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
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
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
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
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
Telekinesis Ad Infinitum Merge Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: I will stand by Telekinesis’ debut album (Telekinesis!) as one of the best power pop collections in the past ten years. Sadly, Michael Lerner (the artist behind the Telekinesis moniker) continues to drift away from the sound that worked so well then. His latest album, … Read more
The Dead Weather Dodge And Burn Third Man Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The Dead Weather storm back into play with the fun and scuzzy Dodge And Burn. Album Review: I have to get something off my chest. Jack White’s last album, Lazaretto was not a 4 headphone record. With a handful of good tracks, … Read more
Metric Pagans In Vegas Universal Music Group [2015] Fire Note Says: Metric prove that selling out isn’t always a bad thing. Album Review: It really all started going sideways once Metric committed to doing the theme song for the third Twilight movie, Eclipse. That song, written by film score composer Howard Shore, bore zero resemblance … Read more
Mike Krol Turkey Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Mike Krol gives you a short but fun fuzzy rocker in Turkey. Album Review: 19 minutes. That is what you get on Mike Krol’s Merge debut Turkey. 19 minutes of feedback heavy indie rock that catches your ear fast and then quickly dissipates. This is Krol’s … Read more
Gary Clark Jr. The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim Warner Bros. Records [2015] Fire Note Says: There is no denying it – Gary Clark Jr. can play! Album Review: Gary Clark Jr. has exploded since his 2012 Blak and Blu album put him on the map with its bluesy rock that was both soulful and … Read more
HeCTA The Diet Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Kurt Wagner follows a new path with his band HeCTA. Album Review: Kurt Wagner tends to duck any fight to establish a legacy as a treasured American songwriter. He’s a considerable talent, but not particularly interested in pushing it on you. Where Lambchop cut a very … Read more
Barrence Whitfield & The Savages Under The Savage Sky Bloodshot Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Many of us were not around for the early Barrence Whitfield era back in the 80’s but all you really need to know is that his punk rock soul is pure. On his sophomore release for Bloodshot, Under The … Read more
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats Stax Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Rateliff and The Night Sweats will make your soul shake it. Album Review: If you heard the simple folk on Nathaniel Rateliff’s 2010 solo debut, In Memory Of Loss, and last year’s Falling Faster Than You Can … Read more
The Arcs Yours, Dreamily, Nonesuch Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Black Key Dan Auerbach has found a simmering new full band. Album Review: When he is not producing albums or recording with his buddy Patrick in The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach hangs out with his musical friends and just lays down tracks. Around 75 of … Read more
DTCV Uptime! Unsatisfied Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Have you ever wondered what a French-American post punk band sounds like? Well look no further than DTCV (pronounced Detective), for they will provide you with that answer! Similar in style to The Raveonettes, the duo of Fiat Lux and Vivarock have impressive pedigrees, which should … Read more
The Good Life Everybody’s Coming Down Saddle Creek Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: When you talk about Tim Kasher’s work in the indie scene you will always discuss his tormented soul that impacts all of his projects that include his primary band Cursive, his solo work and his other major outlet – The Good … Read more
Big Awesome Party On Jetsam-Flotsam [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: There is always something to be said for heart on your sleeve rock n roll and that is exactly what you get on Big Awesome’s debut album Party On. John Blanken’s slightly throated vocals never give up or let down in intensity, which keeps pushing … Read more
Strange Wilds Subjective Concepts Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Strange Wilds debut full length, Subjective Concepts, is one of the closest sounding records Sub Pop has released in years that embraces the label’s original Pacific Northwest/Olympia/Seattle sound from which they built their foundation. Is does not take long to hear the Bleach-ear … Read more
Of Monsters And Men Beneath The Skin Republic Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Of Monsters and Men return with their sophomore effort. Album Review: Of Monsters and Men is the Icelandic band who had a huge hit with 2011’s “Little Talks,” and is currently gaining traction with “Crystals.” “Crystals” is the lead single from their … Read more
Great Lake Swimmers A Forest Of Arms Nettwerk Music Group [2015] Fire Note Says: Great Lake Swimmers have a pleasant, peaceful sound. Album Review: Great Lake Swimmers know their lane and stay in it during their most recent LP, A Forest of Arms. That lane is aptly described by the album’s title; triumphant and scenic, … Read more