Chapel Hill’s Spider Bags just announced that they have joined the Merge Records roster. Frozen Letter, the band’s fourth full-length album and first for Merge, will be released on August 5th. If you are new to the band then “Back With You Again In The World” is your first listen into their style of rock … Read more
As you crest the hill of your favorite roller coaster have you ever thought about something going wrong? How about the amusement park being hit with crazy fast and high flood water? No? Well, Pittsburgh band 1,2,3 have a song for you here that covers that very scenario. Their stomping groove on “When The Levee … Read more
The Fire Note’s April Bandcamp feature finishes off the month with some new bands to fill your playlists. In this edition you can find some shoegaze from Dallas, a Steve Albini recorded record from Linz, Austria, a one-woman act from LA and the new project from Flea, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. As always – … Read more
Last month, Dub Thompson, the brazen project of 19-year olds Matt Pulos (guitar) and Evan Laffer (drums), announced their debut album, 9 Songs, by sharing the raw and immediate Robert Beatty-directed video for “Dograces.” Originally from Agoura Hills, now based in California (Matt) and Brooklyn (Evan), Dub Thompson are giving a further glimpse into the … Read more
It’s finally time for Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s to grace us with their new album Sling Shot to Heaven. I have to admit upon first listen some concessions and adjustments had to be made, though not necessarily in a bad way—you might say that Richards and Co. might be a whole new … Read more
Atlanta-based noise pop band Gold-Bears have just announced the follow up to 2011’s Are You Falling In Love?. Their sophomore album Dalliance will be released on June 3 via Slumberland Records. “For You” begins with main bear and singer Jeremy Underwood bluntly calling out “You’re a mistake.” It is the start of this direct message … Read more
It is that time a year again when vinyl gets its day in the sun. That is this coming Saturday (April 19th) Record Store Day 2014. If you are heading out our staff have put together some of the titles we think are worth grabbing this year! CHRISTOPHER TAHY Heavens To Betsy – Calculated: Anything … Read more
Here is the first single from Goshen, Indiana’s Strand of Oaks appropriately titled “Goshen ’97.” Founder and leader Tim Showalter has previously released several more folk oriented records under the Strand of Oaks moniker but his new record Heal finds him growing with a much louder sound. Not only can you hear this in the … Read more
Mikal Cronin/Superchunk “Takin’ It Easy” b/w “Good Morning” Merge Records [2014] Late last fall, Merge Records announced Or Thousands of Prizes which is a subscription-based, bonus-filled box set celebrating Merge Records’ twenty-fifth anniversary. Merge also did a really cool thing and donated all the proceeds to Oxfam America. Part of this box set includes 7-inch … Read more
How about a double Friday Fire from The Bots this week! The group has been on TFN radar for some time now as the band impresses us more with every new material they release. Brothers and bandmates Mikaiah Lei (Lead Vocal, Guitar, Bass), and Anaiah Lei (Drums & Percussions, Backing Vocal) hail from Los Angeles … Read more
The Fire Note’s March Bandcamp feature is here and ready to supply you with 10 more bands you should know about. There is a little bit of something for everyone this month as we get some LA riot grrrl, Phily chillwave, English psychedelic and some heavy sludge from Minneapolis. Till next month – Discover, Support … Read more
Fu Manchu is at it again. Marking their 11th studio album with Gigantoid the early 90’s fuzz forefathers tear open the cosmos yet again with their first release since 2009’s Signs of Infinite Power. Get an early taste via “Anxiety Reducer,” the first single from Gigantoid. Carrying a molten pace that recalls an Iommi touch … Read more
Kim Deal “The Root” b/w “Range on Castle” Self-Released [2014] It’s finally over; the dust has settled as the 20th anniversary celebration of The Breeders Last Splash is now over. Or who knows, is it? We’ve heard rumblings, ramblings, and seen the pictures of Kim and Josephine playing together but, that’s not why we’re here. … Read more
You may remember TFN Headphone Approved review for Morningbell’s 2013 record Bôa Noite where Chris Tahy described the band as the sweeter side of Radiohead’s OK Computer with the spacey echoes of a Soft Bulletin era Flaming Lips. High praise for the Gainesville, Florida-based group. Today, you get to hear a little bit more of … Read more
Here is a premiere track from New Orleans band Mahayla. Front man Dave Fera has been around the indie scene since the 90’s with different heights of success with his former band The Seymores. Mahayla was formed with drummer Mark Davis back in 1999 and have enjoyed a recent resurgence that has found them sharing … Read more
It’s finally happening and The Fire Note couldn‘t be happier: last week Jimmy Page announced that the long talked about Led Zeppelin remasters are finally coming to fruition. We thought there’d be no better way to celebrate than to knock out a top 10 list of tracks from the first three albums, as those will … Read more
With more snow hitting the ground in March it only makes sense to skip thinking about Spring and go straight for Summer. With that thought in mind, I rummaged through TFN collection and went to several must listens that always make their way to my player when the sun is high. Clearly this list could … Read more
Does grinding blues rock n’ roll from Columbus, Ohio sound like a treat? Did you say yes? Then make sure to hear Mount Carmel’s “Back On It,” as the track is as timeless as the nearest classic record with its smoldering riff that becomes the song’s pulse. The track is both loose and complex but … Read more
The New Old-Fashioned “Ladies” b/w “Indie Movie Scenes” Toxic Beauty Records [2014] Featured a few months back in one of our monthly Bandcamp Features, Dayton, Ohio’s The New Old-Fashioned are a five-piece Folk Rock/Alt-Country band fronted by songwriter/guitarist David Payne. The band’s sound recalls classic acts like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Neil Young, and … Read more
One group that has improved album after album must be Cloud Nothings. After an impressive debut, they followed up with something equally as good if not better. The Headphone Approved Attack On Memory takes its’ white knuckle ease and balls to the wall sounds adding intensity that is always catchy and in your face. I’m … Read more
Eyelids “Segulls Into Submission” b/w “I Can’t Be Told” Off Records [2014] This 7-inch is the first taste of some new Eyelids material. The group has quite a collective history of creating music for some of the most legendary indie songwriters ever. Not only were these longtime Portland, Oregon collaborators the principal instrumentalists for Robert … Read more
San Francisco’s Sleepy Sun brought their strong brand of neo-psych rock to Columbus last Friday night (2/28/14) in support of their terrific fourth album, Maui Tears (see TFN review here.) The Rumba Café near the Ohio State campus was filled to capacity and the night also featured New York newbies KDH and Cincinnati stalwarts, Buffalo … Read more
Not only is this new song from Seattle’s Jupe Jupe the featured Friday Fire Track but also its premiere! “Vicariously” finds the quartet bringing plenty of synthesizers, crooning vocals, jagged guitars and pulsating beats to your speakers for an entertaining introduction to the group. Jupe Jupe’s sound can be summed up like this: If Interpol … Read more
With the Headphone Approved new Beck, Morning Phase, out this week and Mellow Gold turning 20 on March 1, TFN thought it was a perfect time to spotlight Beck’s singles. The criteria used for this weekly top 10 was simple: The song had to be an officially released single and each studio record since 1994 … Read more
Winter won’t seem to end but hopefully The Fire Note’s February Bandcamp feature will cheer you up! We have once again scoured the Internet for 10 artists that we think you should know about. Remember that they are in no particular order and make sure you Discover, Support & Share! Bitches London, England UK punk … Read more