Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums to expose the brilliance of the District’s rich indie rock past. This entry takes a swing at noise-mongering quartet Pitchblende’s knotty debut, Kill Atom Smasher (Cargo, 1993).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums to shine a light on the greatness of the District’s rich indie rock past. This installment focuses on riot grrrl instigators Cold Cold Hearts’ eponymous LP (Kill Rock Stars, 1997).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums in order to highlight the greatness and diversity of the District’s musical past. This entry focuses on the High-Back Chairs’ power pop triumph, Of Two Minds (Dischord, 1991).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums in order to shine a light on the greatness of the District’s musical past. This installment focuses on Heartworms’ indie pop gem Space Escapade (Darla, 1995).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District’s contributions to music over time. This entry focuses on Jawbox’s bulletproof third LP, For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Atlantic, 1994 / Dischord/DeSoto, 2009).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District’s contributions to music over time. This entry revisits Shudder to Think’s singular masterpiece, Pony Express Record (Epic, 1994).

Secret History profiles classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District’s contributions to music over time. This time around, we zero in on The Warmers’ bracing self-titled debut (Dischord, 1996).

The hardcore punk scene that flourished in D.C. in the 1980s served as a powerful incubator for good ideas and good bands. The energy, sense of community and abundance of all-ages venues provided a rock solid foundation for the creative process, making it possible for loads of bright, motivated kids to pick up instruments, write songs and make their noise heard.

Our occasional series “Secret History” features profiles of past D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District’s contributions to music over time. In this installment, we revisit garage-rock upstarts the Recoys’ Rekoys LP (Troubleman Unlimited/Realistic Records, 2003).

D.C.’s music scene has always been bigger and more diverse than the iconic hardcore and post-hardcore communities that for many have defined the city, and one needs look no further than Eggs for proof. A pioneering indie-pop outfit in the mold of Unrest, Eggs specialized in exploratory stylistic experimentalism and sonic dalliance, dipping their toes into post-punk, chamber pop, folk, stadium rock, prog and electronica while refusing to be pinned down.

DCist’s Secret History series kicked off last summer with an entry on the Dismemberment Plan’s classic Emergency & I (DeSoto, 1999), one of the best albums to come out of D.C. in the 90s, if not ever. But given that the original piece featured no comments from the band — now a Secret History staple — and that the D-Plan just announced reunion shows for 2011 and an Emergency & I reissue from Barsuk Records, we thought it might be a good time to re-post the Emergency & I piece, augmented with some observations and comments from Dismemberment Plan singer/guitarist Travis Morrison and bassist Eric Axelson. Enjoy!