Beach Slang: The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us [Album Review]

Beach Slang The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Did you think Beach Slang was going to slow down on their debut? Think again! Album Review: Beach Slang is for everyone that wants to rock. In the spirit of The Replacements, early Goo Goo Dolls, … Read more

Majical Cloudz: Are You Alone? [Album Review]

Majical Cloudz Are You Alone? Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: An album that searches for sincerity in a space that has been salted with cliché, Are You Alone? builds an immersive world around love and loneliness. Album Review: When my infant daughter couldn’t sleep in the depths winter, I’d sometimes let her lie on … Read more

Video Premiere: Moa Holmsten – “You’re Missing”

Here is a twist today for you. A Bruce Springsteen cover from a Swedish recording artist that previously fronted a heavy metal band. Sound interesting? – you bet.

Moa Holmsten is the artist we are talking about and this video premiere for “You’re Missing” is from her recently released record of all Springsteen covers titled Bruised Arms & Broken Rhythm on Fill In The Blank Records. If you know any Springsteen history, this song was actually cut in 1994 and then revived and rewritten after 9/11, for his powerful 2002 album, The Rising.

With the help of Tony (the producer and co-creator of the album) this video pairs with Holmsten’s haunting and delicate vocals with his art project that was made several years ago filming himself when he was heartbroken. The song, the video and voice all connect with a core emotion we all have experienced which pulls you into the track.

With great starting material, “You’re Missing” is a solid representation from the record which features other great takes on “Dancing In The Dark,” “Badlands,” and “Born To Run” to just name a few. I have always been a sucker for covers and this project from Moa Holmsten takes a huge risk tackling Springsteen but I will tell you that she not only succeeds but will have you humming along to her versions in no time.

Moa Holmsten Website
Fill In The Blank Records

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

EL VY: Return To The Moon [Album Review]

EL VY Return To The Moon 4AD Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: EL VY is the musical collaboration between Matt Berninger, from The National, and Ramona Falls’ frontman Brent Knopf. In my book, Berninger has one of the most distinguishable and cool voices in the indie business right now so breaking away from his … Read more

Grave Babies – “Metal Me”

Grave Babies have launched a new grim video for “Metal Me,” off their recently released Holographic Violence out now on Hardly Art. The clip, from director Bobby McHugh, depicts an imagined, violent revenge fantasy gone awry. This video will keep the spooky vibe of Halloween alive and well!

SPORTS: All Of Something [Album Review]

SPORTS All Of Something Father/Daughter Records [2015] Fire Note Says: SPORTS pulls out a winner with sophomore record All of Something! Album Review: SPORTS is a basement rock band, started in 2012 at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. The group has had all the normal up and downs of beginning young bands but on its … Read more

The Mantles: All Odds End [Album Review]

The Mantles All Odds End Slumberland Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Bay area band tighten up their sound – just a bit – on their third LP. Album Review: If treading water made a sound (and I’m quite sure that it does) The Mantles may have nailed it on their third proper full-length, All Odds … Read more

Paul Orwell – “Fangz (The Extended Cut)”

You many not know the name here but Paul Orwell has been on demand across seas. His late ‘60s rock has elements of talents like Phil Spector, The Pretty Things, The Beatles, and The Who.

The first two singles of his sold out quickly and his latest 7″ probably will too. Here is a video for his new one so you can hear what all the fuss is about. The 7″ is currently available on two nice looking splatter variants. You can still pick up one HERE.

Circus Devils: Stomping Grounds [Album Review]

Circus Devils Stomping Grounds Happy Jack Rock Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Stomping Grounds offers up a healthy serving of bizarro-rock mini masterpieces Album Review: Last year Robert Pollard and the Tobias brothers released Escape, an album that pulled off the usual Circus Devils trick of being completely different from the previous dozen or so … Read more

Track Premiere: Raiders Of The Lost Art – “Unhinged The Blessings”

The track premiere today is from the Chicago group Raiders Of The Lost Art. Not only is their name memorable but the group mixes in samples from 8 bit Nintendo games. Yes, you heard that right. At the 3:30 mark in the track you can really hear an arcade backdrop take off and create a … Read more

Guided By Voices – “The Official Ironmen Rally Song” [Video Classic]

After premiering another track today from Suitcase 4 it only seemed appropriate to reach back into the GBV video catalog for a classic. “The Official Ironmen Rally Song” had its own EP release in February of 1996 and then was included on the great record, Under The Bushes Under The Stars which was released the following month.

I have always liked this video because of its mini history of the group through pictures. Enjoy and salute!

Summer Twins – “Demons”

We just featured this group in our October Bandcamp piece today but thought the video also deserved your attention. The sister-fronted LA four-piece just released their sophomore LP, Limbo via Burger Records.

