Lucy Dacus presents “VBS,” a new single/video from her forthcoming album, Home Video, out June 25th on Matador Records. Like the previously released “Hot & Heavy” and “Thumbs,” “VBS” starts the way a memoir might – “In the summer of ‘07 I was sure I’d go to heaven, but I was hedging my bets at … Read more
We already told you about the fantastic new Headphone Approved album from Mdou Moctar titled Afrique Victime. If you missed it make sure you circle back around to the review but only after you watch the second video from the album “Taliat’” The video follows Moctar through his town and also shows the English translation … Read more
Mdou MoctarAfrique VictimeMatador Records [2021] If I was asked to name a stand out guitarist on the indie scene today I would absolutely and confidently say Mdou Moctar. This name for sure would get blank stares from many and I would follow up my answer with something like “C’mon, you don’t know the Tuareg guitarist … Read more
The Goon Sax will be releasing their new album Mirror II on July 9th via Matador Records. The band’s third album and first for Matador, Mirror lI is a new beginning: a multi-dimensional eclectic journey of musical craftsmanship that moves from disco to folk to no wave skronk with staggering cohesion. The first-person narratives of … Read more
Norman Records out of the UK is celebrating their 25th anniversary in existence with some great exclusive vinyl pressings. Next up is Yo La Tengo’s 2006 record, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass. Another solid record in the Yo La Tengo discography and this limited version won’t last long … Read more
On May 21, Matador Records will release Afrique Victime, the new album by Mdou Moctar. With Afrique Victime the prodigious Tuareg guitarist and songwriter rips a new hole in the sky – boldly reforging contemporary Saharan music and “rock music” by melding guitar pyrotechnics, full-blast noise, and field recordings with poetic meditations on love, religion, … Read more
Julien BakerLittle OblivionsMatador Records [2021] “Until then I’ll split the difference / Between medicine and poison / Take what I can get away with / While it burns right through my stomach” is just one of the very first devastating lyrics you will hear from Julien Baker on the opening track “Hardline” from her third … Read more
Spoon’s Girls Can Tell ranks very high in TFN list of indie releases. To mark this weeks’ 20th anniversary of Spoon’s third studio album Girls Can Tell, here is the recently re-unearthed rarity, the accurately-named “Lines In The Suit – 30 Minutes Old (1999 Home Demo).” You can read what founder Britt Daniel had to … Read more
Julien Baker has shared another single from her forthcoming album Little Oblivions by way of a new single, “Favor”. The track follows up Baker’s previously released singles, “Hardline” and “Faith Healer.” Little Oblivions will be available everywhere on February 26th (Matador Records). “I used to think about myself, like I was a talented liar,” Baker … Read more
On December 11th, Matador will release GANG OF FOUR: 77-81, a stunning, limited edition box set gathering Gang of Four’s influential early work. The box set contains Entertainment! and Solid Gold (both remastered from the original analog tapes), an exclusive singles LP, and an exclusive double LP of the never officially released Live at American … Read more
Julien Baker will release her third studio album, Little Oblivions, on February 26 via Matador Records. She has now revealed the first look at the album via “Faith Healer.” She says, “Put most simply, I think that ‘Faith Healer’ is a song about vices, both the obvious and the more insidious ways that they show … Read more
Today, we reintroduce you to the men of Chavez — Matt Sweeney, James Lo, Clay Tarver, and Scott Marshall — whose debut full-length, Gone Glimmering, will be reissued on 10/23. You can pre-order a copy of the newly expanded Gone Glimmering HERE First released on May 23, 1995 Gone Glimmering remains an unparalleled slab of … Read more
Muzz MuzzMatador Records [2020] According the dictionary, “muzz” is a transitive verb which is British slang that means “to confuse” someone, or make them muzzy, which suggests that someone might be ill or drunk, while to make a picture “muzzy” means it’s unclear or out of focus. Which makes it a curious choice for a … Read more
Perfume Genius Set My Heart On Fire ImmediatelyMatador Records [2020] You get the sense listening to the fifth album from Perfume Genius, aka Mike Hadreas, that at heart he’s a torch singer. Whatever the musical direction or production style an individual track takes – and he does just about everything here, from dirge-y electronica to … Read more
Car Seat HeadrestMaking A Door Less OpenMatador Records [2020] Making new music is always a risk for any artist with a catalog. Stray too far from what your fans know may alienate an entire group of followers while churning out the same type of songs can create a stale and flat arc for a band … Read more
Stephen Malkmus Traditional TechniquesMatador Records [2020] Stephen Malkmus has been on a creative tear of late, releasing a band record with The Jicks in 2018 after four years away, Sparkle Hard, and an experimental solo record dabbling in electronica last year, Groove Denied. On his third release in as many years, Malkmus continues to experiment, … Read more
Kim Gordon No Home Record Matador Records [2019] Fire Note Says: After a long career playing bass in Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon steps out solo on an artful, noisy piece of self-expression that has a beat you can dance to. Album Review: Pretty sure the first time I saw Kim Gordon’s band Sonic Youth live … Read more
Belle And Sebastian Days Of The Bagnold Summer Matador Records [2019] Album Review: Although it’s been four year since the last full-length album by the indie-pop/alternative band Belle and Sebastian, from Glasgow, Scotland, this new release might not qualify exactly as its latest release, as Days of the Bagnold Summer is a soundtrack album for … Read more
Spoon Everything Hits At Once: The Best Of Spoon Matador Records [2019] Who: Spanning a career well into its third decade, Spoon has released this greatest hits compilation that includes the new track “No Bullets Spent.” Sound: Spoon has evolved from the grittier indie rock with Pixies influence to the present where they deliver songs … Read more
Stephen Malkmus Groove Denied Matador Records [2019] Who: Frontman for Pavement and The Jicks confidently releases another solo project. Sound: With a backbone of synth and beats, Malkmus offers up something different that walks a closer line to Beck but the album still shows flashes of Pavement as well. TFN Final Take: I will tell … Read more
Steve Gunn The Unseen In Between Matador Records [2019] Who: Guitarist/vocalist Steve Gunn is a name that probably is still unknown by many but over the last ten years he has released several highly praised solo records and collaborated with artists like Mike Cooper, Kurt Vile, and Michael Chapman (whose most recent studio album he … Read more
Kurt Vile Bottle It In Matador Records [2018] Who: Co-founder of War on Drugs, Vile is a singer-songwriter that is now on his seventh solo record and has been on Matador Records since 2011. He also released a record with Courtney Barnett last year. Sound: Vile has a very laidback and drifting guitar rock approach … Read more
Interpol Marauder Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Most songs on the new Interpol will fit nicely into a live set. Album Review: New York post-punk rockers Interpol return for a 6th album, this time relying on an outside producer after taking things in-house on the last two. Working with David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Spoon, … Read more
Iceage Beyondless Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Iceage is energetic, dark, and surprising on their latest effort. Album Review: Danish punk four-piece Iceage is back with their first album in four years (and fourth LP overall), Beyondless. Punk is going a lot of directions these days, and Iceage has decided to enlist horns and … Read more
Snail Mail Lush Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Snail Mail’s impressive debut matches strong songwriting chops with impeccably layered arrangements Album Review: As a quick glance at any news channel or app will attest, we’re living in interesting, complicated times here in the middle of 2018. So it’s refreshing when an artist comes along … Read more