J. Robbins Un-Becoming Dischord Records [2019] Who: Alternaive rock staple J. Robbins releases his first solo record. Sound: Un-Becoming has the indie rock sound you might expect and for fans of Robbins own Jawbox or Bob Mould and Bad Religion. TFN Final Take: There is a good chance that J. Robbins is sitting in your … Read more
Alasdair Roberts The Fiery Margin Drag City Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Scottish folk singer Alasdair Roberts returns with another album of originals that echo the traditional storytelling folk music that he would have grown up on. Album Review: Scottish folk singer Alasdair Roberts has been consistently releasing albums of both original music and projects … Read more
Sheer Mag A Distant Call Wilsuns Recording Co. [2019] Album Review: Philadelphia indie-rockers Sheer Mag kick off their sophomore outing with a sonic blast from the past, with vocalist Tina Halladay offering a full throated 80’s metal scream to launch the retro sound of “Steel Sharpens Steel,” with a nod to Judas Priest. Elsewhere, they … Read more
Oh Sees Face Stabber Castle Face Records [2019] Who: Again as the Oh Sees, John Dwyer continues his annual musical journey with another prog/psych/punk experience with Face Stabber. Sound: More prog than previous efforts that has links to Yes and Pink Floyd that runs extra-long at over 80-minutes. TFN Final Take: The constant production of … Read more
Sleater-Kinney The Center Won’t Hold Mom + Pop Music [2019] Who: Sleater-Kinney return with a different look and overall sound with the help of producer St. Vincent. Sound: Indie synth pop with an edge. TFN Final Take: Seems like a bunch of stuff has happened since we last gushed about Sleater-Kinney’s return on No Cities … Read more
The Dream Syndicate These Times ANTI- [2019] Album Review: The Dream Syndicate is a band with two distinct periods of activity, with singer/songwriter Steve Wynn as the thread that connects the two. Active throughout the 80’s, the band’s first incarnation was part of the so-called Paisley Underground, a collection of So. California bands that tended … Read more
Jeff Tweedy Warmer dBpm Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Jeff Tweedy’s Record Store Day release follow-up to Warm is now available everywhere, adding more personal acoustic songs to the original, while we wait on a new Wilco album. Album Review: Jeff Tweedy’s Warm arrived at the end of last year, offering a more intimate collection … Read more
Spoon Everything Hits At Once: The Best Of Spoon Matador Records [2019] Who: Spanning a career well into its third decade, Spoon has released this greatest hits compilation that includes the new track “No Bullets Spent.” Sound: Spoon has evolved from the grittier indie rock with Pixies influence to the present where they deliver songs … Read more
The Minus 5 Stroke Manor Yep Roc [2019] Album Review: In November of 2017, Scott McCaughey, the central figure in The Minus 5 alongside Peter Buck, who also played an auxiliary role in R.E.M. when it was active, had a stroke that pretty much stripped all knowledge of music from his memory. The Portland, Ore. … Read more
The Ocean Blue Kings And Queens / Knaves And Thieves Korda Records [2019] Album Review: The Ocean Blue return after a six-year absence (and nearly a decade before that) with a sound that would feel right at home on their earliest major label albums, including their self-titled debut released 30 years ago. Signed by Sire … Read more
Bruce Springsteen Western Stars Columbia Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Bruce Springsteen steps out for some 60’s & 70’s California folk/pop a la Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” on his 19th studio album, Western Stars. Album Review: The advance word on Western Stars, the nineteenth studio album from Bruce Springsteen was a major change of direction … Read more
Fruit Tones Natural Selection Greenway Records [2019] Who: The Fruit Tones hail from Manchester UK and Natural Selection is their debut record. Sound: Garage rock that comes at you loose, loud and full of energy. TFN Final Take: Manchester’s Fruit Tones don’t try to win you over with anything fancy or sophisticated on their debut … Read more
