Snail Mail – “Heat Wave” [Video]

Here is the single and accompanying video for “Heat Wave,” from Snail Mail. The track is taken from her debut album Lush, which is out June 8th on Matador Records. Snail Mail is 18-year-old songwriter and guitar virtuoso Lindsey Jordan which you will see and hear on “Heat Wave.”

The video, directed by Brandon Herman, showcases Jordan’s ice hockey skills, a throwback to her days on the high-school team. “I hadn’t actually been on skates since I quit the high school team junior year, so immediately jumping into shooting this was equal parts difficult and super fun,” Jordan says.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Sparkle Hard [Album Review]

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Sparkle Hard Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Stephen Malkmus’ 7th album with The Jicks continues to explore diverse musical approaches from his own post-punk point of view, with the aid of producer Chris Funk, of the Decemberists. Album Review: If you include the 5 albums Stephen Malkmus made as … Read more

Car Seat Headrest: Twin Fantasy [Album Review]

Car Seat Headrest Twin Fantasy Matador Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Car Seat Headrest give the original 2011 Twin Fantasy a shot of rock adrenaline. Album Review: Twin Fantasy is a re-recorded, re-imagined new version of Will Toledo’s 2011 self-released Bandcamp record of the same name. Toledo will for sure take some critical hits for … Read more

Julien Baker: Turn Out The Lights [Album Review]

Julien Baker Turn Out The Lights 6131/Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Julien Baker tells a story that you instantly will want to hear again. Album Review: When we first heard Julien Baker on her 2015 debut, Sprained Ankle, you had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last from the young Memphis artist. Her delicate … Read more

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile: Lotta Sea Lice [Album Review]

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile Lotta Sea Lice Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: You are invited to the conversation between Courtney and Kurt. Album Review: In today’s indie music scene I cannot think of that many pairings that have an equal rising momentum of Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett. Both successful singer/songwriters in their … Read more

Queens Of The Stone Age: Villains [Album Review]

Queens Of The Stone Age Villains Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: In a world of posers, Homme and Co. return to maintain the fact that rock can still be cool. Album Review: Queens of the Stone Age have been making records since 1998. In fact, frontman Josh Homme has been influencing music ever since … Read more

Perfume Genius: No Shape [Album Review]

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

Spoon: Hot Thoughts [Album Review]

Spoon Hot Thoughts Matador Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Austin’s Spoon returns with another strong collection, emphasizing keyboards over a disco beat, and jazzy inclinations. Album Review: In a world that is constantly changing, and as likely to disappoint as often as it pleases, we’ll always be able to count on Spoon, the Austin indie … Read more

Savages: Adore Life [Album Review]

Savages Adore Life Matador Records [2016] Fire Note Says: Fiery London four piece prove their debut album was no fluke. Album Review: Right from the start these ladies had something to say. They posted their manifesto on the walls of the London clubs they played and on their Facebook page. Before hearing a single note … Read more

Majical Cloudz: Are You Alone? [Album Review]

Majical Cloudz Are You Alone? Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: An album that searches for sincerity in a space that has been salted with cliché, Are You Alone? builds an immersive world around love and loneliness. Album Review: When my infant daughter couldn’t sleep in the depths winter, I’d sometimes let her lie on … Read more

Car Seat Headrest: Teens Of Style [Album Review]

Car Seat Headrest Teens Of Style Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: This lo-fi pop shows true promise! Album Review: Discovery of new music is a wonderful thing. I can name countless bands that I thought should be huge and just wowed me after I heard their basement tapes. I can also think of a … Read more

Kurt Vile: b’lieve i’m goin’ (deep) down… [Album Review]

Kurt Vile b’lieve i’m goin’ (deep) down… Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Kurt Vile is back with another great sounding storybook. Album Review: Like bands, the singer/songwriter can be broken down into categories. You have your super voices grouping that I still use Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith as the bar for comparison, there … Read more

Algiers: “And When You Fall”

London and New York-based trio Algiers today released a new video for “And When You Fall,” which features a heady mix of live performance footage and visuals shot on VHS at night in various locations around London. Directed by Lamb & Sea, who Algiers previously worked with on their “Blood,” “Black Eunuch,” and “Irony. Utility. Pretext.” videos, the video is filled with fast cuts that mimic the driving percussion and haunting howls of frontman Franklin James Fisher.

