This Track Is Fire!

Am I late to the party?  Absolutely. Will these rappers make you think of The Beastie Boys? Most likely. But is it really fucking good? Definitely! My friend Ringo sent this (and more) over to me the other day and warned me of the aforementioned comparisons, but as he told me, once you get past that you quickly see how talented this duo is. Now, I'm a middle-aged guy, so I apologize for being - checks date - four years late on this, but when I hear good music I call it out. I've been listening to this on repeat all morning and have been smiling the whole time. And now you can too. Happy Friday! Enjoy!

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. When I had originally posted about this track last year it did not have an official name nor a release, so I referred to it as the "Nine Inch Nails 'Closer' (B Stage Remix w/Boys Noize)" but since then NIN/Boys Noize have released their collaboration album and now it's officially known as "Closer (Nine Inch Noize Version." Listen, regardless of however it's called, this, in my humble opinion, is the proper way to refurbish a classic track that is 30+ years old, keeping everything that made it great while also give it a new polish so that it sounds fresh again. Sure, there are its detractors, but for me this song, heck, this entire album and tour, reinvigorated my deep love of N...

I find new (or new to me music) all over the place, and while I do discover a fair amount of it on my own, a good chunk of it comes from friends and family that share tracks with me that they think I will like. Whether it's one of my friends, like Jeff sending me Chalk, Peter sending me Ecca Vandal, or Sean introducing me to The Jellyfish, The xx, The National (and many, many more), sometimes they come from within my own house. My daughter came up to me over a week ago and said, "I have a song to share with you." I immediately perked up because usually I love what she sends along. Adéla "KGB" is no exception. Is it synthpop? Dance music? Just straight up pop? Honestly, it checks lots of boxes, but in the end, it doesn't matter, because it's just fucking good. All I know is that I'm playing it louder than I should and doing some chair dancing. Check it and enjoy!

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. As I said back in October , I did not even really know this track before I saw Elbow live for the first time last year, but as I said then, it was a live standout. Nine months later it's still in heavy rotation for me, which, of course it is, I love Elbow, but I love that a band that sells out stadiums in the UK but has a far more limited fanbase in the US is sitting safely at the number two spot in my list of most popular posts. I mean, they should be, but I am glad so many of you agree. Check it out !

Last week while I was writing about the Killing Joke-minus-Jaz-Coleman-adding-Chris-Connelly band of Murder, Inc. I took a small trip down memory lane as I thought about Killing Joke. I think it would be easy, almost expected of me, to highlight their song "Eighties," which is fantastic, no question, but I admit that I did not discover that song until much later in my life. My first real exposure to Killing Joke was via Murder, Inc. and thereafter, when they released the album  Pandemonium.   A friend of mine had grabbed it on CD, and before I knew it "Mathematics of Chaos" was on near-constant repeat. Of course I went back and checked out their earlier works, but there's something very nostalgic about this track that takes me back in time and melts my face off. Also, it just fucking rocks. Enjoy!

Note: this week, in honor of the legendary Steve Albini's birthday, I am highlighting his impressive audio engineering work (he refused to be called a "producer"). These five posts are a small example of his musical prowess, selected by me, just a fan with a blog. And here we are folks, the final post in this series. I intentionally did not lead with this track at the beginning of the week as it's too obvious. In fact, I struggled with including it at all, because of that very fact, but at the end of the day this song was mind-blowing to when it came out during my sophomore year of college and listening again today, or any day, I am reminded of how colossally talented Kurt, Krist, Dave, and yes, Steve were. Certainly this could be argued to be Albini's most high-profile work, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Yes, Albini worked with artists large, small, and absolutely massive (like Nirvana), but as I said at the beginning of this week, he was f...

Note: this week, in honor of the legendary Steve Albini's birthday, I am highlighting his impressive audio engineering work (he refused to be called a "producer"). These five posts are a small example of his musical prowess, selected by me, just a fan with a blog. This was a tough one for me, picking out the best Pixies song that they worked with Steve Albini on, because, honestly, I could have picked just about any song on Surfer Rosa  and it would have fit the bill. At the end of the day, I had to go with "Where is My Mind?" predominantly due to its distinct opening riff. If you're around my age and you hear Black Francis/Frank Black wail and say "Stop!" you immediately know what song it is. That's iconic, just as the Pixies are, just as Steve Albini was. Then you hear those first few guitar lines followed by drums crashing around you like the surf. God damn, this song is good. So many bands try to capture lightning in a bottle and so many f...

Note: this week, in honor of the legendary Steve Albini's birthday, I am highlighting his impressive audio engineering work (he refused to be called a "producer"). These five posts are a small example of his musical prowess, selected by me, just a fan with a blog. And here it is, Steve Albini's birthday. He would have been 64 today. I know he was a member of a few different bands, and maybe one could argue that Big Black was culturally and musically more important, but I tend to lean towards things that hit me more viscerally. It's why I prefer Beethoven to Mozart. And this song, I get it. Do I ever actually want to see someone die because they had the audacity to be with someone I once cared about? No. But I get the feeling  of this song, that urge to kill that one (hopefully) never actually acts on. Not that the narrator of this song is contemplating murder, he just wants to see the other guy die, and painfully. Perhaps those are things that people shouldn'...

