Albums by this artist

Leaves Turn Inside You (2001)

A Single History (1999)

Interviews

Making Beautiful Noise
September 10, 1999

Unwound

A Single History

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» PIERO SCARUFFI | STAFF WRITER

Unwound A Single History Kill Rock Stars, 1999 RiYL: Fugazi, Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead

A Single History is a partial anthology of singles issued between 1991 and 1997 by acclaimed Washington post-punkers Unwound. Besides sporting two of the three songs from Unwound's first single, and a number of tracks from compilations, A Single History includes the relatively recent "Mile Me Deaf," a sophisticated composition which blends the math-rock leanings of early Sonic Youth with Big Black's angst.

Some of the compilation tracks rank among Unwound's most accomplished orchestrations. "Eternalux" sounds like an outtake from a goth band's ceremonial suite, while "The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train" is an atmospheric 10-minute experimental jam of noises and sampling, spun at a devilish pace.

Lesser-known singles will delight fans of Unwound's most adventurous music. The 1994 single "Negated" / "Said Serial" / "Census" tests out a Sonic Youth-like trilogy with a screamed, cacophonic, free-jazz fantasy and a gothic fanfare of horns. "Totality" is a mostly instrumental maelstrom of Wagnerian intensity, while "Mkultra" conjures up a powerful, dark Helmet-like groove-driven nightmare.

Missing are "Kandy Korn Rituals" and "You Bite My Tongue," two of the band's landmark singles. A Single History, then, does not even come close to being Unwound's definitive anthology, especially since its albums are all masterpieces and the singles (even if grouped together in their entirety) represent only a minimal part of the band's career and art. Nevertheless, this collection packs a real sonic punch. Recommended.

PIERO SCARUFFI | Piero Scaruffi runs the exhaustive music database Scaruffi.com. A native of Italy, he has also been praised for his work on the General Theory of Relativity, formal theories of the mind, and artificial intelligence. And no, we aren't making that up.