Nada Surf: Never Not Together [Album Review]

Nada Surf Never Not Together Barsuk Records [2020] Nada Surf’s ninth studio recording and first in almost four years, Never Not Together, does not necessarily mark new territory for the band but highlights the veteran groups quality writing, musicianship, and knowledge of how to grab the listener with a hook. For some that remember the … Read more

Tall Tall Trees: A Wave Of Golden Things [Album Review]

Tall Tall TreesA Wave Of Golden ThingsJoyful Noise Recordings [2020] Mike Savino is Tall Tall Trees and he is probably best known as the highly talented electric banjo player for Kishi Bashi. A Wave Of Golden Things is Savino’s fourth studio album and it will probably be one of the most heartfelt records you will … Read more

Album Stream Premiere: DieAlps! – More Important Things

TFN is super excited today to feature the album stream premiere of  DieAlps! (pronounced dee-alps) new album, More Important Things, which is officially released this Friday, February 7, 2020 via New Granada Records. The new album represents change for DieAlps! as the group has replaced three band members since their 2017 album, Our City. For … Read more

Artists Of The Week: Discover, Support, Share

Today’s music discovery captures psychedelic rock from Denmark, excellent softer indie rock from Canada and some quality bedroom pop from Virginia.  Discover, Support & Share! The Sonic Dawn Copenhagen, Denmark Enter the Mirage is The Sonic Dawn’s fourth full-length from the psychedelic band from Denmark. The band is known for their psych blend of styles, … Read more

Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling [Album Review]

Drive-By Truckers The Unraveling ATO Records [2020] Album Review: The Drive-By Truckers are back with their 12th album, an obvious follow-up to their politically charged ’16 release, “American Band.” If anything, on The Unraveling, songwriters Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have taken their inspiration right from the headlines as they write songs of protest over … Read more

Frances Quinlan: Likewise [Album Review]

Frances Quinlan Likewise Saddle Creek Records [2020] TFN Album Review: I am sure the name Frances Quinlan may not stand out to you but she is the vocalist/guitarist of the excellent indie group Hop Along and Likewise is her debut solo record under her own name. With at least 15 years of recording on her … Read more

Okay Kaya: Watch This Liquid Pour Itself [Album Review]

Okay Kaya Watch This Liquid Pour Itself Jagjaguwar [2020] Fire Note Says: There’s a quirky artfulness in the minimalist experimental pop of Okay Kaya, as she mixes wry lyrical observations with simple vocal melodies. Album Review: Arriving just a week after the passing of Monty Python’s Terry Jones, the debut of Okay Kaya has a … Read more

Waxahatchee – “Fire” [Video]

Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) has announced her new album, Saint Cloud, to be released on March 27 via Merge Records. Along with the album news, Waxahatchee has also released this new video and a slew of spring tour dates which you can find below.

Saint Cloud is available for pre-order on CD, standard LP in a single jacket, and coke bottle-clear Peak Vinyl housed in a gatefold jacket (both vinyl editions include a large full-color poster) in the Merge store, HERE.

TOUR DATES:
4/10 – Detroit, MI @ Jam Handy *
4/11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater *
4/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
4/15 – Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts *
4/16 – Boston, MA @ Royale
4/17 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre *
4/18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere ^
4/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere ~
4/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
4/24 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom *
4/25 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge *
4/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
4/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn *
4/29 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Mid City Ballroom *
4/30 – Houston, TX @ The Satellite *
5/1 – Dallas, TX @ Sons of Hermann Hall *
5/2 – Austin, TX @ Scholz Garten *
5/4 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress +
5/7 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s +
5/8 – Los Angeles, CA @ First Congregational Church of LA +
5/9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Castro Theatre
5/10 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery +
5/12 – Portland, OR @ The Old Church +
5/13 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater +
5/14 – Vancouver, BC @ Christ Church Cathedral +
5/15 – Seattle, WA @ The Neptune Theatre +
5/20 – Maquoketa, IA @ Codfish Hollow Barn
5/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe *
5/22 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre *

* w/ Ohmme
^ w/ Radiator Hospital
~ w/ Bonny Doon & Shamir
+ w/ Mirah

Black Lips – “Rumbler” [Video]

Black Lips have just released their new LP Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart on Vice/Fire. In Fact, TFN just featured the Black Lips HERE as Bandcamp Artist of the Week. To go along with the release of the country twang filled record here is the single and video for “Rumbler.”

The band is also hitting the road to support the album and the current dates can be found below.

