Todd Rundgren White Night Cleopatra Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Veteran rocker Todd Rundgren mixes it up with Robyn, Trent Rezner of NIN, some new hip-hop friends, and a host of his contemporaries as he stretches out on this experimental synth pop collection. Album Review: Disclaimer: Although I’ve written professionally (and as a hobby) as … Read more
Fascinating Picture This Quality Time/Jurassic Pop Records [2017] Who: Fascinating is one of our favorite Ohio “slop-pop” groups that is fronted by Quality Time Records main man Ricky Hamilton. Sound: Fascinating plays a delightfully fuzzed up lo-fi post-punk that is gritty, determined and quick. TFN Final Take: Clearly, TFN enjoys distorted catchy pop tunes. You … Read more
Gorillaz Humanz Parlophone/Warner Bros. [2017] Fire Note Says: Cartoon urban, dance/rap-core band, Gorillaz return with a mix-tape for the apocalypse. Album Review: Two cartoon bands come to mind: Gorillaz, and The Archies. Okay, The Monkees’ four characters were definitely conceived as cartoon-esque two-dimensional stick figures, but as time developed they grew as individualized, even humanized … Read more
Dream Machine The Illusion Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Dream Machine is a new band from lo-fi master Matthew Melton (Bare Wires, Warm Soda) and his wife Doris. Sound: You get Melton’s craft of fuzzed up power pop with the late 60’s / early 70’s rock of The Doors, Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly. This … Read more
The Mountain Goats Goths Merge Records [2017] Fire Note Says: John Darnielle tweaks his approach for his 16th proper album. Album Review: As story tellers go, John Darnielle has few peers: Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Sufjan Stevens, maybe a handful of other names, but the league to which he belongs is exclusive indeed. For the … Read more
Feist Pleasure Interscope Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Folk pop Feist expands the creative palette for her folk pop fanbase with an eclectic and creative album celebrating life’s Pleasure. Album Review: Folk/pop singer Feist first came to international attention with the breakthrough success of her songs “1234” and “I Feel It All,” from the breakthrough … Read more
C.R. and the Degenerates Close Encounters Sniffling Indie Kids/Mint 400 [2017] Who: C.R. and the Degenerates is New Jersey’s Chris Gennone, accompanied on this release by Max Rauch. Sound: Moody electronic psych-pop; think Tame Impala mixed with some Arcade Fire. TFN Final Take: C.R. and the Degenerates (aka Chris Gennone) does a great job of … Read more
Ryan Adams Prisoner B-Sides PAX-AM [2017] Fire Note Says: Don’t be fooled by the “b-sides” tag on this collection. Album Review: I have recently read in several places about Ryan Adams being the modern-day Springsteen. That is still hard for me to imagine at this point in the game but considering his latest record, Prisoner, … Read more
Here Lies Man Here Lies Man RidingEasy Records [2017] Who: Marcos Garcia is the guitarist for Antibalas and frontman for Chico Mann. Here Lies Man is his new project. Sound: Here Lies Man is a different outlet for Garcia with its fuzzed-out psych-rock combos that have been labeled as Black Sabbath playing Afrobeat. TFN Final … Read more
Sean Rowe New Lore ANTI- [2017] Fire Note Says: Combining ingredients as limited and plain as vocals, piano, strings and silence, Sean Rowe’s New Lore is an endearing and memorable alt folk achievement. Album Review: If not for Sean Rowe’s voice, the most effective, emotionally-loaded moments of his new record New Lore would the record’s … Read more
Thundercat Drunk Brainfeeder [2017] Fire Note Says: Thundercat has a niche that is all his own. Album Review: Take a gander at the guest list on the latest Thundercat album: Kendrick Lamar, Michael McDonald, Pharrell, Kenny Loggins, and Wiz Khalifa. The title of the album, as you could guess, is Drunk, because with that list, … Read more
Dave Perkins Fugitive Colors Lugnut Music [2017] Fire Note Says: Longtime Nashville guitarist sideman, delivers another record of strong songs, and blistering guitar work. Album Review: The first time I saw Dave Perkins play live was about 30 years ago at a summer music festival and he was promoting his first solo album on What? … Read more
