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Embrace (American band Embrace album)

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AllMusic[4]

Embrace is the debut album and the only release by the American post-hardcore[4] band Embrace.[3]

The album, an underappreciated treasure in the Dischord catalog,[5] was conceived and recorded in the context of the Revolution Summer by one of its mainstay acts,[3][6] although it was not released until 1987, after the demise of the movement and the dissolution of the band.[2][3]

Production and release

Embrace was compiled from the only two studio sessions the band recorded.[4] The first eleven tracks were laid down in November 1985,[7][8] while the other three were done in February 1986.[7][8][9] All of the songs were recorded by the same lineup at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia,[8] with Don Zientara as the audio engineer.[4]

The album was released in September 1987 on Dischord Records,[3][8] in LP format.[nb 1][10]

Critical reception

Though not "as gripping or inventive" as that of Fugazi's, the music in the record, "as a vehicle for [Ian MacKaye's] righteous, cutting lyrics and strong voice", is "more than fine", according to reviewer Ned Raggett, who has described it as having production values that switched around from the "usual domination via guitar" with an emphasis on [Ivor Hanson's] drums, while has compared the work of guitarist Michael Hampton with John McGeoch's early work with post-punk bands Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees.[4]

Trouser Press, for its part, was of the view that:

"If not equal to Minor Threat's one-of-a-kind sonic excellence, Embrace['s instrumentals] are strong and muscular, an effective backdrop for MacKaye ... The confrontational lyricist [that delivers] an impressive [vocal] performance ... transforming an okay mid-tempo punk LP into a great one."[11]

For Mark Jenkins, co-author with Mark Andersen of the book Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital:[nb 2]

"Embrace featured some of Ian MacKaye's most vivid and direct (and frequently angry) sermons against greed, delusion and self-destruction, backed by tight, tuneful and slightly psychedelic punk."[12]

Jenkins also pointed out that:

"Not all the lyrics are MacKaye's ... bassist Chris Bald, who named the band, had a major role in shaping its sensibility."[12]

Reissues

In 1992, Embrace was reissued on CD[nb 3] and Compact Cassette,[nb 4][10] featuring alternate cover art.

In 2002, the album was remastered by Chad Clark at Silver Sonya Recording and Mastering in Arlington, Virginia, for its re-release on CD, which featured, as bonus tracks, previously unreleased alternate versions of "Money"[nb 5] and "Dance of Days" taken from band's second recording session.[8][10][14] In 2008, this edition was reissued on red vinyl disc, although without the additional cuts.[nb 6]

Also in 2002, the song "Money" was featured on the 3-CD compilation box set 20 Years of Dischord.[nb 7][15][16]

In 2009, the album was remastered again, this time at Chicago Mastering Service in Chicago, Illinois, for a reissue in its original vinyl disc format and cover art.[nb 8][8]

Track listings

1987 LP release

All tracks are written by Embrace[7]

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Give Me Back"2:32
2."Dance of Days"2:16
3."Building"1:58
4."Past"1:53
5."Spoke"2:00
6."Do Not Consider Yourself Free"2:23
7."No More Pain"3:11
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."I Wish I"2:11
2."Said Gun"2:11
3."Can't Forgive"2:31
4."Money"2:37
5."If I Never Thought About It"2:32
6."End of a Year"2:36
7."Last Song"2:27
Total length:33:18

2002 remastered CD edition

All tracks are written by Embrace

No.TitleLength
1."Give Me Back"2:32
2."Dance of Days"2:16
3."Building"1:58
4."Past"1:53
5."Spoke"2:00
6."Do Not Consider Yourself Free"2:23
7."No More Pain"3:11
8."I Wish I"2:11
9."Said Gun"2:11
10."Can't Forgive"2:31
11."Money"2:37
12."If I Never Thought About It"2:32
13."End of a Year"2:36
14."Last Song"2:27
Bonus tracks[10][14]
No.TitleLength
15."Money" (alternate version)2:48
16."Dance of Days" (alternate version)2:41
Total length:38:47

Personnel

Notes

  1. ^ Dischord #DIS 24
  2. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 9781887128490.
  3. ^ Dischord #DIS 24CD
  4. ^ Dischord #DIS 24C
  5. ^ Aka "Money Song".[13]
  6. ^ However, it came with a free coupon for the digital download in MP3 format of the entire album and its two bonus tracks.
  7. ^ Dischord #DIS 125
  8. ^ It included a free coupon for the digital download of the 2002 remastered version of the album, including its bonus tracks.[8]

References

  1. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Updated ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. pp. 202-203.
  2. ^ a b DePasquale, Ron. "Embrace: Artist Biography by Ron DePasquale". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e Hall, Oliver. "Embrace – Biography". amoeba.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e Raggett, Ned. "Embrace: AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  5. ^ Heller, Jason (November 18, 2014). "Primer: Where to start with the righteous noise of Dischord Records". avclub.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  6. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Updated ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 193.
  7. ^ a b c Embrace. allmusic.com. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Dischord Records: Embrace, s/t. dischord.com. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  9. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Updated ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 202.
  10. ^ a b c d Dischord Records: Embrace. dischord.com. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  11. ^ Leland, John; Rabid, Jack; Fasolino, Greg. "TrouserPress.com :: Minor Threat". trouserpress.com. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Jenkins, Mark (April 22, 2011). "Wondering Sound - Reviews: Embrace, Embrace". wonderingsound.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  13. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Updated ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 196.
  14. ^ a b Embrace, 2002 remastered CD edition. allmusic.com. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  15. ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. dischord.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  16. ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. allmusic.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  17. ^ Smith, Chris (August 12, 2002). "Caught at a Distance: Embrace, Rites of Spring, and One Last Wish". stylusmagazine.com. Retrieved February 8, 2016.

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