Elvis Costello and The Roots Wise Up Ghost and Other Songs Blue Note Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Teaming up with The Roots is an obvious next step on Costello’s life-long creative quest! Album Review: Over the decades, the one time punk rocker Elvis Costello has proved surprisingly versatile in a variety of musically diverse … Read more
Bill Callahan Dream River Drag City Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bill Callahan slows life down on the entrancing Dream River. Album Review: Bill Callahan is still best known from his work with Smog but since his first solo record, Woke on a Whaleheart, was released under his own name back in 2007, he has … Read more
Leeroy Stagger Truth Be Sold Gold Lake Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Leeroy Stagger’s Truth Be Sold is one of the better Americana records you will hear this year! Album Review: I think everyone who listens to a vast amount of music always has one or two artists in their back pocket that are relatively … Read more
Tedeschi Trucks Band Made Up Mind Sony Masterworks [2013] Fire Note Says: Tedeschi Trucks Band honors all that was vital and consistently relevant in the tradition with fresh, authentic voices. Album Review: If the combined talents of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks felt like a revelation to so many blues fans when they brought their … Read more
The Clean Vehicle Captured Tracks Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Fantastic reissue from New Zealand legends The Clean. Album Review: Kiwi legends, The Clean, have been delivering their jangle pop goodness to their devoted following since the late 70’s. They started their career releasing a handful of ep’s on the Flying Nun label, before brothers … Read more
Adam Franklin & Bolts Of Melody Black Horses Goodnight Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ex-Swervedriver front man consistently delivers and Black Horses may be his best solo work yet. Album Review: For those of us who still worship at the altar of Oxford shoe gazers Swervedriver the mere fact that Adam Franklin is still active … Read more
Black Joe Lewis Electric Slave Vagrant Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Black Joe Lewis unleashes a rip roaring rock party on third LP – Electric Slave! Album Review: In our recent interview with Joe Lewis he stated that his third full length, Electric Slave, represents a new beginning for himself and the band. He went … Read more
Jake Bugg Jake Bugg Mercury Records [2013] Fire Note Says: At only 19, Jake Bugg electrifies the indie/rock scene with his self-titled, debut album. Album Review: It’s hard to believe Jake Bugg is only 19. His deep voice and timeless rock music are comparable to Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Johnny Cash. At 17, Jake … Read more
No Age An Object Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: No Age continues to perfect their garage psychedelia sound with An Object. Album Review: Los Angelinos Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt (the two principals of No Age) return with their fourth long-player, An Object. The album title is an interesting statement – I … Read more
Wiretree Get Up Cobalt Works Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Any of Get Up’s ten tracks could be a hit single, and they only get better with time. Album Review: “How have I not heard of this band?” This was the question I asked myself as I listened to Wiretree’s fourth LP, Get Up. Hailing … Read more
Morningbell Bôa Noite Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Morningbell’s Bôa Noite is an exercise in time and space jubilation! Album Review: It’s rare to find a group such as Morningbell, excess without pretension (I may be glancing your way Arcade Fire). Taking their name from Kid A’s “Morning Bell,” this band has big brains and … Read more
Speedy Ortiz Major Arcana Carpark Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Massachusetts band release an album of surprising depth despite their early nineties indie rock obsession. Album Review: Speedy Ortiz lead singer and songwriter Sadie Dupuis hails from Northampton, MA – a stone’s throw from Amherst, hometown of J. Mascis. The geographic proximity is bested, however, … Read more
Blood Ceremony The Eldritch Dark Rise Above Records [2013] Fire Note Says: If Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull had a love child – this would be it. Album Review: The occult rock phenomenon that has taken hold of the metal world had a beginning and it was Canada’s Blood Ceremony. The blueprint had been there … Read more
Robert Pollard Honey Locust Honky Tonk Guided By Voices Inc. [2013] Fire Note Says: One of Robert Pollard’s strongest solo outings to date! Album Review: I know that these days a solo record from Robert Pollard is almost expected as he typically releases two albums under his own name a year. This streak actually goes … Read more
Pity Sex Feast Of Love Run For Cover Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Pity Sex makes an instantly familiar but irresistible album with Feast of Love. Album Review: A band with the name Pity Sex is asking for attention. You may think that the name is a cover-up for inconsequential mediocre music (think LMFAO, or … Read more
Rose Windows The Sun Dogs Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Take Rose Windows as your spirit guide, for they will not lead you astray. Album Review: Sub Pop has acquired quite an eclectic catalog of artists over the years. Nirvana, Mudhoney, Fleet Foxes, The Postal Service, METZ, The Shins, Wolf Parade; it’s no … Read more
Kanye West Yeezus Def Jam Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Kanye comes at you 90 mph with the impressive Yeezus. Album Review: Let me be the first to say that I am not a regular listener to Kanye West or rap music in general. You may stop reading now or you might just give this … Read more
Eisley Currents Equal Vision Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Eisley return with an album that accentuates their best qualities. Album Review: Eisley has been through a lot over the years, from the highs of opening for Coldplay and signing with Reprise Records, to the lows of being dropped from that label, touring issues, and personal … Read more
R.E.M. Green (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Warner Bros./Rhino Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Green is next in the R.E.M. reissue series that includes a great live second disc. Album Review: For me, Green started an entire new era for R.E.M. as their sixth full length was all about transition. It is interesting how this record … Read more
Baths Obsidian Anticon Records [2013] Fire Note Says: After a near death experience, Will Wiesenfeld drops a near masterpiece. Album Review: On his 2010 debut as Baths (the woefully neglected Cerulean) Will Wiesenfeld was content to let his laptop do most of the talking for him. A cool hybrid of the LA beat scene and … Read more
The Boxer Rebellion Promises Universal Music Group [2013] Fire Note Says: The Boxer Rebellion perfects their knockout punch on their fourth LP Promises. Album Review: Sometimes an album grabs you for no good reason – all the analysis and critical thought can’t begin to explain the why’s or how’s. This is what happened to me … Read more
R.E.M. Live In Greensboro EP Warner Bros. Records [2013] Fire Note Says: R.E.M. gives a taste of their musicianship on the Live in Greensboro EP. Album Review: As part of Record Store Day 2013, an EP from R.E.M. was released that included live tracks taken from performances in Greensboro, NC in 1989. These tracks are … Read more
Purson The Circle And The Blue Door Rise Above Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Purson explores all that was good about late sixties/early seventies folk, prog and hard rock. Album Review: It’s not very often that we here at The Fire Note take notice of a heavy metal band. I personally find all the satanic … Read more
Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires Of The City XL Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Vampire Weekend successfully change things up on album number three! Album Review: I don’t know why but I really wanted to hate this new third record from Vampire Weekend. Maybe it was the title: Modern Vampires Of The City – kinda goofy … Read more
Surrogate Post-Heroic Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Surrogate add heavier textures to their already winning formula, and sound more cohesive than ever before. Album Review: You’ve probably never heard of Surrogate. Ever since their 2007 debut on Tooth & Nail Records, Love is For the Rich, the Chico, California band has flown under the radar, … Read more