I think you are going to like this track right from the opening guitar tension. Olympia-based punk trio Naomi Punk return as “Television Man” is the first single from their Captured Tracks debut full length that is due out August 5. The album was home recorded in Olympia, Washington over the Fall and Winter of … Read more
The Black Keys Turn Blue Nonesuch Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Black Keys don’t quite meet high expectations with Turn Blue. Album Review: True story: When I first heard “Fever,” I didn’t know that it was the first single from The Black Keys’ new album Turn Blue. I was trying to figure out the … Read more
Kishi Bashi Lighght Joyful Noise Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Kishi Bashi’s sophomore effort goes bigger and avoids the slump! Album Review: A soaring indie pop record primarily written on a violin should have made people run to the hills but instead the debut, 151a, from K. Ishibashi (aka Kishi Bashi) landed at #5 on … Read more
Wussy Attica! Shake It Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Wussy rivals their best with addictive Attica! Album Review: The upward progression of a band is the reason people should stick with a group and follow their career. Too many people are stuck on shuffle these days and Spotify makes it so easy to skip around. … Read more
The People’s Temple Musical Garden HoZac Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The new album from The People’s Temple is a fertile Musical Garden. Album Review: The People’s Temple has been one of my go to bands for whenever I want a 60’s garage rock fix. Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, these guys bring the psychedelic leanings … Read more
Guided By Voices Cool Planet GBV Inc. [2014] Fire Note Says: Cool Planet is a strong follow-up to Motivational Jumpsuit. Album Review: Another month, another GBV/Robert Pollard-related release. Some critics argue that Robert Pollard needs an editor, someone to cherry-pick the best of his numerous compositions—and it’s an understandable opinion. Between his “solo” records, GBV, … Read more
The Moles Flashbacks And Dream Sequences: The Story of The Moles Fire Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Amazing career retrospective from one of the great “lost” bands of the 90’s. Album Review: Are The Moles one of the great lost bands of the 90’s? Fire Records makes a strong argument for this with the release … Read more
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes Are We Not Men? We Are Diva! Fat Wreck Chords [2014] Fire Note Says: Me First are back with 12 diva delights! Album Review: To some, it may be a surprise that Me First and the Gimme Gimmes have been cranking out cover records since their 1997 debut Have … Read more
The Strypes Snapshot Virgin EMI Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Strypes show that age means nothing on contagious debut! Album Review: Every now and then you run across a new band whose debut is so strong that you want to remember the first time you heard them. First time, many of us heard The … Read more
PAWS Youth Culture Forever FatCat Records [2014] Fire Note Says: PAWS are poised for their breakthrough moment with their sophomore effort! Album Review: PAWS burst onto my radar with their 2012 debut album Cokefloat!, which rushed by like a sugar addled adrenaline rush. I thought it was a promising debut and though not terribly original, … Read more
Here is a premiere track from Brooklyn’s City Walls Autumn Falls. Led by brothers Anthony and David Gill, City Walls Autumn Falls represents a new face in the Folk music world. What you hear in “Sheltered Me” is a sincerity that is hard to fake. The group is going for that feeling you get when … Read more
Buffalo Killers Heavy Reverie Sun Pedal Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: The Buffalo Killers return with a sonically polished 5th studio effort entitled Heavy Reverie. Album Review: The Buffalo Killers are no strangers to success. In fact, their previous four albums have gained them critical claim from Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes who knows … Read more
Cheap Girls Famous Graves Xtra Mile Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Cheap Girls are ready to be your favorite new rock n roll band. Album Review: There is nothing like hitting the local pub and hearing a band that just blows its walls off. You know the type of group I am talking about – … Read more
Chapel Hill’s Spider Bags just announced that they have joined the Merge Records roster. Frozen Letter, the band’s fourth full-length album and first for Merge, will be released on August 5th. If you are new to the band then “Back With You Again In The World” is your first listen into their style of rock … Read more
tUnE-yArDs Nikki Nack 4AD Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Merrill Garbus finally returns with the music revolution Nikki Nack. Album Review: There are many things that could be said about Merrill Garbus: I’ve heard her described both as annoying and having fantastic pipes; for my money, w h o k i l l especially is … Read more
Faces On Film Elite Lines Self-Released [2014] Fire Note Says: Faces On Film are ready for their close-up with Elite Lines. Album Review: Faces On Film, based out of Boston, has self-released their third LP Elite Lines. With a very exhaustive 10-minute google search it was impossible to discern if Faces On Film is a … Read more
Lykke Li I Never Learn Atlantic Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Lykke Li’s third album is not only her best yet but also one of the top break up records released this decade. Album Review: There is nothing like a good breakup record. Time and time again these type of heart driven albums make for … Read more
Against Me! Transgender Dysphoria Blues Red Distribution [2014] Fire Note Says: Against Me! has made an album that deserves the attention it has received. Album Review: It can be difficult to separate the story from the music. This is the case with Against Me!, and fairly or not, the punk band does nothing to separate … Read more
Thee Oh Sees Drop Castle Face Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Dwyer loads Thee Oh Sees back into the garage—and there’s a bit of time travel going on. Album Review: To go over John Dwyer‘s catalogue it quite a task: Yikes! And the Hospitals, some Pink and Brown LP‘s, many Coachwhips LP’s, solo recordings under … Read more
Wye Oak Shriek Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Wye Oak trades guitars for synths with (mostly) positive results Album Review: It seems a lot of bands these days are switching out guitars for keyboards, often totally changing their sound in the process. For Wye Oak, at least it makes some practical sense: a duo … Read more
Chuck E. Weiss Red Beans And Weiss ANTI- Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Chuck E. Weiss’ new record is a way cool concoction. Album Review: There was a time, back in the day, when it wasn’t just “cool” to be into jazz, beat poets, talkin’ blues and scat singing, but it was commercially fortuitous. Joni … Read more
Gem Club In Roses Hardly Art Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Take a serene walk through the park with Gem Club. Album Review: Gem Club is a chamber pop trio that hails from Somerville, Massachusetts. The group is comprised of Christopher Barnes (piano and vocals), Kristen Drymala (cello), and Ieva Berberian (vocals). They released their … Read more
As you crest the hill of your favorite roller coaster have you ever thought about something going wrong? How about the amusement park being hit with crazy fast and high flood water? No? Well, Pittsburgh band 1,2,3 have a song for you here that covers that very scenario. Their stomping groove on “When The Levee … Read more
Chad VanGaalen Shrink Dust Sub Pop Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Shrink Dust is an “everything but the kitchen sink” album that works. Album Review: Chad VanGaalen seems like he’s probably a pretty busy guy. When he’s not building monster heads to mount on the roof of his house or creating animated sci-fi movies, he … Read more
Sonic Avenues Mistakes Dirtnap Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sonic Avenues keep things classy on third LP Mistakes. Album Review: Punk rock is still trying to find its place in 2014 and if you look hard enough there are plenty of bands keeping it real and producing quality albums. Montreal’s Sonic Avenues is one of … Read more