''Margin Walker'' is the second EP by the American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

band

Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They were noted for their style-transc ...

. It was originally released in June 1989 on vinyl and again in the same year on the compilation release '' 13 Songs'' along with the debut EP ''

''. The 12" vinyl went out of print, but was remastered and reissued by Dischord Records in October 2009.

Background

''Margin Walker'' was recorded at Southern Studios in London, where Fugazi had finished their first European tour. It was produced by John Loder who was the engineer for several underground artists, including anarcho-punk band Crass which greatly influenced Fugazi. Originally intended to be their first studio album, ''Margin Walker'' was released as an EP due to what the members perceived as sub-par performances caused by the exhausting tour.

Reception

According to '' Trouser Press'', the EP "illustrates just how far Fugazi’s four have traveled from their hardcore beginnings. ..in MacKaye’s melodic guitar work, the tight, fluid rhythm section, the incisive lyrics and the sharply arranged vocal exchanges." "Continuing to develop the stylings he began with Minor Threat," it continues, "MacKaye manages to make the expletives in the vigorously monotonal, part spoken “Promises” sound somewhat eloquent." Andy Kellman of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

called it an "equally excellent follow-up to the Fugazi EP". ''Margin Walker'' was also voted the 2nd best EP of the year in the 1989 Pazz & Jop poll, behind

Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayl Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums, ''Ramblin' on My Mind (Lucinda Williams album), Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and ''Happy Woman Blues'' (198 ...

' '' Passionate Kisses''. In a 2014 retrospective piece on ''13 Songs'', ''

Washington City Paper The ''Washington City Paper'' is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area since 1981. The ''City Paper'' is distributed on Thursdays; its average circulation in 2006 was 85,588. The paper's editorial ...

'''s Brandon Gentry writes that " ile ''Margin Walker'' sounds more polished than ''Fugazi'', it doesn’t lack in intensity or intelligence. The title track’s stunray guitar and elastic bass lines are the ideal backdrop for MacKaye’s and Picciotto’s traded lyrical barbs. “And the Same” combines slashing chords and shouted invective into a scathing diatribe against racism and retrograde thinking. “Promises” is an insightful meditation on trust, betrayal, and the acceptance of disappointment."

Covers

"Margin Walker" was covered live by Wild Flag. "Provisional" was covered by The Dirty Nil as a b-side to their "No Weaknesses" single. Ryan Adams covered the track "Promises" live.

Track listing

Credits

Ian MacKaye Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (; born April 16, 1962) is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.–based independent record label, and the frontman of hardcore pu ...

– vocals & guitar * Guy Picciotto – vocals * Joe Lally – bass * Brendan Canty – drums

References

Fugazi EPs 1989 EPs Dischord Records EPs Albums produced by John Loder (sound engineer) {{1980s-punk-album-stub