This Track Is Fire!

I'm going to sound like a hipster here when I go on about how I knew about Billie Eilish before she hit it bigt, but to be fair, my girls were listening to Billie when she was just the 14-year-old girl releasing her music on Soundcloud. That was a years ago now, but that doesn't mean that Billie has lost her luster. Sometimes, in my quiet moments I like to throw this song on and just revel in the powerful lyrics that this teenage girl wrote and made a song with her older brother. Occassionally inspired music is simple like that, but also particularly poigant. Don't you know too much already? I'll only hurt you if you let me Call me friend but keep me closer (call me back) And I'll call you when the party's over Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own And I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that Yeah, I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that I'm a man in my 50s who has experienced love/loss/pain in so many differ...

Far too often bands get their time in the spotlight and after a good run they seem to either lose their creative spark, or tastes shift and their audience just kind of dries up. I am happy to report that this has not  been the case with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, aka OMD. Since they returned as a proper group with The History Of Modern  in 2010 they have shown that they are reinvigorated, contining to make catchy synthpop tunes (like this one) whilst also experimenting with more creative pieces. While the halcycon days for groups like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, and their peers may have been the 80s/90s, albums like Bauhaus Staircase  show that these are not nostalgia acts, but rather bands that are still putting out refreshing work that continues to push against the boundaries of popular music. Enjoy!

There are many song lyrics that are considered genius and in that group I could like to add the line, "it kicks like a sleep twitch!" And really, considering the strong lyrical content of this entire song, that's saying something. Darling Just don't put down your guns yet If there really was a god here He'd have raised a hand by now Now darling You're born, get old and die here Well that's quite enough for me We'll find our own way home somehow Personally, for me it's all about the music, with the lyrics being secondary, but sometimes lyrics "kick like a sleep twitch!" and you're forced to take notice. God damn, this song is just so fucking good. Enjoy!

So, the press is very certain that they have identified the formerly anonymous artist known as Banksy, but I am not here to talk about that, per se. For years there was speculation that Robert Del Naja, AKA 3D, was perchance Banksy. That no longer appears to be the case, but the more important thing here is that he is  an artist in his own right, a former member of the Wild Bunch street art collective, and one of the leading forces of Massive Attack. This track may be nearly 28 years old, but in my opinion it is opening track of the best album to come out of the 90s. You can make your own arguments, but this is my pick. I love hearing that driving bassline roll over me. Here's to a good week! Enjoy!

In late January my friend Jeff sent me a link to an Instagram post from KEXP and the band Chalk  and since then I have posted here about them twice, so three times in two months is probably a bit much. And yet, here we are. Chalk are playing a handful of US dates before jetting off to Europe, so after much hemming and hawing I decided to grab tickets for their Chicago show (I knew I wanted to go, but I had to make sure I had someone to go with). I mean, listen to "I Can't Feel It" and tell me it doesn't tickle your synthpop pleasure centers (if you have them; I do!). Their entire debut album is great, but I've gone back to this track more than a few times now. Enjoy!

I wrote a piece for my other blog  about this album in 2024, which I'm sharing today in celebration of 36 years of my favorite album of all time: [This] album was everything to me and helped shape the teenager I was, which informed the young man and later the adult that I became and who I am now. It’s not hyperbole to say that Depeche Mode and their album VIOLATOR made me who I am today.

If I had planned ahead maybe I would have posted some of my favorite songs by Irish artists in the lead up to Saint Patrick's Day, but I didn't. While listening to my St. Pat's mix I was reminded of this song, which was first shared with me over 30 years ago by my friend Steve. In fact, after hearing this track I smiled and sent a snippet lyrics to Steve and just laughed (the line is NSFW, so if you listen to this song you'll probably figure it out). Hopefully you had a fun, happy, and safe Saint Patrick's Day, and if you weren't familiar with this tune before please have a listen because it is, indeed, fire. Enjoy!

