Sin Fang Flowers Morr Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Sin Fang takes some risks on third LP Flowers – and they payoff! Album Review: Indie pop this sweet and orchestrated has some sort of crazy appeal to my listening taste. On Sin Fang’s third solo record, Flowers, the Seabear frontman once again finds the right … Read more
Holy Wave Evil Hits The Reverberation Appreciation Society [2013] Fire Note Says: Prepare for a bit of an acid wash as Holy Wave rages with a technicolor, psychedelic, surf swirl. Album Review: Holy Wave is a band that could crash along the So Cal shore but here that isn’t the case. These psychedelic 60’s surf … Read more
Mount Moriah Miracle Temple Merge Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Mount Moriah offer a lesson in restraint on their engaging sophomore outing Miracle Temple. Album Review: Mount Moriah’s new sophomore record, Miracle Temple, is one of those albums that just gets embedded in your head as it plays with its countrified rhythms, charismatic lead vocals … Read more
Big Dick Big Dick Dirt Cult Records [2013] Fire Note Says: If you like post punk, you are going to love Big Dick. Album Review: I almost passed on this record without giving it a listen. How can a band named Big Dick be any good? It has to be some sort of moronic jokey … Read more
Ex Cops True Hallucinations Fat Possum Records [2013] Fire Note Says: So much style, it doesn’t need flare. Album Review: This album is odd, for a couple of different reasons. First of all is its mellow mood. In a world filled with high-energy indie rock, Ex Cops presents a simple, quiet record. Many of the … Read more
Ra Ra Riot Beta Love Barsuk Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ra Ra Riot return with a kinetic, easygoing album that asks: “can robots love too?” Album Review: Ra Ra Riot trades in strings for synths on their third album, a short but sweet set of eleven upbeat, optimistic tracks that barely breaks the half-hour … Read more
Beach Fossils Clash The Truth Captured Tracks Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Beach Fossils change the sonic output but retain the quality! Album Review: What is the saying? All good things must come to an end? Well Beach Fossils won’t be the first lo-fi basement do-it yourself band to move out of the cellar as … Read more
Tom Morgan Orange Syringe Fire Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Orange Syringe is a stark and beautiful record that is well worth checking out. Album Review: Let’s get one thing out of the way right now; no one is ever going to call Tom Morgan a great singer. His vocal range is limited and is … Read more
Iceage You’re Nothing Matador Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Iceage returns stronger than ever on sophomore record You’re Nothing. Album Review: When Danish group Iceage burst on the scene two years ago with their debut New Brigade most people were not only taken back by their DIY post-punk rock but just as surprised that they … Read more
STRFKR Miracle Mile Polyvinyl Records [2013] Fire Note Says: STRFKR’s Miracle Mile is an indie pop, dance blasted, mother funker that’s worth running! Album Review: So when you see a name such as STRFKR, you might have to ask yourself a question. What in the hell is a STRFKR? Does the Galactic Empire not care … Read more
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Push The Sky Away Bad Seed Ltd. [2013] Fire Note Says: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds get right to business on the sophisticated and brooding Push The Sky Away. Album Review: At this stage in the game I don’t think anyone will deny the influential rock status of … Read more
FIDLAR FIDLAR Mom + Pop Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Living the life of a skate punk never sounded as good as it does on the debut album from FIDLAR. Album Review: FIDLAR write songs about drinking beer, getting stoned, riding skateboards, having slutty girlfriends, going surfing….REPEAT. It helps that the songs are not just … Read more
Local Natives Hummingbird Frenchkiss Records [2013] Fire Note Says:No sophomore slump for the Local Natives with Hummingbird. Album Review: Local Natives’ first album, Gorilla Manor, was one of my favorite albums of 2010. With tracks like “Airplanes,” “Camera Talk,” “Wide Eyes,” and “Sun Hands” the Los Angeles-based band had an accessible sound that also challenged … Read more
Coheed And Cambria The Afterman: Descension Everything Evil/V2 Records [2013] Fire Note Says: A solid release, even for a sequel. Album Review: I was excited when I learned I’d be reviewing Coheed & Cambria’s The Afterman: Descension. After reviewing the first part of this double concept record, I had been looking forward to hearing its … Read more
Cheatahs Extended Plays Wichita Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Extended Plays is one of the most exciting debut records in years. Album Review: Extended Plays, the debut album from Cheatahs, is actually a compilation of two eps that the band released last year, SANS and Coared. If Swervedriver, Ride, and Slowdive are amongst your favorite … Read more
Foals Holy Fire Warner Bros. Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Foals are on the verge of breaking big with Holy Fire! Album Review: Foals come out of the gate on their third album, Holy Fire, like an unholy alliance of Muse, Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party. This is huge music with gigantic stadium sized hooks, … Read more
Shy Mirrors Negative Collector Big School Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Shy Mirrors come at you with all their indie punk barrels loaded on Negative Collector. Album Review: Shy Mirrors may have a Swedish postal address but the band is 100% American rock n roll as founder Mike Downey hails from Champaign, IL and is … Read more
Steve Adamyk Band Third Dirtnap Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Steve Adamyk Band is back with another quick shot of punk rock for the soul! Album Review: Canada’s Steve Adamyk Band have emerged over the last several years as a top group in the punk pop world with their no-nonsense approach to the genre … Read more
Frightened Rabbit Pedestrian Verse Canvasback/Atlantic Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Pedestrian Verse is an honest, mature album that grows more immediate with every listen. Album Review: On their fourth LP, Frightened Rabbit offers a set of songs that feel like the soundtrack to a late night in their home city of Glasgow. Drawing on the … Read more
The Changes American Master Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: After seven years, The Changes release an excellent sophomore record in American Master! Album Review: The Changes released their debut, Today Is Tonight, back in 2006 and at the time I thought for sure the Chicago band would quickly burst out of the scene. Well not … Read more
Veronica Falls Waiting For Something To Happen Slumberland Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Veronica Falls avoid the slump with their solid sophomore record Waiting For Something To Happen. Album Review: I love when albums sneak up on you and stick in the back of your head to the point where you unexpectedly start blurting out … Read more
Pissed Jeans Honeys Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Honeys is a musical middle finger-and that happens to be a good thing. Album Review: Pissed Jeans from Allentown, Pennsylvania has been on a conquest for domination ever since they started with their debut Shallow released in 2005 on label Parts Unknown. Now, some years … Read more
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down We The Common Ribbon Music [2013] Fire Note Says: We the Common delivers on the promise of earlier work and is the finest album yet from Thao & The Get Down Stay Down! Album Review: Thao Nguyen first came to my attention with 2008’s We Brave Bee Stings … Read more
Jim James Regions Of Light And Sound Of God ATO Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Jim James shows off his soul on his debut solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God! Album Review: Like any frontman going out solo there always is a big question mark on what the record will sound like. … Read more
Bettie Serveert Oh, Mayhem! Second Motion Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Indie vets look to re-establish themselves, and Oh, Mayhem! is a perfect reintroduction! Album Review: With their first two records, Palomine (1992) and Lamprey (1995) both on Matador Records, Dutch band Bettie Serveert laid out a sonic blueprint that later bands such as the … Read more