Happyness Weird Little Birthday Rough Trade Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Ready for a non-disappointing British Sea Power? Album Review: Here’s something I don’t get to say every day: “That reminds me of Gay Dad!” Or possibly Sonic Youth’s “Antenna.” Or maybe Meat Puppets in their mid-90’s ZZ Top phase. Key word here is diverse. … Read more
David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights End Times Undone Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Yet another in a long line of consistently excellent releases from the New Zealand legend! Album Review: David Kilgour has been releasing and performing music since the late 70’s, starting with The Clean before moving on to The Great Unwashed, … Read more
Black Bananas Electric Brick Wall Drag City Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Electric Brick Wall is likely to be the most unique album you hear this year! Album Review: I confess, I had no idea what I was getting into when the new album from Black Bananas, Electric Brick Wall, hit my inbox. There was … Read more
Band Of Skulls Himalayan Electric Blues Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: With chops and moxie, Band of Skulls soldier on with fun, danceable tunes. Album Review: It’s funny, but a music lover of my prowess should really know more about Band of Skulls. Having come from a background of riffing blues, The Dead Weather, The … Read more
Joyce Manor Never Hungover Again Epitaph Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Joyce Manor upgrade their sound. Album Review: I like the fact that Torrance, California’s Joyce Manor get in and get out when it comes to records. With two albums under their belt that total about 33 minutes combined it seems that waiting two years … Read more
Sweet Apple The Golden Age Of Glitter Tee Pee Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sweet Apple invites you to turn it up and rip the knob off! Album Review: I hesitate to call Sweet Apple a supergroup, though some of the members are sort of famous, but that term supergroup has all sort of preconceived … Read more
Bleachers Strange Desire RCA Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Check out Bleachers for an entertaining yet introspective summer album. Album Review: On the surface there are a lot of reasons to not give Bleachers a chance. The “band” is essentially the work and side project of Jack Antonoff, the guitarist for fun. On top of … Read more
Yes Heaven And Earth Frontiers Records[2014] Fire Note Says: Legendary prog masters keep it simple on their 21st album. Album Review: Yes has survived so many personnel changes that it almost seems incredulous that, for many, the thought of the band continuing without singer and co-founder Jon Anderson is sacrilege. But that is, sadly, what … Read more
Sharon Van Etten Are We There Jagjaguwar [2014] Fire Note Says: Sharon Van Etten’s Are We There is a luscious, dense album. Album Review: Sharon Van Etten is probably a familiar name to most of you now. Linked to such other bands like The National and The Antlers, Van Etten continues to make a name … Read more
Eno & Hyde Someday World / High Life Warp Records [2014] Someday World: Fire Note Says: Someday World’s slick electro-pop contrasts nicely with High Life’s hypnotic, groove-heavy jams. Album Review: These days Brian Eno is probably most well-known as that guy who invented ambient music (even though there are certainly others who deserve such an … Read more
Matt Kivel Days Of Being Wild Woodsist Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Floating on a gorgeous ocean of reverb, Days of Being Wild is an unquestionable success! Album Review: Matt Kivel is a difficult artist to get, but difficult in the way that someone like Bon Iver was when For Emma, Forever Ago was released. … Read more
Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs Gates Of Hell Southpaw Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs perfectly balance garage rock with power pop. Album Review: Raw rock n roll will always have a place in my player so the new album from Toronto’s Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs is … Read more
Reigning Sound Shattered Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Reigning Sound fill the heart with lots of soul. Album Review: Reigning Sound could have probably been huge as the band is fronted by Memphis garage punk legend Greg Cartwright (The Oblivians, Detroit Cobras, Compulsive Gamblers). Their debut was released in 2001 on Sympathy for the … Read more
Phish Fuego JEMP Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Phish return with the laidback, quirky Fuego. Album Review: Jam bands are a kind of love ‘em or hate ‘em proposition—at least on the surface. The term is so loose that it doesn’t really mean anything, signifying only that a band likes to improvise and stretch songs … Read more
Strand Of Oaks HEAL Dead Oceans [2014] Fire Note Says: Strand Of Oaks cover tons of musical territory and HEAL is better for it. Album Review: HEAL is Timothy Showalter’s, a.k.a. Strand of Oaks, fourth LP and easily his most expansive as it takes you on a journey through some synth pop, a little post-punk, … Read more
The Donkeys Ride The Black Wave Easy Sound Recording Co. [2014] Fire Note Says: The Donkey’s fourth album is a great summer record with subtle nods to the past. Album Review: The dog days of summer are upon us, which—if you’re like me—means a shift towards listening to some warm, sunny music to go along … Read more
The Safes Record Heat Wee Rock Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Chicago’s The Safes offer up a modern flare on some very classic sounds! Album Review: Everyone around TFN has certain labels they always enjoy and one of mine is Springfield, Missouri’s Wee Rock Records. They are a DIY, vinyl loving label that is all … Read more
Circulatory System Mosaics Within Mosaics Cloud Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: 60’s pop melodies and wild psychedelic excursions woven together to create a giant sonic tapestry. Album Review: It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the Elephant 6 Collective and the impact that it had on rock music, and in fact, the influence it still … Read more
The Antlers Familiars ANTI- [2014] Fire Note Says: The Antlers’ Familiars is another beautiful, thought provoking experience. Album Review: The Antlers’ fifth studio album, Familiars, continues with the band’s moody, dreamy musings. The Brooklyn-based band, led by Peter Silberman with support from Michael Lerner and Darby Cicci, has often dealt with deep, heavy themes in … Read more
Owen Pallett In Conflict Domino Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Owen Pallett makes an interesting and at times profound statement with In Conflict. Album Review: Owen Pallett’s fourth album (and second under his actual name) is a challenge. Pallett has a vision for In Conflict that didn’t cater to this listener at first. Quite honestly, … Read more
Cretin Stompers Looking Forward To Being Attacked HoZac Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Cretin Stompers bring both the rock and the weird on their debut album. Album Review: Cretin Stompers have quite an impressive pedigree, featuring ex members of Jay Reatard’s band, Wavves, Barbaras, and the one and only Big Muff Radio, (who I am … Read more
White Lung Deep Fantasy Domino Records [2014] Fire Note Says: White Lung bring forward their hard hitting sound. Album Review: If Vancouver’s White Lung have not been on your radar then here is your wake up call. The band’s third LP, Deep Fantasy, is a rip roaring punk record that will easily remind you of … Read more
Sun Hoax Biome Digs EP / Full Joy EP Self-Released [2014] Fire Note Says: Sun Hoax is the latest offering from lo-fi auteur Dean Wells. Album Review: Dean Wells is the lo-fi wizard behind The Capstan Shafts, and if you haven’t heard any of their recordings, I’m going to need you to rectify that as … Read more
Beach Slang Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? EP Dead Broke Rekerds [2014] Fire Note Says: Beach Slang bring back a glorious 90’s sound. Album Review: Philadelphia’s Beach Slang are a supergroup of sorts of an older indie scene. The three piece features James Snyder of Weston, JP Flexner of Ex-Friends and Ed McNulty, … Read more
Jack White Lazaretto Third Man/Columbia Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Does Jack White‘s Blunderbuss follow up deserve the same praise? Album Review: If you know anything about The Fire Note, it’s that most of us here are Jack White fans. Whether it’s subscribing to his record vault, traveling to his home base Third Man Record … Read more