Grandaddy: Last Place [Album Review]

Grandaddy Last Place 30th Century Records [2017] Fire Note Says: After a decade long hiatus, Grandaddy returns with Last Place, and it sounds like they never left. Album Review: Grandaddy main man, Jason Lytle, never really went away; he just parked his main car (Grandaddy) in the garage for the better part of a decade, … Read more

Ty Segall: Ty Segall [Album Review]

Ty Segall Ty Segall Drag City Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Segall delivers one of the best albums of his career. Album Review: Opening with the thunderous guitar riff of “Break a Guitar” it is immediately obvious that Ty Segall is going to be a pretty special album. Last year’s Ty Segall offering Emotional Mugger … Read more

Drive-By Truckers: American Band [Album Review]

Drive-By Truckers American Band ATO Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Politically charged album from one of America’s best bands! Album Review: It has been said that the only two things in life you can count on are death and taxes. Well I’m saying there are at least three things, death, taxes, and Drive-By Truckers. The … Read more

Ultimate Painting: Dusk [Album Review]

Ultimate Painting Dusk Trouble In Mind Records [2016] Fire Note Says: London duo take another leap forward on their third lp. Album Review: Jack Cooper and James Hoare, better known as Ultimate Painting, are back with their third album, Dusk, which is 10 tracks of some of the finest guitar pop you are going to … Read more

The Brotherhood Of Lizards: Lizardland – The Complete Works [Album Review]

The Brotherhood Of Lizards Lizardland: The Complete Works Captured Tracks [2016] Fire Note Says: Captured Tracks unearths another gem from Martin Newell of Cleaners from Venus. Album Review: I have to confess, I had no idea that The Brotherhood of Lizards was even a band, let alone a short-lived project featuring Martin Newell of Cleaners … Read more

Dinosaur Jr.: Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not [Album Review]

Dinosaur Jr. Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not Jagjaguwar [2016] Fire Note Says: Dino returns with an album full of face-melters and kickass blasters! Album Review: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph, collectively known as Dinosaur Jr (you knew that already, and if you didn’t what the hell is wrong with you), are back … Read more

His Name is Prince and He is Funky!

We at the Fire Note were absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of Prince at the age of 57. His impact is undeniable, his creativity, artistry and vision rank up there with the all-time greats. Not only was he for a time arguably the most popular artist in the world, he was also the … Read more

Ty Segall: Emotional Mugger [Album Review]

Ty Segall Emotional Mugger Drag City Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Another great record from the reigning king of indie rock! Album Review: On Ty Segall’s last solo album, 2014’s Manipulator, he delivered a double album masterpiece, a bold artistic statement that would prove to be incredibly difficult to follow up. In fact, by his … Read more

W-X: W-X [Album Review]

W-X W-X Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Tim Presley’s second side project of the year, W-X, follows closely on the heels of his DRINKS project from a few months ago. And much like DRINKS, W-X has its moments, but overall left me feeling disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high, but after … Read more

The Blind Shake: Live In San Francisco [Album Review]

The Blind Shake Live In San Francisco Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: The seventh entry in Castle Face’s Live in San Francisco series features Minneapolis trio The Blind Shake, who specialize in their own unique style of “take no prisoners” sonic fury. Equal parts garage and noise, with some surf elements thrown … Read more

New Swears: Junkfood Forever, Bedtime Whatever [Album Review]

New Swears Junkfood Forever, Bedtime Whatever Dirt Cult Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: There’s no way that Ottawa’s number one party band can possibly top their last album, the audio equivalent of a kick-ass blaster that was Funny Isn’t Real, right? Wrong, they can top it, and in fact they not only topped it, … Read more

Drive-By Truckers: It’s Great To Be Alive! [Album Review]

Drive-By Truckers It’s Great To Be Alive! ATO Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Southern storytellers weave their ultimate tale on epic 35 song triple live album! Album Review: A convincing argument could be made that the Drive-By Truckers are the best American rock band of the past 15 years or so. DBT seems to be … Read more

VVHILE: More [Album Review]

VVHILE More Dirt Cult Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: A shoegaze band from Serbia releases an album on one of the great American indie labels, Dirt Cult? It sounds too good to be true, right? Well it is true, and it’s totally worth tracking down. VVHILE is a duo consisting of Andrija Spicanovic and … Read more

Buck Biloxi And The Fucks: Streets Of Rage [Album Review]

Buck Biloxi And The Fucks Streets Of Rage HoZac Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Streets of Rage, the new album from Buck Biloxi and The Fucks, will wrestle you to the ground, hold you there and dangle a loogie over your face, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It will either land … Read more

The Libertines: Anthems For Doomed Youth [Album Review]

The Libertines Anthems For Doomed Youth Harvest Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This is what became of the likely lads, and it’s as good as you hoped it would be! Album Review: Much has been made of the reconciliation between dual/duel frontmen Carl Barat and Pete Doherty, and even more has been made of the … Read more

DTCV: Uptime! [Album Review]

DTCV Uptime! Unsatisfied Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Have you ever wondered what a French-American post punk band sounds like? Well look no further than DTCV (pronounced Detective), for they will provide you with that answer! Similar in style to The Raveonettes, the duo of Fiat Lux and Vivarock have impressive pedigrees, which should … Read more

Albert Hammond Jr: Momentary Masters [Album Review]

Albert Hammond Jr Momentary Masters Vagrant Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This confident new solo record from The Strokes guitarist is a pleasant surprise and continues his artistic rebirth! Album Review: The title of Albert Hammond Jr’s new solo album, Momentary Masters, was inspired by a quote from Carl Sagan of all people, in reference … Read more

POW!: Fight Fire [Album Review]

POW! Fight Fire Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Yes, there is definitely something in the water in the San Francisco area that is causing most of the finest garage rock in the world to be produced there. POW! however, is not your typical San Francisco garage rock band, they spin it off … Read more

Mac DeMarco: Another One [Album Review]

Mac DeMarco Another One Captured Tracks [2015] Fire Note Says: Grab a cup of coffee with Mac and enjoy his latest record! Album Review: It’s always a big deal around The Fire Note Headquarters when Mac DeMarco releases a new record, since the release of Rock and Roll Night Club back in 2012, we have … Read more

White Reaper: White Reaper Does It Again [Album Review]

White Reaper White Reaper Does It Again Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Exciting debut album from hot new Louisville band! Album Review: I’m always looking for good new bands to champion. If you want to catch my ear and hold it, you better have guitars, hooks, attitude, and tunes. White Reaper has all of … Read more