St. Lenox Ten Songs About Memory And Hope Anyway Records [2015] Fire Note Says: St. Lenox’s debut is an emotional experience. Album Review: Andrew Choi, the principal of St. Lenox, has an interesting story. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Ohio State University and also some law school (at NYU) under his belt, you … Read more
Benjamin Booker Benjamin Booker ATO Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Benjamin Booker’s debut LP is ambitious and fun. Album Review: Benjamin Booker might have put out the best blues-rock album in 2014. In a year in which such high-profile acts like The Black Keys, Jack White, and Black Pistol Fire put out new albums, this … Read more
The Dodos Individ Polyvinyl Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The Dodos play to their strengths on Individ. Album Review: The Dodos are the California-based duo consisting of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber. Their music has been defined through their now six albums as songs full of intricate guitar-playing and drumming. Long and Kroeber seemed to … Read more
Panda Bear Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper Domino Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Panda Bear’s latest is more accessible and tuneful. Album Review: Animal Collective and one of its core members Noah Lennox have been on the cutting edge of indie music for the past 15 years. Lennox performs as a solo act under … Read more
Luluc Passerby Sub Pop Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Luluc’s Passerby is a perfect album for a quiet wintry day. Album Review: Luluc’s sophomore album Passerby came out in July of 2014 and went unnoticed in some parts (like The Fire Note, for example). In spite of the Australian duo’s pedigree and lush songwriting, it … Read more
Sturgill Simpson Metamodern Sounds in Country Music High Top Mountain Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sturgill Simpson’s country album transcends the genre. Album Review: Ask someone what kind of music they like and the response is typically I like everything but…. If you, like me, are wont to respond with “country music” please do not … 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 early next week but clearly everyone has different tastes and ideas when naming the best album released in 2014. So … Read more
Bush Man On The Run BMG [2014] Fire Note Says: Bush pleases the crowd with the hard-rocking Man On The Run. Album Review: As a child of the 80’s and 90’s there is something comforting about the bands of my youth sticking around and putting out new content. Bush was one of the biggest outfits … Read more
Dads I’ll Be The Tornado 6131 Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Dads brings a grunge aesthetic with a modern twist with I’ll Be The Tornado. Album Review: Dads is a New Jersey-based duo consisting of John Bradley (drums and vocals) and Scott Scharinger (guitar and vocals). Their style can be described as 1990’s-inspired indie rock. … Read more
Flying Lotus You’re Dead! Warp Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Flying Lotus defies description with You’re Dead. Album Review: Flying Lotus, nee Steven Ellison, can be counted on to make interesting music. His latest, You’re Dead!, ups that factor by a degree or two. This is Flying Lotus’ fifth studio album and his experience is … Read more
OK Go Hungry Ghosts Paracadute/BMG Records [2014] Fire Note Says: OK Go’s Hungry Ghosts is fun and lively. Album Review: It’s tempting to start a review of an OK Go album by talking about treadmills or Nike+. That is to say, the band may be better known as a marketing concept rather than as creators … Read more
Bishop Allen Lights Out Dead Oceans [2014] Fire Note Says: Bishop Allen returns with a solid if unspectacular effort. Album Review: Bishop Allen had been on a five-year hiatus until the release of their fourth LP Lights Out in August 2014. The Boston band’s primary members are Justin Rice and Christian Rudder; this album showcases … Read more
Generationals Alix Polyvinyl Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Generationals’ Alix is a hit or miss affair. Album Review: Generationals is a New Orleans-based duo that consists of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer. Alix is their fourth studio album (in the last five years) and follows their trend of throwback psychedelic pop. The pair expands their … Read more
Zola Jesus Taiga Mute Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Zola Jesus’s fifth studio album continues the trend of a career of strong output. Album Review: Zola Jesus makes pop music for people who like to think. For people who like for their pop to have a sharp serrated edge to it. In that sense Zola … Read more
Boris Noise Sargent House [2014] Fire Note Says: Listening to Boris can feel like a new cultural experience. Album Review: Boris is a difficult band to describe. The Japanese trio, which for a time carried a fourth member, has been incredibly prolific in their 18+ year career. Noise is their 19th LP but their first … Read more
The New Pornographers Brill Bruisers Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: The New Pornographers deliver once again. Album Review: The New Pornographers are fourteen years in and still making great music. The magic that the band has captured over the years is to mix each member’s unique voice and attitude into a whole that somehow … Read more
Bear In Heaven Time Is Over One Day Old Dead Oceans [2014] Fire Note Says: Bear In Heaven sticks with their sound for better and worse on Time Is Over One Day Old. Album Review: Bear In Heaven is one of those bands with a distinctive sound. You know when you’re listening to a Bear … Read more
The Gaslight Anthem Get HurtUniversal Music [2014] The Gaslight Anthem returns on their fifth LP of new material with Get Hurt. The cover of the album is an upside-down heart – you know what you’re in for with the title and cover. The New Jersey band had a breakout sophomore album with The ‘59 Sound, … Read more
Spoon They Want My Soul Loma Vista/Republic Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Spoon’s They Want My Soul is a near-perfect return to form. Album Review: Thank God for Spoon. There were many signs pointing to the demise of the rock band that truly owned the first decade of the new millennium with albums like Girls … Read more
Army Navy The Wilderness Inside The Fever Zone Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Power-pop purveyors Army Navy’s third LP is polished and professional. Album Review: Los Angeles’ Army Navy is fronted by Justin Kennedy, who has bounced around indie music for quite a while now. Louie Schultz and Dougal Randall round out the band, whose … Read more
Bleachers Strange Desire RCA Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Check out Bleachers for an entertaining yet introspective summer album. Album Review: On the surface there are a lot of reasons to not give Bleachers a chance. The “band” is essentially the work and side project of Jack Antonoff, the guitarist for fun. On top of … Read more
Sharon Van Etten Are We There Jagjaguwar [2014] Fire Note Says: Sharon Van Etten’s Are We There is a luscious, dense album. Album Review: Sharon Van Etten is probably a familiar name to most of you now. Linked to such other bands like The National and The Antlers, Van Etten continues to make a name … Read more
Taking Back Sunday Happiness Is Hopeless Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Taking Back Sunday’s sixth album is highly listenable. Album Review: Taking Back Sunday is one of those bands that keeps churning out albums with little fanfare but with a polished, professional sound. Happiness Is is the New York band’s sixth studio album and seemingly … Read more
How To Dress Well What Is This Heart? Weird World Recording Co. [2014] Fire Note Says: How To Dress Well strikes again with another soulful release. Album Review: The cover of How To Dress Well’s sophomore LP, What Is This Heart?, is simply a close-up photo portrait of Tom Krell, the man behind How To … Read more
††† (Crosses) ††† Sumerian Records [2014] Fire Note Says: ††† debut has both highs and lows. Album Review: ††† is the combination of the Deftones lead man Chino Moreno, Far guitarist Shaun Lopez, and Chuck Doom. If you’re familiar with the Deftones, ††† is a slightly more subdued, industrial style of music. I was most … Read more