Blitzen Trapper has announced their new album 100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions will be released on May 17, 2024 via Yep Roc. The enthralling 12-track collection arrives nearly four years after 2020’s Holy Smokes Future Jokes, and sees the Portland, OR-based band leaning into their psych rock-washed, classic songwriting roots to create one of the finest works … Read more
SloanSteadyYep Roc Records [2022] Steady represents Sloan’s 13th full length album, and its release today coincides with the 30th anniversary of their debut record Smeared which came out in October 1992. Sloan are one of the rare bands to make it to their 13th album with all four original members which leads to their consistent … Read more
The SadiesColder StreamsYep Roc Records [2022] Toronto band, The Sadies are practically a Canadian indie-rock institution. Playing a mix of rock, country, psychedelia and punk – often in the same song – the quartet has recorded and toured with the likes of Garth Hudson of The Band, Neil Young, Neko Case, John Doe of the … Read more
Canadian indie-rock royalty Sloan announce their 13th studio album, Steady, set for an October 21 release on Yep Roc Records in North America. Their first new album since 2018’s 12, Steady will coincide with the 30th anniversary of their debut album Smeared, which came out in October 1992. Today’s album announcement is marked by the … Read more
Athens, GA-based psychedelic folk band Elf Power released the official video for the title track to their forthcoming album Artificial Countrysides that will be released on July 15 via Yep Roc Records. The video was directed and filmed by Dickie Cox. The band will kick off their summer tour on July 13 in Milwaukee, WI … Read more
Alejandro Escovedo La CruzadaYep Roc Records [2021] Arriving 3 years after Alejandro Escovedo’s wonderful story about two young American immigrants – one from Italy, the other from Mexico – who bond over a love of punk rock and set out to explore the American cultural frontier, La Cruzada is that very same album, with all … Read more
The Minus 5 Stroke Manor Yep Roc [2019] Album Review: In November of 2017, Scott McCaughey, the central figure in The Minus 5 alongside Peter Buck, who also played an auxiliary role in R.E.M. when it was active, had a stroke that pretty much stripped all knowledge of music from his memory. The Portland, Ore. … Read more
Alejandro Escovedo The Crossing Yep Roc [2018] Fire Note Says: The Crossing is another positive notch in the Alejandro Escovedo catalog. Album Review: By all rights, Alejandro Escovedo should be a household name. After playing with the early punk band The Nuns in the 70’s, and a seminal cow-punk (read Americana) band, Rank and File, … Read more
Josh Rouse Love In The Modern Age Yep Roc Records [2018] Who: Singer/songwriter with strong influences. Sound: Folk-pop that is inspired by 80’s songwriters. TFN Final Take: Josh Rouse’s twelfth album, Love In The Modern Age, is an interesting listen. Rouse has always excelled in his storytelling and he succeeds this time around, in particular … Read more
Sloan 12 Yep Roc Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Sloan shows no signs of slowing down on 12! Album Review: Twelve albums with all the original members is a rare achievement in the music world these days but that is exactly what we get here from Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Sloan. The band has returned with … Read more
Born Ruffians RUFF Yep Roc Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Born Ruffians’ slick posturing is hit and miss. Album Review: Toronto’s Born Ruffians’ fourth LP, RUFF, is power pop with a punk attitude. Band members Luke Lalonde (guitar/vocals), Mitch Derosier (bass), Andy Lloyd (guitar/keyboard) and Adam Hindle (drums) have a penchant for creating easily digested … Read more
Los Straitjackets Los Straitjackets: Deke Dickerson Sings The Instrumental Hits Yep Rec Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Los Straitjackets find the words to some of your instrumental favorites. Album Review: Just when you thought you have heard it all, the instrumental combo team of Los Straitjackets have something fresh for their genre. They have teamed … Read more
Sloan Commonwealth Yep Roc Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Sloan attempt a modern day White Album. Album Review: Canada’s Sloan never seem to slow down. Even though they have been around since the early 90’s and are a big name up North, the four piece indie pop rock group has never broke out here in … Read more
On September 9, 2014, Sloan, will release their 11th studio album Commonwealth via Yep Roc Records. The 15 song collection sees Sloan’s members all contributing original compositions to each record, equal partners with equal say over every aspect of their work. Where in the past creative lines have been blurred to create the multi-faceted Sloan … Read more
The Autumn Defense Fifth Yep Roc Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Wilco members offer up immaculately-produced 60s-style pop-rock. Album Review: A collaboration between Wilco bassist John Stirratt and Wilco multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone, The Autumn Defense started releasing albums around the same time as Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (though Sansone didn’t join Wilco until 2003). Now … Read more
The Fleshtones Wheel Of Talent Yep Roc Records[2014] Fire Note Says: America’s garage rock band prove they’ve still got it on album number 22. Album Review: The history of The Fleshtones is seriously unlike any other. Formed in Queens in 1976, they played their first gigs at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. They were also … Read more
Golden Suits Golden Suits Yep Roc Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Take a nice psych/folk pop trip with Fred Nicolaus and his new project Golden Suits. Album Review: There is a lot to like about Fred Nicolaus and his new project Golden Suits. For those who don’t know, Nicolaus is half of the driving force … Read more
Born Ruffians Birthmarks Yep Roc/Paper Bag Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Born Ruffians give us another fine yet predictable set of indie pop-rock. Album Review: Born Ruffians are just one of those kind of bands: you know, the kind you want to like a lot more than you actually do. They’ve got everything just about … Read more
Robyn Hitchcock Love From London Yep Roc Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Love From London has a more streamlined pop sound, but still retains all the trademark Hitchcock charm. Album Review: I’m not going to proclaim myself the world’s leading authority when it comes to the music of Robyn Hitchcock, but I think I’m pretty … Read more