Yes Heaven And Earth Frontiers Records[2014] Fire Note Says: Legendary prog masters keep it simple on their 21st album. Album Review: Yes has survived so many personnel changes that it almost seems incredulous that, for many, the thought of the band continuing without singer and co-founder Jon Anderson is sacrilege. But that is, sadly, what … Read more
You Blew It! You Blue It Topshelf Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Who doesn’t like a little Blue Album era Weezer! Album Review: When a record is a big part of your youth and influence on your band there is no better way to pay homage than a cover tribute EP. That is exactly the … Read more
Unicycle Loves You The Dead Age Mecca Lecca Recording Co. [2014] Fire Note Says: Unicycle Loves You is a wonderful blend of shoegaze, 60’s psychedelic pop, and noise/fuzz rock. Album Review: Unicycle Loves You are a Brooklyn-based trio. The Dead Age is their fourth studio LP, but this is the first one I have heard. … Read more
Cancers are an Athens-based indie group comprised of Ella Kaspar and Lenny Miller by way of Vancouver, Canada and New York City. The two met while toiling away on tour with their respective previous bands, and joined together out of a desire to craft their own music free from compromise. The result consists of crushing … Read more
Eno & Hyde Someday World / High Life Warp Records [2014] Someday World: Fire Note Says: Someday World’s slick electro-pop contrasts nicely with High Life’s hypnotic, groove-heavy jams. Album Review: These days Brian Eno is probably most well-known as that guy who invented ambient music (even though there are certainly others who deserve such an … Read more
Matt Kivel Days Of Being Wild Woodsist Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Floating on a gorgeous ocean of reverb, Days of Being Wild is an unquestionable success! Album Review: Matt Kivel is a difficult artist to get, but difficult in the way that someone like Bon Iver was when For Emma, Forever Ago was released. … Read more
Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs Gates Of Hell Southpaw Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs perfectly balance garage rock with power pop. Album Review: Raw rock n roll will always have a place in my player so the new album from Toronto’s Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs is … Read more
Morrissey World Peace Is None Of Your Business Harvest Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Surprise – Morrissey returns with plenty more to say. Album Review: With each later era record, Morrissey has always seemed to reinvent himself. Like any career artist, some albums are better than others and for Morrissey, his last record, Years of … Read more
Reigning Sound Shattered Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Reigning Sound fill the heart with lots of soul. Album Review: Reigning Sound could have probably been huge as the band is fronted by Memphis garage punk legend Greg Cartwright (The Oblivians, Detroit Cobras, Compulsive Gamblers). Their debut was released in 2001 on Sympathy for the … Read more
Phish Fuego JEMP Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Phish return with the laidback, quirky Fuego. Album Review: Jam bands are a kind of love ‘em or hate ‘em proposition—at least on the surface. The term is so loose that it doesn’t really mean anything, signifying only that a band likes to improvise and stretch songs … Read more
Nashville-based band The By Gods, made up of Tye Hammonds (drums) and George Pauley (guitar, vocal), released their debut album I Don’t Care Who Believes Me at the start of the summer with the vinyl coming in August. This single will give you a great idea of what The By Gods bring to the table. … Read more
Yonatan Gat Iberian Passage Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Iberian Passage is light on quantity but full of (mostly) instrumental psych-guitar freakouts! Album Review: If you’re like me (and you probably are in this respect), you’ve never heard of Yonatan Gat. The Tel-Aviv-born New Yorker is guitarist for the band Monotonix (who have … Read more
Taking Back Sunday Happiness Is Hopeless Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Taking Back Sunday’s sixth album is highly listenable. Album Review: Taking Back Sunday is one of those bands that keeps churning out albums with little fanfare but with a polished, professional sound. Happiness Is is the New York band’s sixth studio album and seemingly … Read more
Beverly Careers Kanine Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Promising debut album from Frankie Rose and Drew Citron. Album Review: Beverly is a duo consisting of Drew Citron and Frankie Rose. The pair spent the bulk of 2013 on the road together as Citron played In Frankie’s band. The roles are reversed on Careers, the first … Read more
Braid No Coast Topshelf Records [2014] Fire Note Says: After 16 years, Braid find their way back into your stereo. Album Review: So what were you doing back in 1998? Maybe spinning math rock and emo veterans Braid’s last record Frame & Canvas? Well, that was the last time the Urbana, Illinois band released a … Read more
Strand Of Oaks HEAL Dead Oceans [2014] Fire Note Says: Strand Of Oaks cover tons of musical territory and HEAL is better for it. Album Review: HEAL is Timothy Showalter’s, a.k.a. Strand of Oaks, fourth LP and easily his most expansive as it takes you on a journey through some synth pop, a little post-punk, … Read more
Tigers Jaw Charmer Run For Cover Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Tigers Jaw’s transitional new record finds the band trying to charm a new muse. Album Review: I (very) briefly jumped on the emo bandwagon back in high school—mainly because it was the kind of music most of my friends at the time listened to … Read more
Street Eaters Blood//Muscles//Bones Nervous Intent Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Street Eaters newest LP is a buzz/fuzz rock veritable smorgasbord of sound and attitude. Album Review: I had not heard of Street Eaters until a few weeks ago when I received Blood//Muscles//Bones for a review. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised and impressed … Read more
Mastodon Once More ‘Round The Sun Warner Bros. Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Mastodon ditch their space-time distortion with one of their most straight forward yet. Album Review: It‘s a heady question to ask, but how does one innovate in the metal genre today? Do you drop tuning deeper, play slower, or maybe even faster? … Read more
The Cleaners From Venus Volume 3 (Box Set) Captured Tracks [2014] Fire Note Says: The third box set from The Cleaners From Venus is far and away the best one yet, and absolutely essential listening. Album Review: Captured Tracks has now released their third box set from The Cleaners From Venus, the legendary lo-fi 80s … Read more
The Donkeys Ride The Black Wave Easy Sound Recording Co. [2014] Fire Note Says: The Donkey’s fourth album is a great summer record with subtle nods to the past. Album Review: The dog days of summer are upon us, which—if you’re like me—means a shift towards listening to some warm, sunny music to go along … Read more
The Estranged The Estranged Dirtnap Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Estranged create a burning intensity within every track. Album Review: Typically when you pick up a Dritnap Records release you sort of know that you are in for some type of punk rock outing. For that reason, Portland’s The Estranged will come at you … Read more
The Safes Record Heat Wee Rock Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Chicago’s The Safes offer up a modern flare on some very classic sounds! Album Review: Everyone around TFN has certain labels they always enjoy and one of mine is Springfield, Missouri’s Wee Rock Records. They are a DIY, vinyl loving label that is all … Read more
When Pallbearer released their 2012 debut Sorrow And Extinction the metal community immediately took notice. Hearing that their follow up Foundations of Burden would be coming out on August 19th via Profound Lore it instantly became my most anticipated metal album for 2014. “The Ghost I Used To Be” is not just a typical slow … Read more
How To Dress Well What Is This Heart? Weird World Recording Co. [2014] Fire Note Says: How To Dress Well strikes again with another soulful release. Album Review: The cover of How To Dress Well’s sophomore LP, What Is This Heart?, is simply a close-up photo portrait of Tom Krell, the man behind How To … Read more