Phil Keaggy & Rex Paul Illumination Strobie Records [2019] Fire Note Says: World class guitar hero, Phil Keaggy collaborates with Rex Paul to produce one of the most polished recordings of his long career. Album Review: When I last wrote about guitarist Phil Keaggy for TFN it was earlier this year in a review of … Read more
The Waterboys Where The Action Is Cooking Vinyl [2019] Fire Note Says: Irish rocker Mike Scott’s Waterboys return with another outing of the “Big Music.” Album Review: Irish rockers, The Waterboys arrived on the scene making “The Big Music,” in the same wave that introduced bands like U2 and the Scottish Big Country. A mix … Read more
T Bone Burnett / Jay Bellerose / Keefus Ciancia The Invisible Light: Acoustic Space Verve Forecast [2019] Fire Note Says: Producer/artist/influencer, T Bone Burnett joins forces to create a strong experimental soundtrack for these challenging times. Album Review: “`The Invisible Light,’” explains T Bone Burnett in this album’s liner notes, “is a song cycle concerned … Read more
The Get Up Kids Problems Big Scary Monsters/Polyvinyl Records [2019] Album Review: The Get Up Kids came out of Kansas City in the mid-90s in that second wave of emo, punk/pop bands like Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, and My Chemical Romance. Best remembered for their 1999 release, “Something to Write Home About,” the band broke … Read more
Starflyer 59 Young In My Head Tooth & Nail Records [2019] Fire Note Says: 25 years and 15 albums in, Starflyer 59 wonders aloud if it’s time to go, on a solid album that’s proof he still has plenty to offer. Album Review: If you live long enough, you will get old. That’s a fact … Read more
Craig Finn I Need A New War Partisan Records [2019] Album Review: The obvious constant throughout Craig Finn’s career, including six albums with The Hold Steady, and now on his fourth solo album, is his penchant for storytelling. Growing up in a ‘burb near the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Finn was influenced by the story … Read more
Glen Hansard This Wild Willing Anti- [2019] Fire Note Says: Glen Hansard, of “Once,” The Frames, and The Swell Season fame, expands his musical palette, but sings in a quieter more reflective voice on his fourth solo album, This Wild Willing. Album Review: The first thought that comes to mind when I think of Glen … Read more
Yak Pursuit Of Momentary Happiness Third Man Records/Virgin EMI [2019] Who: London trio delivers the follow up to 2016’s Alas Salvation. Sound: Yak conjures screwball blues, with stabs of grandeur, psychedelics, struggle, and politics. There’s a real reason they caught the attention of Jack White, Jason Pierce (Spiritualized), and Jay Watson (Tame Impala, GUM, Pond). … Read more
The Flaming Lips King’s Mouth: Music And Songs Warner Bros. Records [2019] Fire Note Says: The Flaming Lips return from the cosmos to spread their tale of the King that saved us all! Album Review: Within The Flaming Lips ethos, Record Store Day has always been held in high regard. Record ideas include: A Various … Read more
Lonesome Shack Desert Dreams Alive Naturalsound Records [2019] Who: Lonesome Shack is a trio based out of Bellingham, WA. They now come to us by way of London in the UK. Sound: Dirty, Delta, foot stompin’ blues. TFN Final Take: We’ve had our ear on Lonesome Shack ever since they released their Alive Naturalsound debut, … Read more
Jenny Lewis On The Line Warner Bros. Records [2019] Album Review: Jenny Lewis’ fourth solo album, On The Line, recalls an era when pop music still leaned heavily on live musicians playing sessions together in the studio, and not computerized midi keyboards and drum beats per minute. Singer/songwriters like Carly Simon, Jackson Browne, and Linda … Read more
The Mekons Deserted Bloodshot Records [2019] Fire Note Says: The punk rock collective that is The Mekons drives us into the desert for a sing-along pub crawl that mixes punk, country and classic rock, in their 4th decade on Deserted. Album Review: There is a loose, playful, devil-may-care quality to The Mekons’ approach to punk, … Read more
John Kilzer Scars Archer Records [2019] Fire Note Says: Memphis singer/songwriter John Kilzer delivers soulful pop/rock Americana, in what turns out to be his last will and testament. Album Review: Singer/songwriter John Kilzer has had a long, somewhat remarkable career in his hometown of Memphis, where, at 6’ 6”, he was a star forward for … Read more