Omni: Networker [Album Review]

Omni Networker Sub Pop Records [2019] TFN Album Review: Over the last three years and two albums with Trouble In Mind records, Atlanta’s Omni have built support with their post-punk Gang of Four and Wire riffs, sharp lyrics and laid-back delivery. Needless to say, the expectations have risen with their third LP Networker and first … Read more

GA-20: Lonely Soul [Album Review]

GA-20 Lonely Soul Karma Chief/Colemine Records [2019] TFN Album Review: I know if you are into indie music you might not be searching the blues charts for new tunes but on occasion bands cross over and become a must listen with their style and groove. Boston’s GA-20 is one of those bands. Pat Faherty and … Read more

Eyelids: The Accidental Falls (Colored Wax w/ Signed Book | 200 Copies)

When acclaimed poet and former Tim Buckley collaborator Larry Beckett first offered Chris Slusarenko and John Moen of Eyelids to write new lyrics for their next record as well as giving them access to his words from the last four decades, the musicians weren’t sure Eyelids soaring brand of guitar driven rock would jibe with … Read more

Jesse Malin: Sunset Kids [Album Review]

Jesse Malin Sunset Kids Wicked Cool / Velvet Elk Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Jesse Malin’s 8th album recalls the best of an earlier era, with help from producer Lucinda Williams, and guest spots from Billie Joe Armstrong and Joseph Arthur. Album Review: Obviously, there’s no actual formula when it comes to writing a great … Read more

Jenny Lewis – “Rabbit Hole” [Video]

Jenny Lewis has unveiled a brand new clip for “Rabbit Hole,” which is from her latest release On The Line. (Warner Records). Like its predecessor “Red Bull & Hennessy”, “Rabbit Hole” was shot live and directed by Eric Notarnicola (Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Nathan For You, Who Is America?). The live video features Jenny navigating swirling scenes of mysterious costumed figures and celestial backdrops, with cameos from Mac DeMarco and King Tuff.

Jenny is currently on tour and you can catch all of her dates below.

JENNY LEWIS
ON THE LINE TOUR 2019
10/29/19 — Ithaca, NY — State Theatre
10/31/19 — Toronto, ON — The Danforth Music Hall
11/01/19 — Montreal, QC — L’Astral
11/02/19 — Portland, ME — State Theatre
11/03/19 — Providence, RI — Columbus Theatre
12/07/19 — Brighton, UK — The Brighton Centre*
12/08/19 — Leeds, UK — First Direct Arena*
12/09/19 — Cardiff, UK — Motorpoint Arena Cardiff*
12/10/19 — Nottingham, UK — Motorpoint Arena Nottingham*
04/09/20 — Byron Bay, AU — Byron Bay Blues Fest

*supporting The National

Video Premiere: Smug Brothers – “Every One Is Really Five”

The Smug Brothers have had a busy year already with the release of February’s Attic Harvest and July’s All Blur And Spark. Well, the group is not ready to close out 2019 yet as today’s video premiere for “Every One Is Really Five” is the debut single from their forthcoming eighth full-length record, Serve A Thirsty Moon, which is due out on November 8th via Gas Daddy Go! Records in conjunction with the first Local Music Day in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday, November 9th.

If you are wondering why Smug Brothers have had a creative surge in 2019 they will tell you that it was propelled when longtime members Kyle Melton (vocals, guitar) and Don Thrasher (drums) added Scott Tribble in 2018. Scott brought with him a pedal board, some guitars, various keyboards and a creative mind. Now the band has added one more change for Serve A Thirsty Moon as the Smug Brothers have become an official four piece with the studio debut of new bass player Kyle Sowash.

Serve A Thirsty Moon will offer 21 tracks with a 40-minute run time so there will be plenty of new music for fans to dig into. Make sure you get your first taste of their bigger sound when you play the video today and make sure to check out Smug Brothers Bandcamp page HERE when the album is released next week.

