The Messthetics/Helen Money/Relaxer

An instrumental trio featuring drummer Brendan Canty, bassist Joe Lally and guitarist Anthony Pirog, the Messthetics are the first band since that Canty and Lally have played in since they played together in the great D.C. punk band Fugazi. The group’s 2018 debut features nine songs recorded at Canty’s practice space throughout 2017, live and mostly without overdubs. Though more jazz-based than punk, it features the same kind of complex time signatures for which Fugazi was known. (Niesel)