty” being removed from the album altogether).

In the end, we’re left with an album that’s much like this very site's Scott Heisel: evenly measured in rage and sensitivity, well-worded and eclectic, but a bit too fat in some areas. Never ones to stagger for very long, MacKaye and Co. would recover their bearings and release The Argument three years later, which to this day stands as my personal favorite from the band.



People who liked this also liked:
Fugazi - The ArgumentFugazi - In On The Kill TakerFugazi - Red MedicineFugazi - 13 SongsFugazi - Repeater + 3 SongsFugazi - Steady Diet of NothingThe Clash - London CallingMinor Threat - Complete DiscographyRefused - The Shape of Punk to ComeJawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy

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    thurstonXwhore (April 7, 2007)

    Score is because Pink Floyd really does suck at entertainment.

    TheYoungInfluential (May 21, 2006)

    Actually, this might be the best album I own.

    Anonymous (January 23, 2006)

    "Five Corporations" is this album's most experimental moment? It's one of the most straight-forward moments on the album, and as good of a song it is, it is quite predictable.

    And if "Floating Boy" is "pointless fucking around in the studio", then eveything Pink Floyd recorded sucks, for this Fugazi song rivals almost anything they've ever done.

    And "Pink Frosty" would actually have to be the most experimental song on the album, with it's creeping tempo, hushed vocals, and unexpected percussion all over the place. Most un-Fugazi sounding song they've recorded up to this point.

    Anonymous (December 24, 2004)

    "so...is it okay to think Fugazi sucks or will I be banished from the punk community?"

    no, but you will be banished from the "people who listen to good music" community.

    Anonymous (December 24, 2004)

    "Actually he said 8 minutes fucktard"

    I know you left this post Chinatown, but didn't have the gall to put your name after it because your a fucking pussy. Also, if your getting technical, "Fucktard" isn't a word, but it is something you do on your way to school on the short bus. Chinatown I wish your parent paid more attention to you so we wouldn't have to hear your whiny comments on here. Just go away frat boy.

    Anonymous (December 24, 2004)

    so...is it okay to think Fugazi sucks or will I be banished from the punk community?

    Anonymous (December 24, 2004)

    i think steady diet of nothing (or instrument sdtrk) is the only inessential fugazi record. i LOVE this one.

    soulbleed (December 24, 2004)

    this is hands down the only inessential fugazi record.

    OverDefined (December 23, 2004)

    I, one person, disagree with you. Therefore, you are shit and I will let everyone anonymously know how I feel. But alas! My opinion is more than an opinion but a decree sent down from the "unseen panel of hipster judges".

    I don't like it when people sing out of tune, does that mean I suck?

    (blow jaab!)

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    actually, he said "8 minutes" fucktard.

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    I like how this dopey fuck of a reviewer knows there's a difference between "Jamming" & "Fucking around in the studio". Where's your fucking album dickie? This reviewer also states he thinks about 8 of the tracks should've been cut off. Who died & made you indie record producer? That's why Fugazi has all the respect in the world & you're considered a big cock nozzle on this little website. Don't quit your day job, I need someone to fill up my coffee cup!

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    This is a good record, but don't listen to Chinatown, he/she doesn't know DICK about anything! Fuck You Chinatown go back to White Castle & flip my burgers bitch!

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    I'm not worthy to listen to Fugazi & my dog won't let me feel for testcular cancer anymore, he just bites me now. What a sucky day.

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    ...2 words "Closed Captioned", that's what all these pussy punkers need.

    Anonymous (December 23, 2004)

    Chinatown! You suck so much shit. Seriously. Quit. Fuck. I'm so pissed as if some idiot that always has the dumbest godamn comments can even begin to summarize this album. Fuck..

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    "I own 13 songs, repeater and the argument, all are excellent."

    end hits is as good or better than those

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    To the person below me...oi.

    I own 13 songs, repeater and the argument, all are excellent.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    this is the stupidest fucking band to ever exist. they are the shat of the 90's.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    you are incorrect.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    chinatown=the suck. Similar things can be said about Fugazi when comparing to them to what Minor Threat was and could have been.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    Booooooooooooooorrrrrrrriiiiiinnnnngggg!

