Tim Easton American Fork Last Chance Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Another heartfelt delivery from singer/songwriter Tim Easton. Album Review: Tim Easton is the singer/songwriter that you just can’t stop from delivering a pure heartfelt record. His eleventh, yes eleventh, record American Fork feels and sounds like an artist at the top of his game … Read more
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
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
Kevin Morby Singing Saw Dead Oceans [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: From the surreal instrumentation to a voice that at times sounds like a young Dylan, Kevin Morby hits all the right notes on his third full length Singing Saw. You may question – how do I not know about this guy? Well you might … Read more
Band Of Horses Why Are You OK Interscope Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Band of Horses release their best major label record to date. Album Review: Band of Horses have every reason in the world to be one of the biggest rock acts currently on the scene. They have great songwriting, a superb voice in … Read more
Bob Mould Patch The Sky Merge Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: A loud Bob Mould record is a good one. Patch The Sky continues to turn up the volume, much like his previous two Merge Records releases, and once again finds Mould writing catchy and crunchy tunes. Patch The Sky finds more reverb than … Read more
Brain Fallon Painkillers Island Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Fallon steps out on his own and offers a debut with feeling. Album Review: I have been in The Gaslight Anthem’s corner since the beginning, so the last few records from the band have been somewhat tough to absorb as the group battles the desire to … Read more
Bent Shapes have a Slumberland Records debut coming at you March 11th. The album is titled Wolves of Want and “Realization Hits” is a shot of indie-pop from the record that will for sure have you ready for the album’s release. It is easily worthy of the Friday Fire Track spot today with its upbeat … Read more
Freakwater Scheherazade Bloodshot Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Freakwater return with another folk drenched record for your soul. Album Review: 10 years is a long time between albums, so Scheherazade is a true welcome back to the simple folky rooted songs from Catherine Ann Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean of Freakwater. For some, this reunion … Read more
Turkish Techno Number Two Dirt Cult Records [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: The pop-punk fan base has steadily declined over the years and I would even go as far to say that people that used to listen have simply dismissed the genre all together. With that said, there is plenty of good pop-punk out there … Read more
Quiet Arrows Year Of The Cartographer Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Around TFN we could write, write and write some more but we still wouldn’t be able to capture everything we hear that deserves a spotlight. Samuel Robertson’s Quiet Arrows is one of those records, as we have been sitting with it since last … Read more
Graham Repulski High On Mt. Misery Shorter Recordings [2016] Fire Drill Album Review: We have consistently told you about Philadelphia’s lo-fi prolific guru Graham Repulski and why you should check him out – so how about one more reminder?! On March 1st, GR has a new 4-song EP coming out titled High On Mt. Misery … Read more
Hinds Leave Me Alone Mom + Pop Music [2016] Fire Note Says: Hinds debut is full of new band synergy. Album Review: Madrid’s Hinds have had plenty of underground hype since they released their demos back in 2014. Fast-forward to present day and the scene is even more saturated with the Hinds type of fuzzy … Read more
Girlpool Before The World Was Big Wichita Recordings [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: It always amazes me when simple wins. Take Philadelphia based Girlpool as an example. The two piece, made up of Cleo Tucker (Guitar) and Harmony Tividad (Bass), never move beyond playing several chords and barely turn up the tempo or volume at … Read more
Paul Orwell Blowing Your Mind Away Heavy Soul! Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Plug in the organ and dust off the tambourine as Paul Orwell’s debut hits you fantastically in the face ’60s style! Album Review: “This Music Should Be Played Loud” is the bold statement you will first see on the back jacket of … Read more
Blondi’s Salvation Wisdom Whisper Howlin’ Banana Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: You may not know much about the French music scene but they have quietly been churning out some great new music with the help of Howlin’ Banana Records. Psych-folk group Blondi’s Salvation’s sophomore album Wisdom Whisper, is the labels latest release and it … Read more
Ty Segall Ty Rex Goner Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Wow – I will just say it. I fucking love Ty Segall! I am not even sure what it is exactly but everything he touches, plays on, produces or talks about turns out great. He is raw, rough, focused and sometimes simply all out … Read more
The Jam Fire And Skill: The Jam Live UMC/Polydor Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: It always mystifies me a bit when I hear the younger generation discussing early era British punk rock and rightfully so, groups like The Clash, Buzzcocks and the Sex Pistols are blurted out quickly but I hardly ever hear anyone … Read more
Trust Fund Seems Unfair Turnstile Music [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: UK based Trust Fund is led by Bristol songwriter Ellis Jones which has typically built his records by a friend committee of musicians. You might think this could disturb the production but Seems Unfair is Jones’ second release this year as their debut No … Read more
S.M. Wolf Neon Debris In Store Recordings/Jurassic Pop Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: There is nothing better than when you stumble across an artist that was only supposed to be a one-time recording project but releases material that quickly changes things. That is exactly what we have here with Indianapolis’ S.M. Wolf after a … Read more
Frankie Cosmos Fit Me In EP Bayonet Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: My only complaint about the new Frankie Cosmos is that it is too short. Sure, I know it is an EP but its eight minutes is just an excellent tease of what is for sure to come from this soon to breakout … Read more
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Paper Mâché Dream Balloon ATO Records [2015] Fire Note Says: KGATLW goes all flute on you with plenty of quirky and catchy outcomes. Album Review: Hopefully we have featured King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard enough lately that you shouldn’t be scared of the name because they definitely stands … Read more
Kishi Bashi String Quartet Live! Joyful Noise Recordings [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Several years ago you would have never heard me go on and on about a violin player but K. Ishibashi (aka Kishi Bashi) changed all of that with his genre changing debut 151a (2012). String Quartet Live! features reimagined versions from not … Read more
Martin Courtney Many Moons Domino [2015] Fire Note Says: Hear the smooth warm sounds from Real Estate frontman Martin Courtney. Album Review: Several other members of Real Estate have already ventured out with side projects like Ducktails and Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, so the time seems right from frontman Martin Courtney to strut his … Read more
The Yawpers American Man Bloodshot Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: The Yawpers highlight all that is good with the rowdy bar band vibe as they pull off a Steve Earle fronts Old 97s sound with a blue collar work ethic of Uncle Tupelo. American Man is just that kind of record as the group’s … Read more