Washington, DC · post-hardcore

Burning Airlines

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J. Robbins's angular post-hardcore, reunited — Dischord DNA all over it, wiry riffs and odd meters from one of the DC scene's sharpest writers.

Burning Airlines formed in Washington, DC in 1997, led by J. Robbins after Jawbox split up. Robbins recruited Jawbox bandmate Bill Barbot and drummer Peter Moffett, who had played with Robbins years earlier in Government Issue and briefly filled in for Jawbox. The band's name comes from a Brian Eno song, "Burning Airlines Give You So Much More."

Working in the tightly wound, angular strain of post-hardcore associated with DC, the band paired dissonant guitar figures and shifting time signatures with Robbins's melodic instincts as singer and songwriter.

Burning Airlines released a self-titled 7-inch in 1998 and split singles with At the Drive-In and Braid, then issued their debut album, Mission: Control!, on DeSoto Records in 1999. After Barbot left, unwilling to tour as heavily as the rest wanted, Mike Harbin, a longtime friend and former Jawbox roadie, took over on bass, and the retooled band toured hard, adding second guitarist Benjamin Pape and recording Identikit, released in 2001.

The band was midway through a major North American tour when the September 11 attacks occurred, and several venues refused to post the band's name on marquees afterward. Burning Airlines weighed changing its name but kept it, then split abruptly in 2002.

Alongside his own bands, Robbins built a wide reputation as a recording engineer and producer, working on records for numerous punk and independent groups. Burning Airlines has since reunited to play again.

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post-hardcore