Washer All Aboard Exploding in Sound Records [2017] Who: Brooklyn duo, Kieran McShane and Mike Quigley, expand and improve their sound with this excellent sophomore effort. Sound: All Aboard builds off Washer’s solid debut and ends up being one of the best post-grunge albums of 2017. TFN Final Take: I was already a Washer fan. … Read more
The War On Drugs A Deeper Understanding Atlantic Records [2017] Fire Note Says: The War on Drugs creates an accessible yet sophisticated album. Album Review: A Deeper Understanding is the War on Drugs fourth full-length album, and it is also their most accessible album. On previous efforts, Adam Granduciel’s vocals were a make or break … Read more
PLAX Clean Feeling Super Secret Records [2017] Who: Austin-based quasi-punk band comprised of members of Spray Paint, OBN IIIs, Skeleton and Sweet Talk. Sound: Clean Feeling may be the best indie-punk album of 2017. Twitchy and heavy in perfect doses. TFN Final Take: Last year I fell head over heels in love with Austin’s Spray … Read more
Queen Moo Mean Well Topshelf Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Mean Well is one of the biggest, baddest rock ‘n’ roll records so far this year. Album Review: Clocking in at just under thirty minutes, Mean Well, the second full-length release from Connecticut band Queen Moo, reinvents rock ‘n’ roll in ways you didn’t know … Read more
Broken Social Scene Hug Of Thunder Arts & Crafts [2017] Fire Note Says: All killer, no filler. Album Review: For a band with as many members as Broken Social Scene (15 to be exact), an album can go one of two ways. It could be a messy cacophony that never manages to have a unified … Read more
Perfume Genius No Shape Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Perfume Genius is perfectly realized on their latest. Album Review: Mike Hadreas, who performs as Perfume Genius, is a star that continues to burn brighter and brighter. No Shape, his fourth full-length album, sees the artist perform and compose with confidence and experience. Hadreas excels … Read more
Guided By Voices How Do You Spell Heaven GBV, Inc. [2017] Fire Note Says: The revamped Guided By Voices continue their hot streak with an instant classic. Album Review: You can be forgiven for missing some of Robert Pollard’s output – the discography is indeed deep and daunting. That said, let me put this right … Read more
Dove Lady One DZ Tapes / Inflated Records [2017] Who: DC-based spastic noise rock duo. Sound: Dove Lady dish out a disarming array of influences and styles on One. ‘Debut of the Year’ honors should be a lock for this fantastic album. TFN Final Take: Dove Lady’s One is a wildly unpredictable debut album. Over … Read more
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface Loma Vista Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: A decade in, Adam Hull and Manchester Orchestra manage to stretch and grow their sound without losing connections to the passion and angst of their celebrated early work. Album Review: There’s an often unspoken challenge for artists that find a … Read more
En Route Then Is A Song Flower Girl Records [2017] Who: En Route is a collective of some of Philadelphia’s most accomplished underground punk musicians. Sound: In five drifting, heavy and quietly groundbreaking songs, En Route makes clear their intention to lead the slowcore revival. TFN Final Take: En Route’s first EP “then is a … Read more
Christian Fitness Slap Bass Hunks Prescriptions Music [2017] Who: Andrew Falkous’ one man band project, Christian Fitness, is a vital off-shoot of his past work with Mclusky and Future of the Left . Sound: Slap Bass Hunks continues Christian Fitness’ trend of releasing creative post-hardcore noise rock. Four excellent albums in four years. TFN Final … Read more
Elf Power Twitching In Time Orange Twin Records [2017] Who: One of the more resilient acts from the fabled Elephant Six Collective, Elf Power is still making incredible music. Sound: Twitching In Time is one of Elf Power’s best albums. Their blend of psychedelic power pop remains timeless and always welcome. TFN Final Take: Fourteen … Read more
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Labels fail Outlaw country musicians, but Jason Isbell delivers a great record in the tradition of great roots rockers and country players. Album Review: For the record, there has long been a vein of outlaw music running through what has … Read more