BLACK LIPS TOUR DATES
Feb. 19 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room
Feb. 20 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
Feb. 21 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
Feb. 22 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
Feb. 23 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
Feb. 24 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Feb. 26 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
Feb. 27 – Portsmouth, NH – 3S Artspace
Feb 28 – Montreal, QC – Foufounes Electriques
Feb 29 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
March 1 – Detroit, MI – Deluxx Fluxx
March 3 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
March 4 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
March 5 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
March 6 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
March 7 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
March 8 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
March 10 – St. Louis, MO – Duck Room, Blueberry Hill
March 11 – Memphis, TN – Growlers
March 12 – East Nashville, TN – The Basement East
March 13 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
March 14 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl

Coldplay: Everyday Life [Album Review]

Coldplay Everyday Life Parlophone/Atlantic Records [2019] Fire Note Says: The eighth album from Coldplay benefits from world music influences and a scattershot approach to incorporating a variety of old school musical influences. Album Review: Dropping late in the year, Colplay’s eighth album became an unexpected contender on a lot of folk’s year in lists, due … Read more

Kiwi Jr. – “Gimme More” [Video]

The world-wide release of Kiwi Jr’s infectious debut album Football Money, the band has a new video for “Gimme More.”

Of the video the Toronto-based band say, “it was shot mostly at our favourite bar in Toronto – Black Dice Cafe. It’s a rockabilly bar and though Kiwi Jr is very unhip to that scene, we tried to pay it justice by wearing leather jackets. We’ve had probably every band meeting we’ve ever had at that bar, and the owner Hidecki was nice enough to let us shoot there as long as we didn’t break anything (which we did during load in before we even started shooting).” It was directed by Sean Foreman who states, “we wanted the video to feel like it was based off dream logic. Things don’t make sense, the band keeps popping up, rooms are oddly connected somehow, it’s nonsense but at the same time there seems to be some undercurrent of reason guiding things.”

Wolf Parade: Thin Mind [Album Review]

Wolf Parade Thin Mind Sub Pop Records [2020] Fire Note Says: Wolf Parade, stripped back to the original Montreal power trio, create a strong mix of 80’s new wave sounds and forward-thinking modern rock on Thin Mind, their 5th album. Album Review: Thin Mind, the fifth full-length album from Montreal’s Wolf Parade, arrives with the … Read more

Artists Of The Week: Discover, Support, Share

Today’s music discovery brings a country twang from a familiar Atlanta band, some excellent lo-fi indie rock from Australia and shoegaze from LA. Please – Discover, Support & Share! Black Lips Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta’s Black Lips have offered up many different flavors of garage rock over the last 18 years. On their new album that … Read more

Greg Dulli – “Pantomima” [Video]

Greg Dulli, frontman of The Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers, recently announced his first-ever solo record, Random Desire out February 21st via Royal Cream/BMG. Dulli has now shared the music video for the single, “Pantomima,” directed by long-time Whigs collaborator Philip Harder who also stars in the video. “The video is an homage to the movie All That Jazz,” said Dulli. “‘Pantomima’ feels like a show tune to me.”

Dulli also announced a full slate of North American tour dates to follow his previously announced European tour. The run kicks off in Minneapolis on April 24th and concludes in Los Angeles on May 28th. Other highlights include Metro in Chicago on April 25th, Webster Hall in New York City on May 6th and The Showbox in Seattle on May 23rd. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 24th. Full tour dates below.

You can pre-order Random Desire HERE.

Greg Dulli / 2020 Tour Dates:
March 19 – Róisín Dubh – Galway, IRELAND
March 20 – Whelans – Dublin, IRELAND
March 22 – SWG3 Warehouse – Glasgow, UK
March 23 – Gorilla – Manchester, UK
March 24 – Islington Assembly Hall – London, UK
March 26 – Paradiso Noord – Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
March 27 – Muziekodroom – Hasselt, BELGIUM
March 28 – Trix – Antwerp, BELGIUM
March 30 – Luxor – Cologne, GERMANY
March 31 – Lido – Berlin, GERMANY
April 02 – Hotel Cecil – Copenhagen, DENMARK
April 03 – Debaser Strand – Stockholm, SWEDEN
April 04 – Parkteatret – Oslo, NORWAY
April 24 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN
April 25 – Metro – Chicago, IL
April 26 – St. Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI
April 28 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
April 29 – Woodward Theater – Cincinnati. OH
April 30 – Mr. Smalls – Pittsburgh, PA
May 01 – The Great Hall – Toronto, ON CANADA
May 03 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
May 05 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
May 06 – Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 07 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
May 09 – The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC
May 10 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
May 12 – The Loft – Atlanta, GA
May 15 – One Eyed Jacks – New Orleans, LA
May 16 – 3Ten @ ACL Live – Austin, TX
May 17 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
May 19 – Bluebird Theatre – Denver, CO
May 22 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
May 23 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
May 26 – August Hall – San Francisco, CA
May 28 – Palace Theater – Los Angeles, CA

Mr. Wrong: Create A Place [Album Review]

Mr. Wrong Create A Place Water Wing Records [2020] TFN Album Review: Create A Place is the sophomore album from Portland, Oregon’s Mr. Wrong and it can be summed up in one word – RIPPER. The female trio of Mof (guitar), Leona (bass) and Ursula (drums) offer up more fierceness here in their 9 songs … Read more

Cable Ties – “Sandcastles” [Video]

Australia’s Cable Ties (that’s Jenny McKechnie, Shauna Boyle, and Nick Brown) have a killer new second album titled Far Enough out March 27.2020 via Merge Records (Poision City in Australia/New Zealand). The band also has has shows on the calendar which you can find below and this music video for Far Enough’s “Sandcastles.” Directed and shot on film by Danny Cohen (Courtney Barnett, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Mac DeMarco), it matches Cable Ties’ perfectly elemental approach to punk rock.

