All Ian Mackaye makes is music that speaks the truth, and this band and album has some of his best songs in it. Especially the song “money” that is my personal favorite off this album. I found this as a cd so I could have it in my collection and play it in my car, and I just had to get it.
It isn't often that a band's existence can be explained so simply and clearly, but Embrace is one such case:
One of the several reasons behind Minor Threat's demise was that Ian McKaye was sickened by the hardcore scene he'd helped to create. By 1983 it had become insufferably conformist. Even worse, it had also grown to be intensely violent. Even though in many ways the motivation was positive, the release of energy at hardcore shows often resulted in kids getting physically hurt. Ian felt extremely guilty and saddened over it. When bemoaning this to HR of the Bad Brains, HR told him, "You started it." This is why Ian did Embrace. It was his attempt to undo the damage he perceived himself being responsible for. While Embrace didn't last long and crumbled an entire year before they released this album, Ian carried on his same sense of purpose in Fugazi in 1987, and he continues to this day.