The Scaners II Dirty Water Records [2019] Who: French gonzo-synth punks and intergalactic scuzzball house band, The Scaners return just a year later after their debut with II. Sound: Synth punk rock that has both the intergalactic connections of Man Or Astro-Man? and the 1,2,3,4 of the Ramones. TFN Final Take: The Scaners have quickly … Read more
Ex Hex It’s Real Merge Records [2019] Who: It’s Real marks the return of Ex Hex. It has been five years since the power trio released their debut Rips. Sound: Ex Hex has a modern Joan Jett vibe with L7 type riffs. TFN Final Take: Right from the beginning of opening track “Tough Enough,” you … Read more
Durand Jones & The Indications American Love Call Dead Oceans/Colemine Records [2019] Who: American Love Call is Bloomington, Indiana’s Durand Jones & The Indications sophomore record. Sound: Durand Jones & The Indications have a soaring and infectious 70’s soul sound. TFN Final Take: Durand Jones 2016 self-titled debut was another stellar release in the retro-soul … Read more
Jon Spencer Spencer Sings The Hits In The Red [2018] Who: For his first solo record, Jon Spencer (Blues Explosion, Boss Hog, Pussy Galore) partnered with Quasi frontman Sam Coomes and drummer M. Sord. Sound: This is a loose romp for Jon Spencer that brings back sounds from his early years with Pussy Galore (and … Read more
The Beths Future Me Hates Me Carpark Records [2018] Who: New Zealand four-piece The Beths channel their longtime friendship into high-energy guitar indie pop on debut record. Sound: Big guitar riffs and infectious indie-rock hooks. This record has plenty of vocal harmonies and should appeal to fans of Velocity Girl, The Breeders, Rilo Kiley and … Read more
Charles Bradley Black Velvet Dunham/Daptone Records [2018] Who: Charles Bradley’s life is celebrated with this posthumous release. Sound: Bradley’s records were consistent with Daptone records revivalist approach, which offered plenty of funk and soul from the heart. TFN Final Take: It is always hard to say goodbye and when Charles Bradley passed away on September … Read more
Ty Segall Fudge Sandwich In The Red [2018] Fire Note Says: Ty makes all 11 tracks here his own! Album Review: I typically don’t get too excited about a covers record but Fudge Sandwich from Ty Segall is a template for how to do it right. Ty is not trying here and that is the … Read more
Baked Beans Babble Flightless Records [2018] Who: Melbourne/Geelong five-piece (fronted by The Murlocs’ drummer, Matt Blach) who recently signed with Flightless Records. Sound: Psychedelic rock of course! Baked Beans has the Flightless sound that only could come from Australia. TFN Final Take: From the foot tapping opener “Slow” that contains a full-on blast of Hammond … Read more
Brian Owens Soul Of Cash Soul Step Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Brian Owens shares his soul with Johnny Cash! Album Review: I think in today’s vast music scene, cover records are merely blown off as a novelty or simply overlooked. Even for established artists, a cover record is typically assumed to just be a … Read more
Face To Face Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions) Fat Wreck Chords [2018] Who: Southern California-based Face to Face have been pumping out catchy punk pop rock for 27 years. Sound: Face to Face have always had a straight forward 90’s punk pop sound that is always filled with hooks surrounded by their grit. Hold Fast is … Read more
Lucero Among The Ghosts Liberty & Lament Records [2018] Who: Memphis quintet Lucero is celebrating 20 years together as Among The Ghosts is their ninth studio album. Sound: Lucero puts forth the working man’s rock/alt country sound that sounds great in a dark bar or on a big stage. TFN Final Take: You can always … Read more
Sometimes it is fun to go back and check out a past review. Today’s flashback review features the Motel Beds 2012 release Dumb Gold which landed at #13 on our Blazing Top 50 that year. The record is a Dayton, Ohio “must have” for any indie rock collection and this week the album finally received … Read more
Tony Molina Kill The Lights Slumberland Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Concise perfection. Album Review: Tony Molina does not mess around with tracks. His ripping guitar mix of fuzz that was his 2013 record, Dissed And Dismissed, ran 12 songs in just over 11 minutes. His Confront The Truth EP (2016) contained 8 songs in … Read more