Flotation Toy Warning The Machine That Made Us Talitres [2017] Fire Note Says: Flotation Toy Warning returns after a 13-year hiatus and deliver a staggering masterpiece. Album Review: To say that I have been eagerly awaiting this album for some time would be a bit of an understatement. 2004’s Bluffer’s Guide to the Flight Deck … Read more
Emperor X Oversleepers International Tiny Engines [2017] Fire Note Says: Offering an up-tempo lyrical tour of politics and contemporary despair, Oversleepers International will bewilder listeners and keep them on their toes with genre-bending arrangements. Album Review: If Conor Oberst had a knack for pop and dropped out of a Political Science PhD. program, he might’ve … Read more
Big Thief Capacity Saddle Creek Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Second album from Brooklyn quartet is more varied, more broken, more human. Album Review: After the clamour and scrawl of Big Thief’s debut album, Masterpiece, it might be a surprise to some that they start their follow up album, Capacity, with the track “Pretty Things” … Read more
R. Ring Ignite The Rest SofaBurn Records [2017] Who: Kelley Deal (Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline) join forces for their debut LP. Sound: Ignite the Rest is a stunning full length debut from R. Ring. It is so good that I have quit whining about wanting another Breeders LP…almost. TFN Final Take: To be truthful, … Read more
The Rubs Impossible Dream HoZac Records [2017] Who: The Rubs hail from Chicago and Impossible Dream is their sophomore album. Sound: Impossible Dream is a solid power pop album that has classic recording vibes that will remind you of Big Star while singer Joey Rubbish floats out some Elvis Costello type chops. The modern roll … Read more
Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 Mercury Records Nashville [2017] Fire Note Says: Chris Stapleton has arrived just in time to save country music from itself. Album Review: By the time, Chris Stapleton got around to releasing his 2015 solo debut, Traveller, he’d pretty much proved there he was an artist deeply rooted in … Read more
CFM Dichotomy Desaturated In The Red Records [2017] Who: Charles Francis Moothart, aka CFM, continues to branch out on his second solo LP. Sound: Dichotomy Desaturated is a bit of a departure from Moothart’s past work with Ty Segall, Mikal Cronin and Fuzz. TFN Final Take: Charles Francis Moothart’s second solo LP as CFM is … Read more
Various Artists Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition) Sony/Legacy Recordings [2017] Fire Note Says: The soundtrack that captured a change – This is the story of grunge. Album Review: There are not many records that capture an era like the Singles Soundtrack. Grunge stormed the scene in 1991 with the explosion of Nirvana, Pearl … Read more
Pile A Hairshirt Of Purpose Exploding In Sound Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Pile’s A Hairshirt of Purpose is an iconic slab of indie noise rock. One of the best releases for 2017! Album Review: Boston-based Pile pull off another stunning effort with A Hairshirt of Purpose. I have been listening to this album for … Read more
Laura Marling Semper Femina Kobalt Music [2017] Fire Note Says: The prolific Laura Marling keeps improving. Album Review: You don’t read or hear much about Laura Marling without her age (27) and number of albums (6) coming up. Now that that has been taken care of, what else is important to know about her? The … Read more
Slowdive Slowdive Dead Oceans [2017] Who: Slowdive is Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christian Savill (guitar), Nick Chaplin (bass), Rachel Goswell (vocals) and Simon Scott (drums, electronics). Their debut album, Just For A Day, was released in 1991 and after two more records the group disbanded in 1995. Sound: Today Slowdive fall into the dream … Read more
Sorority Noise You’re Not As_____As You Think Triple Crown Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Ever-evolving emo rockers Sorority Noise fully come into their own on their third full length, deftly blending anguish, wisdom and their trademark massive guitars to produce a mature, extremely well-balanced record. Album Review: Sorority Noise is a complicated band. For every … Read more