Frankie And The Witch Fingers Frankie And The Witch Fingers Permanent Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Frankie and the Witch Fingers will hit your 60’s garage rock nerve! Album Review: Frankie and the Witch Fingers are a garage rock group originally from Bloomington, Indiana that are currently making the big move to Los Angeles. Their … Read more
Steven Wilson Hand. Cannot. Erase. Kscope Music [2015] Fire Note Says: Porcupine Tree frontman offers an inspired and introspective solo effort. Album Review: Steven Wilson is a busy guy. Besides working on his own music he has been on a crusade to remix some of the best-known and most beloved records from the classic era … Read more
I am not sure if you are familiar with the San Francisco label Melters but it is the home of the greatly underappreciated artist Tony Molina and his earlier band the Ovens. The label also has some other solid indie rock acts on their small roster which includes Chris McVicker’s group Swiftumz. Swiftumz’s new record, … Read more
Guster Evermotion Nettwerk Music Group [2015] Fire Note Says: Guster continues to put out tuneful, thoughtful music. Album Review: Get ready to feel old: Guster formed 24 years ago in Boston, MA. This is a band with years and years of experience and a strong sense of identity. That sense of self allows Guster to … Read more
Torche Restarter Relapse Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Torche aim to rock you under their heavy groove. Album Review: You can classify Torche into any type of “rock” box you want, be it metal, alternative, radio friendly, sludge or maybe even pop but their fourth album, Restarter, is somewhat of a game changer for the … Read more
Sonny & The Sunsets Talent Night At The Ashram Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: A delightfully weird psychedelic pop album from Sonny & The Sunsets. Album Review: When we last heard from Sonny Smith and his shapeshifting Sunsets on 2013’s Antenna to the Afterworld, he was busy dealing with aliens, death, lost love, affairs, … Read more
Ty Segall has been a Fire Note favorite now for some time and recently just snagged our top honors as the best album of 2014 with Manipulator. Well, no slowing Ty down as he shot out of the 2015 gate with this new Mr. Face EP on Famous Class Records. For fans, Mr. Face represents … Read more
If you have been following Tim Easton long enough then you should know about his time spent with the Haynes Boys. Before his solo outings, Ohio’s Haynes Boys had a great but short run opening for the likes of Wilco, Chris Isaac, REM, Pere Ubu, Tom Petty, Warren Zevon, plus appearances at CMJ and South … Read more
Dan Deacon Gliss Riffer Domino Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Dan Deacon streamlines his signature sound with mixed results. Album Review: Listening to Dan Deacon’s records is a different kind of experience. Precious few artists in the field of electronica have such a penchant for pop or a relish for rock that Deacon has. It … Read more
Colleen Green I Want To Grow Up Hardly Arts Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Colleen Green shows you why age doesn’t matter. Album Review: We all have been there or soon will be, when it comes to celebrating birthday decades. For lo-fi punkster Colleen Green, that celebratory number is 30 on her newest full length, … Read more
Real Estate has added a more shows to their Spring/Summer tour. If you have not had a chance to see this band live I would recommend hitting one of these dates! US Tour Dates May 18 – Woodsist Festival, Big Sur, CA May 19 – Gundlach-Bundschu Winery, Sonoma, CA * May 21 – Revolution Hall, … Read more
Ben Folds has announced details of a new album slated for digital release in the spring with a vinyl release to follow in the late summer. The upcoming album will showcase new pop songs recorded and arranged in collaboration with yMusic – a NYC-based sextet. Recorded in just under two weeks in New York, Los … Read more
Fuji Kureta is an electronic pop duo from Istanbul. The group is comprised of Sahin Kureta (music-programming) and Deniz Ozturk (lyrics-vocals) which have been making music together since late 2008. Fuji Kureta recently released their new 4 track EP, Yetunde, on South Africa based Tree Machine Records and you can hear right from the first … Read more
Here is you chance to get in on Fleeting Youth’s first vinyl release! They are pressing 300 copies of Mumblr’s Full of Snakes album that was officially released late last year. Their cassette sold out quickly so if you want a black wax copy – grab one HERE. Also, Mumblr has just released a new … Read more
Axis: Sova Early Surf God? Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Early Surf puts the depth and nuance at your control. Album Review: Wand’s Ganglion Reef was one of my favorite albums of last year—our favorite garage rock prodigy, Ty Segall, hand-picked the band’s album for release (with help from Drag City Records) on his God? … Read more
The Sidekicks Runners In The Nerved World Epitaph Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The Sidekicks fourth album is pop-tinged punk confection. Album Review: The Sidekicks are a punk outfit from Cleveland, OH. Runners In The Nerved World is the band’s fourth studio release and my first exposure to the band. The Sidekicks sound like a … Read more
Smug Brothers Woodpecker Paradise Gas Daddy Go! Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Smug Brothers newest album is one of their strongest efforts to date. A tight, urgent, and catchy blend of indie rock from rock Mecca Dayton, Ohio. Album Review: Around this time last year, I was reviewing the Smug Brothers’ LP On the Way … Read more
Wand is a band that really deserves to find some success. Having been hand-picked for Ty Segall’s God? Label, Wand released Ganglion Reef, one of the best releases of 2014 (my personal #6 of last year), and I’ve described them as one of the best bands the Elephant Six collective never produced. It seems they’ve … Read more
Steve Earle & The Dukes Terraplane New West Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Terraplane finds Earle & his Dukes exploring the swampy blues stomps of the Deep South. Album Review: One of the benefits of a long career is that it gives an artist a chance to celebrate their influences and explore artistic tangents without … Read more
Surfer Blood has signed with Joyful Noise Recordings for the release of their new album 1000 Palms. The band has returned to earlier times as 1000 Palms was self-recorded and self-produced. The record will be released on May 12th and is available for pre-order! The VIP Edition is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on green … Read more
Small Houses Still Talk; Second City The Cottage Recording Co. [2015] Fire Note Says: Small Houses releases a record from the core. Album Review: If you have read the Fire Note long enough, most people know that I have this solid place in my music library reserved for the honest singer/songwriter. Right next to my … Read more
Quarterbacks Quarterbacks Team Love Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Quarterbacks expand on fun self-titled full length. Album Review: Quarterbacks has yet another short and sweet release. Their self-titled album is the longest yet, with 19 tracks. The album only runs 22 minutes but somehow they manage to make every song jam-packed with memories, people, and … Read more
Anymore it seems tough to find a unique sound in the indie music scene today but we are hoping to grab your ear with the premiere of Philadelphia trio Busses new track, “Liars.” It is from their latest self-released album, Wizard of the Eye, which is out today. The song represents another example of their … Read more
Dream Police Hypnotized Sacred Bones Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Mark Perro and Nick Chiericozzi of The Men debut new side project Dream Police. Album Review: I hate to admit it, but I’ve never heard an album by The Men. I am quite familiar with label Sacred Bones catalogue, though: Moon Duo, Psychic Ills, Amen … Read more
Mourn Mourn Captured Tracks [2015] Fire Note Says: Don’t let the age of Mourn fool you. Album Review: What if I asked you to tell my why you like new music? What would you say? Does a record need to meet a certain critic criteria to be liked such as Pitchfork’s Best New Music or … Read more