''Embrace'' is the debut record and the only

release Release may refer to: * Art release, the public distribution of an artistic production, such as a film, album, or song * Legal release, a legal instrument * News release, a communication directed at the news media * Release (ISUP), a code to ident ...

by the American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...

Raggett, Ned
"''Embrace'': AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett"
''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

''. Retrieved January 24, 2016. band Embrace. The album, released by

Dischord Records Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in punk rock. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release ''Minor Disturbance'' by their band The Teen Idle ...

,Heller, Jason (November 18, 2014)
"Primer: Where to start with the righteous noise of Dischord Records"
''

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...

''. Retrieved April 11, 2016. consists of songs composed and performed in the context of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

's 1985 Revolution Summer by one of its mainstay acts. Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). ''Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital''. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. . p. 193. Although recorded between November 1985 and February 1986, the album would not be released until 1987, after the demise of that social movement and the dissolution of the band. Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). ''Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital''. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. . p. 209.

Production and release

''Embrace'' was compiled from the only two studio sessions the band recorded. The first eleven tracks were laid down in November 1985,''Embrace''
''

''. Retrieved January 24, 2016.''Embrace''
''

''. Retrieved January 29, 2016. while the other three were done in February 1986. Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). ''Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital''. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. . p. 202. All of the songs were recorded by the same lineup at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, with Don Zientara as

audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...

. The album was released in September

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...

on Dischord Records, in LP format.Embrace
''

''. Retrieved January 29, 2016.

Critical reception

Though not "as gripping or inventive" as that of

Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They are noted for their style-tr ...

's, the music in the record, "as a vehicle for an MacKaye'srighteous, cutting lyrics and strong voice", is "more than fine", according to reviewer Ned Raggett, who has described it as having production values that switched around from the "usual domination via guitar" with an emphasis on Ivor Hanson's drums, while comparing the work of guitarist Michael Hampton to

John McGeoch John Alexander McGeoch (25 August 1955 – 4 March 2004) was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977-1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980-1982). He has been described as one o ...

's early work with

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

bands

Magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

and

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...

. ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'', for its part, was of the view that: For Mark Jenkins, co-author with

Mark Andersen Mark Andersen is a punk rock community activist and author who lives in Washington D.C. He was born and raised in rural Montana, and moved to Washington D.C. in 1984 to attend graduate school at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International ...

of the book ''Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital'': Jenkins also pointed out that:

Reissues

In 1992, ''Embrace'' was

reissue In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or Single (music), single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New aud ...

d on CDDischord #DIS 24CD and

Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called the tape cassette, cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens ...

, featuring alternate

cover art Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper ( tabloid), comic book, video game (box art), music album (album art), ...

. In 2002, the original album was remastered by Chad Clark at Silver Sonya Recording and Mastering in Arlington, Virginia, for its re-release on CD, featuring, as bonus tracks, previously unreleased alternate versions of "Money" and "Dance of Days" taken from band's second recording session.''Embrace'', 2002 CD reissue
''

''. Retrieved February 5, 2016. This edition was reissued in 2008 on red vinyl, although without the additional cuts. Also in 2002, the song "Money" was featured on the 3-CD

compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products *Compilation thesis M ...

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

20 Years of Dischord ''20 Years of Dischord'' is a three-disc box set compiled by Washington-based record label Dischord Records to commemorate its 20th anniversary. Overview ''20 Years of Dischord'' is a concise but representative musical chronicle of the first ...

''.Various artists, ''20 Years of Dischord''
''

''. Retrieved February 3, 2016.Various artists, ''20 Years of Dischord''
''

''. Retrieved February 3, 2016. In 2009, the album was remastered again, this time at Chicago Mastering Service in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Illinois, for a reissue in its original vinyl disc format and cover art.

Track listings

1987 LP release

2002 remastered CD reissue

Personnel

Embrace * Ian MacKaye –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

* Mike Hampton –

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

(except for

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

B5) * Chris Bald –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Ivor Hanson –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* Edward Janney – guitar (B5)Smith, Chris (August 12, 2002)
"Caught at a Distance - Embrace, Rites of Spring, and One Last Wish"
''

Stylus Magazine ''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog. Addi ...

''. Retrieved February 8, 2016. Production * Embrace -

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

(A1 to B4) * Ian MacKaye - co-production (B5 to B7) * Edward Janney - co-production (B5 to B7) * Don Zientara –

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

* Chris Bald –

artwork A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an artistic creation of aesthetic value. Except for "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from literature ...

(front cover

drawing Drawing is a form of visual art in which an artist uses instruments to mark paper or other two-dimensional surface. Drawing instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, colored pencils, crayons, ...

) *

Cynthia Connolly Cynthia Connolly (born 1964) is an American photographer, curator, graphic designer, and artist. Career Connolly graduated from Corcoran College of Art and Design. She worked for Dischord Records and d.c. space in Washington, DC. In 1988, she p ...

– artwork (back cover

screen printing Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open mes ...

) * Leslie Clague –

photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...

Additional production (1992 CD and MC reissues) *

J. Robbins James Robbins (best known as J. Robbins) is an American rock musician. Career Robbins began his career as a bassist for Government Issue, and has also led five of his own bands: Jawbox, Rollkicker Laydown, Burning Airlines, Channels, and Off ...

–

graphic design Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdiscipli ...

* Chris Bald – artwork (front cover drawing) * Cynthia Connolly – artwork (CD back cover screen printing) * Leslie Clague – photography * Tina Atkinson – photography * Kathy Cashel –

typography Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line-spacing ( leading), and ...

* Jane Bogart – ''illegible credit'' Additional production (2002 remastered CD reissue) * Ian MacKaye - co-production (15, 16) * Edward Janney - co-production (15, 16) * Chad Clark -

remastering Remaster refers to quality enhancement of sound and/or picture of a previously existing recording. Remastering may also refer to: *Software remastering Software remastering is software development that recreates system software and software appl ...

* Jason Farrell – graphic design * Chris Bald – artwork (front cover drawing) * Cynthia Connolly – artwork (inlay screen printing) * Leslie Clague – photography * Dave McDuff – photography Additional production (2009 remastered LP reissue) * Jason Ward - remastering

Notes

References

External links

''Embrace''
''

''. Articles * Smith, Chris (August 12, 2002)
"Caught at a Distance - Embrace, Rites of Spring, and One Last Wish"
''

''. Reviews * Leland, John; Rabid, Jack; Fasolino, Greg
"Minor Threat"
''

''. * Sabo (July 31, 2003)
"Embrace – s/t (Dischord, 1986)"
''

Blogcritics Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn. Blogcritics features more than 100 original articles every week, and maintains an archive of all its published con ...

''. * Jenkins, Mark (April 22, 2011)
"Wondering Sound - Reviews: Embrace, ''Embrace''"
'' Wondering Sound''. * Norton, Justin M. (October 17, 2012)
"13 Essential DC Hardcore Albums: Embrace - Embrace (Dischord, 1987)"
''

Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...

''. * Prindle, Mark
"Embrace: The Good Will Out My Eye!"
''Mark's Record Reviews''. * Chedsey, John (March 2000)

''Satan Stole My Teddybear''. Archived fro

on February 2, 2016. Videos * Zararity (December 29, 2014)
''Embrace - Live at the 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. 1986 (Complete and remastered)''
(Embrace's final show). ''

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

''. {{Authority control Embrace (American band) albums 1987 debut albums