ESP Ohio Starting Point Of The Royal Cyclopean GBV, Inc. [2016] Fire Note Says: With three members of the current Guided By Voices line-up, ESP Ohio offers many rewards. Album Review: When news broke that Doug Gillard was rejoining Guided By Voices earlier this year (after ten years in the wilderness of playing with Nada … Read more
Alejandro Escovedo Burn Something Beautiful Fantasy [2016] Fire Note Says: Rock & roll celebrating the noisy possibilities of our existential crisis. Album Review: In a recent open letter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Jay Minkin of No Depression calls out a few of the institution’s most blatant omissions, artists who have defied … Read more
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam I Had A Dream That You Were Mine Glassnote Records [2016] Fire Note Says: This pairing of Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam finds the perfect timeless mix. Album Review: The Walkman’s frontman Hamilton Leithauser has one of those instantly recognizable voices so I never doubted that he could do well in a … Read more
Peter Bjorn And John Breakin’ Point INGRID [2016] Fire Note Says: Breakin’ Point was the power pop hit of the summer that never happened. Album Review: Whether intentional or not, most artists end up wearing their hearts on their sleeves, that is telling us what they love, what they care about. Even the most cynical … Read more
Spray Paint Feel The Clamps Goner Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Spray Paint‘s newest LP, Feel the Clamps was a really big surprise for this Fire Note writer. I had heard a few tracks over the course of the year, but only one had really caught my ear earlier this summer. The more I … Read more
Jeff Rosenstock WORRY. SideOneDummy Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: With some veteran names in the punk genre like Green Day, NOFX and Sum 41 just recently releasing records I would encourage you to look away from the masses for a second and find Jeff Rosenstock. Who? Well, he is best known for leading the … Read more
Bon Iver 22, A Million Jagjaguwar [2016] Fire Note Says: The constantly evolving Bon Iver! Album Review: I never thought that Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon would stay contained to one style, sound or genre but the turn he has taken on his third record 22, A Million was not expected, slightly perplexing and a musical … Read more
Local Natives Sunlit Youth Loma Vista Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Local Natives release an excitingly hifi new album. Album Review: How much you like the new Local Natives album, Sunlit Youth, depends on how much you’re a fan of music production. This is the third album that the California band has released, and has … Read more
Frank Ocean Blonde Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Frank Ocean fans are awaited for their patience. Album Review: It’s easy to automatically reject that which the Internet deems as being worthy of our time and attention. I had peripherally been made aware of Frank Ocean’s impending release and all of the buzz surrounding it. Appreciating … Read more
Sleepies Natural Selection Mirror Universe Tapes [2016] Fire Note Says: Wake up people! Sleepies third album needs your attention. Natural Selection will more than likely end up my favorite album of 2016. Album Review: I would like to say third time is a charm for this wonderful Brooklyn based band, but honestly Sleepies has been … Read more
Pink Mexico Fool Burger Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Do not build that wall just yet Trump; let Pink Mexico continue to cross the border as long as it delivers albums like Fool. Album Review: Robert Preston (aka Pink Mexico) deftly steers his latest creation clear of the dreaded sophomore slump on Fool. Not only … Read more
Colvin & Earle Colvin & Earle Fantasy Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Colvin & Earle share a personal feeling in music here that is ultimately universal. Album Review: As a junior musicologist (every music critic thinks they know everything, and don’t believe them when they tell you otherwise), I have a few pet theories about … Read more
Dinosaur Jr. Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not Jagjaguwar [2016] Fire Note Says: Dino returns with an album full of face-melters and kickass blasters! Album Review: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph, collectively known as Dinosaur Jr (you knew that already, and if you didn’t what the hell is wrong with you), are back … Read more
Anderson/Stolt Invention Of Knowledge Inside Out Music [2016] Fire Note Says: The voice of Yes and the leader of The Flower Kings team up for an unexpectedly great record. Album Review: There’s just something about the voice of Jon Anderson. While other vocalists from the Golden era of Progressive Rock (Peter Gabriel, Greg Lake, John … Read more
Connections Midnight Run Anyway Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Connections perfectly turn up the lo-fi on Midnight Run. Album Review: I don’t think it would surprise anyone to hear that I am a big Guided By Voices fan. Their recent rock out trend is great but I do miss the magic which was found on … Read more
Case/Lang/Veirs Case/Lang/Veirs ANTI- [2016] Fire Note Says: This isn’t just your typical collaboration. Album Review: To borrow a phrase from this record’s boldest rocker, in a world dominated by American Idol Voices, Disney divas and flash in the pan pop star wannabes, the collaboration of k.d. lang, Neko Casa and Laura Veirs proves to be … Read more
Kevin Morby Singing Saw Dead Oceans [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: From the surreal instrumentation to a voice that at times sounds like a young Dylan, Kevin Morby hits all the right notes on his third full length Singing Saw. You may question – how do I not know about this guy? Well you might … Read more
Big Big Train Folklore Giant Electric Pea [2016] Fire Note Says: English Prog band finally deliver on their considerable potential. Album Review: Formed in 1991 in Bournemouth, England, Big Big Train have been flirting with greatness for a while now. 2009’s excellent The Underfall Yard saw the band recruit a new singer (David Longdon, whose … Read more
Honey Radar Blank Cartoon What’s Your Rupture? [2016] Fire Note Says: Lo-fi pop gems that are similar to Guided by Voices, if GBV was part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Album Review: Blank Cartoon continues Honey Radar’s trend of releasing incredibly catchy lo-fi gems at a steady clip. This is their second full length release … Read more
Red Hot Chili Peppers The Getaway Warner Bros. Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Peppers still like to push the envelope. Album Review: Looking at the list of alternative rock bands that started in the 80’s and were coming into their own — commercially and artistically — in the 90’s, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are … Read more
The Strokes Future Present Past (EP) Cult Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Fututre Present Past engages and entertain long time Strokes fans. Album Review: Probably the best thing to announce about this new four-song EP by The Strokes for their label, Cult Records, is that this suggests that the band is busily writing new music … Read more
The Hotelier Goodness Tiny Engines [2016] Fire Note Says: Surprise! The Hotelier have matured into a world-beating rock and roll band. Album Review: There was something about The Hotelier’s 2014 breakout LP, Home, Like NoPlace Is There, that just felt different than your typical, run-of-the-mill Emo band. They were smarter, that’s for sure. Singer/bass player … Read more
Whitney Light Upon The Lake Secretly Canadian [2016] Fire Note Says: Whitney deliver with a timeless approach on their warm debut. Album Review: When the Smith Westerns called it quits in 2014, I was somewhat bummed because I thought the group continued to show promise on every record. With the break, several of the formally … Read more
Yak Alas Salvation Octopus Electrical/Kobalt [2016] Fire Note Says: It might be a bit early in the year to call Album of the Year…but Debut of the Year is a lock. Album Review: London –based Yak has hit the ground running. Alas Salvation is a frenetic and enormously interesting debut LP. Alas Salvation is a … Read more
Sturgill Simpson A Sailor’s Guide To Earth Atlantic Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Country like it should be! Album Review: If like many, you’ve given up on modern country music, which these days sounds more like 80s AOR bands Foreigner and Loverboy than outlaw country icons Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and the like. … Read more