Feist Pleasure Interscope Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Folk pop Feist expands the creative palette for her folk pop fanbase with an eclectic and creative album celebrating life’s Pleasure. Album Review: Folk/pop singer Feist first came to international attention with the breakthrough success of her songs “1234” and “I Feel It All,” from the breakthrough … Read more
Various Artists Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition) Sony/Legacy Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: The soundtrack that captured a change – This is the story of grunge. Album Review: There are not many records that capture an era like the Singles Soundtrack. Grunge stormed the scene in 1991 with the explosion of Nirvana, Pearl … Read more
C.R. and the Degenerates Close Encounters Sniffling Indie Kids/Mint 400 [2017] Who: C.R. and the Degenerates is New Jersey’s Chris Gennone, accompanied on this release by Max Rauch. Sound: Moody electronic psych-pop; think Tame Impala mixed with some Arcade Fire. TFN Final Take: C.R. and the Degenerates (aka Chris Gennone) does a great job of … Read more
Pile A Hairshirt Of Purpose Exploding In Sound Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Pile’s A Hairshirt of Purpose is an iconic slab of indie noise rock. One of the best releases for 2017! Album Review: Boston-based Pile pull off another stunning effort with A Hairshirt of Purpose. I have been listening to this album for … Read more
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers w/ Joe Walsh: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO – May 12, 2017 When Tom Petty led the Heartbreakers to the stage for their 40th Anniversary Tour stop in St. Louis, the large screens at the rear of the stage projected a photo of one wall of the band’s practice space, … Read more
Ryan Adams Prisoner B-Sides PAX-AM [2017] Fire Note Says: Don’t be fooled by the “b-sides” tag on this collection. Album Review: I have recently read in several places about Ryan Adams being the modern-day Springsteen. That is still hard for me to imagine at this point in the game but considering his latest record, Prisoner, … Read more
Laura Marling Semper Femina Kobalt Music [2017] Fire Note Says: The prolific Laura Marling keeps improving. Album Review: You don’t read or hear much about Laura Marling without her age (27) and number of albums (6) coming up. Now that that has been taken care of, what else is important to know about her? The … Read more
Here Lies Man Here Lies Man RidingEasy Records [2017] Who: Marcos Garcia is the guitarist for Antibalas and frontman for Chico Mann. Here Lies Man is his new project. Sound: Here Lies Man is a different outlet for Garcia with its fuzzed-out psych-rock combos that have been labeled as Black Sabbath playing Afrobeat. TFN Final … Read more
Bob Dylan Triplicate Columbia Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Dylan attempts to “uncover” these familiar songs. Album Review: By now, any fan of Bob Dylan is familiar with that hilarious comment to the over-serious music journalist in the now infamous, televised 1965 press conference in San Francisco which can be found on youtube.com. Dylan had … Read more
Slowdive Slowdive Dead Oceans [2017] Who: Slowdive is Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals) and Simon Scott (drums, electronics). Their debut album, Just For A Day, was released in 1991 and after two more records the group disbanded in 1995. Sound: Today Slowdive fall into the dream … Read more
Sean Rowe New Lore ANTI- [2017] Fire Note Says: Combining ingredients as limited and plain as vocals, piano, strings and silence, Sean Rowe’s New Lore is an endearing and memorable alt folk achievement. Album Review: If not for Sean Rowe’s voice, the most effective, emotionally-loaded moments of his new record New Lore would the record’s … Read more
Thundercat Drunk Brainfeeder [2017] Fire Note Says: Thundercat has a niche that is all his own. Album Review: Take a gander at the guest list on the latest Thundercat album: Kendrick Lamar, Michael McDonald, Pharrell, Kenny Loggins, and Wiz Khalifa. The title of the album, as you could guess, is Drunk, because with that list, … Read more
The Afghan Whigs In Spades Sub Pop Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli returns with a more compositionally rich and textured musical approach that echoes classical musical themes that run in tension with the demanding drums, guitars and Dulli’s compelling vocal howl. Album Review: At a time when alternative music had … Read more
