Ryley Walker Golden Sings That Have Been Sung Dead Oceans [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Sometimes it takes a great many listens to really hear a record. That is my take on singer/songwriter Ryley Walker’s third long player, Golden Sings That Have Been Sung. Chicago’s Walker continues his fingerstyle guitarist style from his earlier efforts … Read more
Russian Circles Guidance Sargent House Records [2016] Fire Note Says: The consistency of Russian Circles is remarkable. Album Review: I was a big fan of Russian Circles’ last album, Memorial. I was excited to give their new album, Guidance, a listen and it didn’t disappoint. I would describe Russian Circles as a dreamy-heady-metal band. At … Read more
Steve Adamyk Band Graceland Dirtnap Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Time and time again the Steve Adamyk Band comes out swinging from the great power pop punk land of Canada. Graceland is the groups fifth LP since 2010 and it is easily one of the band’s catchiest. Adamyk had been on a hot streak … Read more
Yeasayer Amen And Goodbye Mute Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Dance along to Yeasayer’s trippy breakup album. Album Review: It took a while for Yeasayer’s new album to sink in. Judging by musical tone alone, Amen and Goodbye sticks with the band’s expected poppy, psychedelic sound. But the truth of the album is right there … Read more
The Avalanches Wildflower Astralwerks [2016] Fire Note Says: Wildflower is another glimpse at the Avalanche’s endless summer, as compelling and maddening as it was the first time around. Album Review: The core experience of The Avalanches is the sense that you’re listening to a handful of reasonably talented and supremely stoned guys play around with … Read more
Big Eyes Stake My Claim Don Giovanni Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Big Eyes is ready for prime time! Album Review: In recent years, female fronted rock has had its rightful place on the indie scene with quality bands like White Lung, Speedy Ortiz, Ex-Hex, The Splits, Bleached and Hop Along to just name a … Read more
Omni Deluxe Trouble In Mind Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Atlanta’s Omni play a low-fi indie rock that has the similar post-punk vein of Parquet Courts but with a bit more laid back mood like Spoon. The band is comprised of guitarist Frankie Broyles (ex-Deerhunter, Balkans), bassist/vocalist Philip Frobos (ex-Carnivores) and drummer Billy Mitchell … Read more
Various Artists Start Your Own Fucking Show Space Famous Class Records [2016] Fire Note Says: The live album isn’t dead! Album Review: The release of a live record used to be something special. Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison (1968), The Who, Live at Leeds (1970), Nirvana, MTV Unplugged in New York (1994), and MC5, Kick … Read more
Paul Orwell Organized Blues Heavy Soul Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: How do you follow up a ’60s style fun rocker like Paul Orwell’s excellent Blowing Your Mind Away (2015)? Well – if you are the mod artist Orwell, you follow it with a mid-‘60s R&B bang of a record that features 12 heavy … Read more
Frankie And The Witch Fingers Heavy Roller Permanent Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: LA’s Frankie and the Witch Fingers had one of the better under the radar 60’s garage rock records released last year so there definitely was some excitement with such a quick follow up in Heavy Roller. The opening rocker “6000 Horns” … Read more
Bob Dylan Fallen Angels Columbia [2016] Fire Note Says: Dylan returns with another set of standards. Album Review: When Bob Dylan dropped Shadows In The Night in 2015, it was a confusing move to a lot of casual fans—what is the guy who wrote “Like A Rolling Stone” doing covering Frank Sinatra? But as I … Read more
Soccer Mommy For Young Hearts Orchid Tapes [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Not sure if it is the best band name (or maybe it is brilliant) out there but don’t let that discourage you from checking out Sophie Allison’s Soccer Mommy. For Young Hearts is Soccer Mommy’s third record and first for the quality independent … Read more
Mrs. Magician Bermuda Swami Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: There is a reason that John Reis (Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) has produced both of Mrs. Magician’s records. You might think that it is because they are on his label Swami and the fact they are from San Diego but … Read more
The Julie Ruin Hit Reset Hardly Art Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: When your name is Kathleen Hanna and have a resume that includes Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, do you think it is hard to bring that past energy and punk spirit into another project? The short answer for The Julie Ruin is … Read more
Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers / Muriah Rose Slow Trauma / Beneath The Clay Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Both experience and new beginnings shine on solo records from husband and wife team Mallonee and Rose. Album Review: Okay, let me climb up on a soapbox for a minute: Sometimes, often it seems, … Read more
M. Ward More Rain Merge Records [2016] Fire Note Says: M. Ward gets back to basics. Album Review: It’s been ten years since M. Ward’s amazing album, Post-War, came out. This was one of my favorite albums, front to back, of the aughts. Three albums later M. Ward returns to near-form with More Rain. Matt … Read more
Mumblr The Never Ending Get Down Fleeting Youth Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: The slow-fast, quiet-loud combo that takes place on Mumblr’s new record, The Never Ending Get Down, creates a fantastic and entertaining dynamic. The Philadelphia foursome try to break some from their earlier punk/emo tag as they incorporate a much more unique … Read more
The Casket Girls The Night Machines Domino Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Sisters create magical harmonies that question mortality and paradoxically make us feel more alive. Album Review: The Casket Girls are two real life sisters whose harmonies provide a 360 degree panorama for us to get lost in. One gets the sense that we … Read more
GØGGS GØGGS In The Red Recordings [2016] Fire Note Says: Watch out – Ty Segall’s new project may require stitches. Album Review: OK – so Ty Segall has released a good number of projects over the last several years but even after his crazier baby face solo Emotional Mugger record in January his newest full … Read more
PJ Harvey The Hope Six Demolition Project Vagrant Records [2016] Fire Note Says: PJ Harvey’s creative musical efforts suggest a hope that springs eternal. Album Review: It’s never quite clear whether PJ Harvey’s latest project – her ninth full-length – is an art project exploring the exploitative nature of poverty tourism for political gain, or … Read more
Told Slant Going By Double Double Whammy [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: How about a cross between Modest Mouse, Sufjan Stevens and Hayden? That is exactly what I hear on the new engagingly addicting sophomore record from Told Slant. The band is really the songwriting project of Felix Walworth as these songs capture emotions around … Read more
DMA’S Hills End Mom + Pop Music [2016] Fire Note Says: DMA’S full-length debut is a fond call back to another time. Album Review: DMA’S is a three-piece band from Australia. With an introductory (and very solid) EP under their belt last year, Hills End is the group’s debut LP. Johnny Took, Tommy O’Dell, and … Read more
Steve Gunn Eyes On The Lines Matador Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Gunn’s Matador debut is full of masterful psychedelic guitar groovers. Album Review: Sometimes an album catches me off guard, or maybe it’s just that it catches me at just the right moment, and that album then dominates my listening for a month or … Read more
Male Gaze King Leer Castle Face Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: Male Gaze’s debut album, Gale Maze (2015), was full of gloomy post-punk. It was a great out of the gate record that sounded familiar but yet full of new energy. The band works to ride their debut success with the sophomore King Leer … Read more
The Strokes Future Present Past (EP) Cult Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Fututre Present Past engages and entertain long time Strokes fans. Album Review: Probably the best thing to announce about this new four-song EP by The Strokes for their label, Cult Records, is that this suggests that the band is busily writing new music … Read more