Ty Segall & White Fence Joy Drag City Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Joy shows a mature growth and spotlights that Ty Segall and White Fence are two artists which are still on the creating edge of indie rock. Album Review: Much has happened since 2012 and the last time Ty Segall and White Fence … Read more
Ari Roar Calm Down Bella Union [2018] Who: Ari Roar is the moniker of singer-songwriter Caleb Campbell and Calm Down is his debut album via Bella Union. Sound: Ari Roar nails the softer indie rock delivery that is in the direct wheelhouse for fans of Rogue Wave, Grandaddy, The Shins, Mac DeMarco and Death Cab … Read more
The Jack Cades Music For Children Dirty Water Records [2018] Who: Warwickshire, England’s The Jack Cades were born in late 2017 when Mike (Lead Guitar, Vocals) and Elsa (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals) decided to record some of their songs at Mole’s (Drums) State Records Studios in Folkestone, Kent. They invited John Gibbs (The Masonics, The Wildebeests) … Read more
La Luz Floating Features Hardly Art Records [2018] Fire Note Says: The surf is just right with La Luz’s third LP, Floating Features. Album Review: There is a reason that you should always listen to a record more than once before putting it aside. I have been a big fan of La Luz since their … Read more
Connections Foreign Affairs Trouble In Mind Records [2018] Who: Foreign Affairs is the fifth album, and first for Trouble In Mind, from the Columbus Ohio band Connections that features former members of 84 Nash (Rockathon Records). Sound: Lo-fi indie pop that mixes the sound of early Guided By Voices with the raw rock of The … Read more
Archie And The Bunkers Songs From The Lodge Dirty Water Records [2018] Who: Archie and The Bunkers are the Cleveland-based duo of Emmett and Cullen O’Connor, brothers who have been playing music together for as long as they can remember. Songs From The Lodge is the groups sophomore album. Sound: Described as “Hi-Fi organ punk,” … Read more
Amen Dunes Freedom Sacred Bones Records [2018] Who: Freedom is Amen Dunes (aka the project of New York-based Damon McMahon) fifth album, and the follow-up to 2014’s Love. Sound: Amen Dunes brings a high level of sophistication to its psychedelic indie and at time folkish tracks. Freedom has a War On Drugs, Kevin Morby, and … Read more
Tim Easton Paco & The Melodic Polaroids Campfire Propaganda [2018] Who: Tim Easton is an Ohio-raised singer/songwriter, now firmly based out of Nashville, which has a solid catalog of alt-country/Americana/folk recordings that span over two decades to his rowdier days with the Haynes Boys in 1996. Sound: Tim Easton can give you all different sides … Read more
Sloan 12 Yep Roc Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Sloan shows no signs of slowing down on 12! Album Review: Twelve albums with all the original members is a rare achievement in the music world these days but that is exactly what we get here from Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Sloan. The band has returned with … Read more
Jack White Boarding House Reach Third Man/Columbia Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Jack White’s most eclectic listen to date. Maybe rock is dead? Or is it?. Album Review: If anyone in the indie rock nation could help push the disappearing genre back into the spotlight you think Jack White would be the artist. After already … Read more
Ty Segall Freedom’s Goblin Drag City Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Ty Segall creates a very fluid classic double album in Freedom’s Goblin. Album Review: The grandiose opening blare of instruments on Ty Segall’s new 75-minute double record, Freedom’s Goblin, really tells you all you need to know in its first 22 seconds. This is … Read more
Chiller Chiller Rockstar/Dirt Cult Records [2018] Who: This is the debut record from Moncton, Canada punks Chiller. The band is a continuation of Feral Trash which released Trashfiction in 2014 on Dirt Cult Records. Chiller is Ilisha and Eric of Feral Trash with local friends Erin (Black Tower) and Tim (Mother’s Children). Sound: Fresh melodic … Read more