Half Japanese: Overjoyed [Album Review]

Half Japanese Overjoyed Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: After a 13 year break, the cult legends return just as good and weird as they ever were! Album Review: Jad and David Fair, better known as Half Japanese are an acquired taste. In fact, their Greatest Hits collection holds the distinction of being the … Read more

Sloan: Commonwealth [Album Review]

Sloan Commonwealth Yep Roc Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sloan attempt a modern day White Album. Album Review: Canada’s Sloan never seem to slow down. Even though they have been around since the early 90’s and are a big name up North, the four piece indie pop rock group has never broke out here in … Read more

Mannequin Pussy: Gypsy Pervert [Album Review]

Mannequin Pussy Gypsy Pervert Tiny Engines [2014] Fire Note Says: Don’t let the name scare you – Mannequin Pussy are for real! Album Review: You can give me a revved up 10 song, 19 minute record any day. New York’s Mannequin Pussy does exactly that as their debut, Gypsy Pervert, contains a raw burst of … Read more

A Shoreline Dream: The Silent Sunrise [Album Review]

A Shoreline Dream The Silent Sunrise Latenight Weeknight Records [2014] Fire Note Says: A Shoreline Dream return to sweep you away with The Silent Sunrise. Album Review: What I enjoyed most about A Shoreline Dream‘s last project, the 333 EP collection was the influence behind the compiling. The first one released, Three, was influenced by … Read more

The Rentals: Lost In Alphaville [Album Review]

The Rentals Lost In Alphaville Polyvinyl Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Rentals are back and they still want to be your friend! Album Review: I will admit that I had no idea what to think about ex-Weezer Matt Sharp bringing back The Rentals brand after a 15 year absence. I lived the heyday of … Read more

Bear In Heaven: Time Is Over One Day Old [Album Review]

Bear In Heaven Time Is Over One Day Old Dead Oceans [2014] Fire Note Says: Bear In Heaven sticks with their sound for better and worse on Time Is Over One Day Old. Album Review: Bear In Heaven is one of those bands with a distinctive sound. You know when you’re listening to a Bear … Read more

The Gaslight Anthem: Get Hurt [Album Review]

The Gaslight Anthem Get HurtUniversal Music [2014] The Gaslight Anthem returns on their fifth LP of new material with Get Hurt. The cover of the album is an upside-down heart – you know what you’re in for with the title and cover. The New Jersey band had a breakout sophomore album with The ‘59 Sound, … Read more

The Raveonettes: Pe’ahi [Album Review]

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 [Album Review]

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

The Skygreen Leopards: Family Crimes [Album Review]

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 [Album Review]

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

The Young: Chrome Cactus [Album Review]

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

Twin Peaks: Wild Onion [Album Review]

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 [Album Review]

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

The Proper Ornaments: Wooden Head [Album Review]

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

The Muffs: Whoop Dee Doo [Album Review]

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

Stardeath And The White Dwarfs: Wastoid [Album Review]

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

Zig Zags: Zig Zags [Album Review]

Zig Zags Zig Zags In The Red Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Zig Zags’ fire and fury bubble the bong water on their self-titled debut. Album Review: When talking about LA’s Zig Zags a few things need to be mentioned: Ty Segall, Sweat Lodge, Bong-water colored vinyl, Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu, weird early Metallica thrash, … Read more

Army Navy: The Wilderness Inside [Album Review]

Army Navy The Wilderness Inside The Fever Zone Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Power-pop purveyors Army Navy’s third LP is polished and professional. Album Review: Los Angeles’ Army Navy is fronted by Justin Kennedy, who has bounced around indie music for quite a while now. Louie Schultz and Dougal Randall round out the band, whose … Read more

The Fresh & Onlys: House Of Spirits [Album Review]

The Fresh & Onlys House Of Spirits Mexican Summer [2014] Fire Note Says: House of Spirits wanders a bit, but finds its footing in solid songwriting and production. Album Review: The Fresh & Onlys are a four-piece out of San Francisco, and while the band is often pigeon-holed as a “psychedelic” outfit who are part … Read more

Eno & Hyde: Someday World / High Life [Album Review]

Eno & Hyde Someday World / High Life Warp Records [2014] Someday World: Fire Note Says: Someday World’s slick electro-pop contrasts nicely with High Life’s hypnotic, groove-heavy jams. Album Review: These days Brian Eno is probably most well-known as that guy who invented ambient music (even though there are certainly others who deserve such an … Read more

Yonatan Gat: Iberian Passage [Album Review]

Yonatan Gat Iberian Passage Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Iberian Passage is light on quantity but full of (mostly) instrumental psych-guitar freakouts! Album Review: If you’re like me (and you probably are in this respect), you’ve never heard of Yonatan Gat. The Tel-Aviv-born New Yorker is guitarist for the band Monotonix (who have … Read more

Taking Back Sunday: Happiness Is [Album Review]

Taking Back Sunday Happiness Is Hopeless Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Taking Back Sunday’s sixth album is highly listenable. Album Review: Taking Back Sunday is one of those bands that keeps churning out albums with little fanfare but with a polished, professional sound. Happiness Is is the New York band’s sixth studio album and seemingly … Read more

Beverly: Careers [Album Review]

Beverly Careers Kanine Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Promising debut album from Frankie Rose and Drew Citron. Album Review: Beverly is a duo consisting of Drew Citron and Frankie Rose. The pair spent the bulk of 2013 on the road together as Citron played In Frankie’s band. The roles are reversed on Careers, the first … Read more