R. Ring: Ignite The Rest [Album Review]

R. Ring Ignite The Rest SofaBurn Records [2017] Who: Kelley Deal (Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline) join forces for their debut LP. Sound: Ignite the Rest is a stunning full length debut from R. Ring. It is so good that I have quit whining about wanting another Breeders LP…almost. TFN Final Take: To be truthful, … Read more

The Killers: “The Man” [Single Review]

The Killers “The Man” Island Records [2017] The Killers are back. And if anybody thought that they would be dialing it back, they’ve got a post-Eighties disco-funk wall of sound to reckon with. The Las Vegas pop rock vets yesterday released the lead single from “Wonderful Wonderful,” their first full length LP since 2012’s “Battle … Read more

The Rubs: Impossible Dream [Album Review]

The Rubs Impossible Dream HoZac Records [2017] Who: The Rubs hail from Chicago and Impossible Dream is their sophomore album. Sound: Impossible Dream is a solid power pop album that has classic recording vibes that will remind you of Big Star while singer Joey Rubbish floats out some Elvis Costello type chops. The modern roll … Read more

Charly Bliss – “Westermarck” [Video]

NYC’s Charly Bliss have released a music video for “Westermarck,” a track from their debut album, Guppy, out now via Barsuk Records. Charly Bliss have also announced a UK run and a Brooklyn, NY show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in September.

The band is currently on tour and have dates with Death Cab For Cutie, Pup and Kevin Devine. All dates below.

TOUR DATES:
6/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall *
6/14 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club *
6/15 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
6/16 – New Haven, CT @ Café Nine
6/17 – Somerville, MA @ Once
6/23 – Portchester, NY @ Garcias ^
9/8 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren #
9/9 – San Bernardino, CA @ High and Low Fest
9/12 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb iFor Bach
9/13 – London, UK @ The Old Blue Last
9/14 – London, UK @ The Garage +
9/15 – Liverpool, UK @ Studio 2
9/16 – Leeds, UK @ Headrow House
9/17 – Glasgow, UK @ Hug & Pint
9/19 – Manchester, UK @ The Eagle Inn
9/20 – Birmingham, UK @ The Sunflower Lounge
9/28 – Brooklyn, NY @ MHOW @

* with Pup
^ with Kevin Devine
# with Death Cab for Cutie
@ with Sad13
+ with Chastity Belt

Todd Rundgren: White Night [Album Review]

Todd Rundgren White Night Cleopatra Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Veteran rocker Todd Rundgren mixes it up with Robyn, Trent Rezner of NIN, some new hip-hop friends, and a host of his contemporaries as he stretches out on this experimental synth pop collection. Album Review: Disclaimer: Although I’ve written professionally (and as a hobby) as … Read more

Fascinating: Picture This [Album Review]

Fascinating Picture This Quality Time/Jurassic Pop Records [2017] Who: Fascinating is one of our favorite Ohio “slop-pop” groups that is fronted by Quality Time Records main man Ricky Hamilton. Sound: Fascinating plays a delightfully fuzzed up lo-fi post-punk that is gritty, determined and quick. TFN Final Take: Clearly, TFN enjoys distorted catchy pop tunes. You … Read more

The Shoots – “I Don’t Know” [Video]

We are game for anything Paul Orwell touches. His new side project, The Shoots, features Orwell on guitar and backing vocals while Lord Essien takes the mic. The new group is rounded out with Michael Parrett (bass) & Charley Herbert (drums).

Their debut release (I Don’t Know // Do The Jerk) will be out on a limited 300 press 7″ and is available for pre-order today via Heavy Soul Records with an album to follow after. Watch the video at your own risk – it’s a ripper!

Chris Stapleton: From A Room – Volume 1 [Album Review]

Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 Mercury Records Nashville [2017] Fire Note Says: Chris Stapleton has arrived just in time to save country music from itself. Album Review: By the time, Chris Stapleton got around to releasing his 2015 solo debut, Traveller, he’d pretty much proved there he was an artist deeply rooted in … Read more

CFM: Dichotomy Desaturated [Album Review]

CFM Dichotomy Desaturated In The Red Records [2017] Who: Charles Francis Moothart, aka CFM, continues to branch out on his second solo LP. Sound: Dichotomy Desaturated is a bit of a departure from Moothart’s past work with Ty Segall, Mikal Cronin and Fuzz. TFN Final Take: Charles Francis Moothart’s second solo LP as CFM is … Read more

Gorillaz: Humanz [Album Review]

Gorillaz Humanz Parlophone/Warner Bros. [2017] Fire Note Says: Cartoon urban, dance/rap-core band, Gorillaz return with a mix-tape for the apocalypse. Album Review: Two cartoon bands come to mind: Gorillaz, and The Archies. Okay, The Monkees’ four characters were definitely conceived as cartoon-esque two-dimensional stick figures, but as time developed they grew as individualized, even humanized … Read more

Foo Fighters – “Run” [Video]

Foo Fighters have a just hit everyone with the surprise-release new single, “Run.” “Run” is the first new Foo Fighters music since the band released the free Saint Cecilia EP in late 2015.

The track is accompanied by a time-traveling mind-warp of a video directed by the band’s own Dave Grohl. No word on a new record yet but hopefully soon!

