Gauntlet Hair Stills Dead Oceans Records [2013] Fire Note Says: With their second album the electro-noise duo move closer to the mainstream – but only a little. Album Review: On their 2011 self-titled debut, Denver-via-Chicago duo Gauntlet Hair appeared to be one of many like-minded acts operating with a clear and obvious debt to Animal … Read more
Bell X1 Chop Chop BellyUp Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bell X1’s 6th LP is assured while being subdued. Album Review: Ireland’s Bell X1 has changed up their sound with their sixth studio album Chop Chop. The country’s second biggest band after U2 worked with The National producer Peter Katis and with Thomas Bartlett, who … Read more
The Cleaners From Venus Volume 2 (Box Set) Captured Tracks [2013] Fire Note Says: The second set of reissues from The Cleaners From Venus is even better than the first! Album Review: The first volume of the Captured Tracks reissue series of Cleaners From Venus was a game changer. It came wrapped up in a … Read more
Casey Black Lay You In The Loam CatBeach Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Casey Black crafts a deep album that tightens its grip with each listen. Album Review: Casey Black’s fourth LP Lay You In The Loam faced an uphill battle with me. Black has a baritone voice that is distinct and either one you … Read more
Gregory Alan Isakov The Weatherman Suitcase Town Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Gregory Alan Isakov’s third full length may just be his best! Album Review: Sometimes there is just nothing better than a softly played indie-folk record like The Weatherman, the third full-length album from Gregory Alan Isakov. The album is full of his confident … Read more
Heavy Times Fix It Alone HoZac Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Heavy Times deliver a knockout blow with new album, Fix It Alone. Album Review: HoZac Records has built up quite an impressive stable of artists, releasing albums in the past few years from the likes of Radar Eyes, GAMES and Idle Times to name … Read more
Laura Stevenson Wheel Don Giovanni Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Laura Stevenson’s Wheel offers a variety of simple, organic Americana music. Album Review: Laura Stevenson gives the listener a lot with her third album, Wheel. It’s almost country, a little bit rock, and mostly Americana. With a league of instruments, lap steel, mandolin, banjo, trumpet, … Read more
When Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) and Jimmy Tamborello (of Dntel) released Give Up in 2003, their collaborative album under the Postal Service banner, no one could have predicted the runaway success it became. Songs appeared in movies, TV shows, and were remixed and covered by artists as wide-ranging as Iron & Wine … Read more
Frank Turner Tape Deck Heart Interscope Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Frank Turner’s most recent release is fresh, combining indie and British rock, punk, emo, and folk. Album Review: Those new to Frank Turner’s music might be surprised that his most recent release, Tape Deck Heart, is his fifth full-length album. The songs are indie … Read more
Secret Colours Peach Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Secret Colours check all the boxes when it comes to psychedelia. Album Review: Leave it to a band like Chicago’s Secret Colours to right my wrongs and relieve my muddled mind. Debating review scores, struggling for references, and more times than not writing myself into a corner, … Read more
Robert Randolph & The Family Band Lickety Split Blue Note Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Robert Randolph cranks the guitars up and the fun dance party even higher! Album Review: I have been following Robert Randolph & The Family Band since their 2003 sophomore record Unclassified. Its combination of soul, funk, hard rock, folk, gospel … Read more
Shocked Minds Shocked Minds HoZac Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The debut album from Shocked Minds is as grimy and sleazy as 1970’s NYC! Album Review: This may be a debut lp from Atlanta’s Shocked Minds, but these guys are anything but rookies. Featuring members of The Carbonas, Gentleman Jesse and His Men, and GAMES, … Read more
Blood Ceremony The Eldritch Dark Rise Above Records [2013] Fire Note Says: If Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull had a love child – this would be it. Album Review: The occult rock phenomenon that has taken hold of the metal world had a beginning and it was Canada’s Blood Ceremony. The blueprint had been there … Read more
