Unrest

Unrest functioned as the leading group on the TeenBeat imprint that frontman Mark Robinson established himself, rising as a central force in the U.S. indie rock scene across the first half of the 1990s. Their path moved from the playful garage distortion of initial recordings through the luminous, energetic pop intensity of later and most lasting material, exemplifying independent principles by mastering stylistic range and a clever, sarcastic perspective on lyrics that largely shaped the character of college rock prior to grunge. Robinson, bassist Tim Moran, and drummer Phil Krauth assembled the group as students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA; taking the name from a Henry Cow album, the new trio appeared first on the opening TeenBeat issue, the 1985 cassette compilation Extremism in the Defense of Liberty Is No Vice. The collection contained 25 tracks captured without authorization at a performance in the Washington, D.C. venue the 9:30 Club, issued in roughly 60 copies and distributed mainly among Robinson’s fellow students; the featured performers included Jungle George & the Plague, fronted by another Wakefield attendee, Andrew Beaujon, who subsequently led the widely praised Eggs and served briefly with Unrest. Over the years TeenBeat grew into one of the most esteemed American independent labels of its time, advancing from photocopied artwork on early cassette issues to a steady stream of elegantly designed releases shaped by Robinson’s lasting admiration for the elaborate packaging of the British labels Factory and 4AD; its shifting roster mirrored the founder’s broad interests, releasing material from acts ranging from Versus to Gastr del Sol to Blast Off Country Style. TeenBeat’s second issue, the Unrest! cassette, appeared in spring 1985; captured live to two-track in Moran’s living room, the tape was followed soon by another cassette, Lisa Carol Freemont, providing early evidence of the abundant output that marked the band’s path, while Robinson and Krauth also worked together in a separate project called Clarence. Every Unrest release documented Robinson’s constantly changing lyrical and musical fascinations, which at the beginning of the group’s run frequently produced abrupt shifts from one track to the next that encompassed punk through funk. The band’s more extreme explorations render their informally self-titled 1987 debut LP more straightforward to respect than to savor: tracked with bassist Chris Thomson substituting for Moran, the album was pressed in 1,050 copies, each featuring a cover hand-embellished by acquaintances, so that every copy carried a unique title. An expanded version surfaced on Matador in 1993 under the title Fuck Pussy Galore and All Her Friends. Bassist Dave Park joined for Unrest’s second album, the 1988 Caroline Records release Malcolm X Park; although the record overall shows little cohesion, the appealing pop tracks “Can’t Sit Still” and “Christina” foreshadow the achievement of later work. Quiet in 1989 aside from the “Catchpellet” single, the trio returned the following year with their third LP, Kustom Karnal Blackxploitation, notable for their version of the Heathers soundtrack’s satirical protest song “Teenage Suicide.” With the 1991 single “Yes, She Is My Skinhead Girl,” Unrest reached a revered status in indie rock; issued jointly with the K Records label, its darting, unusual forward motion marked the group’s artistic arrival and drew favorable critical attention. Yet the addition of bassist Bridget Cross truly strengthened the Unrest sound; formerly of Velocity Girl, her deep, steady pulse closely recalled the groundbreaking lines of New Order’s Peter Hook, aligning with Robinson’s own Factory Records interest and supplying the ideal contrast to the intense strumming of his guitar playing. Fittingly, Cross first appeared on the 1991 Sub Pop Singles Club release A Factory Record, a four-song set of rarely heard covers drawn from the Factory catalog that included a striking interpretation of Miaow’s “When It All Comes Down.” The 1992 album Imperial f.f.r.r. stands as Unrest’s signature achievement, an expansive yet precisely directed pop landmark anchored by the single “Cherry Cream On.” The next record, 1993’s Perfect Teeth, appeared jointly with the 4AD label; it placed longtime Robinson idol Cath Carroll, the onetime Miaow singer who would later release several solo albums on TeenBeat, on the cover and listed Duran Duran’s Simon LeBon in jest as producer, while the standout track “Make Out Club” received MTV exposure. The EP Animal Park surfaced in early 1994, yet at the height of their recognition Unrest disbanded; while Krauth pursued a solo path, Robinson and Cross formed the brief project Air Miami. Robinson subsequently released multiple solo recordings under various names, among them Olympic Death Squad and Flin Flon.