Brittany Howard Jaime ATO Records [2019] Album Review: Brittany Howard is best known for her two albums with the band Alabama Shakes, who’s 2015 release, Sound & Color, picked up four Grammy’s that year including Best Alternative Album, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Now, setting the band aside for … Read more
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Ghosteen Ghosteen Ltd. [2019] Album Review: Even though we’d been told that the 2016 release from Nick Cave And the Bad Seeds, Skeleton Tree, had been written before the tragic death of his 15-year-old son, Arthur, the album’s stark, grief-stricken music and Cave’s emotional rendering of the song’s lyrics, … Read more
Leeroy Stagger Strange Path True North Records [2019] Who: Alberta musician Leeroy Stagger has a 17-year singer songwriter resume, two kids, a home in Lethbridge and a world class recording studio to go with it. Sound: Typically, Leeroy Stagger offers a folk-Americana delivery but here he brings a much more defined rock that is more … Read more
Belle And Sebastian Days Of The Bagnold Summer Matador Records [2019] Album Review: Although it’s been four year since the last full-length album by the indie-pop/alternative band Belle and Sebastian, from Glasgow, Scotland, this new release might not qualify exactly as its latest release, as Days of the Bagnold Summer is a soundtrack album for … Read more
Bon Iver I,I Jagjaguwar [2019] Album Review: While “I,I”, the fourth album from Bon Iver, begins with “Yi” a 30 second smattering of electronic noise, voices, and an unsettling sense of dislocation, which would lead one to expect another album in the more experimental mode of 2016’s 22, A Million, soon something more focused and … Read more
Gong Gong Gong Phantom Rhythm Wharf Cat Records [2019] Who: Guitar-and-bass duo Gong Gong Gong are from Beijing’s underground indie scene and Phantom Rhythm is their debut LP. Sound: Phantom Rhythm is a psychedelic blues jam that also has an energetic jazz and surf background that is sewn together by Cantonese lyrics. TFN Final Take: … Read more
The Black Keys w/ Modest Mouse; Let’s Rock Tour 2019; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH – Wednesday, October 2, 2019 There are some bands who put so much distance between their latter day success and their modest early beginnings that its nearly impossible to imagine them learning their musical chops in a garage band from some … Read more
Temples Hot Motion ATO [2019] Fire Note Says: Neo-psychedelic British band, Temples is back with their third album, bringing more of their mix of pop song melodicism with just enough colorful progressive instrumental moves to keep everyone on their toes. Album Review: The advance materials for the Kettering, Northhampshire, England band Temples’ third album release … Read more
Wilco Ode To Joy dBpm [2019] Fire Note Says: Wilco’s 11th studio album starts out resembling Jeff Tweedy’s solo albums, but the second half brings the band back to life on some of their best pop singles. Album Review: The return of Wilco to the studio after a 2 and a half year hiatus from … Read more
WIVES So Removed City Slang [2019] Who: So Removed is the debut album from Queens, NY-based post-punks WIVES. Sound: WIVES have the New York swagger of The Strokes, channel the DC post-hardcore of Girls Against Boys, contain an edge of The Fall and bring out a similar Frank Black type Pixies vocal delivery. TFN Final … Read more
Kal Marks Let The Shit House Burn Down Exploding in Sound Records [2019] Who: Boston’s Kal Marks rip their way through a 5-track EP, laying everything to waste with their wonderfully grotesque sound. Sound: Kal Marks make beautiful, grungy noise. Off-putting to some, but it draws me in every time. TFN Final Take: Let The … Read more
The Lumineers III Dualtone/Decca [2019] Album Review: The Lumineers’ third outing, helpfully titled III, finds the songwriting duo of Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites attempting to take their folk-song storytelling up a notch. The band’s long-time member Neyla Pekarek, who played cello and sang backing vocals, left the band last year. Like novelists, “III” consists … Read more
