Records: Unwound's Challenge for a Civilized Society

It's December 1996, and there is one thought that soothes the sting of late-night studying and boring lectures: the rerelease of Star Wars. Sifting through the shelves of trashy Entertainment Weeklies, I stumble upon a photograph of astounding import for the world of rock and roll. A photographer has caught Mark Hamill strolling with his family into the Los Angeles opening of Star Wars. More importantly, Hamill's son sports a T-shirt bearing the name of the Olympia, Wash. trio, Unwound. The Jedi had officially given rock music their seal of approval.

On Challenge for a Civilized Society, Unwound demonstrates why it is the perfect musical icon for those mystic warriors. Unwound unleashes its blend of angular guitar riffs and maniacally driving drum and bass accompaniment. Although it can be chaotic, if you let the Force flow and listen with your feelings (à la Obi-wan Kenobi), you settle into the lush soundscape, shake your booty, and find yourself chanting along with vocalist Justin Tromper's empty-headed punkish spit anthems. It is this management of thunderous chaos that makes every Unwound album fun.

This latest release shows that the band has moved beyond the elementary moves of balancing rocks and robots while performing handstands. "Lifetime Achievement Award" is an uncharacteristic poppy ballad ornamented with abrupt shifts in drum tones and spots of backward vocals. Unwound also jettisons the incessant groove for spurts of unrelenting noise, such as the five-minute chimefest that closes "Side Effects of Being Tired."

Of course, you have to take on Han Solo's cynical stance at times and laugh at just how seriously the members of Unwound take themselves. While the album title can be dismissed as ironic self-aggrandizement, choruses like, "laugh track inside your head" remind you of just how ridiculous Luke Skywalker looked strutting around Jabba's lair in that silly cloak. But if you let go of your hate, you can enjoy some fine moments of rocking out...Jedi-style.

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