together PANGEA The Phage EP Burger Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Santa Clarita’s finest offer up six songs to make your day a little better. Album Review: When this hit my in-box I must admit that I was somewhat dismayed. Twenty months after their third LP, the terrific Badillac, I was disappointed that all I … Read more
Beach House Thank Your Lucky Stars Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Note Says: 2015 has been a good year for Beach House. Album Review: Seems like I was just writing a review for a new Beach House album because, well, I was. The Baltimore duo has followed up their August release (Depression Cherry) two months … Read more
Beach Slang The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Did you think Beach Slang was going to slow down on their debut? Think again! Album Review: Beach Slang is for everyone that wants to rock. In the spirit of The Replacements, early Goo Goo Dolls, … Read more
Circus Devils Stomping Grounds Happy Jack Rock Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Stomping Grounds offers up a healthy serving of bizarro-rock mini masterpieces Album Review: Last year Robert Pollard and the Tobias brothers released Escape, an album that pulled off the usual Circus Devils trick of being completely different from the previous dozen or so … Read more
Car Seat Headrest Teens Of Style Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This lo-fi pop shows true promise! Album Review: Discovery of new music is a wonderful thing. I can name countless bands that I thought should be huge and just wowed me after I heard their basement tapes. I can also think of a … Read more
The Stops Nameless Faces Dirt Cult Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Nothing like picking out a killer band from your backyard as the now Portland, Oregon based Dirt Cult Records has released the debut LP from the all-female punk rock group The Stops. The 10 song, 23 minute record, Nameless Faces, wastes no time … Read more
Heaters Holy Water Pool Beyond Beyond Is Beyond Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: For me, the resurgence of psych rock has been spectacular and Michigan’s Heaters is another fine band to add to the growing quality list. Their new full length, Holy Water Pool, is drenched in reverb 60’s soul that meanders in the … Read more
FUZZ II In The Red Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Ty Segall and his volatile trio return with another molten, time bender Album Review: Until we heard it, FUZZ was a band we didn’t know that we needed. With their debut self-titled album, high school friends Ty Segall (Drums, Vocals), Charles Mootheart (Guitar), and Roland … Read more
The Fresh & Onlys Early Years Anthology Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: It is crazy to think what gets left on the cutting room floor when a record is released. This early year’s collection from The Fresh & Onlys is a prime example, as I can’t believe none of the 12 tracks … Read more
Gun Outfit Dream All Over Paradise Of Bachelors [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: LA’s Gun Outfit have a smooth vibe that sounds like Lou Reed and Kim Gordon collaborating on some tunes. This female/male dialogue from singers Carrie Keith (guitar, vocals, slide) and Dylan Sharp (guitar, vocals, banjo, balalaika) keep their fourth album, Dream All … Read more
Trans Charger Metropolis Haunted House Birds Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Trans Charger Metropolis lists their interests as “Drinking Beer and Recording tunes.” Sound familiar? Well after hearing just a small sample of this New Jersey group you can tell they have some lo-fi Guided By Voices blood in their veins as the sophomore … Read more
Grateful Dead 30 Trips Around The Sun: The Definitive Live Story 1965-1995 Rhino Entertainment [2015] Fire Note Says: A beginners guide to the Dead live, but with enough surprises to attract long-time fans. Album Review: 2015 is the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary, and the band is celebrating their half-century milestone in a number of interesting … Read more
VVHILE More Dirt Cult Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: A shoegaze band from Serbia releases an album on one of the great American indie labels, Dirt Cult? It sounds too good to be true, right? Well it is true, and it’s totally worth tracking down. VVHILE is a duo consisting of Andrija Spicanovic and … Read more
Buck Biloxi And The Fucks Streets Of Rage HoZac Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Streets of Rage, the new album from Buck Biloxi and The Fucks, will wrestle you to the ground, hold you there and dangle a loogie over your face, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It will either land … Read more
Deafheaven New Bermuda ANTI- Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Deafheaven refuse to buckle under the weight of expectations. Album Review: So what does a young, up-and-coming band do after releasing one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade? Do they expand on all the things people found so intriguing about them in the … Read more
The Libertines Anthems For Doomed Youth Harvest Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This is what became of the likely lads, and it’s as good as you hoped it would be! Album Review: Much has been made of the reconciliation between dual/duel frontmen Carl Barat and Pete Doherty, and even more has been made of the … Read more
Beach House Depression Cherry Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Beach House brings the mellow, with a dash of urgency, on their latest effort. Album Review: Beach House (Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally) has returned with their fifth studio album, Depression Cherry. The Baltimore duo’s trademark sound is on display once again, and with … Read more
Ryan Adams 1989 PAX-AM Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Ryan Adams takes Taylor Swift’s 1989 for a spin. Album Review: Talk about speed. Ryan Adams announces that he is working on a track by track cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 (2014) and the social media world can’t get enough which includes Swift. Fans faint, tweens … Read more
Lucero All A Man Should Do ATO Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Lucero tones down the party for a minute with their spirited Memphis soul. Album Review: Lucero is easily one of the hardest working bands out there and have been grinding the highways since the late 90’s. The group continues to struggle with life … Read more
Battles La Di Da Di Warp Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Battles go purely instrumental on their taut third full length. Album Review: Battles is a band whose fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants approach can now be clearly segmented into three distinct, yet logically progressing, eras.
Low Ones And Sixes Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: You always know what you are going to get with Low. The longtime and forever pioneer of the Slowcore movement, Low’s soft intricate and complex compositions will wow you both sonically and vocally. On the group’s eleventh record, Ones and Sixes, vocalists Mimi … Read more
Say Hi Bleeders Digest Barsuk Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Say Hi is Seattle’s Eric Elbogen and he has been making records under this moniker since 2002. His ninth, Bleeders Digest, is an album about vampires and a sequel to Impeccable Blahs (2002). Say Hi’s sound has not changed much over the years and … Read more
Various Artists Aquabear Legion Volume 5 Aquabear Legion [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: If you live outside of Ohio you might be surprised to know that the Buckeye State has some kick ass music. Well, this new compilation from Aquabear Legion will easily enlighten your perspective with material from some bands you might already know … Read more
Thunderbitch Thunderbitch Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: What a fun record! The Alabama Shakes frontwoman, Brittany Howard, just dropped on us a powerful new rock project perfectly titled Thunderbitch. The record holds to its namesake right from the dynamic opener, “Leather Jacket” to its rock out finale “Heavenly Feeling.” I liked the Shakes latest … Read more
Iron Maiden The Book Of Souls BMG Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The unapologetic British metal legends return with a vengeance. Album Review: I’ve always been quite fond of Iron Maiden. They were one of the very few bands that helped me get through that dismal musical wasteland of the eighties. Although the nineties were … Read more