Self-Released

Mercy Union: The Quarry [Album Review]

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Mercy Union The Quarry Self-Released [2018] Fire Note Says: How “super” does a supergroup need to be? Album Review: Mercy Union – the joint effort of Jared Hart from The Scandals and Benny Horowitz of The Gaslight Anthem, plus Rocky Catanese and Nick Jorgensen – is a New Jersey punk rock dream collaboration. But unless … Read more

Doffing: Tower Of Ten Thousand Miles [Album Review]

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Doffing Tower Of Ten Thousand Miles Self-Released [2018] Who: Montreal’s Doffing may have released one of 2018’s best albums. Tower of Ten Thousand Miles is flying under the radar, but try your best to lock on and engage. Sound: Doffing emulate and honor 90’s indie rock with an entertaining blend of weirdo rock that is … Read more

Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers: Forest Full Of Wolves [Album Review]

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Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers Forest Full Of Wolves Self-Released [2018] Fire Note Says: Bill Mallonee is one of those best-kept secrets you really want to share with the rest of the music loving world. Album Review: No one is ever going to call singer/songwriter Bill Mallonee an under-achiever. His latest release, a … Read more

Chris Taylor: Down A Dead End Street [Album Review]

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Chris Taylor Down A Dead End Street Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: San Antonio singer/songwriter with a half dozen albums of original LPs under his belt, offers up a tribute to Bob Dylan. Album Review: These days, San Antonio singer/songwriter and painter, Chris Taylor can be heard regularly around his hometown playing The Cove and … Read more

The Blow: Brand New Abyss [Album Review]

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The Blow Brand New Abyss Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: On Brand New Abyss, The Blow submerges listeners in an accessible and confessional sea of synths, secrets and electro vibes. Album Review: When people think of electronic music, they typically don’t think of warm, soft synths, frank monologues and sparse arrangements. But with Brand New … Read more

Lung: Bottom Of The Barrel [Album Review]

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Lung Bottom Of The Barrel Self-Released [2017] Not many bands have the guts to have an electric cello be the focus but that is exactly what we get from Cincinnati’s Lung. Kate Wakefield (vocals, electric cello) and Daisy Caplan (drums), give you a powerful fierceness that never slows down. Lung keep you on the edge … Read more

David Payne: Cheaper Than Therapy EP [Album Review]

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David Payne Cheaper Than Therapy EP Self-Released [2017] Fire Note Says: New Old Fashioned frontman David Payne goes back to basics with this strong 6-song EP. Album Review: Sometimes when inspiration hits and the songs start pouring out of you, the urge to get them out into the world becomes too much to bear. That’s … Read more

Griff’s Room Band: Heartbreak/Desire [Album Review]

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Griff’s Room Band Heartbreak/Desire Self-Released [2017] Who: Griff’s Room Band is a “fiddle-infused pop/rock” band from Richmond, VA. Sound: Think Dave Matthews Band for this generation. TFN Final Take: Griff’s Room Band has a sound that is very familiar and even nostalgic. There is a looseness and carefree vibe to the band that invades even … Read more

Marriage + Cancer: Demonstrations II EP [Album Review]

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Marriage + Cancer Demonstrations II EP Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Marriage + Cancer have had a complete sound overhaul. Album Review: I have been a longtime follower of Robert Komets’ music. His Nucular Aminals’ albums and the earlier versions of Marriage + Cancer were some wonderfully off beat, sometimes goofy, sometimes dour, but always … Read more

Frank Ocean: Blonde [Album Review]

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Frank Ocean Blonde Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Frank Ocean fans are awaited for their patience. Album Review: It’s easy to automatically reject that which the Internet deems as being worthy of our time and attention. I had peripherally been made aware of Frank Ocean’s impending release and all of the buzz surrounding it. Appreciating … Read more

Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers – Slow Trauma / Muriah Rose – Beneath The Clay [Album Reviews]

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Bill Mallonee & The Big Sky Ramblers / Muriah Rose Slow Trauma / Beneath The Clay Self-Released [2016] Fire Note Says: Both experience and new beginnings shine on solo records from husband and wife team Mallonee and Rose. Album Review: Okay, let me climb up on a soapbox for a minute: Sometimes, often it seems, … Read more

Quiet Arrows: Year Of The Cartographer [Album Review]

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Quiet Arrows Year Of The Cartographer Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Around TFN we could write, write and write some more but we still wouldn’t be able to capture everything we hear that deserves a spotlight. Samuel Robertson’s Quiet Arrows is one of those records, as we have been sitting with it since last … Read more

