The Mountain Goats All Hail West Texas Merge Records [2002; 2013] Fire Note Says: The Mountain Goats’ classic All Hail West Texas gets a remastered reissue with new tracks. Album Review: One of the great things about reissues is having an opportunity to revisit or discover classics that were missed the first time around. The … Read more
Weekend Jinx Slumberland Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Brooklyn via San Francisco band add some New Wave flavor to their second album. Album Review: Weekend’s 2010 debut, Sports, was a loud, distorted and uncompromising affair. It was also almost unlistenable. Even front man Shaun Durkan has admitted to having difficulty sitting through it in its … Read more
The Love Language Ruby Red Merge Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Every song on The Love Language’s Ruby Red is good – making you want to listen to the album again and again. Album Review: Ruby Red is the first I’ve heard of indie/rock band The Love Language. After listening to the album’s first track, … 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
Baroness Live At Maida Vale BBC EP Relapse Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Baroness release a short and sweet live EP which shows why they’re still a force to be reckoned with. Album Review: Savanna, Georgia’s Baroness has been a group with quite a history. Releasing three of the most acclaimed and intelligent metal albums … Read more
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Vagrant Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros offer up another batch of freedom rock. Album Review: I remember the first time I heard “Home” off of Edward Sharpe’s debut record Up From Below (2009) and thinking that with … Read more
Grant Hart The Argument Domino Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ambitious concept album from former Hüsker Dü member is a winner. Album Review: Let’s get the history lesson out of the way right off the bat. Grant Hart was the yin to Bob Mould’s yang in Husker Du. In my mind; he wrote the poppier … Read more
Hunx And His Punx Street Punk Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Believe the title as Hunx And His Punx bring the noise! Album Review: With an album title like Street Punk and an album cover with a tattooed bare-chested dude you better bring it when it comes to the music. Hunx And His … Read more
Jackson Scott Melbourne Fat Possum Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Jackson Scott hits one out of the park on his debut record. Album Review: Do yourself a favor, don’t read any more about Jackson Scott after you read this review, until you hear his debut lp, Melbourne. I did a little research after I received … Read more