Review Summary: Having the word ‘repetition’ running down the span of the sleeve was meant to look like the 1s and 0s of binary code. And actually, it’s in there: repetit-10-n.
“Having the word ‘repetition’ running down the span of the sleeve was meant to look like the 1s and 0s of binary code. And actually, it’s in there: repetit-10-n.”
- Justin Trosper
Hailing from Olympia, Washington, Unwound have been layering the foundations for post-hardcore since their debut LP "Fake Train" in 1993. A seminal record for the genre, "Repetition" was released in April 1996. The trio's songwriting ability really shines on this record with fan favourites such as "Corpse Pose", "Fingernails on a Chalkboard" and "Devoid".
Similarly to previous Unwound records, the trio opt to reject established blueprints and play on instinct. Long time collaborator and producer Steve Fisk has already nailed down the Unwound sound, letting it ring out on “Repetition” as well. The 90's production will always sound timeless to my ears. Mixes sound unpolished, rough, gritty and alive. Combine this palette with unconventional song structures, atonal peaks and mellow breaks and you have yourself an excellent record to vent to.
Starting off with "Message Received", it's as if you've entered Unwound's rehearsal space by accident. Yet you're somehow compelled not to leave. Soon as the record starts, you're hit with a jarring, upsetting noise loop sample that sets up the song and its ensuing frenzy. Vern Rumsey seems to have a never ending bank of driving, cyclical bass riffs; they act as the listener's life vest during the manic filled screams of Justin Trosper's guitar and throat. Just when you think you'll catch a break during the more melodic verses, Justin sneaks right up to your face and begins to scream it off. Combined with the tremolo-picked shriek which I can only describe as the sonic equivalent of a panic attack, Unwound come full force knocking.
"Corpse Pose" might just be the song Unwound are most known for. According to the 40,000 word chronicle "What Was Wound" written by David Wilcox (a close friend who accompanied the trio on tour), the opening bass riff came about as a happy, on the spot accident. While Sara Lund was tuning her drum kit, Vern was messing about with this idea and it must have turned Justin's head around, just like it did for me when I first listened to it. Vern's bass riff combined with Sara's cleverly written drums make for a really satisfying combination. You're not quite ready for how Justin's guitar will fit in the song yet somehow it seamlessly completes the jigsaw. You wouldn't think these parts would make sense when played together but against all odds, "Corpse Pose" paints a tight sonic image that compels your attention. Justin's distortion is so thick you can't even tell if the beginning is a series of 16th notes or just a single strum. I think this complements the song and instead of detracting from it. You get to pick how to interpret the guitar's attitude depending on your mood. You either end up with a kind of loose, wavy feel or a more angry/punkish vibe. Although there's an upbeatness to the track musically, the lyrics sketch a rather morose outlook for one's self:
“The drawback to living
Is finding yourself
Watch your heart, let it bleed
Don't have faith in anything”
Serving as one of the record's instrumental interlude songs, "Sensible" sounds like the trio is jamming around one of Vern's basslines albeit with a lack of focus unfortunately. In fact, the main bassline can be heard on an already released instrumental track "Census" from 1994. Experimentation seems aimless here as the rest of the instruments include droney or Ebow textures alongside chimes for extra colour. This track probably offered more to the band than it does to the listener. I don't see how this track made the record given its surrounding context. Perhaps its neutral nature is trying to serve as a cleansing palette for the more ballad like track coming up next.
Despite setting aside key elements that make up most of their compositions, "Lady Elect" is undeniably an Unwound song. Leaning over to a melancholic note, you'll find a softer side to the trio. Perhaps not lyrically but I believe "Lady Elect" serves as companion piece to "Disappoint", a track from previous record "The Future of What". A shared energy is evident in terms of dynamics. Difference being that "Lady Elect" evokes a sense of coping, a sense of coming to terms with a dear friend's passing. Justin's vocal delivery is much more subdued, stressing the numbness felt at a time like this. The emotional weight of this track is provided by the instrumentation and acts as a holding hand for Justin's predicament.
“Leave it to yourself
To find it somewhere else
Safe outside of time
Martyr of a kind”
Moving towards the latter half of the record, Unwound start to embrace states of dreariness, hostility and ill-informed acceptance. This exploration continues for the next couple of tracks with the compositions reflecting the aforementioned.
Sara's drumming glues so well with Vern on “Fingernails on a chalkboard” while Justin adopts a completely numb vocal delivery. As Justin repeats the track’s title ceaselessly, his guitar prepares to mimic that very noise on the rest of the track. The song goes on for just a lick longer than anticipated but it definitely doesn’t subtract from its core ideas which are solid enough to keep you engaged throughout.
Taking a left on the album closer “For your entertainment”, the lyrics diverge from already established themes. Justin takes a direct jab at the music industry as a whole and how artists are left squeezed and hollow for the industry’s sake. As the track’s chorus kicks in, guitar and vocals share a powerful war cry, as if a call to resist the status quo of the business. Sonically, it also lends the listener a sense of relief, having gone through the entirety of “Repetition” and the weight it carries.
Prevalent throughout the record is the sense of grief and exploring ways of dealing with it. Placing you at the aftermath of relationships gone awry or losing people entirely from your life with no further delays extended. Having to experience emotional hangovers with a spate of different feelings; bitterness, denial, apathy, regret, loneliness, naive optimism. It's all here.
