Brian Q. Newcomb 
Neil Finn Out Of Silence Lester Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Neil Finn, late of Crowded House and Split Enz, delivers mature, intimate pop sounds focused by piano and an orchestra. Album Review: Face to face with terrorism, whether of the international kind that generates so much of the news and dialogue these days, or … Read more
Beck Colors Fonograf/Capitol Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Beck knows that we just need a safe place where we can boogie. Album Review: A funny thing happened back in 2015 when Beck won three Grammys for his album Morning Phase, released the previous year; the album picked up the prestigious awards for Album of the … Read more
Lydia Loveless Boy Crazy And Single(s) Bloodshot Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Columbus native, Lydia Loveless combines her 2013 EP, Boy Crazy, with singles and covers recorded through 2015 to deliver her brand of Americana for the first time on CD and vinyl. Album Review: If you’re thinking it hasn’t even been a year since … Read more
LCD Soundsystem American Dream DFA/Columbia Records [2017] Fire Note Says: LCD Soundsystem’s take on the American Dream is far more realistic and delivers on its promises. Album Review: It would be easy to write off LCD Soundsystem, even convenient when you consider that many of their electronic dance tracks can feel repetitive and often run … Read more
Richard Thompson Acoustic Rarities Beeswing/Proper Records [2017] Fire Note Says: These rare acoustic tracks reveal how deep and diverse are the talents of Richard Thompson. Album Review: Fifteen years or so back, Richard Thompson was touring solo offering up an acoustic concert, a musicological tutorial actually, titled “1000 Years of Popular Music.” It won’t surprise … Read more
GospelbeacH Another Summer Of Love Alive Naturalsound Records [2017] Fire Note Says: GospelbeacH takes us back to that warm California sounds when jangly beach music met up with the Grateful Dead’s guitars and The Byrds’ vocal harmonies. Album Review: Shortly after the Beach Boys, the California sound was defined by the likes of The Byrds, … Read more
The Afghan Whigs: Bogarts, Cincinnati, Ohio – Sept. 28, 2017 Any time the Afghan Whigs return to play Cincinnati, it’s going to have the feel of a homecoming, and it certainly did last Thursday night at Bogart’s. For lead singer and primary songwriter, Greg Dulli, born and raised in Hamilton, attended U of C, and … Read more
This Is the Kit Moonshine Freeze Rough Trade Records [2017] Fire Note Says: This Is the Kit offers a varied and unique rhythmic with Kate Stables expression of alternative folk. Album Review: This Is the Kit (primarily a vehicle for singer/songwriter Kate Stables) lean most naturally toward a minimalist expression of alternative folk where a … Read more
Cheap Trick We’re All Alright! Big Machine [2017] Fire Note Says: Cheap Trick is still writing songs they care about, and their fans will too. Album Review: The first thing to notice here is that we have new music from Cheap Trick, recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. There … Read more
Foo Fighters Concrete And Gold Roswell/RCA Records [2017] Fire Note Says: On their 9th album, Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters deliver big hooks with bold grooves (and somewhat spacey lyrics), pure stadium rock god fodder. Album Review: Dave Grohl has accomplished a rare feat in the modern music business world, playing in two of the most … Read more
Queens Of The Stone Age: Express Live!, Columbus, Ohio – Sept. 12, 2017 Tuesday evening, as downgraded tropical storm Irma was making her way into Southern Ohio, the lawn and concrete pit of the Express Live! outside stage was filling up with Queens of the Stone Age fans. While it rained much of the evening, … Read more
Filthy Friends Invitation Kill Rock Stars [2017] Fire Note Says: Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker joins Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch and Bill Rieflin to create an alt/rock super-group that’s more interested in the music than name recognition, and the record’s all the better for it. Album Review: You must reach a point, one would guess, … Read more
Neil Young Hitchhiker Reprise Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Neil Young releases a ten song acoustic studio recording from an early, highly productive period in his artistic development. Album Review: In the mid to late 70s, Neil Young had a particularly productive period in his songwriting, it was shortly after the release of the grief-ridden … Read more
The Alarm: Music Box Supper Club; Cleveland, Ohio – August 27, 2017 The Alarm, led by original member Mike Peters, returned to the US for a tour that included a number of dates on Vans Warped tour, and a series of stand alone dates in cities that had befriended the Welsh band in its 80s … Read more
Leah Senior Pretty Faces Flightless Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Leah Senior carries on the folk singer tradition of Joan Baez and the early work of Joni Mitchell. Album Review: Australian singer/songwriter Leah Senior’s second album finds the artist traveling the quiet path of the folk song troubadour’s of years past. Recorded for the most … Read more
Offa Rex The Queen Of Hearts Nonesuch Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Olivia Chaney is a true gem on this new collaboration with The Decemberists. Album Review: Anyone who’s followed Portland, Oregon’s The Decemberists over the last decade or more has likely suspected that an album like this collaboration with British folk … Read more
Green Day: Riverbend Music Center; Cincinnati, Ohio – Sunday, August 20, 2017 Over 20 years ago, as Green Day began dominating alternative rock radio with singles like “Basket Case” and “Longview,” which required a few words to get the censor “bleep” treatment, that we’d be talking about a multi-platinum selling, Rock & Roll Hall of … Read more
Finn’s Motel Jupiter Rex Victory Over Gravity Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Jupiter Rex. Thebeau has found his own voice, still connecting with those great early 80s influences, but not stuck there. Album Review: When you’ve been writing and recording music in relative obscurity for close to 30 years, as has Joe Thebeau, you reach … Read more
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface Loma Vista Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: A decade in, Adam Hull and Manchester Orchestra manage to stretch and grow their sound without losing connections to the passion and angst of their celebrated early work. Album Review: There’s an often unspoken challenge for artists that find a … Read more
Diesel Island Diesel Island Euclid Records [2017] Fire Note Says: St. Louis country cover band delivers an album of originals that stand-up alongside their take on Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. Album Review: For some ridiculous reason, I find it impossible to discuss authentic, old school country music without telling two jokes. A city dweller … Read more
The Charlatans Different Days BMG [2017] Fire Note Says: Brit pop from Manchester’s The Charlatans, with some assistance from Paul Weller, Johnny Marr and Anton Newcombe. Album Review: With a band like The Charlatans, where they have overcome overwhelming odds while continuing to record music after 28 years, the fact that they are still at … Read more
Various Artists Treasure Of The Broken Land: The Songs Of Mark Heard Storm Weathered Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Twenty-five years after his death, Nashville talents come together to resurrect the music of singer/songwriter Mark Heard, and it’s a treasure. Album Review: The commercial success of tribute compilation albums usually depends on three factors: 1) … Read more
Lo Tom Lo Tom Barsuk Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Lo Tom is much more than just a friendly jam. Album Review: This 8 song debut from Lo Tom is going to feel pretty familiar to fans of David Bazan or his previous band, Pedro The Lion, which also featured TW Walsh, and Starflyer 59’s … Read more
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Labels fail Outlaw country musicians, but Jason Isbell delivers a great record in the tradition of great roots rockers and country players. Album Review: For the record, there has long been a vein of outlaw music running through what has … Read more
Steve Earle & The DukesSo You Wannabe An OutlawNew West Records [2017] For the record, there has long been a vein of outlaw music running through what has often been labeled ‘country music,’ represented by the untamed music spirits of Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Jerry Jeff Walker and late great songwriters/mentors Guy Cark and Townes … Read more