Sting: 57th & 9th [Album Review]

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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

M Ross Perkins: M Ross Perkins [Album Review]

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M Ross Perkins M Ross Perkins SofaBurn Records [2016] Fire Note Says: M Ross Perkins’ debut LP shows that sometimes all you need to make a great record is yourself, Album Review: It’s been quite a year for Dayton native M Ross Perkins: he had a track premiered by the High Times website, an album … Read more

Young Mammals – “Jaguar” [Video]

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Houston, TX’s Young Mammals have been a band since they were a middle school group in the early 2000s.
Fast-forward to 2016 and the Young Mammals have just released their new record, Jaguar, on Odd Hours Records and have shared dates with Parquet Courts and Ringo Deathstarr.

The group also has this new video for the title track and it gives you a good sense of their upbeat jangle. Dancing in the bar and the beach has never hurt anyone!

Premiere Friday Fire Track: Special Teams – “SunFire”

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This weeks Fire track is feeling a bit exploratory. A collection and collaboration of musicians, Special Teams is self described as a rock hip hop trance experiment. Special Teams was born from The Long Count, a song cycle/visual project assembled by artist Matthew Ritchie and music by Aaron & Bryce Dessner of The National. The … Read more

Cymbals Eat Guitars: Pretty Years [Album Review]

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Cymbals Eat Guitars Pretty Years Sinderlyn [2016] Who: Cymbals Eat Guitars have been indie darlings since their 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains, but have changed band members over the years and now on their fourth LP, main songwriter Joseph D’Agostino is the sole remaining original member. Sound: The band has carried a very almost … Read more

Jay Som: Turn Into [Album Review]

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Jay Som Turn Into Polyvinyl Records [2016] Who: Jay Som is the moniker for Bay Area-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Melina Duterte. She decided to unveil an early version of Turn Into online last year, performing every instrument—guitar, bass, keys, and drums. Polyvinyl has given it a proper release with Duterte’s proper debut set to … Read more

Pretenders: Alone [Album Review]

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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

Brother O’ Brother – “Wolf In Sheeps Clothing” [Video]

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Brother O’ Brother’s live performance has been dubbed some of the best live shows in all of Indianapolis by multiple press outlets. Mix MC5 with early Black Keys and you’ve got it.

Based out Indianapolis, Indiana, Brother O’ Brother has toured heavily to the tune of about 100 shows in 2016 including Festivals, played at both Third Man Records locations, and opened for AWOLNATION, Kongos, and Blue October among larger nationals.

This is their new video for “Wolf In Sheeps Clothing,” which you can find on their excellent 2015 record Show Pony. The band always has some great looking vinyl pressings with quality labels like Fonoflo, Shedhouse, Grimtale, Romanus, and Jett Plastic so make sure to search them out. The band is set to release a new full length LP in 2017.

Until then – check out the new video and heed caution – never answer a business card left on your car at a gas station!

Warehouse: Super Low [Album Review]

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Warehouse Super Low Bayonet Records [2016] Who: Atlanta, Georgia-based quintet Warehouse are back with their sophomore album super low. It is their Bayonet Records debut which is the label run by Dustin Payseur (Beach Fossils) and home to TFN favorite Frankie Cosmos. Sound: Taking inspiration from the 1980’s Athens, GA scene (Pylon, R.E.M., The B-52’s), … Read more

Sat. Nite Duets: Air Guitar [Album Review]

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Sat. Nite Duets Air Guitar Father/Daughter Records [2016] Who: Sat. Nite Duets are six-piece band from Milwaukee, WI. Sound: Sat. Nite Duets have a bit of Pavement and Silver Jews in their DNA and deliver unpretentious jangle/Americana rock. TFN Final Take: Sat. Nite Duets’ latest LP, Air Guitar maintains the band’s loose and fun approach … Read more

ESP Ohio: Starting Point Of The Royal Cyclopean [Album Review]