Graham Repulski: Success Racist [Album Review]

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Graham Repulski Success Racist Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Success Racist, the latest offering from Graham Repulski, is a 17-track time machine with its destiny dials set for 1993, a golden era for lo-fi music. Graham Repulski’s music is akin to the lo-fi aesthetics that can be found on early 90’s Guided by Voices, … Read more

Trans Charger Metropolis: Haunted House Birds [Album Review]

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Trans Charger Metropolis Haunted House Birds Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Trans Charger Metropolis lists their interests as “Drinking Beer and Recording tunes.” Sound familiar? Well after hearing just a small sample of this New Jersey group you can tell they have some lo-fi Guided By Voices blood in their veins as the sophomore … Read more

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

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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

Thunderbitch: Thunderbitch [Album Review]

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Thunderbitch Thunderbitch Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: What a fun record! The Alabama Shakes frontwoman, Brittany Howard, just dropped on us a powerful new rock project perfectly titled Thunderbitch. The record holds to its namesake right from the dynamic opener, “Leather Jacket” to its rock out finale “Heavenly Feeling.” I liked the Shakes latest … Read more

Video Premiere: My Dead Air – “Easy To Believe”

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My Dead Air is the moniker of musician Dan Ballard which was a member and guitarist of the band Until June. The group had success overseas with a #1 hit in Europe but never strummed the right chord here in the US. Ballard would like to change that with My Dead Air as he now is 100% committed to his once side project.

Today’s video premiere is for the track “Easy To Believe” which is off of his new self-released album The Thief Who Knows My Name. As you will see, the live in the studio video works for My Dead Air’s soft delivery as the laid back track shows his influences that include My Morning Jacket, Harry Nilsson, Glen Campbell and Bon Iver.

“Easy To Believe” really is the perfect beginning of a late night soundtrack that comes complete with low lighting and the occasional out of focus camera shot. Ballard’s effortless playing here is highlighted by his hypnotic vocal and the top end quality of musicians he has surrounded himself with as each individual artist here has a small solo moment within the song.

The Thief Who Knows My Name already hit the streets on August 14th so if you like what you hear (and see) make sure to support My Dead Air with an album purchase!

My Dead Air Website
My Dead Air Facebook

Blackheart Honeymoon: Mountains Speak [Album Review]

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Blackheart Honeymoon Mountains Speak Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: With a sound that goes back n forth between Band of Horses and New Pornographers, Seattle’s Blackheart Honeymoon hit a sonic sweet spot on their debut album Mountains Speak. From the more modern indie jangle found on “Bodies” and “Love It All” to the increased … Read more

Terrible Terrible: Get The New Computer [Album Review]

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Terrible Terrible Get The New Computer Self-Released [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: Terrible Terrible is a great band name as it sets up low expectations. Of course, that is not the case with this New Jersey quintet which received some positive praise on their 2014 EP, Fail Better. The group’s new four track offering, Get … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Surf Rock Is Dead – “Anymore”

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Sometimes all you need is a catchy band name and I am in before the music even starts playing. That was the case for Brooklyn’s Surf Rock Is Dead. The duo of Kevin Pariso and Joel Witenberg, hailing from Chicago and Melbourne, respectively, met in New York City. After just jamming for a bit the … Read more

Max Gowan: Big People [Album Review]

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Max Gowan Big People Self-Released [2015] Fire Note Says: Big People is a friendly, catchy blend of bedroom rock and pop hooks. Album Review: Despite the number of bands and artists who make it look easy, putting together a homemade record on your own is a harder task than it looks on the surface. Being … Read more

Track Premiere: +Aziz – “Halal”

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Today’s premiere track is from +Aziz. The Kuwaiti singer/songwriter, now living in New Orleans, has a spiritual side to his music which may initially turn some listeners off but I encourage you to still check out “Halal” below. The song has such a pleasant flow to it that it will have you humming along in … Read more

Failure: The Heart Is A Monster [Album Review]

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Failure The Heart Is A Monster Self-Released [2015] Fire Note Says: Failure return after 19 years with a sonic beast! Album Review: When you talk about the multitude of bands getting back together for a new album. there is none more exciting than Failure. With The Heart Is A Monster, their first new LP in … Read more

Evan Phillips: Silhouettes [Album Review]

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Evan Phillips Silhouettes Self-Released [2015] Fire Note Says: Silhouettes is Phillips at his best! Album Review: Anchorage, Alaska is not really a hotbed for new music but it should never simply be dismissed based on its map coordinates. I say this because when you hear singer songwriter Evan Phillips fourth solo record, Silhouettes, you may … Read more