The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding (Clear Vinyl Box Set | LTD Copies)

The War On Drugs announce their fourth full-length album, A Deeper Understanding, out August 25th on Atlantic Records. A Deeper Understanding is the band’s first album since 2014’s Lost In The Dream, and their debut album with Atlantic. Following the Record Store Day release of the 11-minute “Thinking of a Place,” The War On Drugs … Read more

Dream Machine: The Illusion [Album Review]

Dream Machine The Illusion Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Dream Machine is a new band from lo-fi master Matthew Melton (Bare Wires, Warm Soda) and his wife Doris. Sound: You get Melton’s craft of fuzzed up power pop with the late 60’s / early 70’s rock of The Doors, Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly. This … Read more

Vagabon – “Fear & Force” [Video]

Vagabon has just shared a music video for “Fear & Force.” The track is another excellent song off her Headphone Approved debut, Infinite Worlds.

Vagabon has also announced tour dates with Teagan & Sara, Pinegrove, Girlpool and headlining dates with Nnamdi Ogbonnaya. All dates below.

TOUR DATES:
6/7 – Norfolk, VA @ The Norva ^
6/8 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore ^
6/9 – Raleigh, NC @ North Carolina Museum of Art ^
6/11 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel ~
7/10 – Easthampton, MA @ The Flywheel
7/11 – Allston, MA @ The Great Scott
7/12 – Ithaca, NY @ The Haunt
713 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo *
7/14 – Detroit, MI @ El Club *
7/15 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
717 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House Revival *
718 – Columbus, OH @ Park Street Saloon *
8/11 – New York, NY @ Lincoln Center (Damrosch Park)
9/12 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theater #
9/13 – Portland, ME @ Space Gallery #
9/14 – Montreal, QC @ Pop Montreal
9/15 – Toronto, ON @ Smiling Buddha #
9/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club #
9/20 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge #
9/21 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge #
9/22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court #
9/23 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux #
9/24 – Portland, OR @ Holocene #
9/25 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret #
9/26 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project #
9/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall #
9/29 – Santa Cruz,CA @ Crepe Place #
9/30 – Long Beach, CA @ Music Tastes Good
10/2 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge #
10/5 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda #
10/6 – Houston, TX @ Walter’s #
10/7 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa #
10/8 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade #
10/11 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter #

^ w/ Teagan & Sara
~ w/ Girlpool
* w/ Pinegrove
# w/ Nnamdi Ogbonnaya

The Mountain Goats: Goths [Album Review]

The Mountain Goats Goths Merge Records [2017] Fire Note Says: John Darnielle tweaks his approach for his 16th proper album. Album Review: As story tellers go, John Darnielle has few peers: Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Sufjan Stevens, maybe a handful of other names, but the league to which he belongs is exclusive indeed. For the … Read more

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – “360° Full Concert”

Melbourne’s King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have announced a second run of US tour dates in 2017, confirming fall headlining shows set to extend throughout September and October in Nashville, Denver, Portland and more. The band will also be releasing their next and new studio album Murder of the Universe next month on June 23rd.

The tour dates are below but make sure you check out this 360 concert video that features 16 sets across 7 sold out dates. It not only will get you ready for a show but does a nice job of giving you the full King Gizzard experience!

US TOUR DATES
9/26 – Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom
9/28 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jack’s
9/30 – Austin, TX – Mohawk Outside
10/1 – Dallas, TX – Trees
10/3 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar
10/4 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
10/5 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
10/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
10/7 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
10/8 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
10/9 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
10/10 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
10/12 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
5/31 – 6/4 – Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival 2017
6/3 – London, UK – Field Day 2017
6/5 – 6/8 – Marina di Ravenna, Italy – Beaches Brew 2017
6/8 – 6/10 – Porto, Portugal – NOS Primavera Sound 2017
6/9 – 6/11 – Nimes, France – This Is Not A Love Song 2017
6/13 – Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
6/14 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
6/15 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
6/16 – 6/18 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival 2017
6/16 – 6/18 – Mannheim, Germany – Maifeld Derby 2017
6/22 – Paris, France – Cabaret Sauvage
7/21 – 7/23 – Byron Bay, NSW, Australia – Splendour in the Grass Festival 2017

The Smith Street Band: More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me [Album Review]

The Smith Street Band More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me SideOneDummy Records [2017] Fire Note Says: More Scared of You Than You are of Me is a fast and, ironically, fearless record that excels when its makers refuse to hold back. Album Review: Some bands are at their best when they’re at … Read more

Feist: Pleasure [Album Review]

Feist Pleasure Interscope Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Folk pop Feist expands the creative palette for her folk pop fanbase with an eclectic and creative album celebrating life’s Pleasure. Album Review: Folk/pop singer Feist first came to international attention with the breakthrough success of her songs “1234” and “I Feel It All,” from the breakthrough … Read more

Various Artists: Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Deluxe Edition) [Album Review]

Various Artists Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition) Sony/Legacy Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: The soundtrack that captured a change – This is the story of grunge. Album Review: There are not many records that capture an era like the Singles Soundtrack. Grunge stormed the scene in 1991 with the explosion of Nirvana, Pearl … Read more