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    i'd suggest buying this one to the dude who asked, its a sick album.

    cummuppance....cummapants! cum my pants!

    paul

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    ""I own Argument and 13 songs; and i am looking into buying another fugazi cd; which on would you kids recomend?"

    I suggest you to buy Repeater. I promise you won't be disappointed'

    you are correct.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    thats junk in the trunk, but i am half drunk from last night so that might explain it....shit bosses comin, gotta go

    pajul

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    I actually consider this their best album. and how the eff do you not mention foremans dog? and why does everyone make fun of scott for being a fat ass? I mean really, who cares, I've got some drunk in the trunk myself....and the dancemoves to move it

    paul

    scores for anyone who gets my lawrence arms reference, even though i think my wording is slightly off

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    is this as good as an angle? I heard these dudes rip off bright eyes and minor threat.

    -Paul

    ThreeChordsAndTheTruth (December 22, 2004)

    score is for the word 'prannying' and fugazi.

    ThriveToFailure (December 22, 2004)

    So this is the mighty Chinatown's new review, is it?

    Well, having read that, I can't wait for the Eighteen Visions review you've been prannying on about for weeks now, coz that will obviously, like, totally change the way I view music criticism...

    ...er, yeah.

    Isn't it often that those who shout the loudest have the least to say?

    Regardless, I can't fault your musical taste (at least as far as liking Fugazi goes), and a sub-standard Fugazi album still pisses all over a whole lot of other bands' best outputs from a great height.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    if i wrote this review, i would be posting messages about jerking off too. i should have done that instead of wasting my time reading this...

    WNB
    -jd

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    i would also check out in on the kill taker. its a great record. you really can't lose with this band. the instrument soundtrack is a little out there. you'll be a little lost if that's a starting point. at least that's my opinion.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    When I jerk off milk comes out now, does that mean I'm a big boy now?

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    "I own Argument and 13 songs; and i am looking into buying another fugazi cd; which on would you kids recomend?"

    I suggest you to buy Repeater. I promise you won't be disappointed

    TheOneTrueBill (December 22, 2004)

    Fucked
    Up
    Got
    Ambushed
    Zipped
    In

    They probably didn't purposly screw around with the review. There were a lot of problems with my Effigies review when that was put up, with paragraphs missing and such.

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    Why does everyone hate on Scott?

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    I own Argument and 13 songs; and i am looking into buying another fugazi cd; which on would you kids recomend?

    kenjamin (December 22, 2004)

    Thanks for the tidbit there Scott. Have you ever read "Dispatches?" the word Fugazi wasn't mentioned in there but it's any amazing psychological correspondence from Vietnam. It's where Jets to Brazil got that absurdly long song title.

    maverick (December 22, 2004)

    Those three words were only added to clarify just who Scott Heisel was. Most people probably don't know my last name.

    And to the person who asked, it's Foo-Gah-Zee. It's a slang term for "fucked up," originating from the Vietnam war, I believe.

    -Scott

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    Ha, if only it were legal....

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 22, 2004)

    I kill babies.

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    Could you explain what Five Corporations is about ?
    Thanks in advance.

    Anchors (December 21, 2004)

    They added 'this very site's.' In that paragraph, that's all.

    Pick your battles, man.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    I'm just getting into these guys (I know I'm lame), and I was wondering how do you pronounce their name? I think I've heard it pronunced Foo-gaze-ee, but I think it sounds cooler as Foo-gauze-ee.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    "i'm not really into this album very much, but "break" is one of the best Fugazi songs ever, in my opinion"

    Agreed, it's a good singalong song, quality break scream. Good album too but not the best.

    -Strewtho.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    I see that the staffers at PN.org have modified certain parts of my review. I don't really care---it's only a damn review---but I find the "corrections" bizarre, since they clutter the body of text and cause people to bash me even more than I deserve to be.

