Big Big Train: Folklore [Album Review]

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Big Big Train Folklore Giant Electric Pea [2016] Fire Note Says: English Prog band finally deliver on their considerable potential. Album Review: Formed in 1991 in Bournemouth, England, Big Big Train have been flirting with greatness for a while now. 2009’s excellent The Underfall Yard saw the band recruit a new singer (David Longdon, whose … Read more

Awards Banquet – “(What Have You Done To Me) Ohio” [Video]

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Awards Banquet is the new band from the once Columbus, Ohio based JP Olsen, who now calls Brooklyn home. With that said, he still can put out a perfect indie pop track about the nation’s 17th state. In support of their new record If Not Now Then Summer, Awards Banquet has a new video for “(What Have You Done To Me) Ohio” that captures that laid back summer concert vibe.

Courtney Barnett – “Elevator Operator” [Video]

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Here is a great new video from Courtney Barnett! This is for her new single “Elevator Operator” which was directed by Sunny Leunig (son of legendary Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig, who himself appears briefly in the video) and crammed with cameos.

You will find Sleater-Kinney, Magda Szubanski (“Kath & Kim”), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), and musical Antipodean legends such as The Drones, Tim Rogers and Paul Kelly. This is really what making videos are all about – good times and support for a solid song. You can still catch Courtney on tour at the dates listed below.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES
7.8.16 – NOS Alive Festival – Lisbon, Portugal
7.9.16 – Bilbao BBK Live – Bilbao, Spain
7.10.16 – Musilac – Aix Les Bains, France
7.13.16 – Somerset House – London, United Kingdom
7.15.16 – Latitude Festival – Southwold, United Kingdown
7.17.16 – Longitude Festival – Dublin, Ireland
7.19.16 – Paleo Festival – Nyon, Switzerland
7.2216 – Fuji Rock Festival – Niigata, Japan
7.24.16 – Splendour In The Grass – Byron Bay, Australia
11.4.16 – Sound On Sound Fest – Mcdade, TX
11.8.16 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
11.16.16 – Audio Club – Sao Paulo, Brazil
11.17.16 – Circo Voador – Rio De Janerio, Brazil

Garbage: Strange Little Birds [Album Review]

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Garbage Strange Little Birds Stunvolume [2016] Fire Note Says: Strange Little Birds is, first and foremost, a fine modern pop record. Album Review: It’s always a fun, noisy, modern pop/rock explosion when we get a new record from Scottish vocalist Shirley Manson and her band Garbage, made up of mid-American studio hounds into punk, electronica/techno, … Read more

GØGGS: GØGGS [Album Review]

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GØGGS GØGGS In The Red Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Watch out – Ty Segall’s new project may require stitches. Album Review: OK – so Ty Segall has released a good number of projects over the last several years but even after his crazier baby face solo Emotional Mugger record in January his newest full … Read more

PJ Harvey: The Hope Six Demolition Project [Album Review]

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PJ Harvey The Hope Six Demolition Project Vagrant Records [2016] Fire Note Says: PJ Harvey’s creative musical efforts suggest a hope that springs eternal. Album Review: It’s never quite clear whether PJ Harvey’s latest project – her ninth full-length – is an art project exploring the exploitative nature of poverty tourism for political gain, or … Read more

Honey Radar: Blank Cartoon [Album Review]

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Honey Radar Blank Cartoon What’s Your Rupture? [2016] Fire Note Says: Lo-fi pop gems that are similar to Guided by Voices, if GBV was part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Album Review: Blank Cartoon continues Honey Radar’s trend of releasing incredibly catchy lo-fi gems at a steady clip. This is their second full length release … Read more

Told Slant: Going By [Album Review]

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Told Slant Going By Double Double Whammy [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: How about a cross between Modest Mouse, Sufjan Stevens and Hayden? That is exactly what I hear on the new engagingly addicting sophomore record from Told Slant. The band is really the songwriting project of Felix Walworth as these songs capture emotions around … Read more

Paul Simon: Stranger To Stranger [Album Review]

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Paul Simon Stranger To Stranger Concord Music Group [2016] Fire Note Says: Paul Simon continues to bring a certain rhythmic sensibility to life’s more perplexing realities. Album Review: Paul Simon has already had several huge careers as both a songwriter and performer. With Art Garfunkel, Simon contributed numerous classics to the Great American Songbook: “Sound … Read more

Bandcamp Artists: Discover, Support, Share – Volume 32

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I don’t think you can deny that this edition of our Bandcamp feature brings the summer heat. We have a new project from Black Joe Lewis, dark surf blues from Dublin, heavy drum-bass from Brazil, bedroom pop from Brooklyn, folk-rock out of Michigan and good classic twang from Baltimore. As always – Discover, Support & … Read more

Angel Olsen – “Shut Up Kiss Me” [Video]

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Angel Olsen will release MY WOMAN, her third studio full-length, on September 2nd via Jagjaguwar. Olsen now presents “Shut Up Kiss Me,” and the single’s accompanying video, starring, written and directed by Olsen, herself.

