The Slims Slowpoke Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: Morningbell-affiliated The Slims put together an album of eclectic late-night soul with Slowpoke. Album Review: Gainesville, Florida’s Morningbell just released their Fire Note “Headphone Approved” LP Bôa Noite earlier this year [TFN Review], but that hasn’t stopped frontman Travis Atria from immediately jumping into another musical project. … Read more
Ha Ha Tonka Lessons Bloodshot Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Ha Ha Tonka makes changes with their fourth full-length Lessons. Album Review: When a band pushes me outside of my comfort zone it’s not only appreciated but welcomed. That’s not to say that I don’t have a bearing on southern-indie rock or that folksy Americana … Read more
Far-out Fangtooth Borrowed Time Siltbreeze Records[2013] Fire Note Says: Fires burn and cauldrons bubble as Far-out Fangtooth continue atmospheric amp worship on Borrowed Time. Album Review: Have you ever wondered what it’s like to wander into the castle laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein? The Philly foursome known as Far-out Fangtooth try to provide the best answer … Read more
Ty Segall Gemini Drag City Records [2013] Hopefully you remember Ty Segall’s 2012 record Twins (TFN Review). It landed at number 2 in our Top 50 last year and of course received a Headphone Approved stamp with its sonic excellence. Gemini was released this week from Segall and it is essentially the Twins demos album … Read more
Mirror Travel Mexico Modern Outsider [2013] Fire Note Says: Mirror Travel walk in the desert with the dream-scuzz of debut Mexico. Album Review: Austin, Texas’ Mirror Travel is a bit of a strange bird. This could be considered funny since the group used to go by Follow That Bird. Tiffanie Lanmon, Paul Brinkley, and Lauren … Read more
The Flaming Lips Peace Sword EP Warner Brothers Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Flaming Lips revisit planet earth with more conceptually-based space. Album Review: The Flaming Lips have always been an interesting force in music. Keeping watch over the alternative rock music scene since 1983—for better or worse—nothing seems to deter them. A now-canceled … Read more
Bottomless Pit Shade Perennial Comedy Minus One [2013] Fire Note Says: Bottomless Pit soldiers on with third slow-burn Shade Perennial. Album Review: When I read the phrase emotional, transcendent post-punk, I immediately become excited. Let’s say it’s an excitement that could only be described as a 12-year wait for the next Dismemberment Plan album—and sadly … Read more
The Crytearions I See What It Is and I am Scared Dramacore [2013] Fire Note Says: One man bedroom band creates rude, crude niche punk. Album Review: Ok Crytearions, I get it: you’re a shitty, lo-fi one man bedroom punk act from Co Mayo, Ireland. Your second release I See What It Is and I … Read more
Night Beats Sonic Bloom Reverberation Appreciation Society [2013] Fire Note Says: Night Beats invoke a heavy recollection of the hazy 60‘s with their second LP Sonic Bloom Album Review: I hate to call it a bummer, but that‘s the only word that comes to mind when thinking about Sonic Bloom-that may be too harsh. I … Read more
Sunwolf Angel Eyes EP Dischord Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Sunwolf invokes short, punchy fun with Angel Eyes. Album Review: In the wake of Washington D.C.’s garage rock revival many have been answering the call to arms. The brainchild of Rob “Kalani“ Tifford, Sunwolf mixes the lo-fi fuzz of raw, 60‘s L.A. rockers The Seeds … Read more
Sleigh Bells Bitter Rivals Mom + Pop Music [2013] Fire Note Says: Sleigh Bells return with a flurry of noise pop endearments. Album Review: As a listener it‘s sometimes hard to know what I want. Sleigh Bells surprised us all with 2010‘s unforgettable Treats. Guitars boomed, drums thundered, and vocals looped as they reached to … Read more
Lisa Papineau Blood Noise Neurotic Yell Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Lisa Papineau‘s Blood Noise is a moody weave of beauty and darkness. Album Review: It‘s always my job as a music journalist to expand my horizons and branch out. With Lisa Papineau‘s new album Blood Noise, that‘s exactly what I did. It‘s funny though, … Read more
Schooner Neighborhood Veins PotLuck Foundation [2013] Fire Note Says: Schooner goes adrift with their own brand of ramshackle, lucid pop. Album Review: Durhan, NC‘s Schooner’s sound is an interesting proposition: take some simple song structures and float them on a sea of dreams; then pair that with a bit of complexity, chill moods, 50‘s doo-wop, … Read more