Singer/guitarist Chelsea Brown had this to say about the video: “Everyone has their own ‘demons’ – they’re the little voices in the back of your mind that make you doubt yourself and tell you not to take risks. They can be vicious – they’ll lure you in and beckon you back to safety. If you fall into their trap you become victim, allowing your demons to stunt your potential; but if you can find the courage to face them and explore that darker side of your mind that you’d often rather ignore, you might just have a breakthrough and discover artistic bliss. In a way these demons are the catalyst in making your vision come to life – they may just put you through hell first.”

For the video Summer Twins wanted to portray their demons in a strange alternate “Limbo” world. They took inspiration from the 1966 Czechoslovak film Sedmikrásky (or “Daisies”) and worked with director Owen Swchartzbard to create the story. All of the props were handmade with the help of friends and they shot the video on a hot day at the dry river bottom in their hometown of Riverside.

Premiere Friday Fire Track: Guided By Voices – “Lockets Of The Empress”

Hello GBV fan! Ready to get your second taste of Suitcase Four? Last week we rocked you out with “Deaf Dumb And Blind Girl” so we thought for week 2 slowing things down might be special. Kicking off the second CD of the four disc compilation is today’s feature, “Lockets Of The Empress,” which is … 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

Bandcamp Artists: Discover, Support & Share – Volume 27

How about some new music? The October Bandcamp feature should provide what you need. This month we have some hardcore from Memphis, pop-punk from Canada, dream-pop out of Ohio, breezy tunes from the West Coast and several groups from New York that are sure to rock you! Discover, Support & Share! Marriage + Cancer Portland, … Read more

The 1975 – “Love Me”

The 1975 have released the video for “Love Me,” the first single from their forthcoming second album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (Dirty Hit/Interscope). Directed by Diane Martel, the video’s deliberately post-ironic self-indulgent performance parodies rock and roll in the digital age and the self-constructed mythology of the iPhone generation.

Django Django: Born Under Saturn [Album Review]

Django Django Born Under Saturn Ribbon Music [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Scottish band Django Django have been on my radar since their Mercury Prize nominated 2012 self-titled debut. The band typically draws comparisons to other modern progressive UK bands like Beta Band, Super Furry Animals and Clinic. On the group’s sophomore outing, Born Under … Read more

Desaparecidos Forced To Cancel Remainder of US Tour

Desaparecidos has been forced to cancel the remainder of their US tour dates. Conor Oberst fell ill while on tour in Jacksonville, Florida and was briefly hospitalized due to laryngitis, anxiety, and exhaustion. In consultation with his doctors, the band has reluctantly agreed to cancel all scheduled live dates. Conor will be heading home to … Read more

Savages – “The Answer”

Savages recently announced that on January 22, 2016 they will release their sophomore album, Adore Life, on Matador Records. You can now watch the first video “The Answer” which is getting us excited to hear the full length. The video was directed by Giorgio Testi at Pulse.

The band will bring their live show to major markets in 2016, kicking off their world tour in Bexhill, UK on February 18th, and culminating in Austin, TX on April 12th. The full list of tour dates can be found below.

Savages – 2016 World Tour Dates:
2/18 – Bexhill, UK – De La Warr Pavilion
2/19 – Cambridge, UK – Junction
2/21 – Glasgow, UK – Art School
2/22 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
2/23 – Leeds, UK – Irish Centre
2/26 – Dijon, FR – Generiq Festival
2/27 – Lyon, FR – Epicerie Moderne
2/28 – Bordeaux, FR – Rockschool Barbey
3/2 – Brussels, BE – Botanique Orangerie
3/5 – Malmo, SE – Babel
3/6 – Stockholm, SE – Kagelbanan
3/7 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega
3/13 – Milan, IT – Magazzini Generali
3/15 – Zurich, CH – Dynamo
3/16 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
3/17 – London, UK – Roundhouse
3/27 – Washington DC – 9:30 Club
3/28 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
3/29 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw
3/31 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
4/1 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
4/2 – Montreal, CAN – Corona Theatre
4/4 – Toronto, CAN – Danforth Music Hall
4/5 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
4/7 – Chicago, IL – Metro
4/8 – St. Louis, MO – The Ready Room
4/9 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
4/11 – Dallas, TX – Trees
4/12 – Austin, TX – Emo’s

Car Seat Headrest: Teens Of Style [Album Review]

Car Seat Headrest Teens Of Style Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This lo-fi pop shows true promise! Album Review: Discovery of new music is a wonderful thing. I can name countless bands that I thought should be huge and just wowed me after I heard their basement tapes. I can also think of a … Read more

Pluto – “When She Was Happy” [Video Classic]

Pluto is a Canadian alt rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia that was signed to Virgin during the heyday of the genre. This is the second single from their self-titled sophomore record and easily one of their catchiest tunes. The band was nominated for a 1997 Juno Award and only released one more record after this in 1998.