Braid No Coast Topshelf Records [2014] Fire Note Says: After 16 years, Braid find their way back into your stereo. Album Review: So what were you doing back in 1998? Maybe spinning math rock and emo veterans Braid’s last record Frame & Canvas? Well, that was the last time the Urbana, Illinois band released a … Read more
The Estranged The Estranged Dirtnap Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Estranged create a burning intensity within every track. Album Review: Typically when you pick up a Dritnap Records release you sort of know that you are in for some type of punk rock outing. For that reason, Portland’s The Estranged will come at you … Read more
††† (Crosses) ††† Sumerian Records [2014] Fire Note Says: ††† debut has both highs and lows. Album Review: ††† is the combination of the Deftones lead man Chino Moreno, Far guitarist Shaun Lopez, and Chuck Doom. If you’re familiar with the Deftones, ††† is a slightly more subdued, industrial style of music. I was most … Read more
Peter Bradley Adams The Mighty Storm I Me Mine Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Peter Bradley Adams offers up 10 tracks of Dylan-tinged folk pop. Album Review: Recorded in Nashville with several multi-instrumentalists/producers, Peter Bradley Adams’ fifth album The Mighty Storm doesn’t exactly sound the way its title would suggest. Over its forty-five minute span, … Read more
First Aid Kit Stay Gold Columbia Records [2014] Fire Note Says: First Aid Kit have matured beyond their young years. Album Review: Hands down, First Aid Kit’s sisters, Klara and Johanna Söderberg, have one of the most addictive harmonizing vocals in the music scene right now. You may have already heard their impact on Conor … Read more
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Days of Abandon Yebo Music [2014] Fire Note Says: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is a bit too pure this time around. Album Review: Sometimes an album’s beginning betrays its overall essence. Sometimes it sets the tone, even if that tone was not what you wanted … Read more
Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires Dereconstructed Sub Pop Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires sing it proud and rock it loud on Dereconstructed. Album Review: When I first heard Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires it was on the excellent Alive at The Deep Blues Fest. … Read more
Wooden Wand Farmer’s Corner Fire Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Farmer’s Corner is a confident, cool, laid back trip down a long dusty road. Album Review: Farmer’s Corner, the new album from Wooden Wand has some pretty high expectations to live up to. Blood Oaths of the New Blues, Wooden Wand’s album from 2013, received … Read more
Bob Mould Beauty & Ruin Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Bob Mould returns with an emotionally charged record. Album Review: Right from the opening track “Low Season” you recognize that Beauty & Ruin is one of the most emotionally driven records Bob Mould has released. The song is a slow burner that finds Mould … Read more
Bloom Thousand Yard Stare Broken Circle Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Fans of somber electric guitar indie rock and catchy keyboards will enjoy the sounds of Bloom’s new album Thousand Yard Stare. Album Review: Bloom hail from Nashville, Tennessee where there is no such shortage of rock being made these days. Their new album is … Read more
Motorpsycho Behind The Sun Rune Grammofon [2014] Fire Note Says: Built to lofty heights, Behind The Sun might collapse under its own weight—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Album Review: What do you think of when I say Motorpsycho? An opener for Five Finger Death Punch? A character from the new Mad Max film? … Read more
The Shilohs The Shilohs Light Organ Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Shilohs let the sunshine in on their summery second album. Album Review: The Shiloh’s debut (last year’s So Wild) was an impressive record that brought together a plethora of ramshackle 60s rock sounds, from The Kinks to The Velvet Underground to The Beatles. … Read more
Conor Oberst Upside Down Mountain Nonesuch Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Conor Oberst is showing his age – and that is not a bad thing. Album Review: Does it sound weird that Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) is 34 years old? Not that 34 is over the hill by any means but when you consider that … Read more
The Black Keys Turn Blue Nonesuch Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Black Keys don’t quite meet high expectations with Turn Blue. Album Review: True story: When I first heard “Fever,” I didn’t know that it was the first single from The Black Keys’ new album Turn Blue. I was trying to figure out the … Read more
The People’s Temple Musical Garden HoZac Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The new album from The People’s Temple is a fertile Musical Garden. Album Review: The People’s Temple has been one of my go to bands for whenever I want a 60’s garage rock fix. Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, these guys bring the psychedelic leanings … Read more
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes Are We Not Men? We Are Diva! Fat Wreck Chords [2014] Fire Note Says: Me First are back with 12 diva delights! Album Review: To some, it may be a surprise that Me First and the Gimme Gimmes have been cranking out cover records since their 1997 debut Have … Read more
Cheap Girls Famous Graves Xtra Mile Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Cheap Girls are ready to be your favorite new rock n roll band. Album Review: There is nothing like hitting the local pub and hearing a band that just blows its walls off. You know the type of group I am talking about – … Read more
Thee Oh Sees Drop Castle Face Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Dwyer loads Thee Oh Sees back into the garage—and there’s a bit of time travel going on. Album Review: To go over John Dwyer‘s catalogue it quite a task: Yikes! And the Hospitals, some Pink and Brown LP‘s, many Coachwhips LP’s, solo recordings under … Read more
Wye Oak Shriek Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Wye Oak trades guitars for synths with (mostly) positive results Album Review: It seems a lot of bands these days are switching out guitars for keyboards, often totally changing their sound in the process. For Wye Oak, at least it makes some practical sense: a duo … Read more
Chuck E. Weiss Red Beans And Weiss ANTI- Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Chuck E. Weiss’ new record is a way cool concoction. Album Review: There was a time, back in the day, when it wasn’t just “cool” to be into jazz, beat poets, talkin’ blues and scat singing, but it was commercially fortuitous. Joni … Read more
Sonic Avenues Mistakes Dirtnap Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sonic Avenues keep things classy on third LP Mistakes. Album Review: Punk rock is still trying to find its place in 2014 and if you look hard enough there are plenty of bands keeping it real and producing quality albums. Montreal’s Sonic Avenues is one of … Read more
Pixies Indie Cindy PIAS Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Though not as good as you hoped it would be, it’s definitely not as bad as you’ve heard it is. Album Review: I have mixed feelings about Indie Cindy, the first new album from Pixies since 1991. On the one hand, I think they are long … Read more
Shy Boys Shy Boys High Dive Records[2014] Fire Note Says: Debut album from Kansas City trio quietly satisfies. Album Review: Sometimes the name a band chooses for themselves is a dead give-away. And then other times a name can serve as subterfuge. In the case of Kansas City’s Shy Boys it may be a bit … Read more
Skating Polly Fuzz Steilacoom Chap Stereo [2014] Fire Note Says: Skating Polly‘s Fuzz Steilacoom suffers from a pleasant multiple personality disorder. Album Review: Having just finished my review of the bubbly Tweens album, it seems appropriate to get a bit more down and dirty. Oklahoma City‘s Skating Polly seems to handle that role quite easily. … Read more
My Chemical Romance May Death Never Stop You: The Greatest Hits 2001-2013 Reprise Records [2014] Fire Note Says: May Death Never Stop You works as a primer if you are looking back at the alt/rock world of the last decade. Album Review: The thing about My Chemical Romance, the pop/punk band from Jersey that had … Read more