Rites Of Spring
Six Song Demo [10-inch; Dischord]

It’s funny how the rumors of tear-soaked shows and such don’t even do Rites Of Spring service. Here’s a precursor to Fugazi (with an uncredited Brendan Canty on drums and a very-credited Guy Picciotto on guitar/voice) with heart and brains and emotion in equal measure. It’s post-punk in its earliest form, a bit of a sneer but also a bit of hope; less detachment for sure, though it’s a given that any great band keeps a bit of distance. Picciotto is a beguiling presence, to be sure. Probably would have been an actor had he not taken up the axe, as he needsyou to listen to him just as he needs you to watch him in concert. It’s interesting to me that Ian MacKaye sought this guy out later because it must have been difficult, in a way, to cede so much of the spotlight to this energetic little pre-emo gremlin. Yet that’s what made Fugazi great, of course, and the rest is fuckin’ history. Don’t forget to study up on Rites Of Spring though, as they’re a crucial, unappreciated (or at the very least under-appreciated) link to the surge of era-defining indie-rock that was to come, the lo-fi buzz of Six Song Demo a suitable, possibly even superior, way to get acquainted if you haven’t already.

Cerberus

Cerberus seeks to document the spate of home recorders and backyard labels pressing limited-run LPs, 7-inches, cassettes, and objet d’art with unique packaging and unknown sound. We love everything about the overlooked or unappreciated. If you feel you fit such a category, email us here.

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