FUZZ II In The Red Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Ty Segall and his volatile trio return with another molten, time bender Album Review: Until we heard it, FUZZ was a band we didn’t know that we needed. With their debut self-titled album, high school friends Ty Segall (Drums, Vocals), Charles Mootheart (Guitar), and Roland … Read more
Chris Cornell Euphoria Mourning Universal Music Enterprises [2015] Fire Note Says: Title change, remaster and vinyl edition is all new on this reissue. Album Review: Sometimes you get an opportunity to revisit a record that you had completely forgot about. Soundgarden’s frontman Chris Cornell’s first solo album is one of those albums. First released in … Read more
Heyrocco Teenage Movie Soundtrack Old Flame Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Heyrocco’s debut album is a throwback to the alternative rock of the 1990s. I was in high school then; the members of Heyrocco are just a couple of years removed from high school now. The lyrics and themes of the album remind me … Read more
Born Ruffians RUFF Yep Roc Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Born Ruffians’ slick posturing is hit and miss. Album Review: Toronto’s Born Ruffians’ fourth LP, RUFF, is power pop with a punk attitude. Band members Luke Lalonde (guitar/vocals), Mitch Derosier (bass), Andy Lloyd (guitar/keyboard) and Adam Hindle (drums) have a penchant for creating easily digested … Read more
The Fresh & Onlys Early Years Anthology Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: It is crazy to think what gets left on the cutting room floor when a record is released. This early year’s collection from The Fresh & Onlys is a prime example, as I can’t believe none of the 12 tracks … Read more
Graham Repulski Success Racist Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Success Racist, the latest offering from Graham Repulski, is a 17-track time machine with its destiny dials set for 1993, a golden era for lo-fi music. Graham Repulski’s music is akin to the lo-fi aesthetics that can be found on early 90’s Guided by Voices, … Read more
Gun Outfit Dream All Over Paradise Of Bachelors [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: LA’s Gun Outfit have a smooth vibe that sounds like Lou Reed and Kim Gordon collaborating on some tunes. This female/male dialogue from singers Carrie Keith (guitar, vocals, slide) and Dylan Sharp (guitar, vocals, banjo, balalaika) keep their fourth album, Dream All … Read more
Blitzen Trapper All Across This Land Vagrant Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: In the track “Nights Were Made For Love” off of the new Blitzen Trapper album All Across This Land, lead singer Eric Earley repeats “All I wanna do is rock and roll.” That line captures the band’s goal on their eighth studio … Read more
Trans Charger Metropolis Haunted House Birds Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Trans Charger Metropolis lists their interests as “Drinking Beer and Recording tunes.” Sound familiar? Well after hearing just a small sample of this New Jersey group you can tell they have some lo-fi Guided By Voices blood in their veins as the sophomore … Read more
Coheed And Cambria The Color Before The Sun 300 Entertainment [2015] Fire Note Says: Eighth album proves Coheed have a few more small wonders left in the tank. Album Review: “No conceptual framework, no galaxy of characters, no seven-minute epics.” the presser promises. Still, a handful of tracks soundly best six minutes and only two … Read more
Riverside Love, Fear And The Time Machine Inside Out Music [2015] Fire Note Says: Polish progressive metal band drops the metal and releases a gem. Album Review: If you’re like me you’ve probably never heard this band, let alone delved into their back catalog. So enthralled am I with this record that I went back … Read more
Deerhunter Fading Frontier 4AD [2015] Fire Note Says: Just in case we weren’t already convinced, Deerhunter proves their greatness…again. Album Review: That Deerhunter has been on a roll is a bit self-evident and although there were some who felt their last album, Monomania, was a step backwards Fading Frontier leaves little doubt about the Atlanta … Read more
Motel Beds Mind Glitter Anyway Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Mind Glitter is full of harmonic gold! Album Review: Motel Beds are easily one of the best bands to come out of Dayton, Ohio in some time and they back that statement up with their new release; Mind Glitter. The record has slowly been simmering … Read more
Grateful Dead 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995 Rhino Entertainment [2015] Fire Note Says: A beginners guide to the Dead live, but with enough surprises to attract long-time fans. Album Review: 2015 is the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary, and the band is celebrating their half-century milestone in a number of interesting … Read more
Wavves V Warner Bros. Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Wavves push the tempo pedal to the floor on V. Album Review: Nathan Williams was thrust into the indie music scene spotlight back in 2009 with his sophomore record Wavvves. Right from that moment, Wavves has had to grow up from just making a record to … Read more
VVHILE More Dirt Cult Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: A shoegaze band from Serbia releases an album on one of the great American indie labels, Dirt Cult? It sounds too good to be true, right? Well it is true, and it’s totally worth tracking down. VVHILE is a duo consisting of Andrija Spicanovic and … Read more
Chvrches Every Open Eye Glassnote Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Chvrches return with an unrelenting pace. Album Review: Your heart goes out to acts like Chvrches. Time was, an album as strong as The Bones of What You Believe would have afforded a band time to regroup, find out where they wanted to go. Today, … Read more
City And Colour If I Should Go Before You Dine Alone Records [2015] Fire Note Says: City and Colour’s latest is full-bodied. Album Review: City and Colour’s latest release, If I Should Go Before You, is a full band effort and it shows. Formerly, Dallas Green (of Alexisonfire) was the primary creative force for City … Read more
Buck Biloxi And The Fucks Streets Of Rage HoZac Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Streets of Rage, the new album from Buck Biloxi and The Fucks, will wrestle you to the ground, hold you there and dangle a loogie over your face, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It will either land … Read more
Deafheaven New Bermuda ANTI- Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Deafheaven refuse to buckle under the weight of expectations. Album Review: So what does a young, up-and-coming band do after releasing one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade? Do they expand on all the things people found so intriguing about them in the … Read more
TUNGS You Could Call This Art Bad Grrrl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: I Will Call This Fantastic! A welcome display of talent and quirky rock sensibilities. This band deserves your attention. Album Review: Richmond, Virginia rockers, TUNGS’ new album, You Could Call This Art, is an excellent album. It is a brilliant follow up … Read more
Silversun Pickups Better Nature New Machine Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Silversun Pickups’ latest is a solid effort and stays the course. Album Review: Silversun Pickups is back with their fourth studio album Better Nature. The Los Angeles band is a throwback to 1990s grunge with a synth pop element, blending sounds from the previous … Read more
Arcade Fire The Reflektor Tapes (Cassette Release) Sonovox/Merge Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: In conjunction with the theatrical release of their feature film The Reflektor Tapes, Arcade Fire also released a deluxe edition of Reflektor (2013) with bonus tracks. Now, if you already have the record then this cassette-only release of the six unreleased … Read more
Wand 1000 Days Drag City Records [2015] Fire Note Says: After Ganglion Reef and Golem Wand try to tie it all together to find balance. Album Review: When I first heard Wand’s Ganglion Reef I was blown away. Concluding my original review I said, “Wand is the band that the Elephant Six Collective never produced.” … Read more
The Bottle Rockets South Broadway Athletic Club Bloodshot Records [2015] Fire Note Says: South Broadway Athletic Club is what maturity looks like. Album Review: It’s been 6 years since the last studio album of originals for Bottle Rockets, but 23 years into their recording career the St. Louis Americana quartet remains true to their classic … Read more