There was a hot minute when Red Medicine was my favorite Fugazi album. I was probably (and reasonably) overexcited about hearing them take such a stronger direction towards the noise rock they always flirted with. Indeed, there are some Sonic Youth-esque jams here. When they get it on, the results are a Fugazi unlike all other Fugazi—”Version” is downright creepy.

At the same time, these dissonant textures work within the confines of more conventional Fugazi punk, and those aspects are below par. In other words, the jams are good (not amazing), while the hooks are mostly decent, and I want fuckin’ hooks in my Fugazi. That’s top priority.

This is also a very back-loaded album: all the good stuff is at the beginning and end. “Bed for the Scraping” is a top 10 Fugazi song, and “Do You Like Me” isn’t too far out of reach.

Still great overall. No album they put out was anything less. Red Medicine snarls, but it needs to show its fangs more.