GAMES GAMES HoZac Records [2012] Fire Note Says: GAMES is PURE GOLD! Album Review: If I had to pick my top 5 current record labels, Chicago’s HoZac would be in the running for the top spot. The label has created a brand if you will; it’s the home of some of the finest psychedelic/power pop/punk/garage … Read more
Fort Shame Double Wide Peloton Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Fort Shame bring back some mid-90’s vigor on their debut Double Wide! Album Review: If this was 1998, Fort Shame would be receiving a significant increase in press as the band is fronted by Columbus, Ohio’s Sue Harshe which was co-founder of the post-punk band … Read more
Aspiga Every Last Piece Paper + Plastick Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Fast, loud, and melodic fist pumping punk from NJ trio, Aspiga! Album Review: I’m a total sucker for a band that plays fast, loud, melodic punk songs that make you want to pump your fist in the air and sing along with their … Read more
Tiger High Catacombs After Party Trashy Creatures Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Tiger High play aggressive and spacey psychedelic rock with shades of 90s nostalgia. Album Review: Memphis-based Tiger High’s debut album Catacombs After Party meshes the band’s love for 60s rock and pop with a heavier, more layered sound that gives a nod to … Read more
Green Day ¡Tre! Reprise/Warner Bros. Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Green Day close out the album trilogy. Album Review: I knew going into a three album release that Green Day would really need to step up to the plate to pull it off. One album is hard enough and for the band ¡Uno! was a … Read more
The Moons Fables Of History Schnitzel Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The Moons sophomore album, Fables of History, brings the best of British music’s past forward! Album Review: Every once in a while a record comes across from the UK that has a retro Beatles, soul and 60’s vibe all wrapped tightly into one nice … Read more
Jack White Live At Third Man Records Third Man Records [2012] Fire Note Says: If the turntable is a rocking then the Third Man Record Vault must have opened! Album Review: Ears be praised as Third Man Records and Jack White open up the record vault once again to present us with Vault Package # … Read more
Wax Tailor Dusty Rainbow From The Dark Le Plan Music [2012] Fire Note Says: Wax Tailor blends the kindergarten, the cabaret, and the club. Album Review: The French musician Wax Tailor gives us a concept album. And damn it if it doesn’t work—and work pretty damn well. The first substantial track (“Dusty Rainbow”) sets us … Read more
Dropkick Murphys Signed And Sealed In Blood Born & Bred Records/ADA [2013] Fire Note Says: Dropkick Murphys return with one of their biggest sounding and most engaging albums to date. Album Review: “The boys are back; the boys are back; and they are looking for trouble” is the first big anthem call out line from … Read more
Goldenboy The New Familiar Eenie Meenie Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The New Familiar is a richly textured cinematic pop record! Album Review: When you spend a considerable amount of time out on the road with the likes of Elliott Smith, Grandaddy, Neil Finn, The Rentals, Eels, and Bright Eyes, as Goldenboy has, you had … Read more
Indian Handcrafts Civil Disobedience For Losers Sargent House Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Find the nearest dimensional tear and let Indian Handcrafts take you somewhere. Album Review: Gas up the Firebird, roll down the windows, turn the volume up, push the pedal to the metal, and gear up for the cosmos and beyond because Indian … Read more
The Evens The Odds Dischord Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The Odds is 13 songs you should definitely embrace! Album Review: The Evens hail from Washington DC and feature the husband and wife duo of Ian MacKaye on baritone guitar and Amy Farina on drums. Their new lp, The Odds, is their third overall, and … Read more
Cub Scouts Told You So EP Self-Released [2012] Fire Note Says: Fresh indie pop from down under. Album Review: Cub Scouts are a promising new band from Brisbane, Australia that have been crafting their own style of indie dream pop music over the last year. The band already has been generating tons of buzz here … Read more
Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Atlantic Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Coming from the land of snow and ice – Zeppelin shows that they still have it! Album Review: About 33 years ago culture and the world was dealt a great loss with the passing of Led Zeppelin drummer John Henry Bonham. You then ask yourself … Read more
Joshua James From The Top Of Willamette Mountain Intelligent Noise Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Joshua James releases a tender album with his third LP. Album Review: Joshua James is a singer-songwriter from Nebraska who has settled in Utah. From The Top of Willamette Mountain is his third album that he has released. Not being … Read more
Interpol Turn On The Bright Lights (Tenth Anniversary Edition) Matador Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Turn On The Bright Lights at 10 sounds even more fresh and innovative today! Album Review: I can’t believe that 10 years has already passed since Interpol released Turn On The Bright Lights. Some may say that it is too … Read more
Emerson Lake & Palmer Live In California 1974 Shout! Factory Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Prog legends at the absolute top of their game! Album Review: In 1974, Emerson, Lake & Palmer were at the top of their game, they had just released their most successful album, Brain Salad Surgery, and were on their way … Read more
Sufjan Stevens Silver & Gold: Songs For Christmas Asthmatic Kitty Records [2012] 59 songs at an almost 3 hour running time is a ton of Christmas but when you are talking about the quirky and confident Sufjan Stevens this is the collection for your indie music aficionado. Stevens also gives you an 80-page booklet, stickers, … Read more
Like many of you, The Fire Note is always looking for some quality new Christmas music around this time of year. Depending on your taste it can be a little difficult to navigate the onslaught of releases but we found some albums that I think will make your eggnog go down smoother! Various Artists Christmas … Read more
#10 Red River Dialect “awellupontheway” Self-Released [2012] We told you back in August about this totally under the radar psych-folk record from Red River Dialect should easily land high on our Top 50 and I would say number 10 is nails it. The Cornwall, England based band debut full length “awellupontheway” is a stunning 8 … Read more
#20 Beach House Bloom Sub Pop Records [2012] Indie dream pop group Beach House once again created a record that stays in its lane of expectations but swells up and beyond any type of ceiling you may think exists. Bloom was the group’s fourth long player and it was another atmospheric pop journey. Bloom was … Read more
#30 The Shins Port Of Morrow Columbia Records [2012] Five years is a lifetime in the music scene but that is exactly how long it has been since the release of The Shins last record Wincing The Night Away [2007]. The band of course changed as The Shins are mostly James Mercer now but the … Read more
#40 Archie Powell & The Exports Great Ideas In Action Good Land Records [2012] Sometimes it is best to not change a thing when you have a winning formula and that is exactly the way we felt about the sophomore outing from Chicago’s Archie Powell & The Exports titled Great Ideas In Action. Great Ideas … Read more
#50 Nada Surf The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy Barsuk Records [2012] The combining of Nada Surf’s focus with their high spirits made The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy one of the most optimistic records the band has released to date. The same confidence that has been with band over the years felt even stronger … Read more
The People’s Temple More For The Masses HoZac Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The People’s Temple have the tunes to match their swagger! Album Review: In late 2011, The People’s Temple first showed up on my radar with their album, Sons of Stone, which was a nice piece of Byrds via Black Rebel Motorcycle Club … Read more