Little Comets Life Is Elsewhere Dualtone Music Group [2013] Fire Note Says: Little Comets’ indie pop leaves a sunny impression on Life Is Elsewhere. Album Review: The UK’s Little Comets second LP Life Is Elsewhere was actually released in Great Britain about a year ago. Here in the U.S. we now get the chance to … Read more
Zola Jesus Versions Sacred Bones Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Zola Jesus makes a bold play with uneven payoff on Versions. Album Review: Zola Jesus’s fourth LP Versions is a collaboration with a string quartet led by J.G. Thirlwell. The album’s concept is to take songs in the Zola Jesus catalog and strip them to … Read more
Paper Lions My Friends Fountain Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Paper Lions’ power pop returns with comforting steadiness on My Friends. Album Review: Prince Edward Island’s Paper Lions’ fifth album My Friends reminded me very much of an album I reviewed earlier this year, Noah And The Whale’s Heart of Nowhere. In fact My … Read more
No Age An Object Sub Pop Records [2013] Fire Note Says: No Age continues to perfect their garage psychedelia sound with An Object. Album Review: Los Angelinos Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt (the two principals of No Age) return with their fourth long-player, An Object. The album title is an interesting statement – I … Read more
Long Lost Save Yourself, Start Again No Sleep Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Long Lost’s debut is a catchy collection with Save Yourself, Start Again. Album Review: Long Lost is the culmination of collaboration between Transit’s Joe Boynton and Vinny Comeau. The pair worked with Aviv Moritz (drums), Mat Morin (guitar), and Mike Moschetto (bass) … Read more
Junior Astronomers Dead Nostalgia Broken Circles Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Junior Astronomers’ debut Dead Nostalgia is a punkish step towards greatness. Album Review: Junior Astronomers is a punk band from Charlotte, NC. They leave the Southern fried on the side and go full punk (with some mainstream influences) on their debut album Dead Nostalgia. … Read more
Gladiola Off You Go Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Gladiola’s third album Off You Go is a mode. Album Review: Gladiola is an independent band in the truest sense. They self-produced and self-released their latest LP Off You Go. The band is based out of Massachusetts and consists of Bill Madden-Fuoco (vocals and guitar), Chris … Read more
Jay Z Magna Carta…Holy Grail Universal Music Group [2013] Fire Note Says: Jay Z offers up something for all music lovers with Magna Carta…Holy Grail. Album Review: I’m going to imagine that there is not a huge overlap between readers of The Fire Note and fans of Jay Z. However if you’re like me and … Read more
Atlas Genius When It Was Now Warner Bros. Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Atlas Genius crafts an indie pop gem with When It Was Now. Album Review: Atlas Genius’s core is two brothers, Keith and Michael Jeffery. Having seen the band perform at Bunbury 2013 this summer, the band’s live lineup much bigger. Atlas Genius … Read more
Coloured Clocks Nectarine Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Coloured Clocks’ Nectarine sunny psychedelic sound is perfect for a lazy summer day. Album Review: Coloured Clocks is the project of James Wallace, who is from Melbourne. The style of music is described on their bandcamp page as psychedelic, ambient, and chillwave. Given that we have an … Read more
Elway Leavetaking Red Scare Industries [2013] Fire Note Says: Elway’s pop-punk stylings in Leavetaking are full throttle from start to finish. Album Review: Elway is definitely the best band ever named for a quarterback taken in the storied first round of the 1983 NFL draft. Sorry Laces Out Marino! (not a real band), Jim Kelly: … Read more
Bell X1 Chop Chop BellyUp Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bell X1’s 6th LP is assured while being subdued. Album Review: Ireland’s Bell X1 has changed up their sound with their sixth studio album Chop Chop. The country’s second biggest band after U2 worked with The National producer Peter Katis and with Thomas Bartlett, who … Read more
