The Decemberists I’ll Be Your Girl Capitol Records [2018] Fire Note Says: This one is a keeper. Album Review: When The Decemberists’ first single for I’ll Be Your Girl, “Severed” showed up on the appropriate alternative-friendly satellite radio stations a few weeks ago, I bet I wasn’t the only fan to begin worrying that the … Read more
Shell Of A Shell Already There EP Exploding In Sound Records [2018] Who: Nashville, Tennessee quartet, Shell of a Shell craft a delightful debut EP with Already There. Sound: Shell of a Shell will delight fans of Exploding In Sounds Record’s artist roster. They are a blend of Pile’s edginess mixed with a penchant for … Read more
Haley Heynderickx I Need To Start A Garden Mama Bird Recording Co [2018] Fire Note Says: A striking debut album from singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx. Album Review: Portland-based singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx seems to have a strong understanding of the power of small details to make (or break) a musical performance. All eight of the songs on … Read more
Guided By Voices Ogre’s Trumpet GBV, Inc. [2018] Fire Note Says: The latest incarnation of a legendary band proves they’re still a deadly live act. Album Review: Sometimes bands release live albums as nothing more than sleazy cash grabs or they may be bankrupt of new and original ideas so they endlessly repackage past glories. … Read more
High Rise High Rise II Black Edition [1986/2018] Who: High Rise entered into Tokyo’s underground music scene in 1984. High Rise II is their sophomore record of psychedelic garage guitar music from 1986 that has now been reissued newly mixed and mastered by High Rise bassist/vocalist Asahito Nanjo. Sound: High Rise are a full on … Read more
Superchunk What A Time To Be Alive Merge Records [2018] Who: Chapel Hill’s Superchunk pull no punches and hit the current U.S. administration On the Mouth for being so Foolish. Sound: A relentless, urgent slice of Superchunk’s style of power-pop punk that never takes its foot off the gas. TFN Final Take: Superchunk have put … Read more
Marriage + Cancer Marriage + Cancer Self Sabotage Records [2018] Who: Portland’s Marriage + Cancer continue to scald everything in their path with their caustic noise rock! Sound: Uncompromising and brutal noise rock not unlike Jesus Lizard and In Utero-era Nirvana. TFN Final Take: It’s been awhile since Marriage + Cancer’s last release, Killjoy. That … Read more
Ty Segall Freedom’s Goblin Drag City Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Ty Segall creates a very fluid classic double album in Freedom’s Goblin. Album Review: The grandiose opening blare of instruments on Ty Segall’s new 75-minute double record, Freedom’s Goblin, really tells you all you need to know in its first 22 seconds. This is … Read more
Chiller Chiller Rockstar/Dirt Cult Records [2018] Who: This is the debut record from Moncton, Canada punks Chiller. The band is a continuation of Feral Trash which released Trashfiction in 2014 on Dirt Cult Records. Chiller is Ilisha and Eric of Feral Trash with local friends Erin (Black Tower) and Tim (Mother’s Children). Sound: Fresh melodic … Read more
Tomas Fujiwara Triple Double Firehouse 12 Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Tomas Fujiwara’s double trio stands out, even in another great year of recorded jazz and improvised music Album Review: Drummer Tomas Fujiwara has contributed to a number of great recordings in recent years, whether as a sideman or as a member of groups like … Read more
Jeff Rosenstock POST- Polyvinyl Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Jeff is back! Album Review: Jeff Rosenstock started off this year with a bang as he released his third LP digitally for FREE on New Year’s Day! That is right – free. Now, I am sure we have all had the experience of downloading free music … Read more
St. Vincent Masseduction Loma Vista Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: St. Vincent builds on the success of her last album, bringing her performance art mechanics, manic guitar noise and energetic electro-pop hysterics face to face with tragedy and lives to tell about it. Album Review: St. Vincent’s eponymously titled 4th solo album, released in 2014, … Read more
