Yo La Tengo There’s A Riot Going On Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Yo la Tengo have built a sleek mellow album for you to savor. Album Review: It all starts with a tone, a drone sound to appreciate the breath out as much as the breath in. Enter the guitar, that guitar, that … Read more
The Decemberists I’ll Be Your Girl Capitol Records [2018] Fire Note Says: This one is a keeper. Album Review: When The Decemberists’ first single for I’ll Be Your Girl, “Severed” showed up on the appropriate alternative-friendly satellite radio stations a few weeks ago, I bet I wasn’t the only fan to begin worrying that the … Read more
The Breeders: “Secret Show”, The Yellow Cab Tavern, Dayton, Ohio – Friday, March 2, 2018 I really like to think that I pay attention, especially when it comes to music. But, it seems that this one slipped under my nose. I consider myself lucky because if it weren’t for a certain friend my wife and … Read more
Jack White Boarding House Reach Third Man/Columbia Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Jack White’s most eclectic listen to date. Maybe rock is dead? Or is it?. Album Review: If anyone in the indie rock nation could help push the disappearing genre back into the spotlight you think Jack White would be the artist. After already … Read more
Guided By Voices Space Gun GBV, Inc. [2018] Fire Note Says: Robert Pollard and his band of merry men use every trick in the book and create a masterpiece. Album Review: I have been a fan of Guided By Voices since I first heard Bee Thousand way back in 1994. It seemed timeless yet still … Read more
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats Tearing At The Seams Stax Records [2018] Fire Note Says: That S.O.B. Nathaniel Rateliff returns to his roots in R&B and Americana on the strength of the horn-driven Night Sweats. Album Review: After several years of experimenting around the Denver music scene with alternative rock and folk music combos, … Read more
Shell Of A Shell Already There EP Exploding In Sound Records [2018] Who: Nashville, Tennessee quartet, Shell of a Shell craft a delightful debut EP with Already There. Sound: Shell of a Shell will delight fans of Exploding In Sounds Record’s artist roster. They are a blend of Pile’s edginess mixed with a penchant for … Read more
Barrence Whitfield & The Savages Soul Flowers Of Titan Bloodshot Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Barrence Whitfield & The Savages play oldschool R&B with the energy of garage-rock punkers, serving up passion and intensity, giving life to familiar blues riffs. Album Review: Soul Flowers Of Titan, the fourth album from Boston-based R&B soul shouter Barrence … Read more
No Age Snares Like A Haircut Drag City Records [2018] Fire Note Says: No Age hit the mark again. Album Review: The last No Age album, An Object, was released five years ago. What I most appreciated about that album was the significant experimentation with noise and empty space. It was quiet and mellow, encouraging … Read more
Moby Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt Little Idiot/Mute Records [2018] Fire Note Says: On his 15th studio album, Moby creates an atmospheric soundtrack for the post-apocalyptic age to come. Album Review: Moby was making electronic dance music hits before we knew to call it EDM, when it was still called techno/dance pop, but his … Read more
Jimi Hendrix Both Sides Of The Sky Legacy Recordings [2018] Fire Note Says: Both Sides Of The Sky will be especially appreciated by collectors and hardcore fans who want to hear everything. Album Review: It is strange here in 2018 to be talking about “new” music from Jimi Hendrix, who died tragically in 1970 after … Read more
Titus Andronicus A Productive Cough Merge Records [2018] Who: A continually evolving band from New Jersey that is on their fifth full length. Sound: Known for their early indie punk rock, Titus Andronicus keep changing their game as A Productive Cough offers a more Bruce Springsteen meets Lucero that time warps back to 70’s Stones … Read more
Haley Heynderickx I Need To Start A Garden Mama Bird Recording Co [2018] Fire Note Says: A striking debut album from singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx. Album Review: Portland-based singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx seems to have a strong understanding of the power of small details to make (or break) a musical performance. All eight of the songs on … Read more
