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THE REVIEW
Crossing through the entire decade(nce) of the nineties must not have been easy for Unwound.
The Olympia band always played the unfortunate role of the supporting act, the individual covering the protagonist's back. Years of hard work spent between Post Hardcore compromises and Noise outbursts. Faithful to Fugazi with the first print of "Sister" well framed on their bookshelves.
Yet I remember that Unwound went further, managing to synthesize that rampant formula of rattling distortions and hidden melodies, which shortly after would be definitively silenced by man's desire to surpass (Post, Post, Post, Nu, No) himself.
What remains is a handful of great albums, of which "Repetition" represents the central pivot.
The three guys, led by Justin Trosper, take stock of the situation, stripping down the sound from the most Hardcore excesses.
They remember melody ("Lady Elect") and oblique rhythms ("Go To Dallas And Take A Left"), create emotional ups and downs ("Lowest Common Denominator") and know they are still able to hit the accelerator ("Murder Movies"). But it's when the tones remain exceedingly gray, as in "Devoid" or the concluding "For Your Entertainment", the true peak of the album, that catharsis is reached.
They danced on the burning carcass of the nineties all the way to the end.
They burned out soon, though.
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Summary by Bot
Unwound's 'Repetition' captures the band's evolution within the challenging 1990s post-hardcore scene. Stripping back hardcore excesses, the album balances melody and raw intensity with standout tracks like 'Lady Elect' and 'Murder Movies'. It serves as a central pivot within their catalog, showcasing emotional depth and musical restraint. Despite remaining underappreciated, the band delivers a lasting cathartic experience.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
03 Unauthorized Autobiography (02:47)
journal entry number twenty, getting older, feeling meaner, thinking faster, getting even, making standards, faking answers,
can you rewrite history?
a conversation with myself, turning into something else, risking my security, losing my obscurity.
bored with my life, repetition, waiting for the situation, select problems impair decision, fearful living, nothing given,
can you rewrite history?
a conversation with myself, turning into something else, risking my security, losing my obscurity.
a conversation with myself, turning into something else, risking my security, losing my obscurity
Unwound
Unwound are an American post-hardcore band from the Olympia/Tumwater, Washington scene, centered on Justin Trosper, Sara Lund, and Vern Rumsey. Across the 1990s they released influential records on Kill Rock Stars, culminating in the expansive double album Leaves Turn Inside You (2001). They originally split in 2002 and reunited for live shows in 2023–2024.05 Reviews
