The Argument was a dramatic leap for Fugazi in many ways. The production was a bit softer around the edges, more a slow-burning-fire than dudes-throwing-bricks-through-windows of Red Medicine and previous. It’s uncharacteristically quiet for Fugazi, if not because of the big “m”-word people throw around with bands whose ages are almost all over 35, but because they’ve figured out another way to get across their point without hitting their instruments as hard as they fucking can.
But “Epic Problem” is something else.
For the most part of the song Fugazi is straight up galloping (and of course, galloping for them means stopping and starting several times in a jerky fashion before they hit their stride) and the song wouldn’t sound all that out of place on Medicine or Kill Taker. Mackaye and Picciotto don’t play off each other in their usual fashion, but rather are just playing together as hard and fast as they can.
And then it happens.
Everything stops, save for Mackaye and a quiet, lone guitar, strummed like he has a gun to his head. It’s one of those moments that’s a break in the clouds, the light at the end of the tunnel you see before doctor’s resuscitate you and you realize HOLY SHIT I’M FREAKIN ON FIRE. The sheer beauty of it is overwhelming, the vocals mixed so that it sounds like Ian is a dwarf huddled behind the amp trying to whisper loud enough for the audience to hear.
And before you can stop to think what a momentous turn that was, the whole band comes crashing down on top of him, catapaulting the song back into full speed ahead. It’s one of those moments in music where you have to look around the room to see if everyone heard what you just heard. It’s the single most breathtaking moment on The Argument (and there’s competition, too), and for a band comprised of dudes who would scream about drinking milk and roll around stage faking epileptic retardation, Fugazi has come a long, long way.
