As a robust rock underground got swallowed alive by the Major Label Industrial Complex, the very autonomous Unwound – Olympia, Washington’s Great Noise Hope – toed the troublesome line between paycheck and Check Engine light. Captured in the gaps of a ruthless touring schedule, defining fourth and fifth albums The Future of What and Repetition were issued in the back-to-back springs of 1995 and ’96. Both find the band severing their post-hardcore roots, for gripping detours into Echoplex, kraut, D&B, and Mingus, as guided by a sun-worn copy of Book Your Own Fuckin’ Life.

No Energy collects both of these 1990s masterworks, beginning with Justin Trosper’s home-made haircut stabs on “New Energy,” continuing with Vern Rumsey’s reanimating bass on “Corpse Pose,” and closing in a wall of Sara Lund crash cymbals on “For Your Entertainment.” This 32-song collection is buttressed by singles and period live tracks, a pile of double-exposed photographs, and a 10,000 word essay by latter-day Unwound diarist David Wilcox. 

NO ENERGY COMPLETE TRACKLISTING

1. New Energy

2. Demolished

3. Natural Disasters

4. Re-Enact the Crime

5. Equally Stupid

6. Pardon My French

7. Decision

8. Accidents on Purpose

9. Petals Like Bricks

10. Vern’s Answer to the Masses

11. Here Come the Dogs

12. Disappoint

13. Swan

14. Message Received

15. Corpse Pose

16. Unauthorized Autobiography

17. Lowest Common Denominator

18. Sensible

19. Lady Elect

20. Fingernails on a Chalkbo ard

21. Murder Movies

22. Next Exit

23. Devoid

24.Go to Dallas and Take a Left

25. For Your Entertainment

26. Corpse Pose (Single Version)

27. Everything is Weird

28. Seen Not Heard

29. Next Exit

30. MKULTRA

31. Usual Dosage

32. Swan