Damaged Bug Bunker Funk Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Damaged Bug is the very low profile side project of the super busy John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees and Castle Face Records fame. Sound: Damaged Bug separates itself out from Dwyer’s other work by focusing more on synths and electronic noises. It has a krautrock … Read more
Ray Davies Americana Sony/Legacy Recrodings [2017] Fire Note Says: Kinks’ rocker Ray Davies joins with alt-country Jayhawks to take a musical journey through the wild west, sorting reality from fantasy in pursuit of the American Dream Album Review: Ray Davies, 73, is still best remembered for a pop song he wrote and recorded with the … Read more
Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits Fat Wreck Chords [2017] Who: Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, consists of NOFX frontman Fat Mike, Lagwagon frontman Joey Cape, (Foo Fighting) Chris Shiflett, Lagwagon drummer Dave Raun, and Spike Slawson. The band has been covering other artists’ hits for over two … Read more
TØMA Aroma Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: TØMA impresses with an energetic pop album. Album Review: TØMA is a four-piece band out of Austin, TX that traces it roots to Todd Rundgren, Squeeze, and recording label Elephant 6. If that sounds like a formula for a sophisticated power pop album, you’d be right. Band members … Read more
RAYS RAYS Trouble In Mind Records [2017] Who: Oakland band is comprised of four Bay-area music veterans whose current & past musical projects include local bands-of-note like The World, Life Stinks, Violent Change, & Dadfag. Sound: RAYS have a Wire vibe to them with their urgent post-punk. Along with Wire, think Parquet Courts, The Modern … Read more
Grandaddy Last Place 30th Century Records [2017] Fire Note Says: After a decade long hiatus, Grandaddy returns with Last Place, and it sounds like they never left. Album Review: Grandaddy main man, Jason Lytle, never really went away; he just parked his main car (Grandaddy) in the garage for the better part of a decade, … Read more
Father John Misty Pure Comedy Sub Pop Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Father John Misty draws his line in the sand. Album Review: Pure Comedy will no doubt provoke numerous think pieces, and it’s difficult to resist the urge to join the fray. However, Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) has already done all the … Read more
Gary Clark Jr. Live / North America 2016 Warner Bros. Records [2017] Fire Note Says: More proof why you should see Gary Clark Jr. live. Album Review: As an introduction to “Honest I Do,” on this second live album in just 3 years time, blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. offers this shout out to his … Read more
Gold Connections Gold Connections EP Fat Possum Records [2017] Who: Gold Connections is led by songwriter, guitarist and lyricist Will Marsh and their self-titled debut EP was produced by and features Will Toledo (Car Seat Headrest) on drums, electric guitar, bass, and backing vocals. Sound: Slacker indie rock to the core. If you like Car … Read more
Griff’s Room Band Heartbreak/Desire Self-Released [2017] Who: Griff’s Room Band is a “fiddle-infused pop/rock” band from Richmond, VA. Sound: Think Dave Matthews Band for this generation. TFN Final Take: Griff’s Room Band has a sound that is very familiar and even nostalgic. There is a looseness and carefree vibe to the band that invades even … Read more
Once & Future Band Once & Future Band Castle Face Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Oakland band strives to make Prog cool again. Album Review: The first thing that catches one’s attention is the label. What’s an unabashedly progressive rock band doing on John Dwyer’s Castle Face imprint? Known more for promoting Bay area neo-psych … Read more
Tall Tall Trees Freedays Joyful Noise Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: Tall Tall Trees emerges with a thoughtful, joyful record. Album Review: Mike Savino is Tall Tall Trees; he has also moonlighted as the electric banjo player for Kishi Bashi. Seeing this description intrigued me to check out what he is about. Freedays is Savino’s … Read more
The Shins Heartworms Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The Shins bring a creative, cool, and connected song-craft. Album Review: Like most everybody else, I first discovered The Shins in that great scene in the coming of age movie “Garden State” (2004) where Zach Braff’s character tries on the headphones of Natalie Portman to … Read more