Bandcamp Artists Of The Week: Discover, Support, Share

Here are three click worthy artists to check out today. Discover, Support & Share! Hurt Valley Los Angeles, California LA-based musician Brian Collins records music as Hurt Valley. He creates a psychedelic folk-pop that often has a head nodding quality that will stick. Hurt Valley will release their debut, Glacial Pace, on December 6th via … Read more

Guided By Voices: Sweating The Plague [Album Review]

Guided By Voices Sweating The Plague GBV, Inc. [2019] TFN Album Review: Sweating The Plague is Guided By Voices third album release in 2019 and I feel it is their best. That statement alone could be debated for weeks, and already has in GBV groups across the land, but when the last strum of guitar … Read more

Beck – “Uneventful Days” [Video]

Beck asked Dev Hynes from Blood Orange to direct a video for his new single “Uneventful Days.” Beck had admired the originality and personal style of the clips that Blood Orange made for himself and for others so it seemed like a perfect fit.

Beck’s new album Hyperspace will be released November 22nd on Capitol Records. The new record will be Beck’s 14th studio album and first since 2017’s Colors, which won Best Alternative Music Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the 61st GRAMMY Awards. Hyperspace’s release will be bookended by two Beck festival headline appearances: October 26th at the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans, and December 6th at Intersect in Las Vegas.

You can pre-order the record HERE.

Mikal Cronin: Seeker [Album Review]

Mikal Cronin Seeker Merge Records [2019] TFN Album Review: Seeker is Mikal Cronin’s fourth LP but he is probably known best as Ty Segall’s bass player. If you have been following the excellent solo work of Mikal Cronin you have become familiar with his more indie pop leanings of his last two excellent albums but … Read more

Jeanines – “Winter In The Dark” [Video]

Brooklyn’s Jeanines specialize in short bursts of energetic but melancholy minor-key pop. With influences that run deep into the most crucial tributaries of DIY pop — Television Personalities, Marine Girls, early Pastels, Dolly Mixture — they’ve crafted a style that is as individual as it is just plain pleasurable.

With 16 great songs included, there is a lot at work here on their recently released debut album via Slumberland Records. Jeanines have been compared to such cult pop icons as Dear Nora, Black Tambourine, and more recent acts like Veronica Falls and Girl Ray, but their dark, modal melodies and pensive, philosophical lyrics ensure them a place of their own in today’s crowded but boisterously healthy DIY pop scene.

Now the band is back with their first proper video with “Winter In The Dark” and are set to bring in 2020 with a string of west coast shows. You can order a copy of the record HERE and check out the tour dates below.

Tour Dates
1/5 – Los Angeles, CA @ Love Song Bar
1/8 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club
1/9 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
1/10 – Chico, CA @ TBA
1/11 – Portland, OR @ Firkin Tavern
1/12 – Seattle, WA @ Vera Project

The New Pornographers: In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights [Album Review]

The New Pornographers In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights Concord Records [2019] Fire Note Says: The Carl Newman led New Pornographers, take on the world grim reality with bright, bold and aggressive pop song energy that rocks, with strings. Album Review: It seems the unspoken rule of thumb for songs by The New Pornographers’ … Read more

Peter Bjorn And John – “Rusty Nail” [Video]

Peter Bjorn and John will celebrate their 20-year anniversary in 2020 with the release of their ninth full-length studio album – Endless Dream – due out March 13th via INGRID. The band has dropped the single and video for “Rusty Nail” along the news of the new LP and a Spring US headline tour. You can see all the confirmed tour dates below.

Peter Bjorn and John Confirmed Tour Dates
March 23, Los Angeles, Teragram Ballroom
March 24, Santa Ana, La Santa
March 25, Oakland, The New Parish
March 27, Portland, Doug Fir Lounge
March 28, Seattle, The Crocodile
March 31, Salt Lake City, Urban Lounge
April 1, Denver, Bluebird Theatre
April 3, Saint Paul, Amsterdam
April 4, Chicago, Empty Bottle
April 5, Detroit, Loving Touch
April 7, Philadelphia, Johnny Brenda’s
April 8, Washington, Union Stage
April 10, New York, Webster Hall
April 11, Boston, Brighton Music Hall

Tool: Fear Inoculum [Album Review]

Tool Fear Inoculum RCA Records [2019] Fire Note Says: 13 years later Tool reawakens to deliver one of the most anticipated albums ever. Album Review: Speaking on Tool’s fifth album, Fear Inoculum, lead vocalist Maynard James Keenan, says, “the album covers the idea of embracing where we are right now, acknowledging where we’ve come from … Read more

Fletcher C Johnson – “In My Time” [Video]

Are You Feelin’ It is the brand new full-length from Burger Records alum, Fletcher C Johnson, which is officially out now. The digital only release can be purchased anywhere you purchase music digitally, and/or streamed on Spotify.

