Please note: Girl Band does not have any girls in the band. Nope – four late teens / early 20’s dudes from Dublin. Glad that is out of the way because this band took me by surprise with their new single “Lawman.” The track is a menacing six minutes from the opening drum march to … Read more
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Give The People What They Want Daptone Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings return with another soaring spoonful of soul! Album Review: Here is a record that was scheduled to release last August but right at the time Daptone Records announced its arrival Sharon Jones was … Read more
15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) Jimmy Bell’s Still In Town Exit Stencil Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Unsung Ohio heroes score huge with reissue of Jimmy Bell‘s Still In Town. Album Review: “We’re not interested in making hits,” said 15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) main man Robert Kidney, “we’re interested in making history.” It only get better … Read more
1994 was a great year for music and looking back it also was a year that started some major trends. It is hard to believe that the following ten albums turn 20 this year and to be honest it was difficult to narrow down this list. There are plenty of albums that could show up … Read more
Brendan Canning You Gots 2 Chill Draper St./SQE Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Not enough meat for a feel meal, but You Gots 2 Chill is a nice appetizer. Album Review: Brendan Canning is best known for being one of the key members of Broken Social Scene, and while that band appears to be on … Read more
The Paper Kites States Nettwerk Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Paper Kites build on the success of their Young North EP. Album Review: When I reviewed The Paper Kites previous release, the Young North EP (TFN Review), I noted that the band seemed poised for greatness. The warm, shuffling folky atmosphere of the EP … Read more
Gap Dream Shine Your Light Burger Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Gap Dream go down a different path on their sophomore record Shine Your Light. Album Review: Sometimes you know what you are going to get just based on the label that an artist resides on. With Burger Records that style has typically been some … Read more
Crooks On Tape Fingerprint Misra Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Crooks On Tape continue the charm of members previous bands. Album Review: If you are similar to me then you always follow artists you like to their next project. In the case of Crooks On Tape that would be John Schmersal with a resume that … Read more
Progressive Rock has a bad, and for the most part deserved, reputation. Indulgent, pretentious, pompous, overwrought, self-absorbed, ridiculous – all adjectives that can accurately describe the genre. There’s a reason it more or less disappeared around 1980. Although there have been numerous revival attempts from Marillion in the eighties to The Mars Volta in this … Read more
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Wig Out At Jagbags Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks create one of their most cohesive records to date. Album Review: Do you ever really know what you are going to get with a new Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks record? The answer is no … Read more
The Killers Direct Hits Island Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Killers’ Direct Hits tracks the evolution of the band. Album Review: The Killers have been around long enough to put out a greatest hits album. This collection, Direct Hits, lets you see how The Killers began as a neo-New Wave outfit and turned into … Read more
Jake Bugg Shangri La Island Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Jake Bugg’s sophomore album is a more refined production of the artist’s raw, gritty sound. Album Review: Jake Bugg’s sophomore album, Shangri La, quickly follows his successful self-titled debut. Despite the lack of time between the two albums, Shangri La introduces new sounds and themes, … Read more
The Fire Note never claims to know all about the mighty guitar riff but we’ve given a listen to plenty of albums this year. I’m even sure there are some riffs that happened to slip through the cracks but we did our best to efficiently scour the 2013 releases. Hours went into listening from Deafheaven … Read more
Let’s face it – not every album can end up in our year end Blazing Top 50. Sometimes there are records that almost do make the cut and honestly probably could have replaced another record in the 40-49 range. Realizing that, you will find 12 of those such records below that came so close to … Read more
The Fire Note received over 20,000 songs this year to check out. Pairing them down to 10 was simply crazy but we did just that for this week’s Top 10. Below you will find 10 tracks that simply made us listen again and again. Enjoy. #10 “Bonnie Brae” Harper Simon The bar is already crazy … Read more
The Fire Note wouldn’t be possible without the talented writers that have signed on here to share their educated thoughts and true enjoyment of music with our readers. Our year end Top 50 is coming later this week but clearly everyone has different tastes and ideas when naming the best album released in 2013. So … Read more
I don’t know about you but I am ready to say goodbye to 2013 and welcome an ongoing flow of 2014 music. With that said, today’s Friday Fire Track, “I Want Blood,” is from Mississippi’s Water Liars off of their upcoming self-titled third album out February 4, 2014 via Big Legal Mess/Fat Possum Records. The … Read more
FUZZ Live In San Francisco Castle Face Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Live In San Francisco series keeps cooking with the ever burly FUZZ. Album Review: I‘m a huge FUZZ fiend. Not only was their debut s/t album something to get excited for (TFN Review), but the collection of 45s leading up to its … Read more
Younger Lovers Sugar In My Pocket Southpaw Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Super catchy lo fi indie pop with high replay value. Album Review: Sugar in My Pocket, the new album from Younger Lovers is exactly the kind of record I enjoy discovering. Its 12 songs fly by in just about 22 minutes, so It … Read more
Black Books Black Books Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: This may be Black Books’ first album, but they’ve clearly done their homework. Album Review: The biographical blurb on Black Books’ BandCamp page notes that the band has been “playing music together since forever.” It shows. Their debut album is by no means a classic, but … Read more
Do you have someone that has joined the vinyl revolution – or wants to? Well this week’s Top 10 is for you as it is a simple gift guide to help steer your wax needs this Christmas season. Honestly, I could go on and on but here are 10 vinyl related items that would look … Read more
Jeffrey Novak Lemon Kid Trouble In Mind Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Lemon Kid puts a different twist on that familiar Garage Rock sound. Album Review: The music of Tennessee native, Jeffrey Novak, calls to mind another Tennessean, Jay Reatard. Novak doesn’t particularly sound like Reatard, but he does share a unique ability to pull … Read more
Yes The Studio Albums 1969-1987 Atlantic Records [2013] Fire Note Says: A box set from progressive rock kings Yes – just in time for Christmas! Album Review: There is absolutely no need for this box set’s existence and yet I am overjoyed that it’s here. The only thing that’s new here is a re-mastered version … Read more
Neil Young Live At The Cellar Door Reprise Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Neil in his prime! Album Review: By now, Neil Young has become a rock music icon, best remembered for a variety of traits: early seminal work with Buffalo Springfield, his hard rocking anthems with Crazy Horse, his role as the ornery one … Read more
Jorma Whittaker Jorma Joyful Noise Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Singer/songwriter Jorma Whittaker will fill your winter indie blahs. Album Review: Do you ever like to sit alone, put on some headphones and just let a singer/songwriter take over your brain? If that is the case then the new solo disc from Marmoset frontman, Jorma … Read more