The Best Band You’ve Never Heard: Unwound
What qualifies a group as a cult act has always been a loose set of conditions, varying from case to case. However, broadly speaking, they can be classified as acts that never got the wider recognition they deserved. Unwound is one rock band that fits into this category, with more consequence than most of their contemporaries.
Emerging in an area awash with soon-to-be influential acts, Unwound were formed in 1988 in Tumwater and Olympia, Washington. While they currently consist of frontman/guitarist Justin Trosper, bassist Jared Warren, guitarist Scott Seckington, and drummer Sara Lund, it was the presence of late bassist Vern Rumsey that would see them develop such a distinctive and pioneering sonic character.
Unwound were mostly more artistically viable than most of the so-called ‘grunge’ scene and also more futuristic. This was because they increasingly blurred lines between genres and sensations, something the imminent postmodern era would deem a prerequisite of success in any form.
The group was originally founded by Trosper, Rumsey and drummer Brandt Sandeno under the name ‘Giant Henry’, which they soon changed to ‘Cygnus X-1’ before settling on Unwound, a tag befitting of their emergent sound. Then, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place when drummer Lund replaced Sandeno in July 1992. Trosper, Rumsey, and Lund were in the lineup until they split in 2002.
Together, they recorded seven acclaimed albums, which made them one of the most influential of the 1990s. In some parts post-hardcore and others, avant-garde, indie, noise, and post-rock, Unwound’s music was fuelled by an unwavering dedication to DIY ethics. It saw them take the best of the Washington scene, purify it, and create sparks from the constant tension between pop-oriented melodies and musical dissonance. As the cherry on the cake, Rumsey’s lyrics would augment the package with a touch of nihilism, sung through Trosper’s expressionistic and often screeching vocals.
Unwound had a definitive creative arc, too, which makes them an even more compelling prospect. Their early work is by far their most angular, funnelling the bleak prospects of the age made famous by Generation X’s most prominent bands into swarthy but groove-laden sounds. These palettes were carried by Lund’s complex rhythms and Rumsey’s unique bass tone, with his Fender Jazz model bringing a host of direct but syncopated lines to the fore.
His metallic, almost industrial approach would be the glue for much of their best early work, with ‘Kantina’ and ‘Dragnalus’ from their 1993 debut, Fake Train, demonstrating his central importance. He and Lund formed one of the most underrated rhythm sections in rock, and in terms of pure heaviness, ‘Lucky Acid’ clearly outlines the extent of the trio’s collective might.
It must be noted that Lund and Trosper are also widely underrated forces on their respective instruments. Regarding the latter, he is among the few whose work is heard in that of so many subsequent artists without being recognised. Constantly locomoting and pushing the wood to its absolute limits, he has provided many moments that confirm his status as an underrated player. From Trail of Dead and Thursday to True Widow and Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis, his performances have coloured the fringes of rock music, from minimalist sculptures to rougher cuts.
After the band’s debut was released on the cult independent label Kil Rock Stars, the group’s star continued to rise. By the latter stages of the decade, they had made good on the promise of their first few releases. On 1996’s Repetition, which includes the entry-point for many, ‘Corpse Pose’ and 1998’s Challenge for a Civilized Society, the trio continued to push forward. This was aided by the refinement afforded by experience and the addition of synthesisers, as well as other textures such as the harpsichord, slide guitar and vibraphone.
The culmination of it all was 2001’s Leaves Turn Inside You, the trio’s last studio length to date and their only double album. It saw them push the parameters more intensely than ever in an explicitly avant-garde direction. An absolute masterpiece that ranges from the expansive sonic adventure of ‘Terminus’, which features hair-raising orchestral movements, to the harmonious suspension of ‘Look a Ghost’, this was Unwound more tightly connected than they’d ever been artistically. It was ironic, given that they were about to fall apart at the seams.
The end of Unwound’s first chapter emerged in 2002 when the band announced their split after a catastrophic tour supporting their latest album. The decision was prompted by Rumsey’s fraught alcoholism, a reaction to the stress of touring. Plans for a reunion were frequently discussed during the following decade but never materialised before the bassist’s death in August 2020, as he had been suffering long-term health issues.
Then, just as the dream of reformation seemed to have faded for fans with the passing of Rumsey, in July 2022, Lund and Trosper surprisingly announced that they were reforming Unwound. In 2023, they played their first shows in over 20 years, with Warren and Seckington in tow. Hopefully, the future will produce new music, but it wouldn’t be a disaster if they didn’t. There’s nothing worse than a group ruining a legacy without a key member.
