Fugazi are as notable for their 'political music for the common man' approach as for the stop-start riffing that made their guitars-and-gestalt-therapy sound into an industry buzz. Their 1995 album, 'Red Medicine' reasserts the band's grasp on alterna-angst and charging guitars - enough so to make your jaws lock. Yet, 'Red Medicine' isn't just another exercise in Fugazi-style political manifestos; on it, Fugazi come across more as musicians than politicians. The yelping "I Have Something to Prove" tone of previous releases has relaxed into a more confident approach. The dueling guitars are looser, more melodic. The riffs and vocals don't bark and grate as much - they simmer and, in some cases, even swing. Songs like 'Birthday Party' may still rely on the old-school Fugazi approach - the proven shout and power-chord stomp - but 'Forensic Scene' sounds almost Beatlesque in its lovely hesitance. Regardless of that evolution, 'Red Medicine' still includes all the things that made 'Repeater'-era Fugazi so inspiring, their standard ringing guitars and shouted vocals glaring through the mix. 'Red Medicine' also shows a new-found eloquence, a quieter approach for their songwriting craft, and previously unseen musicianship.
