Easton Stagger Phillips Resolution Road Campfire Propaganda/Rebeltone Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Easton Stagger Phillips return with a sophomore record that is a breath of fresh Alaskan air! Album Review: What happens when you get three extremely talented singer/songwriters in one room together? You guessed it – great songs, great harmonies and a record that … Read more
Tokyo Police Club Forcefield Mom+Pop Music [2014] Fire Note Says: Tokyo Police Club’s Forcefield is both full of hooks and subtle. Album Review: Canadian band Tokyo Police Club recently released Forcefield, their fourth long player. It seems like this band has always been on the cusp of making it big (like Young The Giant or … Read more
The Fire Note’s April Bandcamp feature finishes off the month with some new bands to fill your playlists. In this edition you can find some shoegaze from Dallas, a Steve Albini recorded record from Linz, Austria, a one-woman act from LA and the new project from Flea, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. As always – … Read more
Black Pistol Fire Hush Or Howl Modern Outsider Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Black Pistol Fire hits the target with their second album. Album Review: Black Pistol Fire has followed up their strong debut from last year, Big Beat ‘59, with an even better sophomore effort with Hush or Howl. The duo, consisting of Canadians … Read more
Bobby Bare Jr. Undefeated Bloodshot Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Undefeated is full of dark tales and nasty breakups, but laced with the wit and wisdom that only Bare can provide. Album Review: I don’t think I have ever instantly fallen in love with a Bobby Bare Jr album. I didn’t instantly fall in love … Read more
Pixies Indie Cindy PIAS Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: Though not as good as you hoped it would be, it’s definitely not as bad as you’ve heard it is. Album Review: I have mixed feelings about Indie Cindy, the first new album from Pixies since 1991. On the one hand, I think they are long … Read more
Last month, Dub Thompson, the brazen project of 19-year olds Matt Pulos (guitar) and Evan Laffer (drums), announced their debut album, 9 Songs, by sharing the raw and immediate Robert Beatty-directed video for “Dograces.” Originally from Agoura Hills, now based in California (Matt) and Brooklyn (Evan), Dub Thompson are giving a further glimpse into the … Read more
Dead Wives Buzzy Fuzzy ObscureMe Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Speedy Ortiz drummer steps out front with his own band, and the results are stellar! Album Review: I am not going to pretend I have the inside scoop on cool bands; for the most part I rely on word of mouth from friends or on … Read more
Lab Partners Seven Seas Pravda Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Lab Partners have returned with an early contender for Album of the Year. Album Review: Dayton, Ohio’s favorite guitar hero’s the Lab Partners have returned with their first record since their 2010’ LP Moonlight Music, which was released by Chicago Label Pravda. The same label … Read more
Shy Boys Shy Boys High Dive Records[2014] Fire Note Says: Debut album from Kansas City trio quietly satisfies. Album Review: Sometimes the name a band chooses for themselves is a dead give-away. And then other times a name can serve as subterfuge. In the case of Kansas City’s Shy Boys it may be a bit … Read more
Medicine “Part Time Punks” Live LP Captured Tracks [2014] Fire Note Says: Medicine releases one of the highlights on Record Store Day 2014. Album Review: Last August, Medicine returned from an 18 year hiatus with a new full length To The Happy Few. The group had previously been hailed as America’s My Bloody Valentine so … Read more
Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s Sling Shot To Heaven Mariel Recording Company [2014] Fire Note Says: Adjust your expectations accordingly, Margot’s cyclical warmth has an embrace for you. Album Review: There‘s a reason that I‘m going to see Margot & The Nuclear So and So‘s twice in the same tour. They’re one of … Read more
Kaiser Chiefs Education, Education, Education, & War ATO Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Don’t write off Kaiser Chiefs yet, there is still some gas left in the tank! Album Review: I’ve never been able to fully buy in to the Kaiser Chiefs, and I have been trying for a long time. Employment certainly had its … Read more
It’s finally time for Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s to grace us with their new album Sling Shot to Heaven. I have to admit upon first listen some concessions and adjustments had to be made, though not necessarily in a bad way—you might say that Richards and Co. might be a whole new … Read more
Atlanta-based noise pop band Gold-Bears have just announced the follow up to 2011’s Are You Falling In Love?. Their sophomore album Dalliance will be released on June 3 via Slumberland Records. “For You” begins with main bear and singer Jeremy Underwood bluntly calling out “You’re a mistake.” It is the start of this direct message … Read more
Secret Colours Positive Distractions Part I & II Self-Released [2014] Fire Note Says: Secret Colours remain consistent on their two EP split. Album Review: Secret Colours revel in being the bastard seed of the ’60s psychedelia and ’90s Britpop bloodlines. That’s the description given by their Facebook page, and almost a year ago I described … Read more
Skating Polly Fuzz Steilacoom Chap Stereo [2014] Fire Note Says: Skating Polly‘s Fuzz Steilacoom suffers from a pleasant multiple personality disorder. Album Review: Having just finished my review of the bubbly Tweens album, it seems appropriate to get a bit more down and dirty. Oklahoma City‘s Skating Polly seems to handle that role quite easily. … Read more
My Chemical Romance May Death Never Stop You: The Greatest Hits 2001-2013 Reprise Records [2014] Fire Note Says: May Death Never Stop You works as a primer if you are looking back at the alt/rock world of the last decade. Album Review: The thing about My Chemical Romance, the pop/punk band from Jersey that had … Read more
The Both The Both SuperEgo Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo join forces and form The Both. Album Review: The music fan likes nothing better than a unique musical pairing. Over the years we have seen full length records from Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Pete … Read more
Woods With Light And With Love Woodsist Records [2014] Fire Note Says: With Light and With Love is the 5th amazing album in a row from Woods! Album Review: 2012’s Bend Beyond was the fourth fantastic album in a row from Woods and one of my top ten albums for the year. When a band … Read more
Mahayla Electricspaceagesweetheart Serial Lover Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Electricspaceagesweetheart is a welcome listening pleasure for fans of 90’s era alt-rock. Album Review: Mahayla’s Electricspaceagesweetheart is a restart of sorts for front man Dave Fera and fellow bandmates Mark Davis (drums), Ike Aguilar (guitar) and Chris Johnson (bass). After a seven-year hiatus, you would think … Read more
It is that time a year again when vinyl gets its day in the sun. That is this coming Saturday (April 19th) Record Store Day 2014. If you are heading out our staff have put together some of the titles we think are worth grabbing this year! CHRISTOPHER TAHY Heavens To Betsy – Calculated: Anything … Read more
Here is the first single from Goshen, Indiana’s Strand of Oaks appropriately titled “Goshen ’97.” Founder and leader Tim Showalter has previously released several more folk oriented records under the Strand of Oaks moniker but his new record Heal finds him growing with a much louder sound. Not only can you hear this in the … Read more
Doug Tuttle Doug Tuttle Trouble In Mind Records[2014] Fire Note Says: Former MMOSS guitarist takes off on a solo trip back to the psychedelic sixties. Album Review: New Hampshire band MMOSS put out two albums and called it quits. About that same time Tuttle and girlfriend (and fellow MMOSS member) Rachel Neveu also broke up. … Read more
Doug Gillard Parade On Nine Mile Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Parade On perfectly showcases Gillard’s multi instrumental skills and catchy melodies. Album Review: I have said it before, and I will say it again, there aren’t many rock guitar players who can hold a candle to Doug Gillard. I am going to go ahead … Read more