Danny & The Darleans Bug Out In The Red Records [2016] Who: Danny (Dan Kroha) was a founding member of the legendary Gories. Bug Out is the second LP from Danny & The Darleans. Sound: With the Darleans, Kroha returns to his garage rock Detroit roots that is played from the hip with hard hitting … Read more
Neil Young Peace Trail Reprise Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Neil Young is both focused and quirky on his latest – Peace Trail. Album Review: Of the six veteran rockers invited to play the Desert Trip concerts, dubbed “Oldchella” because of the advanced age of the artists—The Who, The Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and … Read more
Company Man Brand Standard EP Overthought Musik [2016] Who: Company Man wants you to be a trillionaire as they claim millionaires are the new middle class. Follow their steps and you will be on your way to mega money. Ok – so all that jazz is a clever cover story for a new rock n … Read more
The Rolling Stones Blue & Lonesome Interscope Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Rolling Stones release their first studio album in over a decade. Album Review: It’s well known by now that the earliest influences of The Rolling Stones, now in their 6th decade as veteran recording artists and classic rockers, were American blues artists like … Read more
Regina Spektor Remember Us To Life Sire/Warner Bros. Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Regina Spektor’s seventh album finds her developing in satisfying and compelling ways. Album Review: Given the popularity of the show, it’s likely more people have encountered the music of Regina Spektor’s unique musical voice in the opening credits of the Netflix series … Read more
St. Lenox Ten Hymns From My American Gothic Anyway Records [2016] Fire Note Says: St. Lenox’s second album is a poignant reflection on identity. Album Review: Andrew Choi and friends are back on his sophomore album, Ten Hymns From My American Gothic. Choi’s folk-electronic style is alive and well on this effort – it may … Read more
Pinegrove Cardinal Run For Cover Records [2016] Who: After a number of different EPs, a compilation and years of touring, New Jersey’s Pinegrove finally released their debut LP, Cardinal. Sound: The honest voice of Evan Stephens Hall here is the initial attraction to Pinegrove with his ever so slightly weathered vocal and complete sincerity. The … Read more
Martha Blisters In The Pit On My Heart Dirtnap Records [2016] Who: Martha is the first UK band that Dirtnap Records has worked with and you can hear how their sophomore record fits in the with the label’s pop punk vibe. Martha keeps gaining momentum and fanbase across seas as they played Glastonbury this year. … Read more
Votaries Psychometry Wharf Cat Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Jackson Scott has created something very special and trippy with his new band, Votaries. Album Review: Jackson Scott’s new project, Votaries, has released their first LP, Psychometry, and it is a rather stunning collection of psychedelic drone-rock. I was hooked earlier in the year when I … Read more
The Neal Morse Band The Similitude Of A Dream Radiant Records [2016] Fire Note Says: The Neal Morse Band challenge the 70’s concept classics and record one for the ages. Album Review: In the lead up to The Similitude Of A Dream drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) compared this work favorably to other double concept … Read more
Metallica Hardwired…To Self-Destruct Blackened Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Metallica find their old heavy soul. Album Review: Metallica is one of those bands that defies genres. It has always been cool to like early Metallica (83-88), always judgment to be found by some if you fall into the camp of liking the “Black” album (1991), … Read more
Thee Oh Sees An Odd Entrances Castle Face Records [2016] Who: One of the best things going in new music today, Thee Oh Sees have gone through many changes since their conception in 1997. While they’ve been fairly well known, they really started to make their mark with the psychedelic, expansive, garage fracas, 2011’s Carrion … Read more
Sting 57th & 9th A&M/Interscope Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Sting’s 57th & 9th serves as a sturdy, reliable to guitar oriented rock a voice that’s been quiet for too long. Album Review: “Rock stars don’t ever die,” sings Sting in “50,000,” a song from his first album of original pop/rock material in 13 years. … Read more