    Here's the version of the last paragraph that I originally submitted:

    "In the end, we’re left with an album that’s much like Scott Heisel: evenly measured in rage and sensitivity, well-worded and eclectic, but a bit too fat in some areas. Never ones to stagger for very long, MacKaye and Co. would recover their bearings and release The Argument three years later, which to this day stands as my personal favorite from the band."

    Strange...

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    "I didn't even write comeuppance in the review I submitted. What the fuck? Someone toyed around with it.

    -Chinatown"

    Never mind, I've just realized that the comment was directed at someone else's post.

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    "Give me the logic behind that one...

    -BSD"

    The song sounds like something from their 13 Songs era, and is quite a contrast to the remainder of the album. That's "the logic."

    -Chinatown

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    I didn't even write comeuppance in the review I submitted. What the fuck? Someone toyed around with it.

    -Chinatown

    SilentStorms (December 21, 2004)

    I liked the review. Uhhh... I like myself.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    this album took me like a year and a half to get into, but once i did...holy fuck. my second fav fugazi album (only beaten out by the allmighty repeater). everything about it sounds fantastic. arpeggiator is one of (if not THE) my all time favorite fugazi songs. just a flat out incredible album.

    "does guy or Ian do most of the singing in this band?"

    usually it's about 50/50, but apparently ian was sick when they were making this album, so he only sings 4 songs, guy sings 7, joe sings 1, and 1 is an instrumental.

    SOYBOMB (December 21, 2004)

    I don't mean to shit on your parade, Scott, but come on, stick to your day job because I'm willing to wager you won't make much in the Wit department.

    Peace,
    -SOYBOMB-

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    fugazi owns. this review blows.

    WNB
    -jd

    maverick (December 21, 2004)

    "It's good to see Chinatown getting some comeupins"

    You mean comeuppance?

    Thank god you're a music teacher, not an English teacher.

    -Scott

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    Crap review. The dick-sucking in the final paragraph doesn't help. Next.

    -El Vaqueeeero

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    my review sucks

    - Chinatown

    Anchors (December 21, 2004)

    Score is for the word 'comeupins.'

    I like the review, actually, especially since my expectation was that this would be lackluster, like the SDRE review Chinatown did of 'Diary.'

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    listen to THE BLACK SEA EP. the end.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    jean sucks

    -inspection12e

    TheOneTrueBill (December 21, 2004)

    Why must you mock Scott?

    greg0rb (December 21, 2004)

    It's good to see Chinatown getting some comeupins, but I didn't think it was THAT bad a review. I agree with him about the Argument being their best. Also, I think it's funny to compare Scott to a band that he doesn't really like.
    -Greg

    Crookedsuperhero (December 21, 2004)

    "and does anyone know why the older discs are gold backed, while my friend got it recently and he got a regular silver disc?"

    Different pressing. Its done all the time. For instance, Against mes reinventing had the first pressing of the CD with blank silver background on CD face, and all others after that with white background.

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    it's about time the best fugazi album got reviewed here.
    and does anyone know why the older discs are gold backed, while my friend got it recently and he got a regular silver disc?

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    i'm not really into this album very much, but "break" is one of the best Fugazi songs ever, in my opinion

    score is for the review, which should have been premeditated a bit more, it seems

    -notaclevername

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    this is a really really crap review, not because you don't like the record, just because of the poor writing. Also Ian sings Pink Frosty...get the facts right.

    gladimnotemo (December 21, 2004)

    "In the end, we’re left with an album that’s much like this very site's Scott Heisel: evenly measured in rage and sensitivity, well-worded and eclectic, but a bit too fat in some areas."

    The above statement, and the atrocious grammar, make this an absolutely terrible review of a wonderful band.

    kenjamin (December 21, 2004)

    does guy or Ian do most of the singing in this band?

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    "It would seem almost impossible for a band’s fastest tune ever to be on their most experimental album, but that’s indeed the case with Fugazi."

    Give me the logic behind that one...

    -BSD

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    For being such a critic, your review is fucking terrible.

    "Songs like never before: Songs full of crashing guitars"

    haahhahaa

    -BSD

    Anonymous (December 21, 2004)

    Anything by Fugazi is gold.

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