Casey Black Lay You In The Loam CatBeach Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Casey Black crafts a deep album that tightens its grip with each listen. Album Review: Casey Black’s fourth LP Lay You In The Loam faced an uphill battle with me. Black has a baritone voice that is distinct and either one you … Read more
Belgrade Belgrade Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Belgrade creates a nuanced, easy-to-miss alternative rock album. Album Review: Belgrade is an indie rock band from Philadelphia that specializes in straightforward alternative that harken back to the late 90s and early 2000s. At first I wondered when Ed Roland from Collective Soul became the lead singer for … Read more
Thundercat Apocalypse Brainfeeder [2013] Fire Note Says: Thundercat’s sophomore effort is a psychedelic soul experience. Album Review: Stephen Bruner, playing under the name Thundercat, returns with a solid second outing in Apocalypse. Thundercat collaborated with Flying Lotus on this album and the spacey, trippy sounds reflect the two artists’ sensibilities. On Apocalypse you’ll find a … Read more
Pity Sex Feast Of Love Run For Cover Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Pity Sex makes an instantly familiar but irresistible album with Feast of Love. Album Review: A band with the name Pity Sex is asking for attention. You may think that the name is a cover-up for inconsequential mediocre music (think LMFAO, or … Read more
I Am Empire Anchors Tooth & Nail Records [2013] Fire Note Says: I Am Empire makes a compelling case with Anchors. Album Review: I Am Empire is a four-piece band coming out of San Jose, CA. Anchors is their third overall LP (second with their current label Tooth & Nail Records). For the most part … Read more
Ben Folds Five Live Sony Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ben Folds Five puts out a fan-pleasing but uneven live album. Album Review: One of the songs that I most identify with high school is “Underground.” I remember driving my blue Chevy Beretta to school, listening to the radio (94.1) and there being this weird … Read more
Surfer Blood Pythons Warner Bros. Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Surfer Blood’s sophomore effort is cleaner but less charming than their debut. Album Review: Surfer Blood’s debut album Astro Coast was one of the best albums of 2010. The four-piece from Florida wowed with their guitar skills and lo-fi production, which combined to form a … Read more
Filter The Sun Comes Out Tonight Wind-Up Records [2013] Fire Note Says: With feet firmly planted in the 1990s, Filter makes a fresh, nostalgic album. Album Review: It’s safe to say Filter commercially peaked on their first two albums, which produced the singles “Hey Man Nice Shot” and “Take a Picture.” I can still see … Read more
City And Colour The Hurry And The Harm 10 Spot [2013] Fire Note Says: City and Colour’s fourth LP is vibrant and forthright. Album Review: City and Colour’s primary member is Dallas Green, former lead singer of the band Alexisonfire (and not the former baseball manager though that would be awesome). City and Colour used … Read more
Noah And The Whale Heart Of Nowhere Mercury Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Noah and the Whale’s fourth LP sputters after a strong start. Album Review: Noah and the Whale returns with their fourth LP Heart of Nowhere. Not being too familiar with the band prior to this album, their pop/folk stylings were a nice … Read more
The Boxer Rebellion Promises Universal Music Group [2013] Fire Note Says: The Boxer Rebellion perfects their knockout punch on their fourth LP Promises. Album Review: Sometimes an album grabs you for no good reason – all the analysis and critical thought can’t begin to explain the why’s or how’s. This is what happened to me … Read more
Camera Obscura Desire Lines 4AD Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Camera Obscura keep their sound familiar and fresh on their fifth LP. Album Review: Camera Obscura have been making music for the past 15 years; their newest release Desire Lines is instantly identifiable with the sound they have created over that time period. The Scottish … Read more
R.E.M. Live In Greensboro EP Warner Bros. Records [2013] Fire Note Says: R.E.M. gives a taste of their musicianship on the Live in Greensboro EP. Album Review: As part of Record Store Day 2013, an EP from R.E.M. was released that included live tracks taken from performances in Greensboro, NC in 1989. These tracks are … Read more