The Angel Olsen six-piece band will tour North America and Europe this fall (all dates are below). MY WOMAN is available for pre-order now. The Jagjaguwar pre-order bundle comes with exclusive blue opaque vinyl and the “Others’ Blues” 7” which includes covers of Roky Erickson’s “For You” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher Than The Rest.” You can find it HERE.

Angel Olsen Tour Dates:
Fri. Sep. 9 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
Sat. Sep. 10 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
Sun. Sep. 11 – Cincinnati, OH @ Woodward Theater *
Mon. Sep. 12 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre *
Wed. Sep. 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
Thu. Sep. 15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
Fri. Sep. 16 – Hudson, NY @ Basilica Hudson
Sat. Sep. 17 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall *
Sun. Sep. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw *
Tue. Sep. 20 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair *
Wed. Sep. 21 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair &
Thu. Sep. 22 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom &
Fri. Sep. 23 – Montreal, QC @ Rialto Theatre &
Sat. Sep. 24 – Toronto, ON @ Virgin Mobile Mod Club &
Mon. Sep. 26 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch &
Tue. Sep. 27 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall &
Fri. Sep. 30 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway &
Sat. Oct. 1 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle &
Thu. Oct. 13 – Brighton, UK @ Concord 2 #
Fri. Oct. 14 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy #
Sat. Oct. 15 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Studio Warehouse #
Sun. Oct. 16 – Bristol, UK @ The Marble Factory #
Mon. Oct. 17 – London, UK @ KOKO #
Wed. Oct. 19 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel #
Thu. Oct. 20 – Copenhagen, DK @ Koncerthuset, Studie 2 #
Fri. Oct. 21 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee #
Sat. Oct. 22 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Strand #
Sun. Oct. 23 – Goeteborg, SE @ Pustervik #
Tue. Oct. 25 – Berlin, DE @ Columbia Theater #
Wed. Oct. 26 – Munich, DE @ Ampere #
Thu. Oct. 27 – Zuerich, CH @ Bogen F #
Fri. Oct. 28 – Koeln, DE @ Stadtgarten #
Sat. Oct. 29 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique #
Fri. Nov. 4 – Paris, FR @ La Gaîté Lyrique #
Sat. Nov. 5 – Den Haag, NL @ Crossing Border Festival
Sun. Nov. 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Tolhuistuin #

* = with Alex Cameron
& = with Rodrigo Amarante
# = with Little Wings

Paul Orwell Organized Blues LP – 50 Blue / 350 Black

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Paul Orwell is a singer / songwriter from Essex who has great old school sound talent which we loved on his full length debut Blowing Your Mind Away. His new record is an Instru’MENTAL’ album titled ORGANIZED BLUES which will go up on Pre-Order today.

As most Heavy Soul Records release the album is a vinyl only release on heavy wax with only 400 pressed. 350 BLACK VINYL and a very limited 50 BLUE VINYL. His output typically sells fast so don’t delay and look HERE for a copy after 4 PM est today.

Just to get a taste we also included Orwell’s new video for “DON’T DO AS I DO, JUST DO AS I SAY!”

Track Premiere: VoirVoir – “Stupid For Now”

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Today’s track premiere spotlights the second single from Bethlehem, PA band VoirVoir (pronounced v-wah v-wah). The quintet is set to release their debut, There Are No Good Goodbyes, on July 15th from our good friends Fleeting Youth Records. VoirVoir is all about delivering intense vocals, providing rock out guitar at the right moment and lyrically … Read more

Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Getaway [Album Review]

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Red Hot Chili Peppers The Getaway Warner Bros. Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Peppers still like to push the envelope. Album Review: Looking at the list of alternative rock bands that started in the 80’s and were coming into their own — commercially and artistically — in the 90’s, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are … Read more

DMA’S: Hills End [Album Review]

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DMA’S Hills End Mom + Pop Music [2016] Fire Note Says: DMA’S full-length debut is a fond call back to another time. Album Review: DMA’S is a three-piece band from Australia. With an introductory (and very solid) EP under their belt last year, Hills End is the group’s debut LP. Johnny Took, Tommy O’Dell, and … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Cymbals Eat Guitars – “4th of July, Philadelphia (SANDY)”

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One of our past favorites, Cymbals Eat Guitars, has a new record coming out September 16th called Pretty Years via Sinderlyn. Today’s Friday Fire Track, “4th of July, Philadelphia (SANDY),” is the second single from the record and it highlights the loose free vibe that went into the entire recording. The heavy hitting vocals and … Read more

The Strumbellas: Hope [Album Review]

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The Strumbellas Hope Glassnote Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Canadian band The Strumbellas play a familiar tune. Album Review: Canadian band The Strumbellas rode into to public acclaim on the back of their airplay single, “Spirits,” on the same post-banjo Mumford wave that brought us the likes of Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men, and … Read more