Fugazi versus Unwound
 

I've been toying over this for days. Both bands are absolute titans of post-hardcore and both have made exceptional albums. For the sake of this thread, I'm discounting 13 Songs and Instrument Soundtrack from Fugazi, focusing solely on 90s and 00s album material.

To help cajole debate and decision, here are the albums I see as essential from both:

Fugazi:
Repeater
In On The Killer Taker
A Steady Diet of Nothing
Red Medicine
The Argument

Unwound:
The Future of What
Unwound
Repetition
Challenge for a Civilized Society
Leaves Turn Inside You

So, who's the better band in your opinion? The Argument or Leaves Turn Inside You? Red Medicine or Challenge...? It's all a bit of fun.

My first instinct was Fugazi but with the albums listed (the lack of 13 Songs) I think Unwound would definitely be the better band. It's a challenge to find a Post-Hardcore album better than Leaves Turn Inside You. That's probably a five star album.

i have heard all Fugazi

i have yet to check out Unwound

if they're anywhere as good as Fugazi, it's high time I should

Unwound....and you need to include Fake Train :)

i never really compared these two bands or ever really looked at them in the same light

Unwound is 10000000x better live :)

I'd never considered to compare these bands I'd go more the debate of Fugazi v. Nation of Ulysses and Unwound v. June of 44

Nation of Ulysses and June of 44.

What is the point in telling me what bands would have made for more accurate comparisons? I chose Fugazi and Unwound, two post-hardcore bands that had a lot of critical success in the 90s and early 00s. It's just something I've been thinking about. If you're not happy with the thread, don't fucking reply.

Cheers.

the light at the end of the tunnel is a train


^Fugazi never went to this place :)


so i just went to my rate your music page and looked at what i rated each album for these two bands and it shows in my ratings....which i think i did sometime in 2005 or so....to this date the only Fugazi album that i still really listen to is Red Medicine....its not to say that i don't mind the other albums.....but i seldom go out of my way to listen to them except Red Medicine.....but with Unwound....much like Built To Spill....when they come up on random i stop....and listen to them for the next two hours :) (like i am right now!)

damn the more i think about this its honestly very hard to decide between the two....i think i'm going to do some extensive research tonight while driving.....one way Fugazi and the other Unwound......as it stand i stick with my original decision but i'll post my results tomorrow :)

For me, Fugazi's stand-out releases are Red Medicine and The Argument. They're both magnificent albums. I've always found 13 Songs SO overrated, whilst Repeater is an album I enjoy from time to time but never really take much from. A Steady Diet of Nothing and In On the Killer Taker are fine, but I never go out of my way to listen to them.

Unwound, on the other hand, have three albums that I'd classify as exceptional: Repetition, Challenge for a Civilized Society, and of course, Leaves Turn Inside You. Factor in the s/t and The Future of What, both of which are great, and you have one hell of a discography. The only release I've yet to really grasp is Fake Train.

Yeah, it's Unwound for me, I've decided.

just got the Unwound listed here

will give them a listen and letcha know what I think

i started with "Fake Train" which is probably the wrong footing

Unwound don't have any bad releases.

I really suck at comparing good, similar bands but I'm comfortable saying Fugazi in this case. It's been a long time since I've listened to any of them but I suppose I like all of the Fugazi albums more than I like all of Unwound's.

i honestly think it's crazy that you all look so down on Fake Train.....it's probably my favorite Unwound album :)

out of curiosity what is it about that album that you can't grasp/dislike?

alright.....so i listened to 83 Unwound songs tonight....i think the thing that really throws me off from comparing them and Fugazi is the fact that i've always looked at Unwound as a noise rock band and honestly still do....wow i really forgot just how good their entire discography is

so Fugazi all day tomorrow!

by the way thanks Sneer this is really bringing back some great memories....and it's kind of nice to spend an entire day listening to bands that you've loved for soooo long but mainly come up in random these days

I honestly can't put my finger on it, the songs just don't draw me in as much. It's also probably due to the fact I just haven't listened to it as much, whereas I've rinsed the rest of the band's work. I'm sure I'll end up looking at it more positively with time. It's not a bad album by any means, it just hasn't sunk in yet.

See, I don't look at Unwound as Noise Rock, to me they are more of a Post-Hardcore band, in that you can hear that Hardcore Punk influence, but they play around with structure, texture, dynamics etc. I can see the argument for calling them Noise Rock, of course, their music was dissonant. I kind of can't believe that nobody else seems to hear a similarity in sound between the two bands, especially on certain albums.

It's a musical thought I've had for a really long time as those two comparisons being big battles and this is music forum so I thought it fitting to post.






The fact I'm able listen to about 20 live Fugazi sessions and I still seek out more is proof of fanboyism and most bands fall to them.

Don't worry bob, Fake Train is my favorite too. "Valentine Card/Kantina/Were, Are And Was Or Is" is a gargantuan track.

ok, right now listening to "repetition"

much much better than "Fake Train" and a lot closer to Fugazi greatness

As a brand spankin new member I thought I would make my first post in a fugazi related discussion. They have been my favourite band for many, many years. Unfortunately I am not familiar enough with Unwound to make any meaningful contribution yet.

I will investigate further and if they can have anything even close to resonance that fugazi have with me then I will be very excited.

Very though choice but it is very hard to compare both bands as most of their stuff sounds different. At the moment Fugazi because I'm familiar with them that little bit more but Unwound's Leaves Turn Inside You and Repetition are fast becoming favourites of mine. Both bands were visionaries and thought well outside the box and I can certainly admire them both for that.

Without a doubt Fugazi.

The Argument, Repeater, and 13 Songs are all pretty awesome.