Note: this week, in honor of the legendary Steve Albini's birthday, I am highlighting his impressive audio engineering work (he refused to be called a "producer"). These five posts are a small example of his musical prowess, selected by me, just a fan with a blog. I have heard more than a few times, and repeated it often myself, that the music you fall in love with as an adolescent stays with you for the rest of your life, and honestly, at least for me, that fits. The 90s were a glorious time for a Gen Xer like me who had fallen in love with bands like Depeche Mode, but wanted something just a tinge darker yet, bands like Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Ministry, and one of the few industrial metal supergroups, Murder, Inc. Basically,  - and I am overly simplifying things - Murder, Inc. is the Killing Joke but with Chris Connelly (the aforementioned Ministry, The Revolting Cocks) on vocals, but wow, does this track rock. Working with Albini, the band created a song that feels li...

Note: this week, in honor of the legendary  Steve Albini's  birthday, I am highlighting his impressive audio engineering work (he refused to be called a "producer"). These five posts are a small example of his musical prowess, selected by me, just a fan with a blog. Certainly I was aware of who Albini was and his importance in the state of music prior to this album, but I am starting with this one because of how surprised I was to see his name in the credits. Dogs  was released on a very small label, Socialist Records, but the version that I became aware of due to NPR playing it was the re-issue from Touch and Go Records in 2004. That was the first time I had heard of Nina Nastasia. The fact that it was such a small label shows what's great about Steve Albini: he didn't care about how big of an artist you were or how big your label was, if you produced good music, he wanted to work with you. I love that! He was well-know to have a sliding scale for his services. A...

I like to tease my partner, Shalee, that she has a thing for scruffy, kinda-dirty-looking male singer/songwriters, like Hozier, Ray LaMontagne, and today's selection: Damien Rice. Some of us have a type, even musically, and for Shalee, that's hers. (To be clear, I say this in jest; I have nothing but respect for these artists, I am just joking about the aesthetic; apparently my preference is for female lead singers with "squeaky" voices, as Shalee tells me, but again, this is not meant to be disparaging.) I try to keep this blog very "stream of conciousness" as to what I am listening to that I think is great, and while enjoying some downtime the other night this came on and I was reminded of just how fucking good this track, and this artist, is. I consider myself lucky that we got to see him live years back. Perhaps a poignant and powerful song about romantic betrayal isn't the way you want to start your weekend, nor is it mine, but there's something...

  Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. Fun fact: Boys Noize came in at #3 this past year and I thought I had just discovered them a year or so previously, even before I had heard that they would be the opening act for this NIN tour, but nope! You see, I have lot of music. Long story short, I had actually been a fan of Boys Noize's earlier work, having bought another track almost 10 years prior. I knew the name sounded familiar! Anyway, if you like your techno mixed with pounding, industrial rhythyms, this is for you. Check out the original post here .

Last week my brother and I went to see Stabbing Westward in concert at a local venue (more on that here ). Unfortunately, by the time we got to the venue we had missed Acumen Nation, the first opening act, but came in just as Priest was performing. I knew nothing about them before the show other than a few song snippets I had listened to briefly earlier that week, but as they were performing my brother pulled up that the performers were previously members of the metal band Ghost. However, instead of theatrical metal, Priest are solidly a synth band. Like I said, they were pretty much new to me, but my brother and I thought they were a blast, and here, five days later, I have been listening to them consistently and admit that I may  be a touch obsessed. Their level of showmanship was unbridled, even in a small club with a capacity of only around 400 people. They could have been playing before 10 people or 10,000 and I believe they would put on a heck of a show regardless. Again, we ...

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. Coming in at the #4 spot is my favorite Depeche Mode song of all time, the song that grabbed my attention when I was 16 years old and 32 years later has not let go. I could go on and on about why I love this track, and Depeche Mode, so very much, but I've done that several times , not only on this blog, but my other blog as well . Please check out the original post here .

Seven years ago in September PUP came to my town for a show the night before I was supposed to start a new job. I had fallen in love with their second album, most especially the punk assault that is "DVP" and really wanted to go see them. The show was on a Sunday night and if it had been a higher profile act my partner may have joined me, but as she is not a fan of punk she encouraged me to find someone else to go along to the show. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, so I decided at the last minute to go to the show solo. I figured, "PUP isn't that huge, I'm sure I can get a ticket at the box office." Nope. I showed up to the venue and found out that yes, indeed, the show had sold out. Had I gone online I would have seen that, but I just assumed  that it would not sell out. I stood there in line as the people in front of me were finding out that there were no tickets left; I lingered there for a moment when I heard someone say, "Mr. Diaz..." I ...

