With the hiatus of Fugazi there has been an undeniable void in the punk universe. However, for those who can't wait for the band to come back, Ian MacKaye has joined up with Amy Farina, of the Warmers, to form the Evens.

The sparse two-person lineup of MacKaye on baritone guitar and Farina on drums makes for a stripped, simple form of music that is actually reminiscent of 60's folk rock. Most of the melodies are formed with the vocals of both MacKaye and Farina, whose singing weaves strands of their individual voices with an occasional harmonious overlap.

But at the same time, there is a definite Ian MacKaye fingerprint on the Evens. Some of the rhythms used could easily belong on a Fugazi song, and the subdued rage in MacKaye's lyrics and vocals are an extension of what appeared on Fugazi's last album, The Argument.

At the same time, Farina is a near perfect compliment to MacKaye. Her simple yet skillful drumming blends perfectly with MacKaye's subtle guitar work, while her understated vocals add a balance that the eternally pissed-off MacKaye actually needs in such a subdued work. Farina provides the Evens with warmth and she frequently outshines her legendary partner.

12 Songs itself is overtly political. The two-person lineup creates songs that could live alongside 60's folk acts like Joan Baez in songs like "All These Governors" and "Blessed Not Lucky." The music's simplicity helps it to avoid the air of preachiness that always dogs MacKaye.

However, there are still strong ties to the two punk rockers' pasts. "If It's Water" and "Mt. Pleasant Isn't" show that the Evens can provide the aggressiveness and righteous anger that one would expect from its members.

12 Songs also includes some exceptional almost chant-like works that The Evens throw at their listeners. "Sara Lee" and "Until They're Clear" feature hollow, tribal drumbeats with very simple and elegant harmony vocals.

There are some drawbacks to 12 Songs, though. Sometimes it feels like the Evens are holding back in the interests of creating a project that is different from the members' previous work. In addition, there is actually fairly little unity in the album outside of its political theme. As pointed out above, there are outstanding works in the lines of folk-revival, subdued punk and near chant like quality. The simple fact is that 12 Songs is somewhat incoherent.

However, in the end the outstanding songs and the strong contributions of individual members make the Evens' debut effort a strong, new addition to both members' careers. It's great music to give an in-depth listen to or to simply chill out to while writing a paper. The music's elegance and versatility make up for 12 Songs lack of coherence.

Grade: B

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 10 2005.