The Bottle Rockets: Bit Logic [Album Review]

The The Bottle Rockets Bit Logic Bloodshot Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Another fine rockin’ country album from these St. Louis pros. Album Review: If the alt-country Bottle Rockets ever have need for a patron saint, they explain in “Bad Time to Be an Outlaw,” from their 13th album, Bit Logic, their prayer asks “What … Read more

Richard Thompson: 13 Rivers [Album Review]

Richard Thompson 13 Rivers New West Records [2018] Fire Note Says: At 69, Richard Thompson, one of the world’s best songwriters as well as one or rock’s greatest guitarists, brings it altogether again on “13 Rivers,” one of the very best albums of his long and storied career. Album Review: Who knew there would be … Read more

Swamp Dogg: Love, Loss, And Auto-tune [Album Review]

Swamp Dogg Love, Loss, And Auto-Tune Joyful Noise Recordings [2018] Who: Jerry Williams Jr. a.k.a Swamp Dogg has been making music since the 1960’s. The Swamp Dogg moniker appeared in 1970 after Williams reinvented his sound with Total Destruction To Your Mind Sound: Swamp Dogg has alway presented a unique sound. Williams core will always … Read more

Brian Owens: Soul Of Cash [Album Review]

Brian Owens Soul Of Cash Soul Step Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Brian Owens shares his soul with Johnny Cash! Album Review: I think in today’s vast music scene, cover records are merely blown off as a novelty or simply overlooked. Even for established artists, a cover record is typically assumed to just be a … Read more

Ovlov: Tru [Album Review]

Ovlov Tru Exploding in Sound Records [2018] Who: Newtown, Connecticut’s Ovlov return after 5 years to release a vibrant, noisy and fascinating album. Sound: Ovlov’s brand of melancholy muscle fuzz soars high on their new LP. TFN Final Take: It’s been a few years since the last Ovlov LP, am, came out, but time has … Read more

The Coke Dares: Fake Lake [Album Review]

The Coke Dares Fake Lake Third Uncle Records [2018] Who: Bloomington, Indiana’s, The Coke Dares return with a 35 track album that will delight and amuse listeners. Sound: The Coke Dares blend humor with oddball catchy power-pop that falls somewhere in the realm of Guided By Voices meets DEVO with a dash of Ween for … Read more

Tony Molina: Kill The Lights [Album Review]

Tony Molina Kill The Lights Slumberland Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Concise perfection. Album Review: Tony Molina does not mess around with tracks. His ripping guitar mix of fuzz that was his 2013 record, Dissed And Dismissed, ran 12 songs in just over 11 minutes. His Confront The Truth EP (2016) contained 8 songs in … Read more

Kamasi Washington: Heaven And Earth [Album Review]

Kamasi Washington Heaven And Earth Young Turks [2018] Who: Kamasi Washington is a multi-instrumentalist and producer born and raised in Los Angeles. He grew up playing jazz in the city’s storied Leimert Park neighborhood. Forming his first band, the Young Jazz Giants, with Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner, Ronald Bruner, Jr. and Cameron Graves in high school, … Read more

Canshaker Pi: Naughty Naughty Violence [Album Review]

Canshaker Pi Naughty Naughty Violence Excelsior Recordings [2018] Who: Having spent the last few years supporting artists such as Car Seat Headrest, Parquet Courts and the Cribs, Amsterdam-based rock quartet Canshaker Pi have released their sophomore record, Naughty Naughty Violence. Sound: Blistering indie rock that fits in with Parquet Courts while bringing back memories of … Read more

Derri Daugherty: The Color Of Dreams [Album Review]

Derri Daugherty The Color of Dreams Lo-Fidelity Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Singer and guitarist with The Choir, and side bands Lost Dogs and Kerosene Halo, strikes off for a more personal solo album, backed by friends from Jars of Clay and Sixpence NTR. Album Review: Back in 2016, Derri Daugherty, the lead vocalist and … Read more

Johnny Marr: Call The Comet [Album Review]

Johnny Marr Call The Comet New Voodoo Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Johnny Marr, groundbreaking guitarist with The Smiths, The The, Modest Mouse, delivers all the goods – solid songs, satisfying vocals, and of course great guitar sounds – on his 3rd solo album. Album Review: During The Smiths short brilliant career they released 4 … Read more

Father John Misty: God’s Favorite Customer [Album Review]

Father John Misty God’s Favorite Customer Sub Pop Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Father John Misty narrows his scope with improved results. Album Review: Josh Tillman is once again a music writer (and thinker’s) dream. He provides material in each song, each album, that invites a strong reaction and curious reflection. While his 2017 LP … Read more

