I met rock star, record producer, label head and certifiable legend Ian MacKaye at a show once in an abandoned school in Northeast D.C. during the wee hours of the morning. There were maybe 15 people there to see the band and MacKaye was totally wearing early ‘90s-style surf shorts. MacKaye is always around the city, often dreaming of the glory days of the D.C. rock scene.
The Evens is MacKaye’s latest band-his last ones were Minor Threat and Fugazi, the definitive punk bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s, respectively-and on their self-titled debut album he does what a lot of older rockers ought to do: he slows down and simplifies, but still reaches a little bit. The result is a quietly menacing album whose steady intensity never quite hits its stride but nonetheless makes a compelling listen.
The band features MacKaye on baritone guitar and Amy Farina, another local punk rock veteran, on drums. Both excel at their shared vocal duties, harmonizing impeccably, if unchangingly, on dirge-like moans and chants. Songs reminiscent of Low’s slowcore are scattered throughout the album creating an air of depressing monotony that weakens the album, and making listeners want to take a break to seek sunshine.
But when MacKaye rocks, he goes all-out. Songs like “You Won’t Feel a Thing” and “Mt. Pleasant” bounce along on his chopped guitar as Farina regulates the pace with inspired drumming, telling us exactly what the duo thinks of depression, the government and urban decay in a truly entertaining fashion.
If Minor Threat played the angry kid’s punk, and Fugazi played the thinking man’s punk, then The Evens are the aging man’s post-punk band: somber, intelligent, occasionally self-indulgent but above all mature.
