Surfer Blood 1000 Palms Joyful Noise Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Surfer Blood rides the middle with their latest release. Album Review: Surfer Blood splashed onto the scene six years ago with a great debut album, Astro Coast. Their 2012 follow-up saw the band adopt a more polished sound that didn’t resonate quite the same … Read more
Best Coast California Nights Harvest Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Best Coast does not stray too far from the catchy formula. Album Review: Sometimes third albums put artists in weird places. You have your introducing debut, avoid the sophomore slump with either more of the same or pushing your artistic boundaries and then where do … Read more
Ryan Adams Live At Carnegie Hall PAX-AM [2015] Fire Note Says: Two night live set will not disappoint fans. Album Review: Ryan Adams live used to be “watch and see” because Adams might do something nuts like kick someone out of the show, walk off the stage, go into a rant and then go into … Read more
Mac McCaughan Non-Believers Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: First solo record from Superchunk and Merge Records founder Mac McCaughan. Album Review: It is really hard to believe that 2015 brings us the first solo record from Mac McCaughan. As founder of Superchunk, Portastatic and Merge Records, Mac has always stayed extremely busy so there … Read more
The Mountain Goats Beat The Champ Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The Mountain Goats return with a fun, thoughtful themed album. Album Review: The cover of Beat The Champ, the latest album by The Mountain Goats, has a picture of two wrestlers going at it in the ring. John Darnielle’s 15th studio album is … Read more
Michael Rault Living Daylight Burger Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Michael Rault delivers a strong record to the modern garage rock crowd. Album Review: Are you tired of the whole modern garage rock revival scene? Me neither! Enter Toronto guitarist/songwriter Michael Rault to the club and his Burger Records debut Living Daylight. Each artist in … Read more
Glass Hammer The Breaking Of The World Sound Resources [2015] Fire Note Says: American Prog stalwarts use their increased exposure well. Album Review: Back in 2012 when Yes announced they had a new lead singer, Jon Davison from Chattanooga band Glass Hammer, few outside the tiny Prog community had heard of either him or the … Read more
JJ Grey & Mofro Ol’ Glory Provogue Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Imitation is the greatest form of appreciation. Album Review: Working out of Northern Florida, JJ Grey & Mofro have come closest to capturing their live energy on their 9th full-length project in 15 years, a sound that has made them fans in the … Read more
Andy Gabbard Fluff Alive Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Andy Gabbard comes at you with a 90’s rock guitar in his hand. Album Review: Have you ever sat in your room and just thought of making a record? I don’t even care if you can play an instrument, remember one lyric or even been close … Read more
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015 Mom + Pop Music [2015] Fire Note Says: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion return with no class-believe me that’s a good thing. Album Review: After asking to pay respects during opener “Funeral,” Spencer then asks “Fellas, are you ready to hit it … Read more
The King Khan & BBQ Show Bad News Boys In The Red Records [2015] Fire Note Says: King Khan & BBQ return with another fun and rockin’ set of songs. Album Review: We last heard from King Khan on the 2013 Merge Records release Idle No More with the Shrines. It was one of most … Read more
Hayden Hey Love Arts & Crafts [2015] Fire Note Says: Toronto’s Hayden adds another strong record to his ever growing catalog. Album Review: Hayden had immediate attention on his 1996 debut Everything I Long For. His brooding vocals and lonely arrangements landed perfectly and were very fresh at the time, as the alternative rock explosion … Read more
Moon Duo Shadow Of The Sun Sacred Bones Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Shadow Of The Sun has Moon Duo going for the groove. Album Review: Moon Duo’s Ralph Waldo Emerson inspired LP of 2012, Circles, was the first thing to put the group on my radar, offering up sprawling, acid-damaged, hypnotic jams that could … Read more
No Spill Blood Heavy Electricity Sargent House Records [2015] Fire Note Says: No Spill Blood’s debut album is a shot of pure adrenaline for your ears. Album Review: Some bands like to impress you with their vast knowledge of various and sundry musical genres in a culmination of years and years of crate digging self-gratification. … Read more
Will Butler Policy Merge Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The solo debut from Arcade Fire’s spunky multi-instrumentalist Will Butler. Album Review: Who is Will Butler you ask? Well, he is a multi-instrumentalist from the band Arcade Fire and also the younger brother of lead singer Win. I will admit that Will is not the first … Read more
Endless Bummer Vol. 1 In The Red Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sludged-out beach bums bring ferocious fuzz on Vol. 1. Album Review: As Endless Bummer‘s Vol. 1 seeps through the speakers, the question of quality never comes up. That‘s OK too, because LA‘s Endless Bummer never promise it. Recorded with friend Ty Segall in … Read more
Jeff the Brotherhood Wasted On The Dream Infinity Cat Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Wasted on the Dream mixes moments of catchy head banging fuzz rock with head scratching cheese-pop. Album Review: The scuzz/fuzz duo from Nashville are back for their 8th album, Wasted on the Dream. They have brought a big sound with them … Read more
The Black Ryder The Door Behind The Door The Anti-Machine Machine [2015] Fire Note Says: The Black Ryder applies new textures to vivid and cathartic philosophies. Album Review: The Black Ryder’s first LP Buy The Ticket Take The Ride sounds like an easy LP to love—but only if you’re not Pitchfork. Rolling Stone included Buy … Read more
Guster Evermotion Nettwerk Music Group [2015] Fire Note Says: Guster continues to put out tuneful, thoughtful music. Album Review: Get ready to feel old: Guster formed 24 years ago in Boston, MA. This is a band with years and years of experience and a strong sense of identity. That sense of self allows Guster to … Read more
Dan Deacon Gliss Riffer Domino Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Dan Deacon streamlines his signature sound with mixed results. Album Review: Listening to Dan Deacon’s records is a different kind of experience. Precious few artists in the field of electronica have such a penchant for pop or a relish for rock that Deacon has. It … Read more
Colleen Green I Want To Grow Up Hardly Arts Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Colleen Green shows you why age doesn’t matter. Album Review: We all have been there or soon will be, when it comes to celebrating birthday decades. For lo-fi punkster Colleen Green, that celebratory number is 30 on her newest full length, … Read more
Bob Dylan Shadows In The Night Columbia Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Dylan covers tunes made famous by Sinatra with surprising success. Album Review: Bob Dylan has made a career out of confounding his audience’s expectations. Whether it was going electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, going full-blown country with Nashville Skyline when … Read more
St. Lenox Ten Songs About Memory And Hope Anyway Records [2015] Fire Note Says: St. Lenox’s debut is an emotional experience. Album Review: Andrew Choi, the principal of St. Lenox, has an interesting story. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Ohio State University and also some law school (at NYU) under his belt, you … Read more
Björk Vulnicura One Little Indian Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Few and far between artists can compare, Björk again makes her own way. Album Review: In the over 20 years since Björk broke out of the Icelandic band Sugarcubes, she has created a unique body of work, driven by her experimental and eclectic sonic choices, … Read more
Butch Walker Afraid Of Ghosts Dangerbird Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Butch Walker bravely strips the polish on Afraid Of Ghosts. Album Review: It might be a surprise to you but Butch Walker has had more success in the music business than most artists dream about. So you ask – If that is so true … Read more