Secret Colours Peach Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Secret Colours check all the boxes when it comes to psychedelia. Album Review: Leave it to a band like Chicago’s Secret Colours to right my wrongs and relieve my muddled mind. Debating review scores, struggling for references, and more times than not writing myself into a corner, … Read more
Blood Ceremony The Eldritch Dark Rise Above Records [2013] Fire Note Says: If Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull had a love child – this would be it. Album Review: The occult rock phenomenon that has taken hold of the metal world had a beginning and it was Canada’s Blood Ceremony. The blueprint had been there … Read more
Oblivians Desperation In The Red Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Memphis legends return with a strong blast of garage punk! Album Review: A funny thing happed over the 15 years that have passed since the Oblivians last put out an album. Hard, fast and dirty garage rock exploded, then died off, and has exploded again. … Read more
ASG Blood Drive Relapse Records [2013] Fire Note Says: ASG’s Blood Drive delivers a satisfying metal experience. Album Review: The metal genre today is literally saturated with thousands of bands and hundreds of genres and sub-genres. Mastodon, The Sword, Torche, Between The Buried and Me, Sleep, Electric Wizard, Baroness, Black Tusk, Helmet, High On Fire; … Read more
Hooded Fang Gravez Full Time Hobby Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Hooded Fang pack charm and quirk into blistering power pop. Album Review: I know it’s common to chide a band for their overuse of a trope or technique over an entire album. But I won’t do that here: Canada’s Polaris Prize-nominated Hooded Fang not … Read more
Eisley Currents Equal Vision Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Eisley return with an album that accentuates their best qualities. Album Review: Eisley has been through a lot over the years, from the highs of opening for Coldplay and signing with Reprise Records, to the lows of being dropped from that label, touring issues, and personal … Read more
The Veils Time Stays, We Go Rough Trade Records [2013] Fire Note Says: After a 4 year absence, The Veils return with yet another batch of elegant rock. Album Review: The Veils specialize in moody, sweeping, cinematic rock, and Time Stays, We Go, shows the band still mining familiar territory and creating yet another record … Read more
Kylesa Ultraviolet Season Of Mist Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Savannah stoner metal band continue refining their sound with very good results. Album Review: Like fellow Georgian genre-hoppers Baroness, Kylesa is a bit of a paradox. Their early material was heavy on swamp sludge but as each personal tragedy, band shake-up or label change occurred … Read more
Baths Obsidian Anticon Records [2013] Fire Note Says: After a near death experience, Will Wiesenfeld drops a near masterpiece. Album Review: On his 2010 debut as Baths (the woefully neglected Cerulean) Will Wiesenfeld was content to let his laptop do most of the talking for him. A cool hybrid of the LA beat scene and … Read more
Alex Bleeker And The Freaks How Far Away Woodsist Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Alex Bleeker’s sophomore album will take you back to a different era of Americana. Album Review: Alex Bleeker is the bassist for Real Estate but his solo musical outlet with The Freaks has continued on to the more realized sophomore record … Read more
David Byrne & St. Vincent Brass Tactics EP 4AD Records [2013] Fire Note Says: A free EP from David Byrne & St. Vincent – sure, why not? Album Review: St Vincent and David Byrne, sentimentally speaking, hold a few memories for me. First off, Byrne’s Taking Heads were a big part of my childhood. As … Read more
Sundowners The Larger Half Of Wisdom Dirt Cult Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Sundowners throw down some old fashioned Minnesota punk! Album Review: It’s no big secret that some of the best punk and indie rock comes from Minnesota, heck it was practically born there with The Replacements and Hüsker Dü. The winters are long … Read more
Roomrunner Ideal Cities Fan Death Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Roll down the car windows, and blast the debut lp from Baltimore’s Roomrunner. Album Review: I hate to follow the same old story line when it comes to Baltimore’s Roomrunner, so I am going to get it out of the way early. Yes, as a … Read more
Emily Bell In Technicolor One-Eyed George Entertainment [2013] Fire Note Says: Emily Bell’s debut showcases her confident soul. Album Review: Austin’s Emily Bell has one of those voices that makes you instantly take notice with its confidence, power and sultry R&B undertone. On her debut, In Technicolor, Bell uses all of these traits to produce … Read more
Graham Repulski Cop Art Big School Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Graham Repulski stand tall with their lo-fi style and short memorable songs! Album Review: If you have been following The Fire Note for several years then the lo-fi New Jersey band Graham Repulski should not be a stranger to you. If this is the … Read more
Man Or Astro-Man? Defcon 5…4…3…2…1 Communicating Vessels / Chunklet Ind. [2013] Fire Note Says: Beam me up! Man Or Astro-Man? are back with another intergalactic screamer! Album Review: It has been nearly 12 years since Man Or Astro-Man? visited earth with a batch of indie surf rock, so the landing of their new long player … Read more