Native Orthodox Sargent House Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Native‘s 3rd LP balances its strengths between timing and consistency. Album Review: If you take a look at Native‘s Facebook and bandcamp pages then you begin to see what I—along with many others—am figuring out: Indiana’s four piece Native is a math rock/post hardcore/indie band that … Read more
FUZZ FUZZ In The Red Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Segall continues his wild ride with proto-metalers FUZZ! Album Review: As a musician Ty Segall isn’t one to shy away from being prolific. He released three albums alone last year: Goodbye Bread; the explosive Ty Segall Band’s Slaughterhouse; and the best of his 2012 releases, … Read more
Jews And Catholics Civilized Self-Released [2013] Fire Note Says: If you’re looking for something new, Jews and Catholics can catch you by surprise with Civilized. Album Review: I find it fitting here to start this review off with a religious analogy. Jews and Catholics have their many differences as well as certain similarities. The same … Read more
Pond Hobo Rocket Modular Recordings [2013] Fire Note Says: Perth natives continue to stir the Pond into a strange, interstellar brew. Album Review: Why can’t we just grade albums a fun factor anymore? If that was the case 5 headphones for Pond, done and done. This album was made by fans of music for fans … Read more
Man Man On Oni Pond ANTI- Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Man Man‘s fifth full length shows the group using many different sounds. Album Review: I‘m quite the Man Man fan. I‘ve heard at times that this fearsome Philly five-some can be hard to get into, that their unique sound could be mistaken for “insane … Read more
O’Brother Disillusion Triple Crown Records [2013] Fire Note Says: O’Brother opens up for experimentation on their second LP. Album Review: When I looked up O’Brothers’ previous LP Garden Window I saw phrases such as this: Instant classic; Metal album of 2011; grandiose and loud; stellar debut. As a result, I was really excited to see … Read more
Dirty Streets Blades Of Grass Alive Naturalsound Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Dirty Streets steep 60’s blues rock, touches of soul, and more contemporary influences on Blades of Grass. Album Review: The Alive Natural Sound catalogue was and is rife with great artists: The Black Keys; Buffalo Killers; Radio Moscow; Left Lane Cruiser; Swamp Dogg; … Read more
James Younger Feelin’ American Light Organ Records [2013] Fire Note Says: James Younger’s debut Feelin’ American wears its influences on his sleeve. Album Review: After reading an interview with Canadian James Younger these 11 breezy pop songs found on his solo debut could have had quite the spark. But, the adherence to past influences such … Read more
The Urinals Negative Capability In The Red Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Urinals surge from the punk underground with the reissue of retrospective Negative Capability. Album Review: These are the things that label In The Red records lives for: seemingly influencing about half their catalogue of artists, The Urinals’ brand of minute-long art punk … Read more
Organs Headin’ For The Door Killer Diller Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Organs debut LP is an energized weaponization of the blues—and all in under 23 minutes. Album Review: The NYC three-piece Organs is a band that rocks the question “When I rock ‘jump,’ you rock ‘how high?’” Their debut through Killer Diller Records, Headin’ … Read more
Bosnian Rainbows Bosnian Rainbows Sargent House Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Bosnian Rainbows are consistently interesting on their self-titled debut. Album Review: It’s a really funny thing to hear Mars Volta axe man/composer Omar Rodriguez Lopez talk about a less is more musical philosophy. During a recent Orange Amp promo video, Rodriguez Lopez gets down … Read more
The White Stripes Nine Miles From The White City Third Man Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Vault Package #16 captures The White Stripes at one of their highest points! Album Review: When we last left our good friend Jack White, he was giving us an interesting-yet flawed-look at the past. Jack White and The Bricks … Read more