The Fire Note would not be possible without the talented writers that share their educated thoughts and true enjoyment of music with our readers. The time and commitment that goes into writing consistently is appreciated by TFN and taken for granted by everyone else! Our official year end Top 50 is coming at the end … Read more
It is with great sadness that we present this year’s Prog Year In Review. The world of progressive rock lost one of its leading lights when David Longdon of Big Big Train left us on November 20th at the ridiculously young age of 56. His voice and songwriting are a huge part of why we … Read more
Aeon StationObservatorySub Pop Records [2021] How do you ever follow up a record that is as highly revered in the indie rock world as The Wrens’ Meadowlands? The album was released in 2003 and then the band faded away for 18 years with sporadic news of fresh material every year, new album talk constantly being … Read more
SPUD is the Synth-pop solo project of Holly Findlay, bass player of Melbourne’s Stoner/Rock quartet Stonefield. “Spend” is their new video by Millar Wileman and the single is on SPUD’s self-titled EP which was written and recorded in Holly’s bedroom during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic and mixed by Traffik Island’s Zak Olsen. Inspired by the … Read more
Liam KazarDue NorthWoodsist Records [2021] Before moving to Kansas City in 2019, Liam Kazar had built a hefty reputation around Chicago as a band member, dating back to work with the band Kids These Days, and more recently as support player with a variety of local artists, from Tweedy (Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy with his … Read more
Andrew GabbardHomemadeKarma Chief/Colemine Records [2021] If you’ve paid any attention to the Dayton/Cincinnati music scene over the last two decades, you’ve probably encountered the music of Andrew Gabbard at some point. He’s played garage rock in Thee Shams, explored cosmic American psych with Buffalo Killers, and released several solo projects under various guises throughout the … Read more
Flying Dream 1 is a change in pace from the elbow’s previous, UK Number One album, Giants of All Sizes, with a deliberately quieter and more contemplative musical tone, informed by the recording process as lead singer Guy Garvey explains: “We don’t phone each other for a chat. We don’t talk about life outside the … Read more
HushdropsThe StaticPravda Records [2021] Chicago-band, Hushdrops, are considered a supergroup around those parts, the trio perhaps better known for the folk they support in other settings. Guitarist and vocalist John San Jaun has played with Material Issue, Josh Caterer, The Webb Bros. and more, bassist Jim Shapiro was the original drummer with Veruca Salt, where … Read more
Young Guv, aka songwriter Ben Cook, recently announced his new double album, GUV III & IV, with the first installment, GUV III, due out March 11th from Run For Cover Records (and Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada). Today he’s back with the album’s second single “Only Wanna See U Tonight.” GUV III is packed front … Read more
Porto GeeseDuckSheep Chase Records [2021] The debut album from Oslo’s Porto Geese is an intense mix of shoegaze and post-punk that is filled with strategic transitions, an array of instrument mashing and a speaker destroying rhythm of sound. The detail to every note on Duck is fantastic as the extra studio time the band clocked … Read more
Aimee MannQueens Of The Summer HotelSuperEgo [2021] Over the course of her nearly 40 year career, Aimee Mann has pretty much done it all. In the 80’s she led the new wave band ‘Til Tuesday, composing their biggest hit, “Voices Carry,” and even sang a rare duet with Rush’s Geddy Lee. When she went solo, … Read more
Velvet StarlingsTechnicolour ShakedownKitten Robot/SoundX3 Records [2021] Velvet Starlings is a 60’s infused garage rock ‘n’ roll band hailing from Los Angeles and the beach cities of Southern California. The band was founded by guitarist and organ player Christian Gisborne but now is rounded out with brothers Foster and Hudson Poling, who play drums and bass … Read more
Damon AlbarnThe Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream FlowsTransgressive Records [2021] In many ways, Damon Albarn’s official second solo album is as influenced by his physical surroundings in Iceland, as his early breakthrough albums with the band Blur – Modern Life Is Rubbish, Parklife, and The Great Escape – offered a window into the … Read more
The Gulps are pleased to present the official video for “Stuck In The City”; their new single out on Alan McGee’s It’s Creation Baby imprint. Directed by Sandra Crilo and shot around Soho over Summer 2021, the video follows a day-in-the-life of the band as they immerse themselves in the diverse cultural riches of one … Read more
Big HeetPlaying The BugLiving Lost Records [2021] David Settle has been on a hot streak for releasing music this year as the Philadelphia musician is responsible for The Fragiles back in February and the excellent Psychic Flowers album in July. Settle now returns with another established moniker of his with Big Heet that also finds … Read more
Bloc Party announced details of their forthcoming sixth studio album Alpha Games, out April 29th 2022 via Infectious / BMG. Alpha Games is the band’s first studio album since 2016’s Hymns. Alongside the album announcement, Bloc Party have shared new single “Traps” as the first taste of the upcoming record. Produced by Nick Launay and … Read more
OvlovBudsExploding In Sound Records [2021] Connecticut four-piece Ovlov has released two LPs and a handful of EPs over the last decade and have called it quits more times than their output but the good news is – the band has made it to full length number three, Buds. The group has kept many things the … Read more
“The Magic,” is the latest track from EELS’ upcoming fourteenth studio album Extreme Witchcraft, which is out January 28 via PIAS and the band’s own E Works Records. EELS previously unveiled the album track “Good Night On Earth,” which continues to receive extensive critical acclaim; The New York Times raves, “a fuzz-toned guitar riff and … Read more
Robert Plant | Alison KraussRaising The RoofRounder Records [2021] The huge success created by the first collaboration by Led Zep rock howler Robert Plant and Americana/bluegrass darling of the Grand Ol’ Opry Alison Krauss was so counterintuitive that once they’d picked up their 6th Grammy Award for Raising Sand, “Album of the Year” for 2008,” … Read more
Erin Rae has announced, Lighten Up her anticipated new album which was produced by Jonathan Wilson and features guest appearance from Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) and Kevin Morby. The album will be released on Feb 4, 2022, via Thirty Tigers. Rae debuted this video for her first official single from the album, “Modern Woman.” The … Read more
Peter Doherty, now resident in Normandy the land of Calvados and camembert, has teamed up with composer/producer Frédéric Lo, and created a wonderful nouvelle vague slice of pop entitled ‘The Fantasy Life of Poetry & Crime’, which will be released as a single through the Strap Originals label today. “The Fantasy Life of Poetry & … Read more
Israeli guitarist Charlie Megira brewed a heady amalgam of ’50s trash rock, surf-y tremolo, and reverb-drenched goth during his all-too-brief 44 trips around the sun. He recorded seven albums worth of material in 15 years, primarily issued on CD-R, most of which is now unreadable or in a landfill. Armed with only an Eko guitar, … Read more
Ross JenningsA Shadow Of My Future SelfGraphite Records[2021] Ross Jennings is not a household name. Nor are either of his bands, Haken and Novena. But Haken are, in fact, one of the few true success stories to be found within the Prog genre (their video for “The Cockroach King” has garnered over two million views … Read more