Liam Gallagher Why Me? Why Not. Warner Records [2019] Who: The Oasis singer Liam Gallagher is back with his sophomore solo record. Sound: Liam embraces the sound of his former band Oasis while also channeling John Lennon. TFN Final Take: For the first time in some years, Liam Gallagher sounds hopeful on his sophomore solo … Read more
Oso Oso Basking In The Glow Triple Crown Records [2019] Who: Long Island band Oso Oso return with their third album Basking In The Glow. Sound: Basking In The Glow has a catchy indie power pop and if you like Jimmy Eat World, Young Guv and The Promise Ring. TFN Final Take: If done correct, … Read more
J. Robbins Un-Becoming Dischord Records [2019] Who: Alternaive rock staple J. Robbins releases his first solo record. Sound: Un-Becoming has the indie rock sound you might expect and for fans of Robbins own Jawbox or Bob Mould and Bad Religion. TFN Final Take: There is a good chance that J. Robbins is sitting in your … Read more
Alasdair Roberts The Fiery Margin Drag City Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Scottish folk singer Alasdair Roberts returns with another album of originals that echo the traditional storytelling folk music that he would have grown up on. Album Review: Scottish folk singer Alasdair Roberts has been consistently releasing albums of both original music and projects … Read more
Pixies Beneath The Eyrie BMG/Infectious [2019] Album Review: For nearly a decade the reunited Pixies, who came back together in 2004, seemed willing to rest on the laurels of their iconic early masterpieces like Surfer Rosa and Doolittle, playing the old “hits” on the retro circuit. Now, as far as that goes, many of us … Read more
The Raconteurs w/ Special Guest Olivia Jean; “Help Us Stranger” Tour 2019; Express Live!, Columbus, OH September 13, 2019 As soon as the lights dropped at Express Live on the long-awaited Friday the 13th appearance, the outdoor stage which had been full of stage smoke for quite some time was filled with eerie red light … Read more
The Highwomen The Highwomen Low Country Sound/Elektra Records [2019] Album Review: The idea of a collaborative supergroup of female country artists is hardly novel, but dates all the way back to early sing-alongs on the Grand Ol’ Opry, but was no doubt given contemporary commercial viability when Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris came … Read more
Whitney Forever Turned Around Secretly Canadian [2019] Who: Chicago’s Whitney return for their sophomore record after 2016’s Headphone Approved Light Upon The Lake. Sound: Whitney bring back the warm 70’s soft rock sound that has a modern flare like Real Estate, Bon Iver and Iron & Wine. TFN Final Take: Three years is a long … Read more
David G. Smith Who Cares Hey Dave Music [2019] Fire Note Says: Americana singer/songwriter delivers a solid collection of story songs supported by the strong musicianship and production of Blue Miller. Album Review: Who Cares is the fourth independent studio album from David G. Smith, a singer/songwriter native to Iowa, who’s cultivated musical connections in … Read more
Black Pumas Black Pumas ATO Records [2019] Who: Black Pumas is the debut full-length release from the Austin duo of Adrian Quesada and Eric Burton who were named Best New Band at the 2019 Austin Music Awards. Sound: Black Pumas play a smooth neo-psychedelia, retro-soul set. TFN Final Take: Austin’s Black Pumas shine as a … Read more
Sheer Mag A Distant Call Wilsuns Recording Co. [2019] Album Review: Philadelphia indie-rockers Sheer Mag kick off their sophomore outing with a sonic blast from the past, with vocalist Tina Halladay offering a full throated 80’s metal scream to launch the retro sound of “Steel Sharpens Steel,” with a nod to Judas Priest. Elsewhere, they … Read more
Kneeling In Piss Tour De Force FAH-Q/Anyway Records [2019] Who: Columbus, Ohio-based Kneeling In Piss have a hell of a debut album on their hands. Sound: Kneeling In Piss are occasionally jangly, occasionally punk, often lo-fi power pop and all the time fun. TFN Final Take: Alex Mussawir’s Kneeling In Piss emerged from the ashes … Read more
Oh Sees Face Stabber Castle Face Records [2019] Who: Again as the Oh Sees, John Dwyer continues his annual musical journey with another prog/psych/punk experience with Face Stabber. Sound: More prog than previous efforts that has links to Yes and Pink Floyd that runs extra-long at over 80-minutes. TFN Final Take: The constant production of … Read more