This Track Is Fire!

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 !

"What's this, Michael is posting yet another old song to his music blog?" Yes, I am.  I actually owned this album on CD, purchased during a work trip to Vero Beach, Florida. I was there to help move IT equipment from one office that was closing to another nearby office, arriving on a Thursday, working all day Friday and Saturday, but had nothing but down time that Sunday. I stopped by the office to give it a triple check, then went to see Knocked Up and kill some time at Best Buy, where I bought the aforementioned CD. I listened to it in my rental car over the next two days and then left the CD in the player when I dropped my car off at the airport. When I noticed that the vinyl went on sale this past week I scooped it up and listening to it late this morning I was disappointed in myself for forgetting how great "Violent Pornography" is, though you have to remember to place your tongue firmly in cheek (just like with early Misfits tracks). So yeah, this song is...

A song so good that while in my 20s I put it on two mix tapes that I gave to the same person. Remember mix tapes? Le sigh... I try to keep this blog very current (and least with my current listening; sometimes, like now, I post old songs) and very stream of consciousness. While watching the second season finale of  Daredevil: Born Again  the other day I noticed that they ended with a Radiohead song and thought to myself, "I haven't listened to Radiohead in a while." This morning I decided to correct that and immediately "Karma Police" brought back happy feelings as well as some memories. As I referenced last week , music can be comforting, like a big, warm blanket, and again, on this Friday like last, I wanted something familiar and pleasing. Happy Friday and enjoy!

I'll be the first to admit that I am not necessarily a fan of Arcade Fire. I respect them and their art, and their music is fine, but for whatever reason it has just never appealed to me, except for a few select songs. This is one of them. Perhaps it says something that this isn't a typical Arcade Fire song, but this one does speak to me. A large part of it are the lyrics. I've always been a bit of a nerd, a bit left of center, and bit on the cusp of the norm, not a Goth, but sometimes Goth-adjacent. Finding your people and being who you are and true to oneself has always been a draw for me: They heard me singing and they told me to stop Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose But late at night the feelings swim to the surface 'Cause on the surface the city lights shine They're calling at me, "Come and find your kind" Welcome to Friday! Enjoy!

Sometimes I post because I have discovered some new artist or song and I just have to share it as soon as possible. Other times I put on an album I haven't listened to in a while and as it plays in the background I am struck by the power and brilliance of a rediscovered tune. Today is definitely the latter, because wow, "Six Words" is peak Elbow and oh so sublime. Enjoy!

This song is one of the first songs I ever remember liking. When I was young MTV was still a pretty new thing. I did not particularly pay close attention to most songs and artists, but as I got older and I began to develope my own musical identity and preferences I would get reminded of songs that I heard "back in the day." Peter Gabriel's hit "Sledgehammer," another fantastic song, reminded me of this, an earlier song with lyrics that I did not fully understand, but with visuals that implanted themselves into my young mind. As an adult I still do not fully understand the lyrics, but listening to this song (and entire album) on vinyl brings me deep, nostalgic happiness that I can't quite put into words. It's a classic for a reason and I song I return to again and again. I've included a link to the video as well as that is how I first discovered this gem. Peter Gabriel 4 (Security) by Peter Gabriel

Welcome to the week of Halloween, and really, there isn't much better than this track when it comes to the reason for the season. Happy Monday, enjoy!

Look, I realize that I just posted a song by Elbow on Friday , and to be clear, this isn't an Elbow fanatic blog now. That said, I was anticipating hearing  "My Sad Captains" over the weekend, but Elbow changed their setlist and, sadly, I did not get to hear it peformed live. It is what it is, the show was still amazing! I fully admit that I had only taken a cursory listen to their new album Audio Vertigo before the show, but "Sober" was definitely a live standout. I've listened to this song multiple times since hearing it live on Sunday night and am currently obsessed. So yeah, you got some Elbow on Friday, and now you get some more today because this song is now an earworm for me. It's so damn good! (FYI: this song is technically from the Audio Vertigo: Echo EP, but it is now included on the deluxe version of Audio Vertigo, as are the other EP tracks.) Enjoy!

I'm running out of miracles And the street's alive with one-man shows... Oh, long before You and I were born Others beat these benches with their empty cups To the night and its stars To be here, and now, and who we are Another sunrise with my sad captains With who I choose to lose my mind And if it's so we only pass this way but once What a perfect waste of time I'm going to fulfill a bucket list item this weekend when I see Elbow perform at the Royal Oak Music Theater on Sunday, so I wanted to share these lyrics, and this song, which are sublimely perfect. Enjoy! The Take Off And Landing Of Everything by elbow