The Night Marchers Allez Allez Swami Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Night Marchers return after a 5 year absence with the rambunctious Allez Allez! Album Review: Look no further if you want some solid rock n roll that has punk roots, talent at every instrument and a commanding lead vocal that will consistently get … Read more
Holopaw Academy Songs Volume 1 Misra Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Academy Songs Volume 1 is a record you are certain to keep coming back to. Album Review: Certain records make you keep coming back to them, even when at first you aren’t really sure why. They aren’t necessarily catchy at first, but there’s something … Read more
Half Hearted Hero Whatever Animal Style Records [2013] Fire Note Says: This album is great. It has good melodies, vocals, and lyrics. I’ll give it another listen for sure. Album Review: The album Whatever is by the band Half Hearted Hero; a New Bedford, MA based band that specializes in… music. Actually, I’m not sure … Read more
The Joy Formidable Wolf’s Law Atlantic Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Wolf’s Law is the record Joy Formidable fans were hoping for…and then some! Album Review: How do you follow-up a record like 2011’s The Big Roar, which was my #2 album of the year in 2011? After all, as great as that record was, … Read more
Guided By Voices Down By The Racetrack (EP) GBV Inc. [2013] Fire Note Says: Guided By Voices starts off their 2013 output with the excellent Down By The Racetrack EP! Album Review: When the news hit that Guided By Voices was kicking off 2013 with an EP those on the outside probably thought why bother … Read more
Elephant Stone Elephant Stone Reverberation Appreciation Society [2013] Fire Note Says: Elephant Stone crafts a solid set of psychedelic pop! Album Review: A lot of band these days have many genre labels like alt-rock, freak-folk, acid jazz, etc. But never have I come across something like this in all my listening experiences- Hindi-rock. Canada’s Hindu … Read more
Toro y Moi Anything In Return Carpark Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Toro y Moi return for a pure pop album with Anything In Return. Album Review: Toro y Moi is Chaz Bundick, who returns for his third official full-length with Anything In Return. Bundick has crafted an inviting, accessible pop album that builds on … Read more
Foxygen We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic Jagjaguwar Records [2013] Fire Note Says: I’m gonna dance on a rainbow with the young Steve Winwood. Album Review: The whole affair opens quite in line with the album title, giving us the tambourine-to-the hip swinger “In the Darkness.” All is mid Sixties to … Read more
Bad Religion True North Epitaph Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bad Religion creates another timeless punk record with the energetic True North! Album Review: Bad Religion have long been and still are one of the original punk bands of this generation. A new album from Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz is always a welcomed site … Read more
Wooden Wand Blood Oaths Of The New Blues Fire Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Put on the headphones, turn out the lights, and enjoy the new Wooden Wand record! Album Review: I didn’t see this one coming at all. When I looked at the list of upcoming albums I thought, “I’ll give the new Wooden … Read more
Blackfeet Braves Blackfeet Braves Lolipop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Blackfeet Braves take listeners back to the Sunset Strip circa 1968, dragging them through the dusty southwest along the way. Album Review: Most “retro” or “neo-[insert genre here]” acts stay just that: an act, in which the band prefers to mimic the creativity of their … Read more
Parquet Courts Light Up Gold Dull Tools Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Parquet Courts released one of the indie rock gems of 2012 – glad we finally took a listen! Album Review: Sometimes in the review world you feel like a total idiot when you miss one. I say that as we were late to … Read more
Christopher Owens Lysandre Fat Possum Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Solo debut from ex Girls frontman is not what you are expecting! Album Review: It came as a shock to most indie fans when Christopher Owens announced last year that he was leaving Girls, after two critically acclaimed albums and another highly touted ep, for … Read more
DRGN KING Paragraph Nights Bar/None Records [2013] Fire Note Says: DRGN KING debuts with a diverse album that demands multiple spins. Album Review: DRGN KING is comprised of Dominic Angellella and Brent “Ritz” Reynolds – Paragraph Nights is their first full-length release. The two formed in Philadelphia with Angellella performing many of the songwriting duties … Read more
Nikki And The Corvettes Nikki And The Corvettes (Vinyl Reissue) BOMP! Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Nikki And The Corvettes released a rocking fun album back in 1980 – time to check it out! Album Review: Long before Bikini Kill, The Donnas and Sleater-Kinney there was a rowdy girl rock record released in 1980 by … Read more
Villagers {Awayland} Domino Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Villagers return with an expansive sophomore album that shows new strengths for the band. Album Review: Dublin’s Villagers is basically a one man show, as Conor J. O’Brien is the talent behind his folk moniker. Back in 2010 he released his debut, Becoming A Jackal, which came … Read more
Pile Dripping Exploding In Sound Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Pile’s Dripping rocks a page right out of the 90’s playbook-and that is a good thing. Album Review: Imagine a world with The Pixies haphazard vocal styling, Failure’s quirky chord voicing and hard rock dissonance, a touch of Jawbox noise, and Torche’s all-out energy. Now … Read more
Various Artists Django Unchained OST Universal Republic Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Quentin Tarantino gives us something we entirely expected. Album Review: To begin with, the film: it’s thoroughly contrived and thus boring, especially in the second half. You know how when you’re an hour into a film and you think the set up is … Read more
Yo La Tengo Fade Matador Records [2013] Fire Note Says: There won’t be many records this year that are better than the new Yo La Tengo! Album Review: There aren’t many bands out there that have been putting out records as consistently good as Yo La Tengo has, for as long as Yo La Tengo … Read more
Red Clover Ghost Red Clover Ghost Good Soil Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Red Clover Ghost will win you over immediately with their sincere harmonizing approach. Album Review: When a group can successfully use their harmonizing vocals as another instrument it tends to always grab my listening ear. This is the case with Cumberland, MD, … Read more
Public Nuisance Gotta Survive (Reissue) Third Man Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Public Nuisance puts together a hodgepodge that if given the time has something for everyone! Album Review: Before I begin and start saying anything about the music, I have to explain the history and origin of Public Nuisance’s Gotta Survive. It all begins … Read more
Norwegian Arms Wolf Like A Stray Dog Big School Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Wolf Like a Stray Dog is a diverse and impressive sonic soundscape! Album Review: I suppose if you have to label Norwegian Arms, you could call them Weirdo-Folk, Psych Folk, Freak Folk etc, but the more that I think about it, … Read more
Jon Mueller Death Blues Hometapes/Taiga Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Jon Mueller takes you on a deep trip with his thought provoking Death Blues. Album Review: “How much time is left? Do we know? Does our plan know? What happens when we thoroughly hold and understand that our lives are finite? How does this understanding … Read more
The Capsules Northern Lights And Southern Skies Vespera Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Capsules release a smooth and thoughtful late-night soundtrack. Album Review: With Northern Lights and Southern Skies, the Capsules create a smooth album infused with contemplative lyrics and nighttime sound. Female vocals weave the album in and out of stories about a … Read more
Terra Terra Terra The Space We Create Round Kid Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Terra Terra Terra creates a radio friendly rock album on their sophomore LP. Album Review: Terra Terra Terra is a three-piece band from Lakeland, FL. Members include Loren Taylor (vocals, guitar), Matthew Lowry (bass), and Micah Roth (drums). The Space We … Read more