M Ross Perkins M Ross Perkins SofaBurn Records [2016] Fire Note Says: M Ross Perkins’ debut LP shows that sometimes all you need to make a great record is yourself, Album Review: It’s been quite a year for Dayton native M Ross Perkins: he had a track premiered by the High Times website, an album … Read more
Wolf People Ruins Jagjaguwar [2016] Fire Note Says: Wolf People rise from the ruins to talk folk/prog post-apocalypse. Album Review: When I first ran into Wolf People with 2013‘s Fain, by Fire Note standards I was a bit harsh. To quote directly, “The epic moments seem to lack punch, the aesthetics come off as being … Read more
Cymbals Eat Guitars Pretty Years Sinderlyn [2016] Who: Cymbals Eat Guitars have been indie darlings since their 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains, but have changed band members over the years and now on their fourth LP, main songwriter Joseph D’Agostino is the sole remaining original member. Sound: The band has carried a very almost … Read more
Jay Som Turn Into Polyvinyl Records [2016] Who: Jay Som is the moniker for Bay Area-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Melina Duterte. She decided to unveil an early version of Turn Into online last year, performing every instrument—guitar, bass, keys, and drums. Polyvinyl has given it a proper release with Duterte’s proper debut set to … Read more
Pretenders Alone BMG [2016] Fire Note Says: Hynde makes a strong case for the enduring relevance of her voice and musical stance. Album Review: Rock N’ Roll music may be one of the rare places in life where something akin to “beginner’s luck” can pan out and deliver a rare critical and commercial breakthrough the … Read more
Warehouse Super Low Bayonet Records [2016] Who: Atlanta, Georgia-based quintet Warehouse are back with their sophomore album super low. It is their Bayonet Records debut which is the label run by Dustin Payseur (Beach Fossils) and home to TFN favorite Frankie Cosmos. Sound: Taking inspiration from the 1980’s Athens, GA scene (Pylon, R.E.M., The B-52’s), … Read more
Sat. Nite Duets Air Guitar Father/Daughter Records [2016] Who: Sat. Nite Duets are six-piece band from Milwaukee, WI. Sound: Sat. Nite Duets have a bit of Pavement and Silver Jews in their DNA and deliver unpretentious jangle/Americana rock. TFN Final Take: Sat. Nite Duets’ latest LP, Air Guitar maintains the band’s loose and fun approach … Read more
ESP Ohio Starting Point Of The Royal Cyclopean GBV, Inc. [2016] Fire Note Says: With three members of the current Guided By Voices line-up, ESP Ohio offers many rewards. Album Review: When news broke that Doug Gillard was rejoining Guided By Voices earlier this year (after ten years in the wilderness of playing with Nada … Read more
Nada Surf Peaceful Ghosts Barsuk Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Nada Surf expands their group with a full orchestra. Album Review: This live recording finds Nada Surf joining forces with the esteemed Potsdam, Germany-based orchestra Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. Quite simply – indie rock meets strings! At this point in Nada Surf’s career, Peaceful Ghosts captures … Read more
Dawes We’re All Gonna Die HUB Records [2016] Who: Dawes is a four-piece band from Los Angeles, CA. Sound: Versatile rock that reminds you of 1970’s singer/songwriters and 1980’s pop rock. TFN Final Take: You’ve gotta respect Dawes for one thing: their insistence on sticking to their artistic vision no matter how out-of-style or anachronistic … Read more
EZTV High In Place Captured Tracks [2016] Who: New York’s EZTV just released their sophomore album High in Place which features Jenny Lewis and Real Estate’s Martin Courtney and Matt Kallman. Sound: The band has a very soft power pop sound that throws back to The Byrds or Dwight Twilley while giving nods to Teenage … Read more
Phantogram Three Republic Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Phantogram’s exciting first half lifts up the second half of the album. Album Review: Phantogram, the New York duo consisting of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, has released their third album. It’s title, Three, doesn’t win many points for creativity. It’s a good thing that the psychedelic … Read more