Laura Stevenson Wheel Don Giovanni Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Laura Stevenson’s Wheel offers a variety of simple, organic Americana music. Album Review: Laura Stevenson gives the listener a lot with her third album, Wheel. It’s almost country, a little bit rock, and mostly Americana. With a league of instruments, lap steel, mandolin, banjo, trumpet, … 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
Double Dagger 333 Thrill Jockey Records [2013] Fire Note Says: An incredible swan song from Double Dagger! Album Review: Baltimore’s Double Dagger, broke up in late 2011, and their final record, 333, is now seeing the light of day. The trio has now gone their separate ways, playing with the likes of Roomrunner, Peals, and … Read more
Kodaline Kodaline EP RCA Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Kodaline’s debut EP shows that the up and coming band has promise. Album Review: Kodaline released a digital only self-titled EP last year that has recently gained momentum because of the inclusion of its song “All I Want” on Grey’s Anatomy. The song sounds like it … Read more
Victory Victory Is Music Reserva Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Catchy, if slightly unoriginal, bedroom rock from LA based band, Victory. Album Review: Victory is the project of Robert Fleming, a Los Angeles resident who has clearly studied his Spoon records. So much so, that for the first two listens, all I could think of … Read more
The Neighbourhood I Love You. Columbia Records [2013] Fire Note Says: With I Love You., The Neighbourhood introduces an album that is many different things, but has something most alternative and indie rock listeners will enjoy. Album Review: Blending ambient, emo sound with upbeat, quirky pop, The Neighbourhood’s debut album, I Love You., presents the … Read more
Thee Oh Sees Floating Coffin Castle Face Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Thee Oh Sees continue to dominate their little garage of horrors. Album Review: I cannot believe that I’m already talking about a new Thee Oh Sees album. What’s even crazier is, while not as dynamic, still it hits the mark just as their … Read more
The Appleseed Cast Illumination Ritual Graveface Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Appleseed Cast return to their roots and create one of their best albums to date! Album Review: The Appleseed Cast have been around the block a few times and with each lap have always brought a slightly different musical approach that typically would … Read more
Luke Winslow-King The Coming Tide Bloodshot Records [2013] Fire Note Says: He may be originally from Cadillac, Michigan but Luke Winslow-King has New Orleans firmly running through his blood! Album Review: Have you ever listened to a record that doesn’t blow you away but yet it sticks? That is exactly my feeling on the Bloodshot … Read more
Phoenix Bankrupt! Glassnote Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Phoenix took their time but come back with plenty of new avenues. Album Review: Like many other bands coming off their biggest record, French electro-indie-pop artist Phoenix cautiously approached their follow up here as it has been four years since Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix took the scene by … Read more
British Sea Power Machineries Of Joy Rough Trade Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Machineries of Joy pleases with its maturity and artistic growth. Album Review: The biggest critique of the 80% of the recorded work of British Sea Power, is that it doesn’t sound like the first album, The Decline of British Sea Power. Well, … Read more