Adam Lytle Releases His New Album ‘This Is Fire’

At the turn of the decade, Adam Lytle embarked on an intense period of study seeking perspective on the internal and external worlds that were rapidly spinning out of control. An obsessive reader, he immersed himself in theology, philosophy, psychology, and literature, tracing threads which, in time, would become the foundation for his new mode of expression; a charged language, characterized by extreme leaps between images, which invite the listener to draw their own conclusions.

“I wanted to write in a way that spoke to the feelings of anxiety and disillusionment that many in my community are feeling,” Lytle says. “This is anti-escapism. It meets the issues head-on.”

This sense of urgency plays a central role in the cinematic title track, “This Is The Fire.” Reacting to a litany of injustices, Lytle pleads, “Please don’t look away, our time has come, know the agony of sight.” This comes before an army of strings gathers like storm clouds above Ryan Jewell’s thunderous drums.

Among the album’s highlights is the fractured tale “Painted Bird” (named after the novel by Polish-American author Jerzy Kosiński). This song plays out like an experimental film, splicing together images of violence from nature, The Bible, and the nightly news. A sinister double bass played by Scott Colberg scratches below the surface throughout, enhancing the unsettling atmosphere until Cameron Kapoor’s surreal guitar loops enter, and everything unravels into desperation. The result is a scorching examination of human nature, which asks the audience to consider the role they play in our world.

In the early days of 2023, after a year of writing and refining the songs in clubs around New York City, Lytle entered his Brooklyn studio and began recording the album. Working alone and mostly at night, he moved quickly. He sought to capture the detail and intimacy of each performance before sunrise. Once the guitar and vocals were in place, he travelled down to Spacebomb Studio in Richmond, Virginia, to record Trey Pollard’s arrangements. From there, the songs were fleshed out remotely before Jonathan Schenke brought everything together at Studio Windows in Brooklyn, New York.

This Is The Fire is a record with teeth. It snarls and bites. It almost dares you to look it in the eye, but if you do, you’ll be rewarded. There is much to discover, and Lytle has invited us behind the iron gate.

This Is The Fire Track Listing:

1. At Your Command
2. Seeds of Joy
3. The Fatal Share
4. Highway Nightmare
5. My Love is the Wind
6. This is the Fire
7. Painted Bird
8. Last Twist of the Knife
9. Nights Like This
10. Days In A Chain

Tour Dates:

10/22 – C’mon Everybody, Brooklyn, NY (Album Release Party)

Adam Lytle ‘This Is The Fire’ album artwork