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The Messthetics

{{Short description|Jazz punk group}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = The Messthetics

| image = The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis.jpg

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| caption = The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis performing at Newport Jazz Festival, 2024

| origin = Washington, D.C., U.S.

| genre = Experimental rock, Progressive rock, Art punk, Jazz fusion, Post-hardcore

| years_active = 2016–present

| label = Dischord

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|https://themessthetics.bandcamp.com/}}

| current_members = *Joe Lally

| past_members =

}}

The Messthetics is an American musical group founded by bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty of Fugazi, along with guitarist Anthony Pirog.{{cite web|last=Gotrich|first=Lars|title=Hear The First Track From The Messthetics' Debut, Featuring Fugazi's Rhythm Section|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/01/30/581532866/hear-the-first-track-from-the-messthetics-debut-featuring-fugazi-s-rhythm-sectio|publisher=NPR|date=January 30, 2018|accessdate=March 16, 2019}} Their music is entirely instrumental and has been described as "jazz punk jam."{{cite web|last=Le-Huu|first=Bao|title=The Messthetics prove to be more than the sum of their Fugazi parts at Will's Pub |url=https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/03/29/the-messthetics-prove-to-be-more-than-the-sum-of-their-fugazi-parts-at-wills-pub|publisher=Orlando Weekly|date=March 29, 2019|accessdate=May 27, 2019}}

History

Lally was a founding member of the influential underground punk band Fugazi in 1986, while Canty joined in '87. Fugazi went on an extended hiatus in 2003, though the band's four members remained friends and occasionally had casual gatherings where they performed music privately.{{cite web|url=https://www.culturecreature.com/fugazi-reunion/ |title=Fugazi's still around--they just went underground |publisher=culturecreature.com |date=January 19, 2017 |access-date=October 9, 2017}}

Lally had been living in Rome{{cite web|last=Moore|first=Meghin|title=Breaking new ground and dodging the familiar: The Messthetics' Joe Lally |url=https://www.dailyprogress.com/entertainment/music/breaking-new-ground-and-dodging-the-familiar-the-messthetics-joe/article_901f3bf8-44ce-11e9-b4e7-f7b093547806.html|publisher=The Daily Progress|date=March 14, 2019|accessdate=March 16, 2019}} and upon returning to Washington, D.C., he hooked back up with Canty and played some solo recordings for the drummer. Canty suggested Pirog join them as he had previously been impressed by the guitarist.{{cite web|last=Thornhill|first=James|title=The Messthetics are the band every Fugazi fan needs in their life|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-messthetics-are-the-band-every-fugazi-fan-needs-in-their-life|publisher=Louder Sound|date=February 13, 2019|accessdate=March 16, 2019}} When the three started jamming they clicked as a band and Pirog invited the other two to be his rhythm section for a planned project with John Zorn's Tzadik Records. They didn't end up recording for Tzadik as at their first show Fugazi member Ian MacKaye was impressed enough to offer them a spot on Dischord Records.

The band's first album, eponymously entitled The Messthetics, was released by Dischord in 2018.{{cite web|last=Berman|first=Stuart|title=The Messthetics|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-messthetics-the-messthetics/|publisher=Pitchfork|date=March 31, 2018|accessdate=March 16, 2019}}{{cite web|last=Heller|first=Jason|title=Review: The Messthetics, 'The Messthetics'|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/15/593155708/first-listen-the-messthetics-the-messthetics|publisher=NPR|date=March 15, 2018|accessdate=March 16, 2019}} It was recorded live in Canty’s practice room.{{cite web|last=Setnyk|first=Jason|title=Interview with The Messthetics and Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty|url=https://theseeker.ca/2019/07/interview-the-messthetics-fugazi-drummer-brendan-canty/|publisher=The Cornwall Seeker|date=July 16, 2019|accessdate=July 27, 2019}} Their follow-up album, Anthropocosmic Nest, was released on September 6, 2019.{{cite web|last=Breihan|first=Tom|title=The Messthetics – "Better Wings"|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2050684/the-messthetics-better-wings/music/|publisher=Stereogum|date=July 10, 2019|accessdate=July 27, 2019}} by Dischord Records. The album was featured in Bandcamp's "The Best Punk on Bandcamp" for September 2019.{{cite web|title=The Best Punk on Bandcamp: September 2019|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/2019/09/30/best-punk-on-bandcamp-september-2019/|website=Bandcamp|date=September 30, 2019|accessdate=October 3, 2019}}

Discography

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.dischord.com/band/messthetics The Messthetics] at Dischord
  • [https://themessthetics.bandcamp.com The Messthetics] at Bandcamp

{{The Messthetics|state=expanded}}

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Category:American art rock groups

Category:Dischord Records artists

Category:Indie rock musical groups from Washington, D.C.

Category:Musical trios from Washington, D.C.

Category:Musical groups established in 2016