End Hits

In the late '90s, underground rock fans were shifting their attention away from this seminal group and onto younger indie bands. This is partly why End Hits is Fugazi's most overlooked and underrated album. It’s possible that once the burden of being scene leaders was lifted, the members of Fugazi were better able to connect with each other. Certainly songs like “Break,” “Place Position," and “Arpeggiator” could have only come from a foursome that was deeply attuned to each instrumental voice. While Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto can still throw themselves into the fire with total physicality on songs like “Caustic Acrostic,” “Five Corporations," and “F/D,” they became increasingly comfortable with more abstract atmospherics of “Floating Boy,” “Pink Frosty," and “Recap Modotti,” the last of which marks a rare songwriting and vocal credit from bassist Joe Lally. Lally’s rotund and deeply focused bass work is a defining element of End Hits, but it's drummer Brendan Canty who gets the last word: his snare beats are the final sounds on the album and compose the “end hits” referred to in the album title.