Steady Diet Of Nothing

About

Released in the summer of 1991, just a few months before Nirvana brought the underground into the Top 40, Fugazi’s <i>Steady Diet of Nothing</i> stands today as a fan favorite—as well as somewhat of a missed opportunity. Produced by the four band members themselves, <i>Steady Diet of Nothing</i> is noticeably bone-dry, featuring a striking on-off binary between open silence and shattering noise. It’s one of the weirder-sounding albums of Fugazi’s career—these guys were clearly <i>not</i> gunning for the mainstream. But it’s also a brilliantly written record, featuring 11 ruthlessly efficient songs, many of which would go on to become live staples. “Reclamation” is the standout here, a punk pro-choice anthem that becomes more relevant every year (Ian MacKaye closes the song with an urgent scream—“CARRY MY BODY”—that, to this day, cuts like a knife wound). “Runaway Return” articulates the inner turmoil of the upper-middle-class punk, while “Latin Roots” unpacks an awkward romantic moment. <i>Steady Diet of Nothing</i> is also the album that finds MacKaye coming into his full power as one of his generation’s best sloganeers: The remarkable complexity of lines like “America is just a word but I use it” or “Things have settled down/But silence is a dangerous sound” made them fan favorites. Still, there are moments on <i>Steady Diet of Nothing</i> that don’t hit quite as hard as you might want them to, like the Gulf War-inspired “Polish” or the instrumental “Steady Diet.” And at times, the band’s writing can get <i>too</i> abstract: Is “Long Division” mourning a fractured scene? A broken relationship? But <i>Steady Diet of Nothing</i> closes on the burning classic “KYEO,” and these tracks would only improve over the years as the band members perfected them on the road. It’s an album that rewards with repeat listenings, and that has earned a devoted following: Fans who love <i>Steady Diet</i> are often very, <i>very</i> keen on letting you know they are fans of <i>Steady Diet</i>.

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

Start your shelf to read the full take →