Fire Track: Old 97’s – “Magic”

Alt-country pioneers Old 97’s have just released “Magic,” the second single from their 13th studio album American Primitive that will be released on April 5 via ATO Records. “Magic,” a jittery piece of power-pop echoing the anguish of grasping for salvation, was the first song the band tracked with producer Tucker Martine at Flora Studios … Read more

Old 97’s – “Where The Road Goes” [Video]

Thirty years after the release of their powerhouse debut Hitchhike to Rhome, alt-country pioneers Old 97’s are celebrating with the announcement of their lucky 13th studio album American Primitive that will be released on April 5 via ATO Records. Opening with the lyric “You’ve got to dance like the world is falling down around you, because it is,” American Primitive radiates with rambunctious … Read more

CIVIC: New Vietnam And Singles [Album Review]

CIVICNew Vietnam And SinglesAnti Fade/ATO Records [2023] Melbourne’s CIVIC released their debut EP, New Vietnam, originally in 2018 via Anti Fade Records. It was this EP that caught the attention of Flightless Records (King Gizzard) for their 2021 full-length Future Forecast, which, with their ATO partnership, made its way to the States. This new reissue, … Read more

Margaret Glaspy: Echo The Diamond [Album Review]

Margaret GlaspyEcho The DiamondATO Records [2023] The first time I heard the lead single from Margaret Glaspy’s third album, Echo The Diamond, the kicking guitar hook of “Act Natural” knocked me down, but her spirited vocal and insightful lyrics left me on the ground, stunned. And, once we tracked down the album, I was both … Read more

Black Pumas – “More Than A Love Song” [Video]

GRAMMY-nominated duo Black Pumas push their distinctive artistry to soaring new heights on their new single, “More Than A Love Song.” “More Than A Love Song” is the first track to be unveiled from the Austin duo’s highly anticipated sophomore effort, Chronicles of a Diamond, set for release on October 27th on ATO Records. Earning … Read more

St. Paul & The Broken Bones: Angels In Science Fiction [Album Review]

St. Paul & The Broken BonesAngels In Science FictionATO Records [2023] For all their efforts to expand their 8-piece band’s sound to include psychedelia and hip-hop rhythms, and as wide ranging as their lyrical pursuits have been – whether exploring Greek mythology, space travel and astronomical phenomenon, or sci-fi fantasy – St. Paul and The … Read more

The Murlocs: Calm Ya Farm [Album Review]

The MurlocsCalm Ya FarmATO Records [2023] Melbourne’s The Murlocs, the Australian rock band of Ambrose Kenny-Smith and associated with the King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, have returned with the more country fried Calm Ya Farm. Much like the Gizzard, The Murlocs have been cranking out music as Calm Ya Farm is their seventh full … Read more

The Murlocs – “Undone And Unashamed” [Video]

Melbourne’s The Murlocs will release their brand new studio album, Calm Ya Farm, May 19 on ATO Records. Spiked with their signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk—and with lead vocalist, guitarist & harmonica triple threat Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s surrealist musings on the ever-turbulent world around him—the new collection ultimately twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album … Read more

Temples: Exotico [Album Review]

TemplesExoticoATO Records [2023] On their 4th full-length album, the often-labeled psychedelic pop/rock quartet Temples, have chosen a title that comes close to describing both the breadth of their compositions and the lush musical textures they created with producer Sean Ono Lennon. With their 2019 release, Hot Motion, the quartet displayed their dexterity with a broad … Read more

The Murlocs – “Initiative” [Video]

Melbourne’s The Murlocs have announced their brand new studio album, Calm Ya Farm, due out May 19 on ATO Records. Following their 2022 garage-psych opus Rapscallion, the band initially set out with a vision of creating a quintessential country-rock record: inspired by iconic albums like The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo as well as the … Read more

CIVIC: Taken By Force [Album Review]

CIVICTaken By ForceATO Records [2023] Melbourne-based five-piece CIVIC are back with their biggest rock album to date. The group lead by the power singer Jim McCullough takes their fiery punk to a new level that is more melodic than previous efforts but delivered with the same take no prisoner passion. After a quick intro track, … Read more

The EP Booth: Neal Francis | The Laughing Chimes | Amythyst Kiah | Pseudo Mind Hive

