Tame Impala Currents Interscope Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Frontman Kevin Parker returns from the void as Tame Impala sweeps us up in his Currents. Album Review: This could be one of the toughest reviews I’ve ever written. Tame Impala’s new album Currents makes it hard not to write Kevin Parker off as a traitor. … Read more
Native Lights Native Lights Passive Recordings [2015] Fire Drill Album Review: The members of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Native Lights have been contributing their fair share of captivating sounds for 20+ years. Their self-titled debut is a huge win for fans of the dark ambient and shoegaze genres as they lift influences from titans My Bloody Valentine … Read more
Male Gaze Gale Maze Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Ripping through space and time, Male Gaze burns with their debut. Album Review: One of the most exciting labels today has to be John Dwyer‘s Castle Face Records. Scooping up artists from the underground and piping them into our ear holes, Dwyer‘s newest discovery … Read more
Rose Windows Rose Windows Sub Pop Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Rose Windows return for their sophomore and final album. Album Review: For a band that will only put out two albums, the Rose Windows will always have a special place in my heart. Not only was their debut album, The Sun Dogs, one hell … Read more
Thee Oh Sees Mutilator Defeated At Last Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Note Says: After Drop, Thee Oh Sees return to form. Album Review: Thee Oh Sees have always been an interesting band. While—in my humble opinion—2014’s Drop wasn’t a huge success, it wasn’t a total failure either. Drop provided some killer tracks, which is … Read more
Unknown Mortal Orchestra Multi-Love Jagjaguwar [2015] Fire Note Says: UMO redefine what you thought you knew. Album Review: If you would have told me this time last year that I‘d be shaking my ass to a Unknown Mortal Orchestra album, I‘d have called you crazy. Having sprung out of New Zealand in 2011 with their … Read more
Jack Name Weird Moons Castle Face Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Jack Name returns with an ever-eccentric brand of far-out space pop. Album Review: The first time that I heard Jack Name’s debut album, Light Show, it was easy to place him in the hall of pop eccentrics. Name wasn’t afraid to add concept to … Read more
Speedy Ortiz could easily produce songs that sound rote. But within their 90’s indie trappings a distinct personality develops with the help of angular guitars, barely-disguised pain, and poetically-delivered wit. They’ve delivered before, so it can only be assumed that this personality will transfer over to their new release Foil Deer. After the exciting release … Read more
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015 Mom + Pop Music [2015] Fire Note Says: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion return with no class-believe me that’s a good thing. Album Review: After asking to pay respects during opener “Funeral,” Spencer then asks “Fellas, are you ready to hit it … Read more
Wand Golem In The Red Records [2015] Fire Note Says: The title says it all; Wand’s Golem is a fantastical, heavy monster. Album Review: Please do yourself a favor and shout it from the mountain tops, “WAND IS BACK!” Coming out of nowhere with their debut Ganglion Reef—my number six top album for 2014—Wand devised … Read more
Moon Duo Shadow Of The Sun Sacred Bones Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Shadow Of The Sun has Moon Duo going for the groove. Album Review: Moon Duo’s Ralph Waldo Emerson inspired LP of 2012, Circles, was the first thing to put the group on my radar, offering up sprawling, acid-damaged, hypnotic jams that could … Read more
Spring is around the corner and hopefully the March Bandcamp edition will hit you like a Lion! This month we have a psych-folk group from Korea, a classic indie band from Memphis, progressive music from Greece and an energetic group from Allentown, PA. Enjoy the new artists below and please Discover, Support & Share! The … Read more
Endless Bummer Vol. 1 In The Red Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sludged-out beach bums bring ferocious fuzz on Vol. 1. Album Review: As Endless Bummer‘s Vol. 1 seeps through the speakers, the question of quality never comes up. That‘s OK too, because LA‘s Endless Bummer never promise it. Recorded with friend Ty Segall in … Read more
The Black Ryder The Door Behind The Door The Anti-Machine Machine [2015] Fire Note Says: The Black Ryder applies new textures to vivid and cathartic philosophies. Album Review: The Black Ryder’s first LP Buy The Ticket Take The Ride sounds like an easy LP to love—but only if you’re not Pitchfork. Rolling Stone included Buy … Read more
In my humble opinion, Thee Oh Sees’ Drop LP was not their strongest effort. Having reviewed every single Sees LP since Putrifiers II—including Singles Collection Volume Three and the RSD 2014 Moon Sick EP—Drop’s 60’s garage theme was easy to spot, but the strength and consistency of their previous material was lacking. Well, if you … Read more
Axis: Sova Early Surf God? Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Early Surf puts the depth and nuance at your control. Album Review: Wand’s Ganglion Reef was one of my favorite albums of last year—our favorite garage rock prodigy, Ty Segall, hand-picked the band’s album for release (with help from Drag City Records) on his God? … Read more
Dream Police Hypnotized Sacred Bones Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Mark Perro and Nick Chiericozzi of The Men debut new side project Dream Police. Album Review: I hate to admit it, but I’ve never heard an album by The Men. I am quite familiar with label Sacred Bones catalogue, though: Moon Duo, Psychic Ills, Amen … Read more
The cold and snow keep pressing on as Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter but that should give you even more incentive to dive in here for some new music. The February edition holds some experimental rock from Northampton, desert drone from Tucson, progressive rock from Miami and not one but two bands … Read more
Grenades!? Interrobang Self-Released [2015] Fire Note Says: Grenades!?’s debut is strong for a group stretching their legs for the first time. Album Review: It feels like the phrase “stretching their legs for the first time” is a bit of an exaggeration. There’s been quite a history between lead-vocalist/keyboardist Daniel Madero and Mike Patak Jr. From … Read more
Pond Man It Feels Like Space Again Modular Recordings [2015] Fire Note Says: Tame Impala offshoot Pond returns only to blast back into space. Album Review: It’s interesting to think that 2013’s Hobo Rocket was recorded before Pond’s current release Man It Feels Like Space Again. While reviewing Hobo Rocket I said the album “speaks … Read more
Viet Cong Viet Cong Jagjaguwar Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Ruthless, cold, endearing, and machine-like, Viet Cong produce an impressive debut. Album Review: If Viet Cong is any indication of what Matt Flegel and Mike Wallace’s previous outfit Women sounded like then I wish I knew more. The project ended on a sad note, as … Read more
Jack White Live From Bonnaroo 2014 Third Man Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Jack White releases vault package #22 as a triple LP tour-de-force. Album Review: 2015 is shaping up to be a hell of a year. A new Sleater-Kinney album, a new Radiohead album, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s Freedom Tower announced for March, … Read more
The Fire Note wouldn’t be possible without the talented writers that have signed on here to share their educated thoughts and true enjoyment of music with our readers. Our year end Top 50 is coming early next week but clearly everyone has different tastes and ideas when naming the best album released in 2014. So … Read more
Christian Bland & The Revelators The Unseen Green Obscene The Reverberation Appreciation Society [2014] Fire Note Says: Christian Bland and the Revelators third album is an homage to past heroes. Album Review: The Black Angels’ Passover just so happens to be considered a modern day psychedelic classic. With its dark titles, imagery, and piercing sounds … Read more
Radio Moscow Magical Dirt Alive Naturalsound Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Radio Moscow sows seeds of psych while reaping funky blues riffs. Album Review: When I first heard Radio Moscow for the first time, their sound had no problem hooking me. During the very much appreciated live compilation record, Alive at the Deep Blues Fest, … Read more