Suicide's landmark self-titled LP was originally released in 1977, seven years after the group's initial conception as part of the performance art scene on the Lower East Side. It is hard to overstate the importance of the seven tracks on Suicide, which paved the way for punk, industrial, hip hop, noise and beyond. Ghost Rider accelerates with brutal anguish and desire for everything rock 'n' roll. Martin Rev's utterly singular "instrument" pounds out a synthetic soundscape, while Alan Vega's oversaturated vocals obsess over motorcycle getaways. Rocket U.S.A. distills the duo's dynamic power down to a ghostly pulse, while the psycho-drama of Frankie Teardrop (Bruce Springsteen's all-time favourite song) delves even further into cinematic storytelling and, at the same time, clears the room at the end of the night. Restored from the original mixes, fully sanctioned by the band and with liner notes by Thurston Moore. If there can be a quintessential New York band, it is without a doubt Suicide.
