Editors The Weight Of Your Love Play It Again Sam Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Editors once again swing for the fences on their fourth LP. Album Review: The UK’s Editors is a band that I wish would just knock me out with a killer record. They have all the right components with a … Read more
The Builders And The Butchers Western Medicine Badman Recording Co. [2013] Fire Note Says: More High Plains drama from Portland via Alaska desert folk rockers. Album Review: Soaked in the soil and dusty from the desert, head Builder/Butcher Ryan Sollee is an intense singer and truly an acquired taste. His strange relationship with pitch and … Read more
Coma Cinema Posthumous Release Fork And Spoon Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Posthumous Release is full of songs both strange and inviting. Album Review: Even though Mat Cothran (aka Coma Cinema) has three previous albums under his belt, Posthumous Release is his first recorded in a proper studio, and that environment lends this set of … Read more
These Are Good People, the debut LP from Philadelphia, PA’s Little Big League is now available for Pre-Order from Tiny Engines HERE. Every vinyl order includes an instant download for the entire album. As well, when picking up the new Little Big League LP today, you can use the coupon code LBL20 for 20% off … Read more
Yellow Red Sparks have another US headlining tour in support of their self-titled debut album (TFN Review HERE). The tour started on 6/28 in Phoenix, and is finishing up in Minneapolis on 7/21.
Kim for Kim – well not sure it is that easy but the Pixies have announced that with Kim Deal leaving the band, Kim Shattuck will be stepping in. Kim will be playing bass guitar and backing vocals on the upcoming tour. You may know Kim from LA band The Muffs and previously from The … Read more
With their new Fragments EP out tomorrow, you can now hear the premiere of single “Semantics” from Milwaukee, WI band Elusive Parallelograms. Fragments represents their fifth release and finds the band growing and more confident than ever. “Semantics” is a music handful as Elusive Parallelograms drop shoegaze, prog-rock and power pop in a blender to … Read more
The Mantles Long Enough To Leave Slumberland Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Mantles wear their influences on their sleeves but don’t call this a revival. Album Review: The San Francisco garage scene is alive and well. Yes indeed. With The Fresh & Onlys, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, White Fence, etc. there seems to … Read more
ASG Blood Drive Relapse Records [2013] Fire Note Says: ASG’s Blood Drive delivers a satisfying metal experience. Album Review: The metal genre today is literally saturated with thousands of bands and hundreds of genres and sub-genres. Mastodon, The Sword, Torche, Between The Buried and Me, Sleep, Electric Wizard, Baroness, Black Tusk, Helmet, High On Fire; … Read more
The Black Keys & RZA The Baddest Man Alive Soul Temple Music [2013] You probably heard this track back in October last year when it appeared on RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists Soundtrack but it was nice to see it recently issued as a 7-inch. I am sure you have heard of The … Read more
Light Heat Light Heat Ribbon Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Mazarin frontman Quentin Stolzfus returns to the scene after seven years with Light Heat debut. Album Review: I actually would be impressed if many of our readers remembered the early 2000 psych-pop band Mazarin. The group had three full length albums with the sophomore effort … Read more
Perhapst Revise Your Maps Jealous Butcher Records [2013] Fire Note Says: A fulfilling dose of Byrdsian folk rock and lush sophisticated pop from Perhapst. Album Review: John Moen is one helluva talented musician. He’s obviously best known as the drummer for The Decemberists, but he has also drummed for a who’s who of indie rock … Read more
Duquette Johnston Rabbit Runs A Destiny Communicating Vessels [2013] Fire Note Says: Birmingham, Alabama singer/songwriter finally releases an album worthy if his considerable talent. Album Review: Since forming 90’s alt-rock band Verbena (with A. A. Bondy) Johnston has kept a relatively low profile. He quit the band prior to their signing to Capitol Records and … Read more
Wolf People Fain Jagjaguwar Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Wolf People compose a codex entitled: Progressive Rock for Beginners. Album Review: When a band goes after its influences and tries to hit near the roots of the progressive rock tree a few concepts, places, and bands come to mind. Headley Grange being a great place … Read more
Touring in support of their critically acclaimed third album Modern Vampires Of The City, Vampire Weekend have added several more dates to their fall run. Along with previously announced headlining stops at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, the band have now announced stops at Philadelphia’s Mann Center and Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, … Read more
Sigur Rós Kveikur XL Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Sigur Rós get heavier and more visceral on Kveikur. Album Review: Sigur Rós have been busy since returning from their hiatus. In the span of about eighteen months, they’ve released a live album (Inni) as well as a studio album (Valtari), and after the departure of … Read more
I Am Empire Anchors Tooth & Nail Records [2013] Fire Note Says: I Am Empire makes a compelling case with Anchors. Album Review: I Am Empire is a four-piece band coming out of San Jose, CA. Anchors is their third overall LP (second with their current label Tooth & Nail Records). For the most part … Read more
Hausu Total Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Hausu provide a fresh and precision based debut record. Album Review: It wasn’t till about the fourth track here on Hausu’s debut, Total, that I started to get where the Portland, OR band was coming from with their retro post-punk sound. Did they sound like Fugazi? … Read more
Ben Folds Five Live Sony Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ben Folds Five puts out a fan-pleasing but uneven live album. Album Review: One of the songs that I most identify with high school is “Underground.” I remember driving my blue Chevy Beretta to school, listening to the radio (94.1) and there being this weird … Read more
Double Dagger 333 Thrill Jockey Records [2013] Fire Note Says: An incredible swan song from Double Dagger! Album Review: Baltimore’s Double Dagger, broke up in late 2011, and their final record, 333, is now seeing the light of day. The trio has now gone their separate ways, playing with the likes of Roomrunner, Peals, and … Read more
Beck’s “Defriended” single is now available on vinyl at www.beckdefriended.com. The single includes the original mix plus a 14 minute extended B-side version. This limited edition is a audiophile pressing at 45 rpm and includes a 320kbps download card.
Here is the new Medicine single, “It’s Not Enough”, from their forthcoming album To the Happy Few which is out August 6th on Captured Tracks Records. To The Happy Few Tracklisting 1. Long As The Sun 2. It’s Not Enough 3. Burn It 4. Holy Crimes 5. The End Of The Line 6. Butterfly’s Out … Read more
Eddie Spaghetti The Value Of Nothing Bloodshot Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Value of Nothing is the perfect mix of punk attitude and outlaw spirit! Album Review: What do you get when you mix garage punk, rockabilly, and the hell raising side of country music? The answer is Eddie Spaghetti’s new album, The Value … Read more
The Lonelyhearts Years In The Great Interior Maximum Ames Records [2013] Fire Note Says: There’s a lot more going on with The Lonelyhearts than a first listen might suggest. Album Review: The practice of writing good and interesting lyrics is somewhat of a lost art. Folk singers were the true torch carriers throughout much of … Read more
Case Studies This Is Another Life Sacred Bones Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Case Studies tells it like it is on sophomore album This Is Another Life. Album Review: Case Studies is the current moniker for singer/songwriter Jesse Lortz who was previously one half of The Dutchess And The Duke. This Is Another Life is … Read more