Best Coast Fade Away Jewel City Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Best Coast release a 7 song mini album that works hard to extend summer with its warm indie pop shine. Album Review: If you have loved the indie pop of Best Coast’s previous two full lengths, then you will be completely satisfied with their … Read more
Yuck Glow & Behold Fat Possum Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Yuck starts over fresh on their new album, and it sounds pretty good. Album Review: Imagine you’re a member of a hip young band, your debut album garners all sorts of critical accolades, winds up on many top ten lists, and you find yourself … Read more
Pearl Jam Lightning Bolt Monkeywrench/Universal Records [2013] Fire Note Says: This “Lightning Bolt” still doesn’t strike twice in the same place. Album Review: If you were to take your cues from so-called “classic rock” radio (remember radio?), you’d be convinced that Pearl Jam did all its best work on the 1991 debut, Ten, and a … Read more
The Avett Brothers Magpie And The Dandelion American Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: The Avett Brothers return quickly with their eighth record Magpie And The Dandelion. Album Review: I really liked last year’s The Carpenter from The Avett Brothers. It was weighty, mature, warm radio styled and its songwriting was completely thought stirring. Some critics … Read more
Mind Spiders Inhumanistic Dirtnap Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Mind Spiders return with a new wave driven record that should make Devo and Gary Numan proud. Album Review: How many times does an album’s title, cover and first track prelude give you true insight on the record you are about to hear? Not that often … Read more
CHVRCHES The Bones Of What You Believe Glassnote Records [2013] Fire Note Says: CHVRCHES debut album or the death of the guitar in pop music – discuss. Album Review: There has been some debate around The Fire Note about the relative merits of Scottish trio CHVRCHES and their much-hyped debut album, The Bones Of What … Read more
Tim Kasher Adult Film Saddle Creek Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Tim Kasher returns to a more straightforward rock sound on his solo sophomore album. Album Review: Tim Kasher is still best known as the frontman for Cursive and The Good Life, but Adult Film represents his sophomore solo record. To call Kasher theatrical is … Read more
Janelle Monáe The Electric Lady Wondaland Arts Society/Bad Boy [2013] Fire Note Says: Is The Electric Lady starting to run out of juice? Album Review: When Janelle Monáe started to garner mainstream attention with 2010’s The ArchAndroid, her style was totally unique. Equal parts James Brown, David Bowie, Lauryn Hill, and Alan Parsons, Monáe combined … Read more
Albert Hammond Jr AHJ Cult Records [2013] It’s nice to hear Albert Hammond Jr. back with his solo work. The Strokes guitarist has not released any new material since his 2008 sophomore album, ¿Cómo Te Llama?. Both of his solo full-length records never tried too hard to separate themselves from The Strokes’ recordings, which I … Read more
Mazzy Star Seasons of Your Day Rhymes Of An Hour Records [2013] Fire Note Says: After a 17 year break, Mazzy Star stays true to their soft, folksy sound with the release of Seasons of Your Day. Album Review: Some albums have a very seasonal feel, like Everything in Transit via Jack’s Mannequin (summer) or … Read more
Girls Against Boys The Ghost List EP Epitonic [2013] Fire Note Says: Girls Against Boys are back and The Ghost List EP sounds like they never left! Album Review: Reuniting your old band is all the rave right now with The Breeders and Neutral Milk Hotel playing shows this year and we saw the release … Read more
Schooner Neighborhood Veins PotLuck Foundation [2013] Fire Note Says: Schooner goes adrift with their own brand of ramshackle, lucid pop. Album Review: Durhan, NC‘s Schooner’s sound is an interesting proposition: take some simple song structures and float them on a sea of dreams; then pair that with a bit of complexity, chill moods, 50‘s doo-wop, … Read more
Saint Rich Beyond The Drone Merge Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Saint Rich bring a warm indie vibe to their debut Beyond The Drone. Album Review: Saint Rich is the musical partnership of Christian Peslak and Steve Marion. You may know Steve from his instrumental band, Delicate Steve, which has released two albums on David … Read more
Ghost Wave Ages Flying Nun Records [2013] Fire Note Says: New Zealand band explores the origins of Kiwi-pop – and a whole lot more. Album Review: The flood of garage psych bands to come from New Zealand has baffled music critics for years. Since the early eighties it has been one great little band after … Read more
Raccoon Fighter ZIL Papercup Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Raccoon Fighter keeps the T-Rex flame burning bright on debut album. Album Review: Brooklyn has been home base for so many bands and so many different genres that it is a little surprising that gritty, hipster blues-rock hasn’t really been heard emanating from the Borough of … Read more
The Darcys Warring Arts & Crafts Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Warring is an impressive sounding record, though falls just a bit short of their grandiose goal. Album Review: Toronto art rockers, The Darcys are back with their biggest sounding record yet, Warring, out now on Arts & Crafts. Warring is the bands attempt at … Read more
The Civil Wars The Civil Wars Sensibility/Columbia Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Civil Wars build on their debut and point toward a viable musical future, should they decide to accept it. Album Review: While we’ve gotten used to the kind of sensational personal drama that makes careers at the expense of the actual music, … Read more
The Dirtbombs Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey! In The Red Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Next stop for The Dirtbombs – Bubblegum rock. Album Review: If you have been following The Dirtbombs since their excellent grooving 2001 soul album, Ultraglide In Black, then you know the band has never been content just staying in one genre … Read more
Obits Bed & Bugs Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bed & Bugs is the sound of Rock and Roll lifers kicking out garage rock jams. Album Review: It’s hard to talk about the new Obits album, Bed & Bugs, without first mentioning that Rick Froberg (vocs/gtr) was a member of two all-time great … Read more
The Weeknd Kiss Land Universal Republic [2013] Fire Note Says: The Weeknd’s major label debut continues the emo trend in hip hop with mixed results. Album Review: The Weeknd is Canadian Abel Tesfaye. He of the three mixtapes, condensed last year and released as Trilogy, is making his true major label debut with Kiss Land. … Read more
Crystal Stilts Nature Noir Sacred Bones Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Crystal Stilts show off some new sounds to go along with their own signature psychedelic haze. Album Review: Do you guys remember when eMusic used to rule? I sure do, I discovered a ton of great music there from 2004-2010. Sometime in 2007, they … Read more
The Big Sweet Bicycle Nights Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: The Big Sweet grow up on their engaging third record Bicycle Nights. Album Review: I encourage any young lads out there thinking of starting a band to check out the third LP, Bicycle Nights, from The Big Sweet. The Northeast Ohio band’s members are the … Read more
Jews And Catholics Civilized Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: If you’re looking for something new, Jews and Catholics can catch you by surprise with Civilized. Album Review: I find it fitting here to start this review off with a religious analogy. Jews and Catholics have their many differences as well as certain similarities. The same … Read more
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Fly By Wire Polyvinyl Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Fly By Wire takes listeners on a tour of Cold War rock and pop. Album Review: Although Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (SSLYBY from here on out) are named after Russia’s president of the 1990s, their music is rooted … Read more
Jesse Woods Get Your Burdens Lifted Guns In The Sun Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Jesse Woods’s latest release is a rare combination of indie, folk, rock, country, and island. Album Review: Jesse Woods’s sophomore album, Get Your Burdens Lifted, is a rare combination of indie, folk, rock, country, and island music. Some songs are … Read more