The Raveonettes Pe’ahi Beat Dies Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Raveonettes continue to evolve and expand their densely constructed sound. Album Review: The Raveonettes have never made a bad record in their 12 year recording career. Their 7 albums and 1 mini album have all ranged from very good to great. Their consistency has … Read more
Museum Mouth Alex I Am Nothing Self Aware Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Concept record about obsession rocks to the nerve. Album Review: From the first note, you can hear the fragile state that NC indie/pop/punk band Museum Mouth are in on their third proper full length, Alex I Am Nothing. This component alone completely … Read more
OBN III’s Live In San Francisco Castle Face Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Explosive live set from aggressive Texas punk rockers. Album Review: Castle Face Records hits another one out of the park with their latest entry in the Live in San Francisco series, this time out featuring Texas punks OBN IIIs. I didn’t know … Read more
The Skygreen Leopards Family Crimes Woodsist Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Family Crimes is steeped in easygoing 60s folk-rock vibes. Album Review: On paper, Skygreen Leopards’ new record Family Crimes looks like something out of the Elephant 6 camp: a strange album cover, fourteen songs in barely over thirty minutes, straight-to-tape recording, and titles like … Read more
Lucero Live From Atlanta Liberty And Lament Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Lucero brings their energetic live show right to your record player. Album Review: Have you ever been to a Lucero show? I had my first taste last year in Detroit rock city at the Magic Stick and I will tell you that Lucero … Read more
People 3xaWoman Telegraph Harp Records [2014] Fire Note Says: People’s 3xaWoman is a weird and wonderful clash of musical styles. Album Review: From the opening notes on People’s LP 3xaWoman, you know something strange is afoot and you are in for something that does not stay on the path of convention. Experimental avant-garde jazz guitarist, … Read more
The Young Chrome Cactus Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Texans kicking up goth-tinged tumbleweeds. Album Review: “Oh, good,” I thought at the first riffs of lead track “Metal Flake”, “someone is finally aping [Urge Overkill’s] Saturation.” This didn’t stick, but it’s a starting point. The riffs and grooves are the stars here: the vocals … Read more
sElf Super Fake Nice El Camino Media [2014] Fire Note Says: Matt Mahaffey’s sElf returns to form with new EP. Album Review: What was so 90’s is now new again. Matt Mahaffey, aka sElf, is another artist from that era that makes a return to the music scene here with the six song EP Super … Read more
Connections Into Sixes Anyway Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Connections third LP, Into Sixes, is full of indie rock hooks and anthems. Album Review: Connections had a very efficient first year as a band releasing two full length LP’s (Private Airplane and Body Language) as well as a 7-inch e.p. (Tough City). Anyway Records offers … Read more
Dirty Lungs Dirty Lungs Communicating Vessels [2014] Fire Note Says: Dirty Lungs dig up some retro-leaning hard psych, but leave a little modern dirt. Album Review: Dirty Lungs’ self-titled LP opens strong with “I Suck in Bed,” a scuzzy, raging garage rocker with a catchy wordless vocal refrain. It’s so strong, in fact, that I … Read more
Cleaners From Venus Return To Bohemia Soft Bodies Records [2014] Fire Note Says: A stunning return from the legendary lo-fi cult act! Album Review: Martin Newell titled his 1993 album The Greatest Living Englishman, and with Return To Bohemia, he proves that this was no mere cheeky title, he damn well might be the greatest … Read more
Happyness Weird Little Birthday Rough Trade Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Ready for a non-disappointing British Sea Power? Album Review: Here’s something I don’t get to say every day: “That reminds me of Gay Dad!” Or possibly Sonic Youth’s “Antenna.” Or maybe Meat Puppets in their mid-90’s ZZ Top phase. Key word here is diverse. … Read more
Jenny Lewis The Voyager Warner Bros. Records [2014] Fire Note Says: After six years in the wilderness, The Voyager heralds the resurrection of all things Jenny Lewis. Album Review: Since 2002’s masterful The Execution of All Things – an album which should be handed to girls as they turn thirteen, just as all boys should … Read more
Twin Peaks Wild Onion Grand Jury Music [2014] Fire Note Says: Chicago’s Twin Peaks show off their many different sides. Album Review: I like it when a relatively new band swings for the fences. That is how I feel Chicago’s Twin Peaks approached their sophomore album, Wild Onion. Earlier this year the band hinted that … Read more
Mike Adams At His Honest Weight Best Of Boiler Room Classics Flannelgraph/Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: 60s and 70s style pop is given an electronically-inflected makeover on Best of the Boiler Room Classics. Album Review: As any industry bigwig will tell you, a good pop song is a good pop song. You can … Read more
David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights End Times Undone Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Yet another in a long line of consistently excellent releases from the New Zealand legend! Album Review: David Kilgour has been releasing and performing music since the late 70’s, starting with The Clean before moving on to The Great Unwashed, … Read more
Chris Staples American Soft Barsuk Records [2014] Fire Note Says: A charming and understated indie-pop/singer-songwriter album. Album Review: The penultimate track on Chris Staples’ American Soft is called “Needle Park,” and it’s really great. The instantly catchy chorus of “Well would I ever lie to you? / Of course I would, of course I would,” … Read more
The Proper Ornaments Wooden Head Slumberland Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Anglo-Argentine pair wears influences on sleeves – and scores. Album Review: The Proper Ornaments album Wooden Head seems, at first blush, just a fun way to play a game of Spot the Idiom: Mary Chain/BRMC black-leather-jacket Spector-pop here, “Eight Miles High” jangle there. But … Read more
Kahoots Take To The Fields Telegraph Harp Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Kahoots 12th LP is a great record that rewards listeners with repeated listens. Album Review: I have been listening to Massachusetts-based Kahoots’ new LP, Take to the Fields for about a month now and I think it is just now sinking into skull … Read more
The Muffs Whoop Dee Doo Burger Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Muffs return with a walloping blast of 60’s inspired rock n roll. Album Review: “Sad Tomorrow” from The Muffs sophomore record, Blonder And Blonder (1995), is still one of my favorite songs from that era. I was always impressed with how tight but … Read more
Spoon They Want My Soul Loma Vista/Republic Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Spoon’s They Want My Soul is a near-perfect return to form. Album Review: Thank God for Spoon. There were many signs pointing to the demise of the rock band that truly owned the first decade of the new millennium with albums like Girls … Read more
Black Bananas Electric Brick Wall Drag City Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Electric Brick Wall is likely to be the most unique album you hear this year! Album Review: I confess, I had no idea what I was getting into when the new album from Black Bananas, Electric Brick Wall, hit my inbox. There was … Read more
Blank Pages Blank Pages Dirt Cult Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Catchy garage rock that is guaranteed to blow your hair back and make you raise a rock fist in the air! Album Review: This self-titled record from Germany’s Blank Pages reminds me of the time ol Marty McFly plugged the guitar into Doc Brown’s … Read more
Stardeath And The White Dwarfs Wastoid Federal Prism [2014] Fire Note Says: For their sophomore release Stardeath and the White Dwarfs tap a sound never heard before. Album Review: When starting a psych rock band a lot of factors could come into play for stardom. Oklahoma’s Stardeath and the White Dwarfs initially had one key … Read more
Band Of Skulls Himalayan Electric Blues Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: With chops and moxie, Band of Skulls soldier on with fun, danceable tunes. Album Review: It’s funny, but a music lover of my prowess should really know more about Band of Skulls. Having come from a background of riffing blues, The Dead Weather, The … Read more