Electric Six - Fire (21st Anniversary Expanded Edition) Review
A gloriously unhinged debut that still burns bright, Fire returns with a deluxe reissue packed with enough chaos, excess, and electrified absurdity to satisfy both longtime fans and curious newcomers.
Electric Six’s Fire is one of those albums that, even 21 years later, still manages to sound as absurd, electrifying, and gloriously unhinged as it did upon release. With its blend of disco, garage rock, and an over-the-top sense of humour, the Detroit band’s debut album became an unlikely sensation, fuelled by the breakout singles “Danger! High Voltage!” and “Gay Bar.” Now, with the album receiving a deluxe reissue via Beggars Arkive, fans have the perfect opportunity to revisit the wild ride that is Fire.
This reissue is no half-hearted nostalgia cash-in. The deluxe boxset is packed with an exhaustive amount of material, befitting an album so brashly excessive. Alongside a remastered version of the original LP, the set includes an additional 15 rarities and unreleased tracks, a DVD, a bonus CD with even more extras, and a 40-page booklet full of declassified “evidence” about the album’s creation and impact. If Electric Six always approached music with a tongue-in-cheek, high-energy absurdity, then this reissue matches that ethos perfectly, offering fans an almost overwhelming amount of content.
Listening to Fire in 2025, it’s remarkable how well it holds up. The remastering by Warren Defever at Third Man gives the album a fresh polish without diminishing its raw energy. “Danger! High Voltage!” remains a perfect explosion of rock and disco sleaze, with its irresistible bassline and over-the-top vocal delivery. The long-standing rumour that Jack White provides the song’s unhinged falsetto remains unconfirmed, but it hardly matters, whoever it is, the performance is unforgettable. Meanwhile, “Gay Bar” is as ridiculous and riotous as ever, its relentless guitar riff and Valentine’s manic delivery ensuring its place as one of the most memorable rock songs of the 2000s. The video, with its Abraham Lincoln lookalikes causing chaos in the White House, is still an iconic piece of rock absurdity.
Beyond the hits, Fire is packed with deep cuts that showcase the band’s versatility and their ability to blur the line between parody and genuine rock greatness. “Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother)” and “I’m the Bomb” channel a hyperactive garage-rock energy, while “Dance Commander” delivers a straight-up club banger with tongue firmly in cheek. The mix of synths, disco beats, and raw guitar riffs gives the album a distinct sound, that seemingly could have been just as successful if it had been released today.
The real treat of the reissue, however, is the collection of bonus material. Previously unreleased track “MC Sucka DJ” offers a glimpse into the band’s early experiments with their signature sound. Hearing frontman Dick Valentine deliver absurdly theatrical vocals over a bombastic rock backdrop is a reminder of just how committed Electric Six have always been to their larger-than-life aesthetic. Other rarities provide insight into the band’s evolution and their willingness to embrace the ridiculous while still crafting genuinely compelling rock songs.
It’s worth noting that while Fire might seem like a novelty album on the surface, its lasting appeal proves otherwise. Electric Six took elements of rock, disco, new wave, and punk, mashed them together, and presented it all with a knowing wink. And yet, the musicianship is undeniably strong. Valentine’s vocal delivery is next level. The band’s ability to write undeniably catchy songs while leaning into absurdity is a rare skill, one that has helped them maintain a devoted fanbase even as the trends of the early 2000s faded.
Since Fire, Electric Six have gone on to release an impressive 20 albums, never losing their commitment to energetic, irreverent rock. But Fire remains their defining moment, the album that cemented their reputation and made them unlikely stars. This reissue does justice to that legacy, offering longtime fans a treasure trove of extras while providing newcomers with the definitive version of one of the most delightfully chaotic albums of the 21st century.