Chris Staples Cheap Shades EP Barsuk Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Offered as a free download to concertgoers who attend shows on his tour in support of the excellent American Soft, Chris Staples’ Cheap Shades EP is a strong and surprisingly unified release. The two new tracks (“Cheap Shades” and “Cindy, Diana, Janet and … Read more
The National’s Matt Berninger and Menomena/Ramona Falls’ Brent Knopf have joined forces for a collaborative offering under the moniker EL VY. Their debut record, Return to the Moon, comes out October 30 via 4AD. I like the groove of the title track which you can find below. EL VY will tour later this year and … Read more
Eric Gaffney A Cassetterospective Joyful Noise Recordings [2015]
The Chemical Brothers Born In The Echoes Astralwerks [2015] Fire Note Says: The Brothers further toy with song structure when their best work is their most traditional. Album Review: There’s a lack of finesse in the loops, a want for direction in the pacing, but there’s a density and a weight to the way the … Read more
Alright. So it would be super easy to dismiss the Under The Sun tour completely. You get Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, Uncle Kracker and Eve 6 for a night of 90s/00s alt rock singles that most of us know by heart if you lived through that era. I am sure to some that may … Read more
Of Monsters And Men Beneath The Skin Republic Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Of Monsters and Men return with their sophomore effort. Album Review: Of Monsters and Men is the Icelandic band who had a huge hit with 2011’s “Little Talks,” and is currently gaining traction with “Crystals.” “Crystals” is the lead single from their … Read more
Let’s finish off July with 10 new artists you should check out. The July Bandcamp edition, features some shoegaze from Hong Kong, GBV vibes from Indiana, sweet meets smooth from LA, garage rock from Ohio, scuzz from Chicago, and some looping guitar lines from Jersey. As always – Discover, Support & Share! Perturbator Paris, France … Read more
You can try but most likely you won’t be able to pry this funereal Americana from my cold dead hand. Or at least something like that! Just not as dramatic when it comes to the first single and debut solo record from Monk Parker. His new album, How The Spark Loves The Tinder, is due … Read more
Wavves has just shared new song “Flamezesz” from their upcoming fifth studio record V. This record is the first time the band has properly recorded an album in a professional studio as it should be their most polished record to date. V is out October 2 via Ghost Ramp / Warner Bros. Records.
No Joy hail from Canada and have released three LPs with the label Mexican Summer since their late 2009 inception. Since the beginning the group has continually received praises from critics including their most recent effort, More Faithful, that came out this past June. We recently caught up with No Joy’s bassist, Michael Farsky and … Read more
Great Lake Swimmers A Forest Of Arms Nettwerk Music Group [2015] Fire Note Says: Great Lake Swimmers have a pleasant, peaceful sound. Album Review: Great Lake Swimmers know their lane and stay in it during their most recent LP, A Forest of Arms. That lane is aptly described by the album’s title; triumphant and scenic, … Read more
Elvis Depressedly New Alhambra Run For Cover Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Many times great indie rock lies on the fringes of the mainstream and most of the time it is discovered by accident. I feel that way about Elvis Depressedly, which is technically a side project of Mathew Lee Cothran’s Coma Cinema. With … Read more
Here is a band we turned you onto back in our February Bandcamp feature. Indianapolis’ Brother O’ Brother has an early Black Keys vibe going on and their new full length, Show Pony, definitely drives that sound down your throat in every way that is good! The band just put the vinyl up for sale … Read more
Titus Andronicus The Most Lamentable Tragedy Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Risking over-ambition and failure, The Most Lamentable Tragedy has it merits—just hope you’ve done your homework. Album Review: From a literary standpoint, Titus Andronicus could be considered William Shakespeare’s first tragedy, a gruesome tale of rape, violence, and revenge. While New Jersey’s Titus … Read more
Negative Scanner Negative Scanner Trouble In Mind Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Ahh -28 minutes of post-punk bliss is what you get here with the debut from Chicago’s Negative Scanner. Lead vocalist Rebecca Valeriano-Flores has a PJ Harvey meets Sleater-Kinney sound as her pulsing energy pushes and shoves you through the record without ever … Read more
Dances hail from Brooklyn and on their upcoming debut, Keep Talking, the band will show off their admiration for classic NYC punk, Britpop, ’60s psych and some straight up ’90s era alt rock. Today’s Fire Track highlights the alt rock side of the group with “Suzy Lee.” The track gets kicks off with a disjointed … Read more
White Reaper White Reaper Does It Again Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Exciting debut album from hot new Louisville band! Album Review: I’m always looking for good new bands to champion. If you want to catch my ear and hold it, you better have guitars, hooks, attitude, and tunes. White Reaper has all of … Read more
Ricked Wicky King Heavy Metal Guided By Voices Inc. [2015] Fire Note Says: Pollard’s Ricked Wicky sparks your rock n roll juices! Album Review: The journey for Robert Pollard’s Ricked Wicky continues just five months after their debut with the sophomore album, King Heavy Metal. Sure, it is a quick turn-around but c’mon – what … Read more
Fine Points Hover Dine Alone Records[2015] Fire Note Says: Sleepy Sun side project deliver a sunny debut. Album Review: The dreaded side project. Often the product of ego (“My songs keep getting voted down”) or worse (“I always wanted to do a rap album”) they seldom come close to the quality of the music produced … Read more
Vetiver Complete Strangers Easy Sound Recording Co. [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Complete Strangers is an apt title for Vetiver’s sixth album, as it finds the band (led by songwriter Andy Cabic) moving away from their folk-rock roots. The album opens with “Stranger Still,” a mellow track that features bubbling keyboards, quiet sax additions, trip-hop … Read more
Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., Folk Implosion) will release his first solo album in six years on Joyful Noise Recordings. Like other JNR releases there are several cool vinyl variants to choose from. Brace The Wave is now available for pre-order with a VIP Exclusive vinyl edition, limited to just 500 hand-numbered copies on marbled … Read more
FUZZ is back! Ty Segall (drums, vocals), Charles Moothart (guitar, vocals), and Chad Ubovich (bass, vocals) are exploring all the blank-ations of what will be, or has always been, on II. Tried and true methods mixed with tongue twisting, teeth shattering, seizure-inducing stabs at the norm. Word on the street says II will be heavy, … Read more
Atlas Genius has shared a new track, “Stockholm,” from the band’s forthcoming release Inanimate Objects. The ablum is due out August 31 via Warner Bros. Records. No word yet on a vinyl release but you can pre-order several other bundles HERE, which include a limited lithograph (FIRST 300 SIGNED). The band is currently playing a … Read more
METZ II Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Sometimes more of the same is more than enough. Album Review: Toronto punk trio METZ exploded onto the scene with their blistering debut album in 2012 – the fact that they had honed their craft for almost half a decade before releasing that self-titled gem may … Read more
Nun Nun HoZac Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Nun are from Australia, and as I am sure many of you know, there has never been a bad band from Australia. They are never not good…period. Think I’m kidding, go ahead try and name one. Add Nun to the roll call of great Australian bands, … Read more