Unrest was an Arlington, VA indie band of the late 80s and early 90s. Started off as a rough artsy punk band; eventually ended up being one of the definitive indie-pop bands.

Mark Robinson (vocals, guitar) and Phil Krauth (drums) played together in a bunch of high school bands; in 1985 they formed Unrest with Dave Park (bass). Robinson founded Teenbeat records to release their music, which at the time owed much to the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene. In 1990 Park left the band, and Bridget Cross, an early member of Velocity Girl, joined the band and began to share the vocals with Robinson. As a result the band grew much more upbeat and pop, though no less eclectic. They signed with 4AD in 1992 and released the ludicrously good Perfect Teeth the following year.

Unrest broke up in 1994, releasing two compilations/reissues after their demise. Robinson and Cross recruited members of Versus and Eggs and formed Air Miami, a band sounding very similar to Unrest's most pop moments. Krauth went on to release several solo albums on Robinson's still thriving Teenbeat label. Robinson has also been invlolved with many other bands: Grenadine (with Jenny Toomey of Tsunami), Olympic Death Squad, Flin Flon, as well as several solo releases under the name Mark E. Superstar.

A segment of "Make-Out Club," from Perfect Teeth, is featured in The State sketch "Lunch with the State."

Full-lengths:
Unrest cassette - Teenbeat - 1985
Lisa Carol Freemont cassette - Teenbeat - 1985
Tink of S. E. - Teenbeat - 1987
Twister cassette - Teenbeat - 1988
Malcolm X Park - Caroline / Teenbeat - 1988
Kustom Karnal Blackxploitation - Caroline / Teenbeat - 1990
Imperial f. f. r. r. - Caroline / Teenbeat - 1992
Perfect Teeth - 4AD - 1993
Fuck Pussy Galore (and All Her Friends) - Matador - 1994 (includes a reissue of Tink of S. E.)
B. P. M. singles compilation - Teenbeat - 1995

Singles (selected):
"Yes She Is My Skinhead Girl" 7" - K Records - 1991
A Factory Record EP - Sub Pop - 1991
"Bavarian Mods" 7" - Homestead - 1992
"Isabel" 7"/CD single - 4AD / Teenbeat - 1992
split w/ Stereolab - Teenbeat - 1993
"Cath Carroll" 7"/CD single - Warner Bros. / 4AD / Teenbeat - 1993
Animal Park EP - Teenbeat - 1994

Un*rest" (?), n.

Want of rest or repose; unquietness; sleeplessness; uneasiness; disquietude.

Is this, quoth she, the cause of your unrest! Chaucer.

Can calm despair and wild unrest Be tenants of a single breast? Tennyson.

 

© Webster 1913.

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