Big Ups: Two Parts Together [Album Review]

Big Ups Two Parts Together Exploding In Sound Records [2018] Who: Brooklyn’s Big Ups return in a big way with their 3rd full-length LP. Sound: Big Ups continue to impress on Two Parts Together. They may be from Brooklyn but they are channeling 90’s era Louisville Kentucky post rock to great effect. TFN Final Take: … Read more

Richard Edwards: Verdugo [Album Review]

Richard Edwards Verdugo Profound Discomfort [2018] Fire Note Says: Verdugo is a dreamy, free-floating work of moody melodies and emotional release. Album Review: The twelfth song on Richard Edwards’ towering 2017 release Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset is called “Pornographic Teens.” It’s a tune that moves along nicely and showcases Edwards at his moody best, combining … Read more

Neko Case: Hell-On [Album Review]

Neko Case Hell-On ANTI- Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Indie rock icon, chanteuse and auteur, Neko Case returns after 5 years with a strong self-produced collection of songs, her best yet. Album Review: It’s been five years since Neko Case’s last album, but it’s not as if she’s been silent since the release of The … Read more

Wire: Pink Flag/Chairs Missing/154 (Special Edition Reissues) [Album Review]

Wire Pink Flag (Special Edition Reissue) Pinkflag [2018] Chairs Missing (Special Edition Reissue) Pinkflag [2018] 154 (Special Edition Reissue) Pinkflag [2018] Fire Note Says: Influential British punk band Wire is re-issuing their three earliest albums, including special editions that unearth b-sides, demos, rarities and previously unreleased recordings. Album Review: I think it was Brian Eno … Read more

Parquet Courts: Wide Awake! [Album Review]

Parquet Courts Wide Awake! Rough Trade Records [2018] Who: Indie rock icons, Parquet Courts shift gears and deliver a fresh and vital album. Sound: Parquet Courts join forces with producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse and come dangerously close to recording their best album. TFN Final Take: When I heard that Parquet Courts were teaming … Read more

Wye Oak: The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs [Album Review]

Wye Oak The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs Merge Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Wye Oak puts out an album that’s worth going back to again and again. Album Review: The Baltimore duo Wye Oak (Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack) continue to hone and evolve their sound on their sixth studio album, The … Read more

Sleep: The Sciences [Album Review]

Sleep The Sciences Third Man Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Follow the smoke once more to the riff filled lands. Sleep now presents you with the riff tree Album Review: Over dunes, you’ve walked many miles, your entire body is heavy from the punishing journey. You’ve done as Jerusalem’s sacred texts have said, you followed … Read more

Laura Veirs: The Lookout [Album Review]

Laura Veirs The Lookout Raven Marching Band Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Laura Veirs is indie folk’s best-kept secret, and she delivers one of her most rewarding records with The Lookout Album Review: Laura Veirs music effortlessly evokes the cool, misty forests of her Pacific Northwest home-base of Portland, Oregon. Her music has always been … Read more

Archie And The Bunkers: Songs From The Lodge [Album Review]

Archie And The Bunkers Songs From The Lodge Dirty Water Records [2018] Who: Archie and The Bunkers are the Cleveland-based duo of Emmett and Cullen O’Connor, brothers who have been playing music together for as long as they can remember. Songs From The Lodge is the groups sophomore album. Sound: Described as “Hi-Fi organ punk,” … Read more

Amen Dunes: Freedom [Album Review]

Amen Dunes Freedom Sacred Bones Records [2018] Who: Freedom is Amen Dunes (aka the project of New York-based Damon McMahon) fifth album, and the follow-up to 2014’s Love. Sound: Amen Dunes brings a high level of sophistication to its psychedelic indie and at time folkish tracks. Freedom has a War On Drugs, Kevin Morby, and … Read more

David Byrne: American Utopia [Album Review]

David Byrne American Utopia Nonesuch Records [2018] Fire Note Says: David Byrne brings his years of musical experimentation, as a primary creative force in Talking Heads, and through his ten studio albums, collaborations with Brian Eno and others, as well as his work on various film scores into conversation with American pop culture, and has … Read more

Tim Easton: Paco & The Melodic Polaroids [Album Review]

Tim Easton Paco & The Melodic Polaroids Campfire Propaganda [2018] Who: Tim Easton is an Ohio-raised singer/songwriter, now firmly based out of Nashville, which has a solid catalog of alt-country/Americana/folk recordings that span over two decades to his rowdier days with the Haynes Boys in 1996. Sound: Tim Easton can give you all different sides … Read more