I fully admit that this type of music is not for everyone, but sometimes I like rhythmic noise and music that's not entirely comfortable, but with a beat. Music like this won't show up in the Top 40, but I love it no less. And with a career around 40 years in the making, there aren't many people that do challenging electronic music better than Richard D. James, AKA Aphex Twin. This one keeps looping back into my play list and every time it does it puts a smile on my face. Sure, it's a bit of a cacophony, but there's that driving bass that pushes everything forward. Like I said, I love it, maybe it's not for you, but check it out!

My stepson is currently on a plane on his way to Japan. While I grant that this song is an allegory for heroin addicts, I am sharing this song more for its literal meaning, as he's tall and he's going to be quite literally big in Japan. Also, this song is really good and kept Alphaville from being a one-hit wonder, making them something that much more rare: a two-hit wonder. He will be there for years and I know his mother and I are not only happy for him (which, we are! how exciting!), but also a little worried. How can you not be when family is so far away? I think he'll have a great time there, so much so I honestly wonder if he'll ever return from the land of the rising sun. Whatever happens, I'm certain he'll do great! Best of luck, Jordan! Enjoy!

I am no expert when it comes to classical, or neo-classical music, I just know what a like. For example, I love me some Beethoven, but if we are talking about composers that are still alive I love Max Richter, Clint Mansell, Danny Elfman, Nils Frahm, and now, apparently Lorien Testard. I literally first heard this on Monday night as I was speaking to my stepson, and somehow our conversation veered into the topic of neo-classical music and game soundtracks. He recommended the track "Lumière" from the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , which I promptly put on and fell in love with. Do I know anything about the game? Only what he told me, but I do know wonderful music when I hear it, and this is that. Enjoy!

I struggle with this blog sometimes in that I don't want to keep posting the same artists over and over, but also, I want to be true to the music I am currently obsessing over, the tracks that I currently believe to be fire. Consider this an example of the latter, because ever since seeing NIN back on February 22 this song has re-entered my daily playlist. Seeing it live again reminded of how good this song is, and me being slightly obssessive, I have to listen to it it with regularity. At any point in time there are many NIN tracks I can post here, and while I am mindful about how much  I post about Trent and company, for the last couple of weeks I can't deny that this track is fire. Enjoy!

Thanks to the Instagram algorithm I was fed Prostitute a few days ago, who will soon see their debut album released around the world on Mute records March 13. This is not a comfortable or easy listen, similar in that aspect to Death Grips, though Prostitute unleashes their rhythmic cacaphony through the medium of noise rock. Hailing from Dearborn, Michigan with Lebanese, Polish, Roma, and Maltese members, their music is an unrelenting assault on the ears. Prostitute may not be for everyone, but if you give it a chance you'll be rewarded with a unique musical experience. Enjoy! Attempted Martyr by Prostitute

What is Bandcamp Friday, you may ask? All you need to know is right  here . It's always good to support independent artists and independent music, especially when Bandcamp is foregoing their cut for 24 hours. Here's what I bought last month ! Buy something cool!

This is the first track I ever heard from Avicii, albeit a collaboration with Sebastien Drums, and from that first listen I knew immediately that this was a banger! It's sad that someone who brought so much joy to people could not escape his own demons. He released so many great, booty-shaking tracks, but this one will always be my favorite. Sometimes you just want to dance. Avicii made that very easy to do. Enjoy!

What is Bandcamp Friday, you may ask? All you need to know is right  here . It's always good to support independent artists and independent music, especially when Bandcamp is foregoing their cut for 24 hours. Buy something cool!

Last year in November I highlighted another song by this group off of this album because at the time it was hard for me to choose between "Autogenic" and "Totem and Taboo." Here, on the second anniversary of the release of Chrysanthemum ,   I wanted to highlight another fantasic track by this band that deserves far more attention. Hope you have a great week!  Enjoy! Chrysanthemum (Deluxe Edition) by Black Nail Cabaret