The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die: Harmlessness [Album Review]

The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die Harmlessness Epitaph Records [2015] Fire Note Says: A surprise candidate for Album Of The Year emerges from the post-emo scene. Album Review: I was first drawn to this band by all the hype surrounding their debut album, Whenever, If Ever. The … Read more

Heaters: Holy Water Pool [Album Review]

Heaters Holy Water Pool Beyond Beyond Is Beyond Records [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: For me, the resurgence of psych rock has been spectacular and Michigan’s Heaters is another fine band to add to the growing quality list. Their new full length, Holy Water Pool, is drenched in reverb 60’s soul that meanders in the … Read more

Chvrches: Every Open Eye [Album Review]

Chvrches Every Open Eye Glassnote Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Chvrches return with an unrelenting pace. Album Review: Your heart goes out to acts like Chvrches. Time was, an album as strong as The Bones of What You Believe would have afforded a band time to regroup, find out where they wanted to go. Today, … Read more

Silversun Pickups: Better Nature [Album Review]

Silversun Pickups Better Nature New Machine Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Silversun Pickups’ latest is a solid effort and stays the course. Album Review: Silversun Pickups is back with their fourth studio album Better Nature. The Los Angeles band is a throwback to 1990s grunge with a synth pop element, blending sounds from the previous … Read more

Wand: 1000 Days [Album Review]

Wand 1000 Days Drag City Records [2015] Fire Note Says: After Ganglion Reef and Golem Wand try to tie it all together to find balance. Album Review: When I first heard Wand’s Ganglion Reef I was blown away. Concluding my original review I said, “Wand is the band that the Elephant Six Collective never produced.” … Read more

Ricked Wicky: Swimmer To A Liquid Armchair [Album Review]

Ricked Wicky Swimmer To A Liquid Armchair Guided By Voices Inc. [2015] Fire Note Says: The third time’s the charm for this Robert Pollard side project. Album Review: Critical writings on Robert Pollard’s 21st century output have generally fallen into two groups: the True Believers for whom Uncle Bob can never err and those that … Read more

The Dead Weather: Dodge And Burn [Album Review]

The Dead Weather Dodge And Burn Third Man Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The Dead Weather storm back into play with the fun and scuzzy Dodge And Burn. Album Review: I have to get something off my chest. Jack White’s last album, Lazaretto was not a 4 headphone record. With a handful of good tracks, … Read more

The New Old-Fashioned: Low-Down Dirty Summer Nights [Album Review]

The New Old-Fashioned Low-Down Dirty Summer Nights Self-Released [2015] Fire Note Says: The New Old-Fashioned knock it out of the park on their second album Album Review: Some albums just hit you at the right moment—lyrics, songwriting, and arrangements combine in a way that connects with you, and become more than the sum of their … Read more

Girl Band: Holding Hands With Jamie [Album Review]

Girl Band Holding Hands With Jamie Rough Trade Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Brutal noise rock that dares you to like it. Rewards await those that can get past the initial layer of ugliness and brash noise. Album Review: Girl Band, a quartet from Dublin, have been wowing me over the past year through various … Read more