EP Defined =”An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.” TFN always receives its share of quality EPs so we have highlighted four below that are worth your time and money! Neal FrancisSentimental Garbage … Read more

The Murlocs: Rapscallion [Album Review]

The MurlocsRapscallionATO Records [2022] The Murlocs have returned quickly since last year’s more piano driven Bittersweet Demons album with a batch of rock n’ roll that may represent some of their most frantic psych-tinged concoctions yet. The Melbourne five-piece never feels like a side project even though its members have duties in other bands especially … Read more

Rhett Miller: The Misfit [Album Review]

Rhett MillerThe MisfitATO Records [2022] When Rhett Miller recorded his solo debut in 1989 with his friend and producer Murry Hammond, the two had not yet imagined that they’d go on to form Old 97’s – Miller on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Hammond on bass – and record a dozen albums over the course … Read more

Amanda Shires: Take It Like A Man [Album Review]

Amanda ShiresTake It Like A ManATO Records [2022] On 2018’s To The Sunset, singer/songwriter and self-described fiddle player Amanda Shires made it clear that she wasn’t interested in limiting her musical expressions to country music alone. Beyond playing a supportive role in her husband Jason Isbell’s band, The 400 Unit, Shires brought together The Highwomen … Read more

The Murlocs – “Virgin Criminal” [Video]

Hailing from Melbourne, 60’s tinged psych-rock punks The Murlocs have announced their brand new studio album, Rapscallion, due out September 16 on ATO Records. Strapped with fuzzy guitar licks, feverish bass and psychedelic brightness, the 12-track collection is a coming-of-age novel in an album form. The wildly squalid odyssey populated by an outrageous cast of … Read more

Drive-By Truckers: Welcome 2 Club XIII [Album Review]

Drive-By TruckersWelcome 2 Club XIIIATO Records [2022] The opening chords of Drive-By Truckers’ fourteenth studio album carry the dense distorted grungy guitar sound of The Dirty South in a way that recalls many of the band’s releases across their long, 26-year history. They lead the listener into the 7-minute talking blues of Patterson Hood’s The … Read more

Pink Mountaintops: Peacock Pools [Album Review]

Pink MountaintopsPeacock PoolsATO Records [2022] Peacock Pools is the first Pink Mountaintops album in 8 years, and its creation was inspired by a wide range of subjects that includes early Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, sci-fi and horror movies and even an essay on the cult of bodybuilding by postmodern feminist Camille Paglia. That spectrum of … Read more

Drive-By Truckers – “Welcome 2 Club XIII” [Video]

Drive-By Truckers have announced the release of their 14th studio album, Welcome 2 Club XIII, due via ATO Records on Friday, June 3. Welcome 2 Club XIII is heralded by today’s release of the title track, “Welcome 2 Club XIII,” available for streaming and download; the track – which pays homage to the Muscle Shoals … Read more

Midlake: For The Sake Of Bethel Woods [Album Review]

MidlakeFor The Sake Of Bethel WoodsATO Records [2022] Midlake, a band a UK reviewer described succinctly as “the Texan masters of folk-proggy-Americana, return nine years after their last album, Antiphon, which recorded six months after the departure of their previous frontman and singer/songwriter, Tim Smith. And if early listens of For the Sake of Bethel … Read more

St. Paul & The Broken Bones: The Alien Coast [Album Review]

St. Paul & The Broken BonesThe Alien CoastATO Records [2022] Caught live, St. Paul & The Broken Bones is a full-fledged rock & soul review fronted by the soaring tenor vocals of Paul Janaway, who registers as a cross between a backsliden Baptist revival song-leader, a blue-eyed soul singer wearing his Sam Cooke influences in … Read more

My Morning Jacket: My Morning Jacket [Album Review]

My Morning JacketMy Morning JacketATO Records [2021] From all reports, there was a pretty good chance that the last music recorded by the members of My Morning Jacket playing together could easily have been the sessions that gave us 2015’s The Waterfall, and 2020’s leftovers, The Waterfall II. In the downtime following that tour, singer/songwriter … Read more

Grace Cummings – “Up In Flames” [Video]

Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, producer and accomplished stage actor Grace Cummings has released a new single and music video for “Up In Flames,” from her forthcoming, self-produced sophomore album. Storm Queen will be released on January 14th on ATO Records, and follows Cummings’ understated debut album Refuge Cove, which was released in 2019 via King Gizzard … Read more