Prog 2016 – The Year In Review

It’s been a rough couple years for Prog with the losses of Chris Squire of Yes, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake of ELP, Nektar’s Roye Albrighton and Daevid Allen of Gong. The heroes of the Golden Age of progressive rock are entering their twilight years. Along with that comes the realization that anyone born after … Read more

The Fire Note Writer Edition Top Albums of 2016

The Fire Note wouldn’t be possible without the talented writers that share their educated thoughts and true enjoyment of music with our readers. The time and commitment that goes into writing consistently is appreciated by TFN and taken for granted by everyone else! Our year end Top 50 is coming soon but clearly everyone has … Read more

Mitski: Puberty 2 [Album Review]

Mitski Puberty 2 Dead Oceans [2016] Who: Mitski Miyawaki aka Mitski released her fourth album overall and first through Dead Oceans. The singer-songwriter always delivers honest and somewhat dark lyricism that is supported by edgy indie rock! Sound: PJ Harvey meets Angel Olsen croon, electronic drum machines meets Pixies-ish style guitars while quiet moments can … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – “PTP”

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears has reclaimed their original moniker and announced their fourth full-length album Backlash, out February 10, 2017 on INgrooves. TFN has been a big fan since the beginning and you may even remember this interview we did with Black Joe back in 2013. This track is completely worthy of the … 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

Grouplove: Big Mess [Album Review]

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

Two Door Cinema Club: Gameshow [Album Review]

Two Door Cinema Club Gameshow Glassnote Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Try not to dance to the newest from Two Door Cinema Club. Album Review: It’s taken Two Door Cinema Club four years to release their third full-length album. The Irish three-piece took their time to craft a confectionary gem with Gameshow. It’s dance rock … Read more

Danny & The Darleans: Bug Out [Album Review]

Danny & The Darleans Bug Out In The Red Records [2016] Who: Danny (Dan Kroha) was a founding member of the legendary Gories. Bug Out is the second LP from Danny & The Darleans. Sound: With the Darleans, Kroha returns to his garage rock Detroit roots that is played from the hip with hard hitting … Read more

Neil Young: Peace Trail [Album Review]

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

Company Man: Brand Standard EP [Album Review]

Company Man Brand Standard EP Overthought Musik [2016] Who: Company Man wants you to be a trillionaire as they claim millionaires are the new middle class. Follow their steps and you will be on your way to mega money. Ok – so all that jazz is a clever cover story for a new rock n … Read more

The Rolling Stones: Blue & Lonesome [Album Review]

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 [Album Review]

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

The Gift feat. Brian Eno – “Love Without Violins” [Video]

If you get Brian Eno to work on your album I would say you are doing quite well. The Gift have done just that and return with a new single, “Love Without Violins,” featuring Eno, who co-wrote, produced and sings on the track.
The single offers the first taste of The Gift’s newly developed experimental sound with Eno. And, with a new album in the pipeline for next spring, they’re set to be heard in 2017.

Circus Devils Say Farewell with Pair of Releases in 2017: Tracklists Included

All good things must come to an end. The longest running Robert Pollard “side project,” Circus Devils, will see its last recording of new material released on February 24th, 2017. Not only will we hear their 14th and final LP but a compilation containing 30 tracks. Not so much of a greatest hits but a … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Strand Of Oaks – “Radio Kids”

Timothy Showalter’s, a.k.a. Strand of Oaks, is back with a new album on February 17th via Dead Oceans and today’s Friday Fire Track is the first single. The album is titled Hard Love and is described as a record that explores the balancing act between overindulgence and accountability. “Radio Kids,” is an escape and you … Read more

St. Lenox: Ten Hymns From My American Gothic [Album Review]

St. Lenox Ten Hymns From My American Gothic Anyway Records [2016] Fire Note Says: St. Lenox’s second album is a poignant reflection on identity. Album Review: Andrew Choi and friends are back on his sophomore album, Ten Hymns From My American Gothic. Choi’s folk-electronic style is alive and well on this effort – it may … Read more

Pinegrove: Cardinal [Album Review]

Pinegrove Cardinal Run For Cover Records [2016] Who: After a number of different EPs, a compilation and years of touring, New Jersey’s Pinegrove finally released their debut LP, Cardinal. Sound: The honest voice of Evan Stephens Hall here is the initial attraction to Pinegrove with his ever so slightly weathered vocal and complete sincerity. The … Read more

Martha: Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart [Album Review]

Martha Blisters In The Pit On My Heart Dirtnap Records [2016] Who: Martha is the first UK band that Dirtnap Records has worked with and you can hear how their sophomore record fits in the with the label’s pop punk vibe. Martha keeps gaining momentum and fanbase across seas as they played Glastonbury this year. … Read more

Votaries: Psychometry [Album Review]

Votaries Psychometry Wharf Cat Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Jackson Scott has created something very special and trippy with his new band, Votaries. Album Review: Jackson Scott’s new project, Votaries, has released their first LP, Psychometry, and it is a rather stunning collection of psychedelic drone-rock. I was hooked earlier in the year when I … Read more

OK Go – “The One Moment” [Video]

“The One Moment,” OK Go’s new video, is incredibly intricate and elaborate, but it only took one moment to shoot. Directed by OK Go singer Damian Kulash, Jr., “The One Moment” has short periods of real time at the beginning and end, but the bulk of it was captured in a mere 4.2 seconds. During the film, band members create and interact with hundreds of synchronized, high-speed events, choreographed to the cathartic song about the most important moments in life, those moments when everything changes. Coming at this time of great change around the world, the song underscores the opportunity and need for people to step up, step out and make a difference.

If this video would have been released during the MTV days, OK Go would be an unstoppable phenomenon as a band right now just based on the incredible detail within “The One Moment.” Even if you are not a big fan of OK Go or the song, you should check out the video becuase it is a true art.

The Neal Morse Band: The Similitude Of A Dream [Album Review]

The Neal Morse Band The Similitude Of A Dream Radiant Records [2016] Fire Note Says: The Neal Morse Band challenge the 70’s concept classics and record one for the ages. Album Review: In the lead up to The Similitude Of A Dream drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) compared this work favorably to other double concept … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Tobin Sprout – “Future Boy Today / Man Of Tomorrow”

Tobin Sprout does not need much introduction on TFN as I know our readers are very familiar with the longtime Guided By Voices member. So, let’s skip ahead to the exciting news that Tobin will be releasing his first solo record in seven years February 3rd via Burger Records. Today’s Black Friday Fire Track, “Future … Read more

Metallica: Hardwired…To Self-Destruct [Album Review]

Metallica Hardwired…To Self-Destruct Blackened Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Metallica find their old heavy soul. Album Review: Metallica is one of those bands that defies genres. It has always been cool to like early Metallica (83-88), always judgment to be found by some if you fall into the camp of liking the “Black” album (1991), … Read more

Thee Oh Sees: An Odd Entrances [Album Review]

Thee Oh Sees An Odd Entrances Castle Face Records [2016] Who: One of the best things going in new music today, Thee Oh Sees have gone through many changes since their conception in 1997. While they’ve been fairly well known, they really started to make their mark with the psychedelic, expansive, garage fracas, 2011’s Carrion … Read more