Christian Fitness Slap Bass Hunks Prescriptions Music [2017] Who: Andrew Falkous’ one man band project, Christian Fitness, is a vital off-shoot of his past work with Mclusky and Future of the Left . Sound: Slap Bass Hunks continues Christian Fitness’ trend of releasing creative post-hardcore noise rock. Four excellent albums in four years. TFN Final … Read more
Elf Power Twitching In Time Orange Twin Records [2017] Who: One of the more resilient acts from the fabled Elephant Six Collective, Elf Power is still making incredible music. Sound: Twitching In Time is one of Elf Power’s best albums. Their blend of psychedelic power pop remains timeless and always welcome. TFN Final Take: Fourteen … Read more
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Labels fail Outlaw country musicians, but Jason Isbell delivers a great record in the tradition of great roots rockers and country players. Album Review: For the record, there has long been a vein of outlaw music running through what has … Read more
Emperor X Oversleepers International Tiny Engines [2017] Fire Note Says: Offering an up-tempo lyrical tour of politics and contemporary despair, Oversleepers International will bewilder listeners and keep them on their toes with genre-bending arrangements. Album Review: If Conor Oberst had a knack for pop and dropped out of a Political Science PhD. program, he might’ve … Read more
Big Thief Capacity Saddle Creek Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Second album from Brooklyn quartet is more varied, more broken, more human. Album Review: After the clamour and scrawl of Big Thief’s debut album, Masterpiece, it might be a surprise to some that they start their follow up album, Capacity, with the track “Pretty Things” … Read more
R. Ring Ignite The Rest SofaBurn Records [2017] Who: Kelley Deal (Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline) join forces for their debut LP. Sound: Ignite the Rest is a stunning full length debut from R. Ring. It is so good that I have quit whining about wanting another Breeders LP…almost. TFN Final Take: To be truthful, … Read more
The Rubs Impossible Dream HoZac Records [2017] Who: The Rubs hail from Chicago and Impossible Dream is their sophomore album. Sound: Impossible Dream is a solid power pop album that has classic recording vibes that will remind you of Big Star while singer Joey Rubbish floats out some Elvis Costello type chops. The modern roll … Read more
Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 Mercury Records Nashville [2017] Fire Note Says: Chris Stapleton has arrived just in time to save country music from itself. Album Review: By the time, Chris Stapleton got around to releasing his 2015 solo debut, Traveller, he’d pretty much proved there he was an artist deeply rooted in … Read more
CFM Dichotomy Desaturated In The Red Records [2017] Who: Charles Francis Moothart, aka CFM, continues to branch out on his second solo LP. Sound: Dichotomy Desaturated is a bit of a departure from Moothart’s past work with Ty Segall, Mikal Cronin and Fuzz. TFN Final Take: Charles Francis Moothart’s second solo LP as CFM is … Read more
Various Artists Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition) Sony/Legacy Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: The soundtrack that captured a change – This is the story of grunge. Album Review: There are not many records that capture an era like the Singles Soundtrack. Grunge stormed the scene in 1991 with the explosion of Nirvana, Pearl … Read more
Laura Marling Semper Femina Kobalt Music [2017] Fire Note Says: The prolific Laura Marling keeps improving. Album Review: You don’t read or hear much about Laura Marling without her age (27) and number of albums (6) coming up. Now that that has been taken care of, what else is important to know about her? The … Read more
Slowdive Slowdive Dead Oceans [2017] Who: Slowdive is Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals) and Simon Scott (drums, electronics). Their debut album, Just For A Day, was released in 1991 and after two more records the group disbanded in 1995. Sound: Today Slowdive fall into the dream … Read more
The Afghan Whigs In Spades Sub Pop Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli returns with a more compositionally rich and textured musical approach that echoes classical musical themes that run in tension with the demanding drums, guitars and Dulli’s compelling vocal howl. Album Review: At a time when alternative music had … Read more
Mac DeMarco This Old Dog Captured Tracks [2017] Fire Note Says: Mac DeMarco dives deep for one of his most engaging records to date. Album Review: Maturity is a weird thing because not only does it seem to happen overnight but you can typically identify the very “moment” it takes place. You can recognize it … Read more
Moon Duo Occult Architecture, Vol. 1 Sacred Bones Records [2017] Moon Duo Occult Architecture Vol. 2 Sacred Bones Records [2017] Who: Portland, Oregon’s Moon Duo return for their fourth album which was released in two separate volumes. Sound: Moon Duo have a heavy psychedelic krautrock sound that is layered with clever flourishes of synth and … Read more
Robert Randolph & The Family Band Got Soul Sony Masterworks [2017] Fire Note Says: Nothing else sounds like the mysterious pedal steel guitar in the hands of Robert Randolph, who mixes blues, gospel, R&B with jam band rock on his latest studio outing. Album Review: Fifteen years ago, Robert Randolph and his Family Band burst … Read more
Richard Edwards Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset Joyful Noise Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: Pain, torment and anguish turn Richard Edwards’ near demise into a biographical rebirth. Album Review: Through my musical journey, Margot and the Nuclear So and So‘s is a band that‘s meant quite a lot to me. Not only have they shaped what … Read more
Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers The Rags Of Absence Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: Mallonee’s literate poetic sensibilities matched by the music’s virtuosity and tone, produce another powerful concoction. Album Review: The first time I heard songs by singer/songwriter Bill Mallonee was when his debut major label album with Vigilantes of Love arrived … Read more
Smug Brothers Disco Maroon Gas Daddy Go! Records [2017] Who: Smug Brothers, a Dayton-based quartet, return with their 10th release. Sound: Disco Maroon sees the Smug Brothers carry on their tradition of delivering ultra-catchy rock to their listeners. TFN Final Take: Even though they are 10 releases into their discography, the Smug Brothers continue to … Read more
Feral Ohms Feral Ohms Silver Current Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The rock Gods are going to enjoy this one! Album Review: Feral Ohms hail from Oakland, California and you may remember this power trio when we covered their Live In San Francisco release back in January. Now, the band has finally released their much … Read more
Why? Moh Lhean Joyful Noise Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: Well worth the 4 year wait, Moh Lhean is a beautifully-produced, introspective concept LP that begs to be listened to in its entirety, multiple times. Album Review: Brothers Yoni and Josiah Wolf, well known in fringe and art rock circles of Cincinnati, are heavy hitters … Read more
Fancey Love Mirage Stoner Disco Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Love Mirage is a soundtrack for all seasons, from the sunny thaw of Winter to the liberating joy of summertime. Album Review: Love Mirage, is the third release from Canadian polymath performer, Todd Fancey. Recorded under the name Fancey, retro influenced goodness is consistent throughout … Read more
Vagabon Infinite Worlds Father/Daughter Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Vagabon delivers an emotionally superb debut. Album Review: Rarely anymore does a debut album get me revved up but that is exactly what happened the first time I heard the songs of Cameroon-born artist Laetitia Tamko, aka Vagabond. Infinite Worlds is an album of finding herself … Read more
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Freedom Highway is a monumental achievement from Rhiannon Giddens. Album Review: One of the most powerful things that art can do is hold up a mirror to popular culture and society at large to reveal the ugly underbelly, the dark history that would otherwise be … Read more
Son Volt Notes Of Blue Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers [2017] Fire Note Says: Jay Farrar employs plenty of finger-picking here that finds Son Volt rocking on song’s that capture life in the American Midwest. Album Review: It’s been four years since the last Son Volt album, Honky Tonk (Rounder, 2013), and Jay Farrar describes his effort … Read more