The early-to-mid 90s were a hell of a time. Thanks to Lollapalooza and the rise of Industrial (NIN) and Industrial Metal bands (Ministry), there was a sudden influx of similar acts that appeared on the scene, such as Stabbing Westward. I remember first hearing them in college and liked them enough to be excited to hear that they would be opening for Depeche Mode on their 1994 tour. Then in 1996 Wither Blister Burn + Peel  came out. With tracks like "Shame" and "What Do I Have to Do" Stabbing Westward vaulted into the limelight. As such, I saw them again in 1998, and again, opening for Depeche Mode during The Singles  tour. More often than not I skip the opening act, unless they are someone I already know or scoped out ahead of time, but Stabbing Westward was a band that I happily showed up to see. Despite seeing them twice open for my favorite band of all time, I have never seen Stabbing Westward on tour in their own right. That is, until tonight. They're playin...

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. Am I a fan of REO Speedwagon? Not really. Am I fan of this cover by Cigarettes After Sex? Definitely. A good song is a good song, and sometimes it takes a great cover to show why  a song is so good. When I launched this blog I just wanted to highlight songs that I personally thought were fantastic and deserved attention. Little did I know that so many people would agree with me on this particular track, landing at #5 for my most popular posts this past year. Check it out !

Sadly, it was reporting in the news this morning that Bonnie Tyler passed away on Thursday, July 8 . Bonnie was an icon of the 80s, with hit songs "It's A Heartache, "Holding Out for a Hero," and this song, my personal favorite of hers. "Total Eclipse of a Heart" launched her commercial success, part of her collaboration with Jim Steinman, hot of the success of Bat Out Of Hell  with Meatloaf. Her unique, gravely voice was distinct and will be missed. I mean, who can't sing along with these lyrics? Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (All of the time) I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks I really need you tonight Forever's gonna start tonight Forever's gonna start tonight Once upon a time, I was falling in love But now I'm only falling apart There's nothing I can do A total eclipse of the heart... Thank you for giving this music to the world, because...

As a teen I was not an R.E.M. fan. In fact, I was considerably anti-R.E.M. for far too long, mostly centered around the fact that for some reason my adolescent mind severely disliked "It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)." Why? Almost 40 years later, I honestly can't tell you why; I don't search the song out, but if it comes out I don't always automatically hit "skip" now. What changed? In March of 1991 they released Out of Time , and more importantly for me, the song "Losing My Religion." The first time I heard the song I actively tried to dislike it. Again, I don't know why; blame it on my close-minded view of music as an young idiot. Despite my efforts, I cam around much more quickly than anyone would have guessed. I listened to more songs and eventually, bought the album. Out of Time  had melted my misplaced resolve again R.E.M. as a band, and from then on I appreciated and respected them, as they continued to relea...

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. If you had told me that after a year of posting tracks that are fire that a reggae supergroup doing a cover of Fleetwood Mac "Don't Stop" would be one of my most read posts I would not have believed you, and yet, here we are at #6 with that very track. This entire album is so much fun, but at the very least you should check out this song .

After a nice week of waking up and drinking coffee while overlooking a lake I had to get up today and go back to work. I was not ready for that. So instead, why not take a moment to immerse yourself into the sublime repetittion of really good dance music? I know that the happy vibes of last week won't carry over for very long into this week, but with a track like this you can pretend for a little while as the bass washes over you. Happy Monday, enjoy!

It's July 3 today, and tomorow is America's 250th birthday. This should be something awesome for the country as a whole to celebrate, but we have a turd of a Cheeto as a president right now who has politicized everything and created a pall over an event that should  be bringing the country together. Don't get me wrong, I love America, and part of that love is combined with the fact that I know that America has been, and can again be, better than it is today. I also recognize that no matter how great some things are in America  (our many parks, public lands, etc.), there are definitely areas for improvement (universal health care, better wages, etc.). It is through that lens that I consider a song like this, a song that is critical of the "Americanization" of global culture. America can be great, but there are other viewpoints, other cultures and ways of doing things that may not be better than the American way, but certainly as worthy. This song, taken from an out...

Note: In honor of one full year of This Track Is Fire I thought I would highlight the top 10 posts over the last year, but there's a tie in the seventh position, and a three-way tie in the tenth position, so instead you're getting the Top 12 Posts over the past year. Again, I am pleasantly surprised, because (again), I would not call Starfounder anything close to a mainstream act, and yet, coming in at #7 this past year is the fantastic synthwave track out of Russia, "Stay Where You Are." If synths and electronic bloops and bleeps are your happy place, you'll be right at home with this track. Check it out!

I am currently sitting in a rental as a storm briefly rolls through (OK, maybe not a storm, more like a series of intense cloud bursts). The fact of the matter is that it's gray and raining, the same kind of gothic feel that comes from After London "Paradise Lost." This is not a song to listened to in the sunshine, but sometimes sad songs make us happy. This one makes me happy. Welcome to July! Enjoy!