Cable Ties on tour:
Jan 18 Melbourne, AU – Fitz Ritz
Feb 14 Yarra Valley, AU – Gaytimes
Feb 15 Darebin, AU – Something Unlimited 2020
Feb 28 Sydney, AU – Vic On The Park
Feb 29 Wollongong, AU – Farmer and the Owl Festival
Mar 12 Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
Mar 17–21 Austin, TX – SXSW
Mar 26 Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
Apr 03 Glasgow, UK – Glad Cafe
Apr 04 Manchester, UK – The Castle Hotel
Apr 05 Brighton, UK – The Hope & Ruin
Apr 07 London, UK – Old Blue Last
Apr 09 Paris, FR – L’Espace B
Apr 10 Rotterdam, NL – V11
Apr 13 Hamburg, DE – Hafenklang
Apr 14 Berlin, DE – Zukunft

of Montreal: UR FUN [Album Review]

of Montreal UR Fun Polyvinyl Records [2020] Album Review: For the 16th album form the Athens, GA-based of Montreal, principal songwriter and band leader, Kevin Barnes opted to make the album in isolation, playing all of the instruments himself. While Barnes often takes the band out on tour as a quintet and will likely do … Read more

Pinegrove: Marigold [Album Review]

Pinegrove Marigold Rough Trade Records [2020] TFN Album Review: Ever since Pinegrove’s Cardinal release in 2016, I thought the band would have an incredible musical arc that was going nowhere but up. Of course, life is unpredictable and the band went completely quiet in November of 2017 after Pinegrove bandleader Evan Stephens Hall explained some … Read more

Okay Kaya – “Psych Ward” [Video]

Okay Kaya – the project of Norwegian-born, New York-based Kaya Wilkins – has shared the new single/video, “Psych Ward,” from Watch This Liquid Pour Itself, her forthcoming album out January 24th on Jagjaguwar. She also announces initial performances in support of Watch This Liquid Pour Itself. A full list of dates can be found below.

“Psych Ward,” produced by Kaya with co-production from Christoph Andersson (Cautious Clay), follows previously released singles/videos “Asexual Wellbeing,” “Baby Little Tween,” and “Ascend and Try Again.” On “Psych Ward,” Kaya’s scene of nurses making rounds is based on her personal experience of time spent in a hospital.

Okay Kaya Tour Dates:
Mon. Jan. 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (RSVP)
Tue. Jan. 28 – New York, NY @ Whitney Museum of American Art (DJ Set)
Thu. Feb. 13 – Brooklyn, NY @ National Sawdust
Fri. Feb. 28 – Oslo, NO @ By:Larm
Mon. March 2 – Paris, FR @ Pop Up
Wed. March 4 – London, UK @ SET
Sun. March 8 – San Diego, CA @ CRSSD
Mon. March 9 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
Tue. March 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge
Tue. March 17 – Sat. March 21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Fri. May 8 – Berlin, DE @ Pitchfork Festival

Kiwi Jr.: Football Money [Album Review]

Kiwi Jr. Football Money Mint/Persona Non Grata Records [2019/2020] TFN Album Review: Here is a record I have been sitting on for a bit as this Friday will see the world-wide release of Football Money, the debut album from Toronto’s Kiwi Jr. The album is being released via Persona Non Grata Records and follows its … Read more

King Krule – “(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On” [Video]

King Krule has announced the release of his forthcoming album Man Alive! with Archy Marshall’s first ever self-directed video. Man Alive! is set for release on February 21, 2020 via True Panther/Matador Records and will be the third King Krule titled studio album.

Marshall’s longstanding love of cinema seeps out in his first foray into directing, with a video for “(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On” that pulls influences from Carl Theodor Dreyer’s classic The Passion Of Joan Of Arc while still creating a typically wry King Krule visual.

You catch King Krule on tour in support of the album throughout Europe and the U.S this Spring. Find the full tour dates and up-to-date artist biography below.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
3/3 – Brussels, Belgium @ A.B
3/4 – Paris, France @ L’Olympia
3/5 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg
3/7 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ K.B Hall
3/8 – Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle
3/19 – Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia
3/21 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland
3/22 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
3/24 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
3/25 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton

4/2 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
4/3 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
4/4 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek
4/7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
4/8 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
4/10 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Sodo
4/11 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
4/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
4/15 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
4/17 – Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
4/18 – Montreal, QC @ Mtelus
4/19 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
4/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
4/22 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
4/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre