Each Friday I pick a song–new, old, borrowed, blue–that’s been on my mind and in my ears, and write a short post about it.

This is “Frankie Teardrop” by Suicide:

I first encountered Suicide through the song “Cheree” on a New York punk compilation CD I picked up sometime in the 1990s.  Later, I bought Suicide, the 1977 album on which “Frankie Teardrop” appears. It’s relentless listening, and it’s not an album I listen to often, for that reason.  On the other hand, it is excellent, and pretty unlike anything that came before it.  Here’s a thoughtful tribute to Alan Vega, one half of Suicide, from The Guardian. Alan Vega died, aged 78, last Saturday.