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ESP Ohio Starting Point Of The Royal Cyclopean GBV, Inc. [2016] Fire Note Says: With three members of the current Guided By Voices line-up, ESP Ohio offers many rewards. Album Review: When news broke that Doug Gillard was rejoining Guided By Voices earlier this year (after ten years in the wilderness of playing with Nada … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – “Rattlesnake”

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We couldn’t be pleased more to hear that one of our favorite Aussie bands, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, are once again returning quickly with a new album titled Flying Microtonal Banana. The band’s first LP of 2017 will be released on February 24th via ATO and Flightless. The Melbourne-based group plans to release … Read more

Nada Surf: Peaceful Ghosts [Album Review]

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Nada Surf Peaceful Ghosts Barsuk Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Nada Surf expands their group with a full orchestra. Album Review: This live recording finds Nada Surf joining forces with the esteemed Potsdam, Germany-based orchestra Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. Quite simply – indie rock meets strings! At this point in Nada Surf’s career, Peaceful Ghosts captures … Read more

Dawes: We’re All Gonna Die [Album Review]

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Dawes We’re All Gonna Die HUB Records [2016] Who: Dawes is a four-piece band from Los Angeles, CA. Sound: Versatile rock that reminds you of 1970’s singer/songwriters and 1980’s pop rock. TFN Final Take: You’ve gotta respect Dawes for one thing: their insistence on sticking to their artistic vision no matter how out-of-style or anachronistic … Read more

Phantogram: Three [Album Review]

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Phantogram Three Republic Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Phantogram’s exciting first half lifts up the second half of the album. Album Review: Phantogram, the New York duo consisting of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, has released their third album. It’s title, Three, doesn’t win many points for creativity. It’s a good thing that the psychedelic … Read more

Pixies – “Classic Masher” [Video]

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Pixies’ bassist Paz Lenchantin has directored the band’s newest music video, “Classic Masher” from the new album Head Carrier.

The clip was shot in Los Angeles earlier this month and features Lenchantin’s father Mario Merdirossian as the pianist as well as three friends – Hannah Vandermolen (driver), Adelaide Crocker (middle seat) and Virginia Rand (red lips). Graffiti was created by Jules Muck “MuckRock.”

Pixies just wrapped a four-date “warm up” run in Southern California and will head to Europe on November 15 for a three-week tour, Leg One of the band’s 2016-2017 global trek. Dates are below.

NOVEMBER
15 Gasometer, Vienna, Austria
16 Hala Arena, Poznan, Poland
17 Forum Karlin Hall, Prague, Czech Republic
18 Auditorium Stravinski, Montreux, Switzerland
20 Sant Jordi Club, Barcelona, Spain
21 Coliseum, Porto, Portugal
23 Zenith, Paris, France
24 Palladium, Koln, Germany
25 Lotto, Antwerp, Belgium
27 HMH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
28 Brixton Academy, London, UK SOLD OUT
29 Brixton Academy, London, UK SOLD OUT
30 O2 Academy, Leeds, UK SOLD OUT

DECEMBER
2 Barrowland, Glasgow, UK – SOLD OUT
3 O2 Academy, Newcastle, UK – SOLD OUT
4 Apollo, Manchester, UK – SOLD OUT
6 Brixton Academy, London, UK – SOLD OUT
7 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, UK
8 Birmingham Academy, Birmingham, UK – SOLD OUT

Alejandro Escovedo: Burn Something Beautiful [Album Review]

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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

The Friday Fire Track: Kristoffer & The Harbour Heads – “Nervous In Berlin”

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I always like when I hear a track and it immediately sinks into the right groove. That describes today’s Friday Fire Track from Sweden’s Kristoffer & The Harbour Heads. “Nervous In Berlin” is a very melodic burner of a song that will appeal to Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket fans. You get the … Read more

St. Paul & The Broken Bones: Sea Of Noise [Album Review]

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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