Sorority Noise You’re Not As_____As You Think Triple Crown Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Ever-evolving emo rockers Sorority Noise fully come into their own on their third full length, deftly blending anguish, wisdom and their trademark massive guitars to produce a mature, extremely well-balanced record. Album Review: Sorority Noise is a complicated band. For every … Read more
Dave Perkins Fugitive Colors Lugnut Music [2017] Fire Note Says: Longtime Nashville guitarist sideman, delivers another record of strong songs, and blistering guitar work. Album Review: The first time I saw Dave Perkins play live was about 30 years ago at a summer music festival and he was promoting his first solo album on What? … Read more
Mac DeMarco This Old Dog Captured Tracks [2017] Fire Note Says: Mac DeMarco dives deep for one of his most engaging records to date. Album Review: Maturity is a weird thing because not only does it seem to happen overnight but you can typically identify the very “moment” it takes place. You can recognize it … Read more
Depeche Mode Spirit Columbia Records [2017] Fire Note Says: On their 14th studio album, synth pop pioneers Depeche Mode have become more predictable compared to their early work. Album Review: By now, nearly 40 years in, Depeche Mode must be the most popular and successful of the 80s bands that abandoned traditional instruments for the … Read more
Moon Duo Occult Architecture, Vol. 1 Sacred Bones Records [2017] Moon Duo Occult Architecture Vol. 2 Sacred Bones Records [2017] Who: Portland, Oregon’s Moon Duo return for their fourth album which was released in two separate volumes. Sound: Moon Duo have a heavy psychedelic krautrock sound that is layered with clever flourishes of synth and … Read more
Damaged Bug Bunker Funk Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Damaged Bug is the very low profile side project of the super busy John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees and Castle Face Records fame. Sound: Damaged Bug separates itself out from Dwyer’s other work by focusing more on synths and electronic noises. It has a krautrock … Read more
Ray Davies Americana Sony/Legacy Recrodings [2017] Fire Note Says: Kinks’ rocker Ray Davies joins with alt-country Jayhawks to take a musical journey through the wild west, sorting reality from fantasy in pursuit of the American Dream Album Review: Ray Davies, 73, is still best remembered for a pop song he wrote and recorded with the … Read more
Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits Fat Wreck Chords [2017] Who: Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, consists of NOFX frontman Fat Mike, Lagwagon frontman Joey Cape, (Foo Fighting) Chris Shiflett, Lagwagon drummer Dave Raun, and Spike Slawson. The band has been covering other artists’ hits for over two … Read more
Chris Shiflett West Coast Town SideOneDummy Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Foo Fighter’s Chris Shiflett’s high octane approach emphasizes the rock in country rock. Album Review: If you didn’t know that the Foo Fighter’s lead guitarist Chris Shiflett had also played with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, the country rock direction on his latest … Read more
Robert Randolph & The Family Band Got Soul Sony Masterworks [2017] Fire Note Says: Nothing else sounds like the mysterious pedal steel guitar in the hands of Robert Randolph, who mixes blues, gospel, R&B with jam band rock on his latest studio outing. Album Review: Fifteen years ago, Robert Randolph and his Family Band burst … Read more
TØMA Aroma Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: TØMA impresses with an energetic pop album. Album Review: TØMA is a four-piece band out of Austin, TX that traces it roots to Todd Rundgren, Squeeze, and recording label Elephant 6. If that sounds like a formula for a sophisticated power pop album, you’d be right. Band members … Read more
RAYS RAYS Trouble In Mind Records [2017] Who: Oakland band is comprised of four Bay-area music veterans whose current & past musical projects include local bands-of-note like The World, Life Stinks, Violent Change, & Dadfag. Sound: RAYS have a Wire vibe to them with their urgent post-punk. Along with Wire, think Parquet Courts, The Modern … Read more