Jawbox Surprise Releases New EP The Revisionist

Jawbox is back with a surprise EP The Revisionist after 26 years. The DC post-hardcore band is fronted by indie producer and future Burning Airlines member J. Robbins. According to Stereogum, the EP includes two reworked songs “Grip” and “Consolation Prize” from their 1991 debut album Grippe and cover of “Lowdown” from Wire’s album Pink Flag. The band explains on Bandcamp, “As Jawbox rehearsed for shows with the addition of guitarist Brooks Harlan, we reworked a couple of songs from our first record Grippe. We felt those, as well as a Wire cover, were worth recording. Enjoy!” The recordings include Zach Barocas on the drums, Kim Coletta on bass guitar and J. Robbins and Brooks Harlan with vocals and electric guitar. These are Jawbox’s first recordings with guitarist Brooks Harlan, who stepped in for original member Bill Bardot last year.

After splitting in 1997, Jawbox reunited for a December 2009 performance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon but didn’t perform again until 2019. According to Spin, frontman J. Robbins says the band felt the two Grippe tracks and the Wire cover “were worth recording” out of the many other songs that were rehearsed. The new versions of “Grip” and “Consolation Prize” sound clearer and more powerful in production and vocals.

The Wire cover became a band favorite. Jawbox has performed “Lowdown” several times on their 2022 tour which will continue into late July. Their final show of the tour will take place on July 23 in Washington D.C. and they will also play Riot Fest in Chicago on September 18.