Finn’s Motel Quinta del Sordo Victory Over Gravity Records [2017] Fire Note Says: St. Louis power pop/rock quartet returns with a second album in a year, with the emphasis on solid songwriting and smart, catchy songs. Album Review: Finn’s Motel came out of hibernation last year, 12 years after their last full-length recording, with a … Read more
The Breeders All Nerve 4AD [2018] Fire Note Says: Kim Deal reunites the Last Splash Breeders line-up for another dark ride around her inner world and she’s All Nerve. Album Review: In 2013, I had the good fortune to be in Nashville for a conference on a night that coincided with The Breeders’ reunion tour … Read more
Guided By Voices Ogre’s Trumpet GBV, Inc. [2018] Fire Note Says: The latest incarnation of a legendary band proves they’re still a deadly live act. Album Review: Sometimes bands release live albums as nothing more than sleazy cash grabs or they may be bankrupt of new and original ideas so they endlessly repackage past glories. … Read more
Roots Magic Last Kind Words Clean Feed Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Roots Magic delivers hard-hitting interpretations of delta blues and free jazz classics. Album Review: Roots Magic is a quartet of Italian musicians: Alberto Popolla on clarinet and bass clarinet, Errico De Fabritiis on alto & baritone saxophone, Gianfranco Tedeschi on bass, and Fabrizio … Read more
High Rise High Rise II Black Edition [1986/2018] Who: High Rise entered into Tokyo’s underground music scene in 1984. High Rise II is their sophomore record of psychedelic garage guitar music from 1986 that has now been reissued newly mixed and mastered by High Rise bassist/vocalist Asahito Nanjo. Sound: High Rise are a full on … Read more
First Aid Kit Ruins Columbia Records [2018] Who: Swedish sisters with their fourth full-length. Sound: Americana with a country-western influence. TFN Final Take: Klara and Johanna Soderberg have put out their fourth full-length album since 2010. Their sound has bounced between folk and occasional pop since then; Ruins see the band settle more deliberately on … Read more
Superchunk What A Time To Be Alive Merge Records [2018] Who: Chapel Hill’s Superchunk pull no punches and hit the current U.S. administration On the Mouth for being so Foolish. Sound: A relentless, urgent slice of Superchunk’s style of power-pop punk that never takes its foot off the gas. TFN Final Take: Superchunk have put … Read more
Olden Yolk Olden Yolk Trouble In Mind Records [2018] Who: The New York-based group is led by songwriters, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists Shane Butler (of Quilt) and Caity Shaffer. This is the band’s self-titled debut. Sound: Olden Yolk have the psych folk heart of the late 60’s early 70’s that now feels like a contemporary indie … Read more
Bill MacKay Esker Drag City Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Bill MacKay covers a lot of ground on Esker. Album Review: The so-called “American Primitive” genre of solo instrumental steel-string acoustic guitar music generally is traced back to the recordings of John Fahey and other artists released on his Takoma Records label in the 1950s … Read more
Kal Marks Universal Care Exploding in Sound Records [2018] Who: Boston’s Kal Marks get the new year started off on the right foot. Universal Care is my first favorite new record of 2018! Sound: Universal Care finds the band evolving into a distinctive brand of intense and monolithic noise rock. It is still Kal Marks; … Read more
Hovvdy Cranberry Double Double Whammy [2018] Who: Based in Austin, Texas, Hovvdy (pronounced “howdy”) is the writing and recording project of Charlie Martin and Will Taylor. The duo, both primarily drummers, first met in the fall of 2014 and quickly bonded over a love for quiet music. Cranberry is their sophomore record. Sound: If you … Read more
Ruby Boots Don’t Talk About It Bloodshot Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Aussie country rocker with promise debuts States-side for Bloodshot Records. Album Review: The second album from Ruby Boots roars out of the gate with “It’s So Cruel,” a cow-punk rocker that recalls the energy of Jason & The Scorchers. But before you get … Read more