Beefeater

Beefeater were a four-piece post-hardcore band from Washington, DC that were active between 1984 and 1986. As such, they were a vital part of the "Revolution Summer" movement that saw DC punk bands move into more innovative and melodic territory, with an emphasis on pointedly political and introspective lyricism. As such, it (unintentionally) became the birthplace of "emo" with bands like Rites Of Spring and Embrace. I don't think Beefeater are quite in the same sonic category as them, but this boundary-pushing ideology is certainly shared, as they injected a variety of genre influences from funk, dub, and jazz into the raw attack of a hardcore band heavily inspired by Bad Brains and Minutemen. Their riffs are windingly discordant, their rhythms frenetically off-kilter, and Squip's vocal delivery is as manically dynamic as they come. They released one EP and two albums, with the two LP's both put out by Dischord and later compiled onto one release (along with bonus compilation songs). I say this a lot but it is astounding that I missed putting here until now; they're one of the most under-appreciated and radical bands to come out of the 80's DC scene, and returning to them now after so many years has been joyous to say the least. Enjoy.

Plays For Lovers (1985)

1. Trash Funk

2. Reagonomix

3. Song For Lucky

4. 4 3 2 1

5. Mr. Silverbird

6. Manic D.

7. Mourning

8. Satyagraha

9. A Dog Day

10. Red Carpet

11. Assholes Among Us

12. Beefeater

13. Fred's Song (Slam Dancing)

14. I Miss You

15. Out Of The Woods

Need A Job (1986)

1. In America

2. Need A Job

3. Laurel Grove

4. Apartheid

5. Gov't Worker

6. Better'n Me

House Burning Down (1987)

1. Introlude

2. Just Things

3. Bedlam Rainforest

4. Interlude

5. Move Me Strong

6. Interlude

7. One Soul Down

8. Ain't Got No Time (Kenny's Piece)

9. Interlude

10. Sinking Me

11. Dover Beach (Tomas' Piece)

12. Insurrection Chant

13. 40 Sonnets On Plants (Dug's Piece)

14. With You Always

15. Fredittude (Fred's Piece)

16. Live The Life

Plays For Lovers & House Burning Down (1992)

1. Trash Funk

2. Reagonomix

3. Song For Lucky

4. 4 3 2 1

5. Mr. Silverbird

6. Manic D.

7. Mourning

8. Satyagraha

9. A Dog Day

10. Red Carpet

11. Assholes Among Us

12. Beefeater

13. Fred's Song (Slam Dancing)

14. I Miss You

15. Out Of The Woods

16. Wars In Space

17. Just Things

18. Bedlam Rainforest

19. Move Me Strong

20. One Soul Down

21. Ain't Got No Time

22. Sinking Me

23. Dover Beach

24. Insurrection Chant

25. 40 Sonnets On Plants

26. With You Always

27. Freditude

28. Live The Life

29. Blind Leads Blind

Note: Compilation including both LPs and compilation tracks "Wars In Space" and "Blind Leads Blind"

Dischord Records

Bandcamp

Spotify