Brian Q. Newcomb 
Heath Green And The Makeshifters Heath Green And The Makeshifters Alive Naturalsound Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The gritty, soulful delivery of Heath Green and his Makeshifters, deliver well crafted, blues rock performances so ecstatic that they transcend the form. Album Review: Heath Green is a veteran of the Birmingham, Alabama music scene, plying his … Read more
Heat Overnight Topshelf Records [2017] Fire Note Says: 80’s sounding Montreal band, Heat produce a winning combination. Album Review: Montreal band Heat, describes itself as “post-punk” on its Facebook page and lists Sonic Youth and Oasis as influences, while those writing about the band compare them generously to Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus & … Read more
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Freedom Highway is a monumental achievement from Rhiannon Giddens. Album Review: One of the most powerful things that art can do is hold up a mirror to popular culture and society at large to reveal the ugly underbelly, the dark history that would otherwise be … Read more
Son Volt Notes Of Blue Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers [2017] Fire Note Says: Jay Farrar employs plenty of finger-picking here that finds Son Volt rocking on song’s that capture life in the American Midwest. Album Review: It’s been four years since the last Son Volt album, Honky Tonk (Rounder, 2013), and Jay Farrar describes his effort … Read more
Peter Holsapple, formerly of the late, great dB’s, has pressed a new single to 7 inch vinyl, and it’s worthy of your attention. “Don’t Mention the War,” a slow folky blues in the tradition of Bob Dylan’s work with The Band, takes on the impact of PTSD on soldiers and their families with a very … Read more
The Bitter Chills Feel-Good Songs For Feel-Bad People Mint 400 Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The Bitter Chills take a big step forward, on their witty, often funny folk rock songs. Album Review: If you’re like me, and who isn’t, perhaps you’ve been taking life a little too seriously of late, maybe you find yourself … Read more
Conor Oberst Ruminations Nonesuch [2016] Fire Note Says: Oberst makes an intimate recording of his deeper, darker thoughts. Album Review: In 2004/5 Conor Oberst had his 15 minutes as the Next Big Thing, drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan, when his band Bright Eyes drew national attention with two very different releases, and ended up touring … Read more
Delicate Steve This Is Steve Anti- [2017] Fire Note Says: Guitar fans will want to connect with this talented musician’s rock insturmentals. Album Review: Perhaps you’re not yet familiar with the fine guitar stylings of Delicate Steve, aka Steve Marion, but it’s very likely that you’ve heard his playing before. Marion provide slide guitar from … Read more
Lydia Loveless Real Bloodshot Records [2016] Fire Note Says: In a more polished, pop oriented release, Lydia Loveless proves she’s the real thing. Album Review: With Real, the fourth full-length album from the Columbus OH native, Lydia Loveless continues to sing of love’s challenging foibles in rock & roll in a voice with a strong … Read more
Kaiser Chiefs Stay Together Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Kaiser Chiefs have turned from political, guitar-driven garage rock to a decidedly poppy direction. Album Review: On their 6th album in a little over a decade, Kaiser Chiefs, the British indie rockers have turned in from their more political, guitar-driven garage rock in a decidedly poppy … Read more
Grouplove Big Mess Canvasback Music [2016] Fire Note Says: Grouplove delivers a big bold pop sound and groovy rhythms. Album Review: Grouplove’s 2011 debut may have been titled Never Trust a Happy Song, but let’s face it, this band may look like some hippy jam band of alt-rockers, but they produce some of the giddiest, … Read more
Neil Young Peace Trail Reprise Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Neil Young is both focused and quirky on his latest – Peace Trail. Album Review: Of the six veteran rockers invited to play the Desert Trip concerts, dubbed “Oldchella” because of the advanced age of the artists—The Who, The Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and … Read more
The Rolling Stones Blue & Lonesome Interscope Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Rolling Stones release their first studio album in over a decade. Album Review: It’s well known by now that the earliest influences of The Rolling Stones, now in their 6th decade as veteran recording artists and classic rockers, were American blues artists like … Read more
Regina Spektor Remember Us To Life Sire/Warner Bros. Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Regina Spektor’s seventh album finds her developing in satisfying and compelling ways. Album Review: Given the popularity of the show, it’s likely more people have encountered the music of Regina Spektor’s unique musical voice in the opening credits of the Netflix series … Read more
Sting 57th & 9th A&M/Interscope Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Sting’s 57th & 9th serves as a sturdy, reliable to guitar oriented rock a voice that’s been quiet for too long. Album Review: “Rock stars don’t ever die,” sings Sting in “50,000,” a song from his first album of original pop/rock material in 13 years. … Read more
Pretenders Alone BMG [2016] Fire Note Says: Hynde makes a strong case for the enduring relevance of her voice and musical stance. Album Review: Rock N’ Roll music may be one of the rare places in life where something akin to “beginner’s luck” can pan out and deliver a rare critical and commercial breakthrough the … Read more
Alejandro Escovedo Burn Something Beautiful Fantasy [2016] Fire Note Says: Rock & roll celebrating the noisy possibilities of our existential crisis. Album Review: In a recent open letter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Jay Minkin of No Depression calls out a few of the institution’s most blatant omissions, artists who have defied … Read more
St. Paul & The Broken Bones Sea Of Noise RECORDS/Sony Music [2016] Fire Note Says: It’s clear that the band is comfortable in their own shoes. Album Review: The first time you hear the music of St. Paul and the Broken Bones you would be forgiven if you paused to look at your time machine—as … Read more
Daniel Lanois Goodbye To Language ANTI- [2016] Fire Note Says: Established producer to the stars has a new album. Album Review: The latest album from Daniel Lanois, established producer to the stars (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, and along with Brian Eno, some of U2’s biggest hits), can be described in one … Read more
Teenage Fanclub Here Merge Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Teenage Fanclub return with a familiar power pop sound. Album Review: Scottish alternative rockers, Teenage Fanclub, are best remembered for breakout albums like Bandwagonesque, Grand Prix, and Songs from Northern Britain, which all appeared in the band’s 90’s heyday when their brash power-pop instincts were in … Read more
Peter Bjorn And John Breakin’ Point INGRID [2016] Fire Note Says: Breakin’ Point was the power pop hit of the summer that never happened. Album Review: Whether intentional or not, most artists end up wearing their hearts on their sleeves, that is telling us what they love, what they care about. Even the most cynical … Read more
Pixies Head Carrier Pixiesmusic/PIAS [2016] Fire Note Says: Pixies rock with a sense of history, but also look ahead. Album Review: Pixies, an alt/rock quartet originating out of Boston, is one of those bands whose shadow of influence has been far greater than their actual sales. Like the Velvet Underground, it’s been said that not … Read more
Green Day Revolution Radio Reprise Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Keeping it real even though we all have grown older! Album Review: “I’m like a child looking off in the horizon,” sings punk trio Green Day’s singer/songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong at the midpoint of the band’s new album. “I’m like an ambulance that’s turning on … Read more
Prophets of Rage: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH – October 5, 2016 “Cincinnati, are you awake?” asked rapper B-Real early in the performance of the Prophets of Rage on Wednesday, a theme he would revisit throughout the night. It felt like a warm late summer night in spite of the fall date on the calendar, … Read more
Against Me! Shape Shift With Me Total Treble Music [2016] Fire Note Says: Musically and artistically Against Me! deliver the goods. Album Review: In the bass heavy slow rocker “Delicate, Petite & Other Things I’ll Never Be,” singer/songwriter Laura Jane Grace sings with all piss and vinegar available to her: “I wanna be more real … Read more