Red Medicine
Encyclopedia
Red Medicine is the fourth full-length studio album
by American post-hardcore
band Fugazi
, released on June 12th, 1995 through Dischord Records
.
, psychedelia ("By You") and dub
("Version").
. The writing of the album consisted of several months of jam sessions and recording at Guilford House, a secluded country estate located in Guilford, Connecticut
.
The album's recording sessions took place from January to February of 1995 at Inner Ear Studios
in Arlington, VA. The band worked with engineer Don Zientara
, but did not choose to work with producer Ted Nicely
again. Fugazi opted to retreat from the in-your-face production values of In on the Kill Taker and instead worked to create an ambient sound which would display greater depth. To achieve this, the band handled production duties themselves, and in doing so, became more confident with in-studio experimentation.
This is evident in the incorporation of short, sampled segues, ("Do You Like Me", "Birthday Pony"), instruments such as clarinet
, (as heard on "Version"), and alternate tunings used on songs such as "Latest Disgrace" and "By You". Footage of the band both writing and recording the album can be seen in the film Instrument.
charts and sold over 160,000 copies in its first week of release. It was also a critical success. Steve Huey of AllMusic gave the album 4 1/2 out of 5 stars and stated, "With more drive and playful goings-on, the arrangements sound much looser than on Kill Taker, while remaining just as gut-kicking and brainy." Mark Kemp of Rolling Stone
gave the album 4 stars and called Red Medicine "rock solid."
, Ian MacKaye
, Joe Lally
, and Brendan Canty
(Lead vocals in parentheses)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band Fugazi
Fugazi (band)
Fugazi is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The band's continual members are guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty....
, released on June 12th, 1995 through Dischord Records
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
.
Background
On Red Medicine, Fugazi began to move into more experimental venues of music, including noise rockNoise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
, psychedelia ("By You") and dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
("Version").
Writing & Recording
The group began work on Red Medicine in late 1994, after touring in support of In on the Kill TakerIn on the Kill Taker
In on the Kill Taker is the third full-length studio album by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi. It was released on June 30th, 1993 through Dischord Records and was recorded at Inner Ear Studios and produced by Ted Nicely and Don Zientara...
. The writing of the album consisted of several months of jam sessions and recording at Guilford House, a secluded country estate located in Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
.
The album's recording sessions took place from January to February of 1995 at Inner Ear Studios
Inner Ear Studios
Inner Ear Studios is a recording studio founded in Arlington, VA by musician and recording engineer Don Zientara. Hundreds of albums, including both independent and major label releases have been recorded at the studio. It has been in continuous operation for over 25 years.- See Also :Don Zientara...
in Arlington, VA. The band worked with engineer Don Zientara
Don Zientara
Don Zientara is an American record producer and musician. He owns and runs Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, located just outside of Washington D.C., and is most widely known for his production work with Fugazi, Minor Threat and various other Dischord Records artists.-Production...
, but did not choose to work with producer Ted Nicely
Ted Nicely
Ted Nicely is an American record producer. He is most widely known for his production work with Fugazi, Girls Against Boys, Jawbox and Tripping Daisy among others.-Production credits:Select production/engineering/mixing credits include the following:...
again. Fugazi opted to retreat from the in-your-face production values of In on the Kill Taker and instead worked to create an ambient sound which would display greater depth. To achieve this, the band handled production duties themselves, and in doing so, became more confident with in-studio experimentation.
This is evident in the incorporation of short, sampled segues, ("Do You Like Me", "Birthday Pony"), instruments such as clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, (as heard on "Version"), and alternate tunings used on songs such as "Latest Disgrace" and "By You". Footage of the band both writing and recording the album can be seen in the film Instrument.
Release & Reception
The album entered the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts and sold over 160,000 copies in its first week of release. It was also a critical success. Steve Huey of AllMusic gave the album 4 1/2 out of 5 stars and stated, "With more drive and playful goings-on, the arrangements sound much looser than on Kill Taker, while remaining just as gut-kicking and brainy." Mark Kemp of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the album 4 stars and called Red Medicine "rock solid."
Track listing
All songs by Guy PicciottoGuy Picciotto
Guy Picciotto is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, and producer from Washington, DC.He is most widely known for his role as the guitarist and vocalist of Fugazi, as well as Rites of Spring.-Rites of Spring & Early Projects:...
, Ian MacKaye
Ian MacKaye
Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, label owner, and producer. Active since 1979, MacKaye is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, the post-hardcore bands Embrace and Fugazi, as well...
, Joe Lally
Joe Lally
Joe Lally is a bass guitar player, vocalist and label owner, best known for his work with Fugazi.-Fugazi:...
, and Brendan Canty
Brendan Canty
Brendan Canty is an American musician, composer, producer and film maker, best known as the drummer for the band Fugazi....
(Lead vocals in parentheses)
- "Do You Like Me" – 3:16 (Picciotto)
- "Bed for the Scraping" – 2:50 (MacKaye)
- "Latest Disgrace" – 3:34 (Picciotto)
- "Birthday Pony" – 3:08 (MacKaye)
- "Forensic Scene" – 3:05 (Picciotto)
- "Combination Lock" – 3:06
- "Fell, Destroyed" – 3:46 (Picciotto)
- "By You" – 5:11 (Lally)
- "Version" – 3:20
- "Target" – 3:32 (Picciotto)
- "Back to Base" – 1:45 (MacKaye)
- "Downed City" – 2:53 (Picciotto)
- "Long Distance Runner" – 4:17 (MacKaye)
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Billboard 200 | 126 |