(Sandy) Alex G Rocket Domino [2017] Who: The bedroom pop of Alexander Giannascoli aka (Sandy) Alex G has grown substantially since we first stumbled upon his 2014 record DSU on DIY label Orchid Tapes. Rocket is his sophomore record for Domino. Sound: (Sandy) Alex G plays a melodic pop that ranges from lo-fi experimentation to … Read more
King Krule The OOZ True Panther/XL Recordings [2017] Who: London’s Archy Marshall is a well-known and respected artist in the UK and has released work under his own name, Zoo Kid and King Krule as The OOZ is his sophomore release. Sound: King Krule has a unique sound that blends multiple styles of jazz, garage, … Read more
U-Men U-Men Sub Pop Records [2017] Who: From 1983 to 1987, the U-Men were the hype of the Seattle Underground. The band recorded a handful of singles and one full length album in 1988. This new collection features the U-Men’s entire studio-recorded output plus 5 unreleased songs. Sound: You might expect the early days of … Read more
Japanese Breakfast Soft Sounds From Another Planet Dead Oceans [2017] Who: Japanese Breakfast is the solo project of Michelle Zauner of Little Big League. She’s released two albums under the Japanese Breakfast moniker entitled Psychopomp in 2016 and her latest Soft Sounds From Another Earth. Sound: I have to say that Michelle Zauner has one … Read more
Protomartyr Relatives In Descent Domino Records [2017] Who: Detroit’s Protomartyr are a post punk band that has just released their fourth lp and first for Domino Records. Sound: If Nick Cave fronted a modern era post punk band with a refined edge and a spoken word style that is like The Hold Steady you would … Read more
Girlpool Powerplant ANTI- [2017] Fire Note Says: Girlpool comes and goes too quick! Album Review: Girlpool is an LA band that consists of its two founding members, Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, plus a new drummer, Miles Wintner, for their sophomore album. Their debut came out two years ago, and with the addition of a … Read more
Sleepies Melt To You Mirror Universe Tapes [2017] Who: Brooklyn-based SLEEPiES release yet another winner with this 4-track EP. Sound: Melt To You EP is another product from the SLEEPiES machine that spits out cool music. Release after release, this band just hit the spot when you need some sketchy-yet-catchy post-punk rock. TFN Final Take: … Read more
Julien Baker Turn Out The Lights 6131/Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Julien Baker tells a story that you instantly will want to hear again. Album Review: When we first heard Julien Baker on her 2015 debut, Sprained Ankle, you had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last from the young Memphis artist. Her delicate … Read more
Shagg Shagg Quality Time/Greenway Records [2017] Shagg should be on your radar. This Cleveland band will rock the crap out of you for this entire just over 14-minute record. Their arrangements are chaotic, the music is messy and they can blow your speakers out but all of those things are what I like about this … Read more
The War On Drugs A Deeper Understanding Atlantic Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The War on Drugs creates an accessible yet sophisticated album. Album Review: A Deeper Understanding is the War on Drugs fourth full-length album, and it is also their most accessible album. On previous efforts, Adam Granduciel’s vocals were a make or break … Read more
Broken Social Scene Hug Of Thunder Arts & Crafts [2017] Fire Note Says: All killer, no filler. Album Review: For a band with as many members as Broken Social Scene (15 to be exact), an album can go one of two ways. It could be a messy cacophony that never manages to have a unified … Read more
Perfume Genius No Shape Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Perfume Genius is perfectly realized on their latest. Album Review: Mike Hadreas, who performs as Perfume Genius, is a star that continues to burn brighter and brighter. No Shape, his fourth full-length album, sees the artist perform and compose with confidence and experience. Hadreas excels … Read more
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface Loma Vista Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: A decade in, Adam Hull and Manchester Orchestra manage to stretch and grow their sound without losing connections to the passion and angst of their celebrated early work. Album Review: There’s an often unspoken challenge for artists that find a … Read more