Last March I finally bought Fugazi’s Instrument, the soundtrack to the film documenting the band throughout the late eighties to the nineties, made by Jem Cohen. The album features many demos for tracks released elsewhere, and is mostly comprised of instrumentals, with only a couple of tracks having any vocal content, and yet for me his is one of the most memorable and spellbinding records I own. These tracks show an immense awareness for music as a whole, utilising piano, sampling, and experimental percussion.
Each instrument is given it’s worth as well; guitar does not in the least bit lead everything. Joe Lally on bass and Brandon Canto on drums are unstoppable. Tracks with vocals are just as good, such as one of the punkier tracks, “Little Debbie”, the eerie, warped “Me and Thumbelina”, and of course, “I’m so Tired”, a strange and beautiful resting song, a bit of sleep after years of relentless punk for the band, considering past projects for members such as Minor Threat or Rites of Spring. It is a crying shame that this track isn’t on any other album.