Are You Feelin’ It leaves behind the electric instruments of his past in favor of acoustic guitars, harmonicas, and piano. Gone are the synths and surf riffs that dominated his last single, “Wilder Than Me,” but his pop sensibilities remain. The choruses on Are You Feelin’ It are more sing-along-friendly than ever.

Jimmy Eat World: Surviving [Album Review]

Jimmy Eat World Surviving RCA Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Jimmy Eat World deliver another solid collection of smart rock driven by pop hooks, their 10th studio album. Album Review: Arizona band Jimmy Eat World struck lightning in 2001 with the piece of guitar-driven pop/rock brilliance that was “The Middle.” The song had such a … Read more

Brittany Howard: Jaime [Album Review]

Brittany Howard Jaime ATO Records [2019] Album Review: Brittany Howard is best known for her two albums with the band Alabama Shakes, who’s 2015 release, Sound & Color, picked up four Grammy’s that year including Best Alternative Album, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Now, setting the band aside for … Read more

Matt Berninger feat. Phoebe Bridgers – “Walking On A String” [Video]

Matt Berninger, of GRAMMY-winning band The National, alongside acclaimed singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers have released a new video and song, “Walking On A String”, which was written specifically for Between Two Ferns: The Movie by Berninger in collaboration with his wife, writer Carin Besser and musician Mike Brewer. It was recorded at Sound City, CA with Walter Martin (guitar) and Matt Barrick (drums) of The Walkmen and produced by Bridgers, Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska. The track has officially been released by label Dead Oceans and can be streamed now. The music video was directed, shot and edited by Tom Berninger and Chris Sgroi.

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds: Ghosteen [Ablum Review]

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Ghosteen Ghosteen Ltd. [2019] Album Review: Even though we’d been told that the 2016 release from Nick Cave And the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree, had been written before the tragic death of his 15-year-old son, Arthur, the album’s stark, grief-stricken music and Cave’s emotional rendering of the song’s lyrics, … Read more

Wolf Parade – “Against The Day” [Video]

Wolf Parade have delivered an official video for the synth-driven “Against the Day,” the group’s first new recorded material in three years. The song, which features rare alternating lead vocals from Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug, is available now all on DSPs worldwide.

Directed by Scorpion Dagger and featuring an 16-bit contribution from Doctor Octoroc, the visual is a post-apocalyptic Wolf Parade listening party. “Against the Day” follows their last release Cry Cry Cry (2016).

Wolf Parade have also just announced headlining 2020 European and UK tour dates, which begin March 2nd in Utrecht, Netherlands at Tivoli Vredenburg and end March 15th in Dublin, Ireland at The Button Factory. All dates are below.

Mar. 02 – Utrecht, NL – Tivoli Vredenburg
Mar. 03 – Hamburg, DE – Knust
Mar. 04 – Berlin, DE – Gretchen
Mar. 06 – Cologne, DE – Club Volta
Mar. 07 – Zurich, CH – Bogen F
Mar. 08 – Luxembourg, LX – Rotondes
Mar. 09 – Paris, FR – Petit Bain
Mar. 10 – Brussels, BE – Orangerie @ Botanique
Mar. 11 – London, UK – The Dome
Mar. 13 – Bristol, UK – Thekla
Mar. 14 – Manchester, UK – YES (Pink Room)
Mar. 15 – Dublin, IE – The Button Factory

Leeroy Stagger: Strange Path [Album Review]

Leeroy Stagger Strange Path True North Records [2019] Who: Alberta musician Leeroy Stagger has a 17-year singer songwriter resume, two kids, a home in Lethbridge and a world class recording studio to go with it. Sound: Typically, Leeroy Stagger offers a folk-Americana delivery but here he brings a much more defined rock that is more … Read more