The Chaw The Chaw Self-Released [2012] Fire Note Says: The Chaw’s self-titled debut is injected with ample amounts of stylistic grooves and swagger! Album Review: Here we find ourselves presented with the Cali based band The Chaw which offers a heady mix of blues and classic psychedelic styles. Stephen Schreffler (Guitar), Jarrod Taylor (Guitar), Joe … Read more
Elephant Stone Elephant Stone Reverberation Appreciation Society [2013] Fire Note Says: Elephant Stone crafts a solid set of psychedelic pop! Album Review: A lot of band these days have many genre labels like alt-rock, freak-folk, acid jazz, etc. But never have I come across something like this in all my listening experiences- Hindi-rock. Canada’s Hindu … Read more
Pile Dripping Exploding In Sound Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Pile’s Dripping rocks a page right out of the 90’s playbook-and that is a good thing. Album Review: Imagine a world with The Pixies haphazard vocal styling, Failure’s quirky chord voicing and hard rock dissonance, a touch of Jawbox noise, and Torche’s all-out energy. Now … Read more
Public Nuisance Gotta Survive (Reissue) Third Man Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Public Nuisance puts together a hodgepodge that if given the time has something for everyone! Album Review: Before I begin and start saying anything about the music, I have to explain the history and origin of Public Nuisance’s Gotta Survive. It all begins … Read more
Jack White Live At Third Man Records Third Man Records [2012] Fire Note Says: If the turntable is a rocking then the Third Man Record Vault must have opened! Album Review: Ears be praised as Third Man Records and Jack White open up the record vault once again to present us with Vault Package # … Read more
Indian Handcrafts Civil Disobedience For Losers Sargent House Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Find the nearest dimensional tear and let Indian Handcrafts take you somewhere. Album Review: Gas up the Firebird, roll down the windows, turn the volume up, push the pedal to the metal, and gear up for the cosmos and beyond because Indian … Read more
Led Zeppelin Celebration Day Atlantic Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Coming from the land of snow and ice – Zeppelin shows that they still have it! Album Review: About 33 years ago culture and the world was dealt a great loss with the passing of Led Zeppelin drummer John Henry Bonham. You then ask yourself … Read more
Jack White Vault Package #14 Third Man Records [2012] As a fan of anything Jack White – I’ll take anything I can get. So falling out of the Vault Package #14 (which also includes Jack White Live at Third Man and the photo book “Shark Infested Soda Fountain”) is this beautiful 7-inch courtesy of Third … Read more
How To Destroy Angels An Omen EP Columbia Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Reznor’s new How to Destroy Angels EP is a blend between beautiful and forgettable. Album Review: Back in the 90’s, Reznor and others through music, art, and music video made being an angst ridden freak an interesting idea. But with Nine Inch … Read more
Rage Against The Machine XX – 20th Anniversary Edition Epic/Legacy Recordings [2012] Fire Note Says: 20 Years later – raging against the machine still feels as good as it ever did. Album Review: I consider myself a lucky man, at 27 years of age I’ve been able to see Rage Against The Machine, and I … Read more
Deftones Koi No Yokan Reprise/Warner Bros. Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Hope that you’re not tone deaf for the Deftones. Album Review: Roaring to life once again Sacramento, California’s own alt-metalers Deftones present us with a fine outing in the form of Koi No Yokan, meaning promise of love or premonition of love after a … Read more
Human Cannonball Let’s Be Friends Self-Released [2012] Fire Note Says: Jesse Remnant dons Human Cannonball moniker again, returns with members of Shrug, and crafts folkie, pop fun on Let‘s Be Friends. Album Review: Here is an album that was two and a half years in the making (mostly due to Remnant playing bass and supplying … Read more
Various Artists Alive at The Deep Blues Fest Alive Natural Sound Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Alive at The Deep Blues Fest is put together with perfection as every band here scratches that blues itch in its’ own special way. Album Review: I thought reviewing my first compilation might be a challenge but, thank goodness … Read more
West End Motel Only Time Can Tell Warner Bros. Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Metal master mind’s West End Motel takes a direction that’s surprising and appreciated. Album Review: First before beginning I feel a disclaimer needs to be put in place – A lot of people know that Brent Hinds is one of the … Read more
Titus Andronicus Local Business XL Recordings [2012] Fire Note Says: The most fun celebrating life’s meaninglessness that you’ll ever have! Album Review: Usually when you think Titus Andronicus a bunch of things come to mind: a shouted, garble growl of lyrics, abrasiveness, historical references, New Jersey, worthlessness, life’s meaninglessness , mortality, drowning your sorrows, drunken … Read more
Tame Impala Lonerism Modular Recordings [2012] Fire Note Says: Like a black hole this album sucks you in and then proceeds to explode like a super nova! Album Review: If Tame Impala’s first album Innerspeaker [2010] is their Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band then Lonerism has to be their Dark Side of the Moon. … Read more
Thee Oh Sees Putrifiers II In The Red Records [2012] Fire Note Says:Just when you think Thee Oh Sees cannot have any more tricks up their sleeves, they come back, surprise and mystify with Putrifiers II. Album Review: It seems that we’ve been going through a garage psych revival, with many bands writing reverb soaked, … Read more
Grizzly Bear Shields Warp Records [2012] Fire Note Says: While it feels like the framework of greatness is there, Grizzly Bear’s new album, Shields, doesn’t quite match their last top performer Veckatimest. Album Review: Grizzly Bear’s last record, Veckatimest [2009], topped the chart and was number one in our 2009 Blazing Top 50 year end … Read more