Fugazi Steady Diet Of Nothing CD

Personnel: Guy Picciotto, Ian MacKaye (vocals, guitar); Brendan Canty (drums).
Recording information: Inner Ear Studios (01/1991).
Photographers: John Falls; Lucy Capehart; Adam Cohen.
From the opening swarms of "Exit Only," you can tell Steady Diet of Nothing will differ from Fugazi's earlier records. Repeater's excellence can't be denied, but the band stood in danger of stagnating its sound. To its benefit, Fugazi made some changes, employing more herk-a-jerk rhythms and dub influences, and changing up the lyrical focus. Actually, the lyrics get a bit vague -- bordering on equivocality at times -- which has its advantages and disadvantages. With Steady Diet, Fugazi get more economical and less forceful. Though not nearly as neck-gnawing as Repeater, Steady Diet still packs a sizable wallop, but with slower tempos and less deliberate instrumentation. As always, a poison-tipped dart is pointed at the government, media, and major entertainment outlets. Ian MacKaye's "destroy your television" rant on "Polish" is one of the more direct and simple songs. His "KYEO" comes straight from the rice paddy or homefront, depending on interpretation. It urges the listener to always remain aware, whether awaiting the enemy's next battle move or remaining blissfully unaware of how people can be taken advantage of by others. As with the rest of the band's catalog, lyrics are provided in the booklet. This makes things much easier on the intent listener, as both Picciotto and MacKaye have weird voices that become unintelligible when howled over their instrumental din. The lyric sheet is most useful on Picciotto's "Latin Roots." He's not warning you that "it's time to meet Jamaicans," as it sounds, but rather "it's time to meet your makers." Not quite lending itself to "Purple Haze"-like levels of butchery, but important to point out nonetheless. ~ Andy Kellman
Fugazi's third album, STEADY DIET OF NOTHING, finds the Washington D.C. quartet in a restless mood. Although the group sticks to its typically incisive political and social commentary with its lyrics, the band's sound here is clearly in transition, with the bouncy grooves of earlier albums being replaced at times by complex rhythms and droning guitars. The latter is prevalent on the opening "Exit Only," which highlights buzzing feedback and Guy Picciotto's raspy vocals, and "Reclamation," which takes anthemic guitar riffs and Ian MacKaye's unmistakable voice and anchors them in dub-like bass and drums, courtesy of Joe Lally and Brendan Canty, respectively.
Elsewhere, the instrumental "Steady Diet" locks into tight, up-tempo rhythms, followed by the spare, melancholy "Long Division." Here MacKaye's almost-shouted monotone singing nearly subverts the song's beautiful melodies, but the whole, oddly enough, works to wonderful effect. For a blazing grand finale, Fugazi unleashes the gloriously fierce "KYEO" (which stands for "keep your eyes open"). When MacKaye screams "We will not be beaten down!" at the song's end, it's one of the band's finest moments, and a fitting conclusion to another bold Fugazi outing.