Farewell Dear Ghost We Colour The Night Minty Fresh Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Farewell Dear Ghost provide plenty of melodic indie rock that sticks. Album Review: Let me tell you about this melodic new album from Austria’s Farewell Dear Ghost. It is a record that I have been sitting on since December but consistently … Read more
The Men Tomorrow’s Hits Sacred Bones Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The Men continue to slash and burn with their chaotic fifth album. Album Review: And here I was about to give up on The Men. Last year’s New Moon left me cold. It was just too rustic and countrified for my liking. Then they … Read more
The Hotelier Home, Like Noplace Is There Tiny Engines [2014] Fire Note Says: The Hotelier bring emo-punk back to proper form on sophomore record. Album Review: Emo has been back n forth with the cool kids table for a good number of years now but just as much as it is easy to accuse some … Read more
One group that has improved album after album must be Cloud Nothings. After an impressive debut, they followed up with something equally as good if not better. The Headphone Approved Attack On Memory takes its’ white knuckle ease and balls to the wall sounds adding intensity that is always catchy and in your face. I’m … Read more
Damien Jurado Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son Secretly Canadian Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Damien Jurado creates a masterpiece in an underrated career. Album Review: There is a lot of music out there to discover. I’d heard of Damien Jurado and even owned a few of his records before giving a listen to … Read more
Ruined Fortune Ruined Fortune HoZac Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Ruined Fortune sets the bar high on their experimental/lo-fi/scuzz debut! Album Review: Hailing from Australia, though it sounds like the bowels of NYC circa 1977, Ruined Fortune are a duo consisting of Nic Warnock and Angie Garrick, that specialize in the sort of lo-fi garage … Read more
Axxa/Abraxas Axxa/Abraxas Captured Tracks [2014] Fire Note Says: Axxa/Abraxas effortlessly introduces you to his love of the 60’s. Album Review: 23 year-old Atlanta native Ben Asbury is Axxa/Abraxas and on his debut you will be introduced to his love of the 60’s and vision of the future. I say this all the time but music … Read more
Cibo Matto Hotel Valentine Chimera Music [2014] Fire Note Says: Hotel Valentine is as ambitious as it is intoxicating. Album Review: I’ve spent the last few days trying to wrap my mind around the awesomeness of Hotel Valentine, the first new album in 15 years from the reunited Cibo Matto! The album is a concept … Read more
Real Estate Atlas Domino Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Real Estate let you drift off with Atlas’ smooth and calm climate. Album Review: If it’s not broke don’t fix it – just tweak it. That is the main story behind Real Estate’s third record Atlas. The New Jersey group is back with an album that … Read more
Jupe Jupe Crooked Kisses Self-Released [2014] Fire Note Says: Jupe Jupe’s third album Crooked Kisses has a lot to offer. Album Review: Jupe Jupe has released their third album since 2010 with Crooked Kisses. The band is as indie as it can get, self-publishing this record. They hail from Seattle, WA; members include My Young … Read more
Skaters Manhattan Warner Bros. Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Skaters debut is full of hooks and youthful spirit. Album Review: The promotion blitz behind New York’s Skaters reminds me of the way it used to be with major record labels back in the 90’s. They have received tons of pre-hype from Warner Bros. leading up … Read more
San Francisco’s Sleepy Sun brought their strong brand of neo-psych rock to Columbus last Friday night (2/28/14) in support of their terrific fourth album, Maui Tears (see TFN review here.) The Rumba Café near the Ohio State campus was filled to capacity and the night also featured New York newbies KDH and Cincinnati stalwarts, Buffalo … Read more
New Bums Voices In A Rented Room Drag City Records [2014] Fire Note Says: You should be ecstatic over the beautifully well-crafted debut full-length album from New Bums. Album Review: New Bums are a two-man duo made up of Donovan Quinn (Sky Green Leopards) and Ben Chasny (Six Organs Of Admittance). Their debut full length … Read more
Not only is this new song from Seattle’s Jupe Jupe the featured Friday Fire Track but also its premiere! “Vicariously” finds the quartet bringing plenty of synthesizers, crooning vocals, jagged guitars and pulsating beats to your speakers for an entertaining introduction to the group. Jupe Jupe’s sound can be summed up like this: If Interpol … Read more
John The Conqueror The Good Life Alive Natural Sound Records [2014] Fire Note Says: John The Conqueror are back with another blues rocking good time! Album Review: Philadelphia’s John The Conqueror are back with another slice of blues rock soul on their sophomore album The Good Life. The title fits as this album has an … Read more
The Notwist Close To The Glass Sub Pop Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Close To The Glass is a warm shot of humanity in an icy digital landscape. Album Review: The Notwist falls under my “Hey what the hell ever happened to those guys, I liked that one album” umbrella. For The Notwist, that one … Read more
With the Headphone Approved new Beck, Morning Phase, out this week and Mellow Gold turning 20 on March 1, TFN thought it was a perfect time to spotlight Beck’s singles. The criteria used for this weekly top 10 was simple: The song had to be an officially released single and each studio record since 1994 … Read more
Quilt Held In Splendor Mexican Summer Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Boston psych folk trio offer up a breezy, groovy winner. Album Review: Quilt’s self-titled first album was recorded piecemeal across three years and numerous home studios – and it sounded like it. Not that it was terrible or anything, quite the contrary. It was … Read more
Winter won’t seem to end but hopefully The Fire Note’s February Bandcamp feature will cheer you up! We have once again scoured the Internet for 10 artists that we think you should know about. Remember that they are in no particular order and make sure you Discover, Support & Share! Bitches London, England UK punk … Read more
Smug Brothers On The Way To The Punchline Gas Daddy Go! Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Smug Brothers offer listeners a mature and hook-laden album packed with incredibly catchy and unpredictable Dayton rock. Album Review: I was a bit surprised when I had read that On the Way to the Punchline was Dayton Ohio’s Smug … Read more
Vertical Scratchers Daughter Of Everything Merge Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Vertical Scratchers are all about sharp and quick indie rock. Album Review: Vertical Scratchers were destined to create indie rock, as members John Schmersal (ex-Brainiac/Enon, live Caribou, and Crooks on Tape) and Christian Beaulieu (ex-Triclops!/Anywhere) resume suggest. Their debut record, Daughter of Everything, is … Read more
Yellow Ostrich Cosmos Barsuk Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Yellow Ostrich reach for the stars and release a truly stellar album. Album Review: Every great album has to have a great back story or at least something to enliven the press release. The story of Cosmos, Yellow Ostrich’s fifth album and third for Barsuk, goes … Read more
Preston Lovinggood Shadow Songs Communicating Vessels [2014] Fire Note Says: Preston Lovinggood’s follow-up is just as strong as his debut. Album Review: Preston Lovinggood’s solo debut, Sun Songs, came out just last year. His newest release, Shadow Songs, as you might be able to detect, is a sequel of sorts to his first album. The … Read more
Beck Morning Phase Capitol Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Morning Phase is a record that has nothing to prove but everything to give! Album Review: It is really hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Beck Hansen stormed into the music scene with his hit debut record Mellow Gold (1994). It was … Read more
St. Vincent St. Vincent Loma Vista Recordings [2014] Fire Note Says: St. Vincent returns with a bold sense of confidence. What does that mean for you? Album Review: “I wanted to make a party record you could play at a funeral,” says Annie Clark a.k.a. St. Vincent of her new self-titled album. Being interesting is … Read more