Lucinda Williams The Ghosts Of Highway 20 Highway 20 Records [2016] Fire Note Says: It is clear that Williams owns this patch of the road. Album Review: “I know about the pain and all that jazz,” sings Lucinda Williams in her smokiest voice, and you sense that she’s just scratching the surface of that deep … Read more
Benji Hughes Songs In The Key Of Animals Merge Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: I really liked Hughes debut double album, A Love Extreme (2008), when he came onto the indie scene as it was entertaining, fun and worth the investment! That leads us to my anticipation for the eight year follow up, Songs … Read more
Shearwater Jet Plane And Oxbow Sub Pop Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Shearwater’s new LP is deep and colorful. Album Review: Shearwater’s newest album (Jet Plane and Oxbow) has all that you ask for out an LP. It is engaging from beginning to end; it reveals new parts of itself with each listen; it has … Read more
The Black Queen Fever Daydream Self-Released [2016] Album Review: The Black Queen is a group that has quite a bit of potential behind it. A record involving Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan, Joshua Eustis of Nine Inch Nails and Puscifer, and Steven Alexander former tech for Nine Inch Nail and Dillinger Escape Plan. This … Read more
Suede Night Thoughts Rhino Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: I was holding onto some hope that this latest Suede release (or The London Suede as known here in the States) would offer me a glimpse of the fantastic band I loved in the early 90’s. Sad to say that it does not happen on … Read more
Pete Astor Spilt Milk Slumberland Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: I am a sucker for jangly indie singer/songwriters which is why Pete Astor is right up my listening alley. If you really know your stuff, you might know Astor previously of The Loft and The Weather Prophet which were on Creation Records back in … Read more
Tedeschi Trucks Band Let Me Get By Concord Music Group [2016] Fire Note Says: Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks have brought a level of purpose to their third record. Album Review: On their third collaborative studio album, singer Susan Tedeschi, guitarist Derek Trucks and company have brought a level of intentionality and purpose to their … Read more
DIIV Is The Is Are Captured Tracks [2016] Fire Note Says: DIIV come back with a more focused sound. Album Review: Sophomore albums are never easy and especially hard when your debut was critically hailed across the land like DIIV’s debut Oshin (2012). One way to attack the possible failure is to confront it with … Read more
Night Beats Who Sold My Generation Heavenly Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Night Beats return to try and ask the question Who Sold My Generation? Album Review: It is my privilege here at The Fire Note to review many psychedelic bands. For the three years that I’ve been doing this there has been quite the … Read more
Freakwater Scheherazade Bloodshot Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Freakwater return with another folk drenched record for your soul. Album Review: 10 years is a long time between albums, so Scheherazade is a true welcome back to the simple folky rooted songs from Catherine Ann Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean of Freakwater. For some, this reunion … Read more
Eleanor Friedberger New View Frenchkiss Records [2016] Fire Note Says: New View offers a streamlined version of the Eleanor Friedberger experience, and it may be the album she was trying to make all along. Album Review: There are two ways to read the easygoing charms of Eleanor Friedberger’s newest album. The first is that she’s … Read more
Chairlift Moth Columbia Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Chairlift’s eclectic pop is fun and engaging. Album Review: Chairlift comes to us from Brooklyn by way of Colorado. The electronic pop duo consists of Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wimberly; Moth is their third released LP and first in four years. For those of you not familiar … Read more
The Madcaps Hot Sauce Howlin’ Banana Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: The sophomore record from Rennes group, The Madcaps will be one of the more interesting listens you may hear this year. Upfront, the group is sold as a garage band which also fits in with the Howlin’ Banana label but as you dive … Read more
Smug Brothers / Brat Curse Echo Complex Split EP Hope For The Tape Deck [2015] Fire Note Says: A great cassette split from Dayton, Ohio! Album Review: Dayton natives, Smug Brothers (Brian Baker/Larry Evans/Kyle Melton/Don Thrasher) closed out 2015 with a nifty EP split release with fellow Dayton-based band, Brat Curse. Smug Brothers contribute nine … Read more
The Besnard Lakes A Coliseum Complex Museum Jagjaguwar Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Montreal indie-psych band double down on their Floydian soundscapes. Album Review: Jace Lasek is a sonic junkie. His singular pursuit of recorded perfection led him to build his own space (Breakglass Studios) and invite his friends over to share his vision. Wolf … Read more
Ty Segall Emotional Mugger Drag City Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Another great record from the reigning king of indie rock! Album Review: On Ty Segall’s last solo album, 2014’s Manipulator, he delivered a double album masterpiece, a bold artistic statement that would prove to be incredibly difficult to follow up. In fact, by his … Read more
Baby Jesus Baby Jesus Yippee Ki Yay Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: My second review of 2016 and it just so happens to be another international psychedelic act. Formed after an intense trip to India, Halland County, Sweden’s Baby Jesus is a noisy and raw trip back to the 60’s. As soon as track … Read more
Turkish Techno Number Two Dirt Cult Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: The pop-punk fan base has steadily declined over the years and I would even go as far to say that people that used to listen have simply dismissed the genre all together. With that said, there is plenty of good pop-punk out there … Read more
Magic & Naked Magic & Naked Casbah Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Music is a medium that knows no bounds. So when Magic & Naked’s “Anna” hits your ears and you hear “Breathe” with a bit of “Wish You Were Here.” Then you know that they’re starting off on the right foot. The French … Read more
Savages Adore Life Matador Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Fiery London four piece prove their debut album was no fluke. Album Review: Right from the start these ladies had something to say. They posted their manifesto on the walls of the London clubs they played and on their Facebook page. Before hearing a single note … Read more
Quiet Arrows Year Of The Cartographer Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Around TFN we could write, write and write some more but we still wouldn’t be able to capture everything we hear that deserves a spotlight. Samuel Robertson’s Quiet Arrows is one of those records, as we have been sitting with it since last … Read more
Strange Faces Stonerism Autumn Tone Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: The first song you will hear from Chicago’s Strange Faces debut sounds like you are listening to a stereo at the far end of train tunnel. If you think that sounds odd, then you should excuse yourself from this review because the bands fuzzy … Read more
Graham Repulski High On Mt. Misery Shorter Recordings [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: We have consistently told you about Philadelphia’s lo-fi prolific guru Graham Repulski and why you should check him out – so how about one more reminder?! On March 1st, GR has a new 4-song EP coming out titled High On Mt. Misery … Read more
David Bowie Blackstar Columbia Records [2016] Fire Note Says: There will only ever be one Bowie! Album Review: Released on his 69th birthday (1/8/16), and as fate would have it, two days before David Bowie would die, “Blackstar” finds the iconic rock chameleon staring down the Grim Reaper. In the album’s 10-minute title track, Bowie … Read more
Cage The Elephant Tell Me I’m Pretty RCA Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Cage The Elephant returns with an impressive fourth LP. Album Review: When I heard the first single, “Mess Around,” from Cage The Elephant’s latest album, I was less than impressed. The same was true with the album as a whole. However, after … Read more