Black Pistol Fire Hush Or Howl Modern Outsider Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Black Pistol Fire hits the target with their second album. Album Review: Black Pistol Fire has followed up their strong debut from last year, Big Beat ‘59, with an even better sophomore effort with Hush or Howl. The duo, consisting of Canadians … Read more
Woods With Light And With Love Woodsist Records [2014] Fire Note Says: With Light and With Love is the 5th amazing album in a row from Woods! Album Review: 2012’s Bend Beyond was the fourth fantastic album in a row from Woods and one of my top ten albums for the year. When a band … Read more
The Afghan Whigs Do To The Beast Sub Pop Records [2014] Fire Note Says: 16 years? No problem – The Afghan Whigs pick right back up where they left off! Album Review: If you caught The Afghan Whigs 2012 reunion tour, you probably were not that surprised to hear the announcement of the band’s first … Read more
together PANGEA Badillac Harvest Records [2014] Fire Note Says: LA trio does garage punk the way it’s supposed to be done. Album Review: I’ll be perfectly honest: I hadn’t heard of these guys until Badillac started getting some positive reviews in the music press. Although this is their third long player, it is their first … Read more
Mac DeMarco Salad Days Captured Tracks [2014] Fire Note Says: There isn’t a song less than great on Salad Days! Album Review: Salad Days, the second album (or third if you count Rock and Roll Nightclub as an lp) from Mac DeMarco could easily have been a letdown, but instead it ends up being incredibly … Read more
The Singles Look How Fast A Heart Can Break Sound Artifacts Music [2014] Fire Note Says: The Singles hit a home run on their third swing. Album Review: This long-awaited, third full-length release from former Detroit band The Singles may be the ideal record for summer 2014. Look How Fast a Heart Can Break, the … Read more
Tony Molina Dissed And Dismissed Melters/Slumberland Records [2013/2014] Fire Note Says: Tony Molina only needs 12 minutes to win you over! Album Review: Veteran Bay Area musician Tony Molina released a limited run record last year that I guarantee not enough people heard. His twelve minute album, Dissed And Dismissed, came out on the small … Read more
Temples Sun Structures Fat Possum Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Temples’ impressive debut is melodic psych done right Album Review: Temples is a four-piece hailing from the small English town of Kettering and while they haven’t been around for long, their brand of pop-inflected psych rock has garnered a lot of attention. Listening to Sun … Read more
Overlake Sighs Killing Horse Records [2014] Fire Note Says: 90’s guitar fueled indie rock is alive and well with Overlake’s new LP Sighs. Album Review: My first thought after listening to New Jersey natives Overlake’s new record Sighs was – why did I just now find out about this band? The answer is simply that … Read more
Damien Jurado Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son Secretly Canadian Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Damien Jurado creates a masterpiece in an underrated career. Album Review: There is a lot of music out there to discover. I’d heard of Damien Jurado and even owned a few of his records before giving a listen to … Read more
Yellow Ostrich Cosmos Barsuk Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Yellow Ostrich reach for the stars and release a truly stellar album. Album Review: Every great album has to have a great back story or at least something to enliven the press release. The story of Cosmos, Yellow Ostrich’s fifth album and third for Barsuk, goes … Read more
Beck Morning Phase Capitol Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Morning Phase is a record that has nothing to prove but everything to give! Album Review: It is really hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Beck Hansen stormed into the music scene with his hit debut record Mellow Gold (1994). It was … Read more
Mozes And The Firstborn Mozes And The Firstborn Burger Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Mozes and the Firstborn’s debut brings an excellent mix of garage rock from the Netherlands to your speakers! Album Review: The self-titled debut from the Netherlands, Mozes and the Firstborn took me by surprise when I first hit play with its … Read more
Death Of Samantha If Memory Serves Us Well St. Valentine Records [2014] Fire Note Says: If Memory Serves Us Well is a fierce reminder of why this band is so fondly remembered. Album Review: Death of Samantha are one of a handful of influential Cleveland bands that are more likely to have been heard of … Read more
Kishi Bashi Live On Valentine’s Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Just in time for Valentine’s day Kishi Bashi reinvents the magic in a live setting. Album Review: When you‘re an artist like Kishi Bashi, stripping out some elements that made his debut 151a so irresistible could be a death sentence. But, when you … Read more
Russian Circles Memorial Sargent House Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Russian Circles puts out an intense, emotional album with Memorial. Album Review: Russian Circles is a three-piece rock/metal band from Chicago, consisting of Mike Sullivan (guitar), Dave Turncrantz (drums), and Brian Cook (bass). Memorial is the band’s fifth album and also served as my introduction … Read more
The Bottle Rockets Bottle Rockets / The Brooklyn Side (Deluxe Edition) Bloodshot Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Two influential Americana records that you should have in your collection. Album Review: While Americana fans are looking forward to the re-issue of the mother ship album that launched a movement and named a fanzine, Uncle Tupelo’s No … Read more
Jus Post Bellum Oh July Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Jus Post Bellum tell a historical story of war that is hard to turn away from! Album Review: I know that the indie neo-folk sound has been in the spotlight this past year with bands like The Lumineers, The Civil Wars, the Avetts and those … Read more
Death Cab For Cutie Transatlanticism (10th Anniversary Edition) Barsuk [2013] Fire Note Says: Ben Gibbard’s Transatlanticism demos are a great addition to the original. Album Review: Transatlanticism has always been my favorite Death Cab album. Their earlier albums had some great songs, but not all of them were great, and most were either limited by … Read more
Mutual Benefit Love’s Crushing Diamond Fat Possum Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Mutual Benefit release a spectacular sounding debut! Album Review: I love it when a debut hits all the right notes from the start. That is the way I feel about the proper debut from Mutual Benefit, Love’s Crushing Diamond. The record does not … Read more
Anna Calvi One Breath Domino Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Anna Calvi proves why Brian Eno called her “the best thing since Patti Smith.” Album Review: On Anna Calvi’s self-titled debut she drew comparisons to PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley and (what?) even Bruce Springsteen. However, her virtuoso guitar playing and Edith Piaf-esque voice defied those … Read more
The Kinks Muswell Hillbillies (Deluxe Edition) Universal Music UK [1971; 2013] Fire Note Says: Kinks klassic gets loaded up with great bonus material! Album Review: After “Lola” and its accompanying album (1970’s Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One,), The Kinks had a good deal of bargaining power: the single took the world by … Read more
Bird Nest Roys Me Want Me Get Me Need Me Have Me Love Captured Tracks/Flying Nun Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Reissue compiles Aukland band’s entire recorded output and reminds us of Flying Nun Records’ enormous impact. Album Review: I’ll admit it right up front: I love Kiwi-pop. I love Flying Nun for all the … Read more
Sweatshop Boys The Great Depression Dirt Cult Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Impressive punk-pop-rock debut from Israel band Sweatshop Boys. Album Review: About 11 days ago I sent an unofficial review of Sweatshop Boys debut album, The Great Depression, to our friends at Dirt Cult Records. This is what it said: “This record rocks!” Now … Read more
The Mountain Goats All Hail West Texas Merge Records [2002; 2013] Fire Note Says: The Mountain Goats’ classic All Hail West Texas gets a remastered reissue with new tracks. Album Review: One of the great things about reissues is having an opportunity to revisit or discover classics that were missed the first time around. The … Read more