Monde UFO (and a brief Fugazi appreciation)…
We stumbled across Monde UFO (Los Angeles, CA) via their excellent '4 Songs' EP. Turns out, the songs referred to in the title are 4 Fugazi covers. And well, since Fugazi is pretty much the shit, interest was piqued. Fugazi called it quits in 2003 after a brilliant sign-off (more on that later), officially closing out a much more pure (and probably romanticized) period of “independent” music. Fugazi is from a time when bands capped show prices, refused huge sums of money to participate in corporate backed festivals, and denied licensing their music to big commercial ventures. Once upon a time, some bands just made music and played shows. And you bought records and went to see them. The 2000’s would usher in the age of “indie” rockers in Target ads. Which is totally fine. This isn’t a “get off my lawn” piece, and maybe refusing hoards of money for your work is stupid. Who knows, but it’s romantic as hell, and with bands like Fugazi, you actually believed them. Anyway, Fugazi isn’t exactly “underrated” but they aren’t Nirvana either. Perhaps they’re appropriately rated, but under-appreciated. Like The Clash. So, to find an interesting EP of covers of one of the most appropriately rated, under appreciated, romanticized bands around, was quite nice. But that’s only the first step. The folks doing the covering could still screw this up pretty badly, right?
The title of Monde UFO’s EP, 4 Songs, is already an appropriate homage, since Fugazi had both, an EP titled '3 songs' and an LP entitled '13 Songs.' So, are these cookie-cutter, carbon copies, performed by an aesthetically generic modern "punk rock" band? No sirs and ma'ams. A less clever band might've at least taken the opportunity to turn one of the few Fugazi songs that isn't already a post-punk ripper, into one, but luckily they even passed on that opportunity. It opens with a cover of "I'm So Tired.” A song that appears on the soundtrack to 'Instrument,' a 1999 documentary about Fugazi. Of note, I suppose, in its peculiarity among the Fugazi oeuvre, being a ballad featuring Ian MacKaye and a lone piano. It is transformed here, but in a more surprising and interesting way. The late 80's Casio keyboard drum pad intro, segues into a psych-jazz/lounge version of the song, which sets us up nicely for what is ahead. "I'm so tired, sheep are counting me..."
An excellent cover of "Long Division" from 'Steady Diet of Nothing' follows, again defying convention and easily making a case for its existence, which is always one of the primary challenges for any cover song. It's the first of two songs on the EP that are at once, faithful covers, and loose interpretations of the originals. This is mostly due to Monde UFO knowing who they are and what they do. The third track is a version of "Version," an instrumental track from 'Red Medicine.'
The fourth and final song on '4 Songs' is the ringer. 'Cashout' is the opener from one of the greatest swan-song records of all time, 2001's ‘The Argument.’ Most bands trail-off, run out of gas and sputter to their finish-lines. Fugazi just got better and better. 'The Argument' even bests Pavement's 'Terror Twilight' for swan-song records, maybe not counting untimely death “final records,” like 'In-Utero' or Joy Division's 'Closer' (I'm sure we’re missing some. Let us know) Fugazi was just a band that decided it was done as they peaked. They painted their masterpiece and put down the paint brush.
This version of 'Cashout' is, like ‘Long Division’, both strangely faithful and pleasantly adventurous at the same time. All of the anti-capitalist, people over profit messaging about the housing sector still comes through crystal clear, albeit in a more hazy, relaxed way.
"Furniture's out on the sidewalk next to the family
That little piggie went to market, so they're kicking out everyone
Talking about process and dismissal
Forced removal of the people on the corner
Shelter and location
Everybody wants somewhere..."
All of this is what makes Monde UFO's '4 songs' an endlessly enjoyable listen. It is Fugazi as your favorite psychedelic lounge act. But what might have been just an enjoyable diversion, eventually paid off learning that Monde UFO already has a full length available. It’s called 7171, and working backwards to it, from the Fugazi covers, was all the convincing we needed.
We're excited to be working with Monde UFO to release their new record in 2023. Until then, take a listen to 4 Songs & 7171. And keep an eye out for the next Monde UFO …I’m going to do it …"sighting.”
I did it.
Apologies.
Further listening:
Fugazi The Argument, Pavement Terror Twilight