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
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
Real Estate In Mind Domino Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Real Estate pick up right where they left off. Album Review: Real Estate are currently one of the most consistent indie bands out there. They have always set the bar high for their style of artistic floating songs that are easy to get carried away … Read more
Feral Ohms Feral Ohms Silver Current Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The rock Gods are going to enjoy this one! Album Review: Feral Ohms hail from Oakland, California and you may remember this power trio when we covered their Live In San Francisco release back in January. Now, the band has finally released their much … Read more
Old 97’s Graveyard Whistling ATO Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Old 97’s embrace their roots! Album Review: Drinkin’, whiskey, cars, trouble, women, God and Texas – Dallas, Texas that is. That has been the story of the Old 97’s since their first record, Hitchhike To Rome which was released back in 1994. A parallel story … Read more
Vagabon Infinite Worlds Father/Daughter Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Vagabon delivers an emotionally superb debut. Album Review: Rarely anymore does a debut album get me revved up but that is exactly what happened the first time I heard the songs of Cameroon-born artist Laetitia Tamko, aka Vagabond. Infinite Worlds is an album of finding herself … Read more
Strand Of Oaks Hard Love Dead Oceans [2017] Who: Strand Of Oaks is Tim Showalter’s musical vehicle that in the past has played a blended confessional folk-rock that is soaked with emotion. Sound: Strand Of Oaks once again offers a mix of sound that includes bar band rock, Jim James type folk and even a … Read more
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears Backlash INgrooves Music Group [2017] Fire Note Says: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears make the soulful rock return you expect! Album Review: Austin’s Black Joe Lewis is back and once again is adding The Honeybears into the moniker after his 2013 solo titled record Electric Slave. If you … Read more
The Harlequins One With You Dizzybird Records [2016] Who: The Harlequins are a psychedelic garage-pop trio that have been one of Cincinnati’s best indie secrets since they formed in 2007. They have plenty of music in their arsenal but One With You represents their first proper LP. Sound: The Cincinnati trio have plenty of reverb … Read more
Sonny Knight & The Lakers Sooner Or Later Secret Stash Records [2016] Who: Sonny Knight is a 68-year-old retired truck driver that sings his soul out on his sophomore record accompanied by his multi-talented 7-piece band, The Lakers. Sound: Sonny Knight has a very traditional soul/R&B sound that is in the wheelhouse of Daptone talents … Read more
Are you already burdened by the holiday season? Well, there is nothing like major music festival news to push you through and shift your focus to sunnier days. And, there is no festival better than Coachella when we are talking sun! The 2017 edition will take place over two weekends, April 14th – 16th and … Read more
Company Man Brand Standard EP Overthought Musik [2016] Who: Company Man wants you to be a trillionaire as they claim millionaires are the new middle class. Follow their steps and you will be on your way to mega money. Ok – so all that jazz is a clever cover story for a new rock n … Read more
Timothy Showalter’s, a.k.a. Strand of Oaks, is back with a new album on February 17th via Dead Oceans and today’s Friday Fire Track is the first single. The album is titled Hard Love and is described as a record that explores the balancing act between overindulgence and accountability. “Radio Kids,” is an escape and you … Read more
Martha Blisters In The Pit On My Heart Dirtnap Records [2016] Who: Martha is the first UK band that Dirtnap Records has worked with and you can hear how their sophomore record fits in the with the label’s pop punk vibe. Martha keeps gaining momentum and fanbase across seas as they played Glastonbury this year. … Read more
Cymbals Eat Guitars Pretty Years Sinderlyn [2016] Who: Cymbals Eat Guitars have been indie darlings since their 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains, but have changed band members over the years and now on their fourth LP, main songwriter Joseph D’Agostino is the sole remaining original member. Sound: The band has carried a very almost … Read more
Nada Surf Peaceful Ghosts Barsuk Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Nada Surf expands their group with a full orchestra. Album Review: This live recording finds Nada Surf joining forces with the esteemed Potsdam, Germany-based orchestra Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. Quite simply – indie rock meets strings! At this point in Nada Surf’s career, Peaceful Ghosts captures … Read more
EZTV High In Place Captured Tracks [2016] Who: New York’s EZTV just released their sophomore album High in Place which features Jenny Lewis and Real Estate’s Martin Courtney and Matt Kallman. Sound: The band has a very soft power pop sound that throws back to The Byrds or Dwight Twilley while giving nods to Teenage … Read more
Tony Molina Confront The Truth Slumberland Records [2016] Who: Since 2002, veteran Bay Area musician Tony Molina has played in several bands including Dystrophy, Ovens, Lifetime Problems, and Caged Animal but his recent solo work has really spotlighted his indie talent especially with the release of his excellent Dissed And Dismissed (2013) record. Sound: Molina … Read more
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam I Had A Dream That You Were Mine Glassnote Records [2016] Fire Note Says: This pairing of Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam finds the perfect timeless mix. Album Review: The Walkman’s frontman Hamilton Leithauser has one of those instantly recognizable voices so I never doubted that he could do well in a … Read more
Personal Space Ecstatic Burbs Tiny Engines Records [2016] Who: Brooklyn, NY’s Personal Space have just released their debut full-length, Ecstatic Burbs, which is a follow up to the band’s debut EP release from 2014, The Early Universe Was Entirely Opaque. The EP is available for a name-your-price download on Bandcamp. Sound: Ecstatic Burbs is a … Read more
Real Numbers Wordless Wonder Slumberland Records [2016] Who: Minneapolis band Real Numbers follows up several popular 12” EPs and a single with their debut full length, Wordless Wonder. Sound: DIY production with quick guitar melodies and an English twitch that is a throwback to the post-punk of the Television Personalities. TFN Final Take: Real Numbers … Read more
Sonic Avenues Disconnector Dirtnap Records [2016] Who: Montreal-based band Sonic Avenues has just released their fourth album with Disconnector. Sound: Sonic Avenues play a new wave style of punk rock. TFN Final Take: Sonic Avenues have released one of their tightest sounding records to date. Quick sing along harmonies, Devo like tempo changes that include … Read more
Cheena Spend The Night With… Sacred Bones Records [2016] Who: Cheena are a NYC band that just released their debut LP on Sacred Bones Records. Sound: Cheena are a throwback to the New York gutter and glam days. TFN Final Take: Cheena have all the making of a great band as their debut is raw, … Read more
TUNS TUNS Royal Mountain Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: If you know your Canadian power pop then TUNS will be a no brainer. The band consists of Sloan’s Chris Murphy, The Inbreds’ Mike O’Neil, and Super Friendz’s Matt Murphy. All 90’s veterans of the Northern scene and without even trying, TUNS soars with its … Read more
Jack White Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016 Third Man/Columbia Records [2016] Fire Note Says: The softer side of Jack! Album Review: There are not that many times that you can say you saw an artist when but that is how I have always been with The White Stripes as I caught them opening for Sleater-Kinney in 2000 … Read more