Spectrals Sob Story Slumberland Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Spectrals’ Sob Story successfully skirts sophomore slump! Album Review: Diversity is one of those prized musical qualities that many artists strive for; if you can pull it off, having a wide-ranging, eclectic sound is a major plus—it’s why we all love the Beatles so much. But … Read more
Belgrade Belgrade Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Belgrade creates a nuanced, easy-to-miss alternative rock album. Album Review: Belgrade is an indie rock band from Philadelphia that specializes in straightforward alternative that harken back to the late 90s and early 2000s. At first I wondered when Ed Roland from Collective Soul became the lead singer for … Read more
The Purrs The Boy With Astronaut Eyes Fin Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Another rock n roll ride from Seattle’s Purrs. Album Review: Ten years going strong and still working on name recognition, Seattle’s The Purrs are one of the better bands that you still have not heard. The group has consistently released solid records … Read more
Rumspringer Stay Afloat Dirt Cult Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Rumspringer drop a punk rock bombshell! Album Review: Dirt Cult is quickly becoming a can’t miss label for me, earlier this year they dropped the Big Dick record on me, and then a few months ago, the had the awesome Sundowners record, and now we … Read more
Pedaljets What’s In Between Electric Moth Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Pedaljets return after a twenty-three year break with a solid, if unremarkable, album. Album Review: Back in the late eighties Lawrence, Kansas four-piece, Pedaljets, released two strong LP’s (1988’s Today Today and a self-titled follow-up in 1989) to some acclaim – mostly critical. … Read more
Daughn Gibson Me Moan Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Very unique sophomore record from Daughn Gibson will bring love and hate! Album Review: If you are familiar with Daughn Gibson’s debut All Hell from last year then you already know this dude has an interesting deep baritone for a voice. You combine this … Read more
Elusive Parallelograms Fragments Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Elusive Parallelograms show solid chops and song schizophrenia on Fragments EP Album Review: If I were a psychologist evaluating Milwaukee’s prolific Elusive Parallelograms, some of these terms might pop up: schizophrenia, bipolar, post-traumatic stress. By no means am I trying to give Elusive Parallelograms new Fragments EP … Read more
New Politics A Bad Girl In Harlem RCA Records [2013] Fire Note Says: With their sophomore album, New Politics breaks away from their gritty, indie roots, trading it in for a pop rock, punk sound. Album Review: A Bad Girl in Harlem, the sophomore album from New Politics, takes a short walk away from the … Read more
Robert Pollard Honey Locust Honky Tonk Guided By Voices Inc. [2013] Fire Note Says: One of Robert Pollard’s strongest solo outings to date! Album Review: I know that these days a solo record from Robert Pollard is almost expected as he typically releases two albums under his own name a year. This streak actually goes … Read more
Thundercat Apocalypse Brainfeeder [2013] Fire Note Says: Thundercat’s sophomore effort is a psychedelic soul experience. Album Review: Stephen Bruner, playing under the name Thundercat, returns with a solid second outing in Apocalypse. Thundercat collaborated with Flying Lotus on this album and the spacey, trippy sounds reflect the two artists’ sensibilities. On Apocalypse you’ll find a … Read more
Future Bible Heroes Partygoing Merge Records [2013] Fire Note Says: After an eleven year hiatus Stephin Merritt revives the Future Bible Heroes brand. And it was worth the wait. Album Review: Stephin Merritt is a titan. The Mount Rushmore of indie is almost certainly carved with his face on it (along with Pollard, Malkmus and … Read more
Deafheaven Sunbather Deathwish Inc. [2013] Fire Note Says: The most hyped metal album in years lives up to its over-sized ambition. Album Review: From Stereogum’s Album Of The Week designation to Pitchfork’s Best New Music tag, Deafheaven’s sophomore album, Sunbather, has certainly been getting a lot of attention in the indie music blogosphere. Some have … Read more