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Rating: Dischord: a brilliant pun worthy of Ian MacKaye's genius. The label representing Washington D.C.'s hardcore, and thus a fundamental fragment of the history and evolution of hardcore as a whole. A hearth for a long winter night, that has managed to fill my head, my ears, and my spirit, sometimes shaking it to the core... "Complete Discography" by Minor Threat, the self-titled by Rites of Spring, that of Embrace, "13 Songs" by Fugazi, the first 4 songs of "Dischord No. 101" by Bluetip are the first gems that come to mind... and now go on, close your eyes and, while your house is burning, join me in five minutes of religious and poignant silence...
"Can I Say", debut of Dag Nasty, corresponds to Dischord's number 26; an album that proved to me, once again, that, as the saying goes: if you don't have memories, she can give them to you. At this historical height- 1986- Dag Nasty is the band of Brian Baker post-Minor Threat and frontman Dave Smalley, hailing from the legendary Boston hardcore group DYS. But of DYS, only the screams remain, albeit refined in quality and reduced in quantity; combined with one of the first examples of melodic infusion on hardcore structures. The result is a masterpiece of melodic punk, where Dave, represented by the head on fire on the cover, expresses and vents anger, frustration, regrets (memorable the closing of "Thin Line") but also awareness ("Values Here"). The important thing is to express oneself, in other words, squeeze out, and Dag Nasty does this by alternating a few outbursts (primarily "Justification") with pieces at least seemingly calmer and more thoughtful: listen, in this regard, to "Circles"...which then has choruses, guys, but those choruses... and we lovers of hardcore (punk...), those choruses simply make us swoon...
And the emo question (which anyway I don't understand shit about)? Personally, I handle it this way: influenced and influential, but not belonging. At least regarding this first album, where sometimes there sneaks in what I call nostalgic flavor, the kind that only hc can give me. Then Dave will leave, Peter Cortner will arrive and the atmosphere will change, becoming softer and warmer. And anyway, from the subsequent "Wig Out at Denko's", the intro of "Safe" and "Fall" are to be enclosed in a showcase and kept there.
There's something wrong inside but I will never release my pride...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Values Here ()
what'd you say
when I said we'll be here through tomorrow
in my heart and in my head
fear of failure
fear of reprimand
two big problems
I've never had
I never doubted what I had inside... what I have inside
values here in my heart
and we'll be here through tomorrow
every day's a brand new start
fear of failure
fear of reprimand
two big problems I've never had
I never doubted what I had inside... what I have inside
fear of failure
fear of reprimand
two big problems I've never had
I never doubted what I had inside... what I have inside
02 One to Two ()
there are things I'd like to say
that I've said too many times before
things I should have done
instead of looking for a way to get out
you'll never know the sorrow I felt
or the hours I've laid awake
thinking about just what you said
how could you know how I felt?
I never took the time to figure it out
or see how the problems arose
I tried to blame the two of you
I can only blame myself
for the pain we felt
there are words I should have spoken
but I kept my f~cking mouth shut instead
words would've made the difference
but they always stayed unsaid
why won't you ever see?
why won't you even see?
it's not just me
03 Circles ()
I wouldn't speak my mind
I didn't want to make them mad
I looked up to them
for the courage I thought I didn't have
I never bothered to lift a finger to make my point
now I'm spelling it out
and nobody's listening
it's hard to take it to heart
it hurts to be apart
but I can't watch and not be heard
the days go by and things get worse
but they say they can only get better
I try to make a dent
but it blends in with all the damage
I try to look the other way
but there's a mirror behind me
I see images of what can be done
it seems like I'm the only one
I wouldn't speak my mind
04 Thin Line ()
there's a thin line
between love and hate
I'm standing in a no-man's land and I'm afraid
to try and reach
the other side
how could you give back what you took and tried to hide?
I should have never trusted you
left you by yourself
I watched for far too long
you made me think
you were in touch
and oh the pain I felt when I knew you'd moved on
I never realized
you were running in circles
I let you lead when I knew damn well you were blind
I trusted you
05 Justification ()
we have tried and failed
we have stumbled and fallen
we have tried a new taste and spit it back out
we have taken a left turn when we meant to turn right
we lost sight of our origins
but our past never lost sight of us
it's not emulation - cause that's not this hard
not imitation - cause that won't take you far
not digression - cause I'm falling straight up
it is progression - I'm not afraid to stand up
I don't know what is expected
but I expected it to be great
I said "I'm trying my hardest"
but he didn't like the tape
take a look at what you're doing
and tell me I'm too late
you say we're walking backwards
well, that dead horse sure can run
the truth
I know I can
I know I will
I know -I know what I have to do
and now you'll listen
and I hope it won't hurt
I've seen your poison
you've done your worst
I've seen your better
and I can't believe it's true
you've lost the truth that used to live inside of you
07 I've Heard ()
I heard this
I heard that
what do I believe?
it's hard to give
it's hard to get
and once you've lost it it's always gone
I know I shouldn't accept
one person's word as truth
without at least
giving you the benefit of the doubt
I get so mixed up
by the things you say
and the way you act
too many times
this has happened before
I always thought the wrong thing
I never gave you a second chance
now it's happening all over again
08 Under Your Influence ()
it's hard to hold
when the world is spinning
learned nothing from the night before
or the weeks before that
under your influence - right goes wrong
under your influence - crossed my mind
under your influence - right goes wrong
under your influence - you crossed my mind for the last time
twelve ounces of courage
makes the world look better
you love the attention
you never had it before
no safety comes from your numbers
nothing said or gained
shirking responsibility
true freedom from what?
from what?
(spoken part - you know I walked by you on the street the other day..
...you were going one way...I was going the other..
..and we both walked right by and we don't say a word..
... we used to be this close ..we used to be like brothers..
..but now 'cause of one time one word one phrase one time one word one phrase .. it's all over)
09 Can I Say ()
what can I say ?
why should I try ?
I tried to love
what I knew I hated
I took a lie and I made a truth
I defended
what I should have denied
I never gave a second thought
I followed blindly part of the lot
I never gave
I never gave a second thought
I followed blindly part of the lot
how can I say I'm really free?
how can I say I'm really me ?
what can I say ?
10 Never Go Back ()
sometimes it gets so cloudy
it's hard to see
everything gets distorted
it's all a dream
all these smiling faces
have lost their shine
I guess I'm getting older
I just don't relate
never go back
I wish I could learn
to never go back
there's something wrong inside
but I will never release my pride
I wish I could learn to never go back
I'm looking at pictures
and I'm thinking of those times
those times have changed
and so have I
I stopped my dreaming
I know I can't go back
I started looking closer
and I know what it's become
I wish so bad it was the same
how could it ever be the same ?
never go back
never go back
I stopped my dreaming
I don't want to go back
I started looking closer
and I know what it's become
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