Algiers is currently on a headlining tour of major markets throughout North America, playing Los Angeles tonight and culminating with a show at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on October 11th. The tour continues in Europe throughout October and November, and the full list of tour dates can be found below.

Tour Dates:
Sep 28: The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood CA
Sep 30: The Independent, San Francisco CA
Oct 2: Kilby Court, Salt Lake City UT
Oct 3: Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
Oct 5: Firebird, St. Louis MO
Oct 6: The Empty Bottle, Chicago IL
Oct 7: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland OH
Oct 8: Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ON
Oct 9: Bar Le Ritz PDB, Montreal QC
Oct 11: Rough Trade, Brooklyn NY
Oct 27: Loppen, Copenhagen DK
Oct 29: Strom, Munich, DE
Oct 30: Mousonturm, Frankfurt, DE
Oct 31: Badehaus Szimpla, Berlin, DE
Nov 1: Motolow, Hamberg, DE
Nov 2: Gebaude 9, Cologne, DE
Nov 3: Beautes Soniques Festival, Namar, BE
Nov 4: AB Club, Brussels, BE
Nov 6: The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, UK
Nov 7: Gulliver’s, Manchester, UK
Nov 8: The Hope, Brighton, UK
Nov 9: The Lexington, London, UK
Nov 11: Les Inrocks, Paris, FR
Nov 12: Festival Les Indisciplines, Lorient, FR
Nov 13: La Cartonnerie, Reims, FR
Nov 14: Sonic Visions Festival, Luxembourg
Nov 16: La Coope, Cermont Ferrand, FR
Nov 17: Le Ninkasi Cafe, Lyon, FR
Nov 19: Frion, Fribourg, CH

Car Seat Headrest: “Something Soon”



Matador Records has announced that it has signed Car Seat Headrest and will release Teens of Style on October 30, with Teens of Denial to follow soon after in 2016. This prolific artist (né Will Toledo) comes to Matador having already crafted an 11-album catalog of staggering depth, all self-released on Bandcamp, which has gained him an obsessive following and over 25,000 downloads.

Car Seat Headrest has also dropped its first-ever official video for single “Something Soon,” directed by Jason Reid. The video features Toledo and his bandmates in an abandoned house on Bainbridge Island, WA, acting out variety of skewed domestic scenes: lightbulb microphones, destruction of household appliances, bathtub nudity, and the burning of a cargo box coffin.

Pavement: The Secret History, Vol. 1 [Album Review]

Pavement The Secret History, Vol. 1 Matador Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: I am assuming that if you clicked on this review you are already a Pavement fan. This first in the series of Pavement extras is great if you base it on the music alone. The B-sides are necessities for fans and the … Read more

Belle And Sebastian: Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance [Album Review]

Belle And Sebastian Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance Matador Records [2015] Fire Note Says: By combining 60’s pop hooks with a disco beat Belle And Sebastian have redefined their signature sound! Album Review: Has it really been almost five years since we last had a new Belle and Sebastian record? Apparently so, and truth … Read more

Thurston Moore: The Best Day [Album Review]

Thurston Moore The Best Day Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: A thrilling, gorgeous record from an indie icon. Album Review: At this point in his career, which has spanned across the better part of 4 decades, Thurston Moore doesn’t have many surprises up his sleeve. He has done it all, from being in a … Read more

Iceage: Plowing Into The Field Of Love [Album Review]

Iceage Plowing Into The Field Of Love Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Iceage continue to offer something unique. Album Review: Three albums in and Copenhagen’s Iceage continue to evolve and push the limits of their sound. Their debut of DIY post-punk rock took people by storm and last year’s sophomore effort, You’re Nothing, found … Read more

The New Pornographers: Brill Bruisers [Album Review]

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

The Young: Chrome Cactus [Album Review]

The Young Chrome Cactus Matador Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Texans kicking up goth-tinged tumbleweeds. Album Review: “Oh, good,” I thought at the first riffs of lead track “Metal Flake”, “someone is finally aping [Urge Overkill’s] Saturation.” This didn’t stick, but it’s a starting point. The riffs and grooves are the stars here: the vocals … Read more

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks: Wig Out At Jagbags [Album Review]

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