Blog: The Fire Note

New reviews, news, vinyl spotlights, 7-inch features, tour info and more await you at the new Fire Note. We hope you enjoy! WWW.THEFIRENOTE.COM

Hey Fire Note faithful Do you remember the rush you felt at your first concert? What about that feeling the first time you saw your favorite band live? Can you describe the anticipation that sets in when you open a new lp or cd – heck, even waiting on a download? That feeling and memorable experience is the reason The Fire Note blog started back on April 10, 2006. I wanted to create a simple place that could showcase records that I liked. Starting next Monday, I am building on this idea and moving The [...]

Jason Collett Reckon Arts & Crafts Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Reckon is a dark and angry record, wrapped in a pretty folk package. Album Review: Reckon , the 6th solo lp from Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett, is a protest album, but you might not get that from it on first listen, because Collett has such a gift for melody that it sounds too [...]

We Are The Physics Your Friend, The Atom This Is Fake DIY Records [2012] Fire Note Says: We Are The Physics turns up the speed and volume on Your Friend, The Atom . Album Review: We Are The Physics are a four-piece outfit from Glasgow, Scotland. Your Friend, The Atom is their second full-length release, following up to 2008’s We Are [...]

Clinic Free Reign Domino Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Free Reign finds Clinic doing what they do best, and continuing to add new ingredients to their psychedelic sonic stew! Album Review: There was a point in the early 2000’s where I, like a lot of music fans, were riding hard on the Clinic bandwagon. What wasn’t to like? They had a cool, Velvet Underground collides [...]

Peter Gabriel So [25th Anniversary Special Edition] Real World/EMI Records [2012] (3CD Set) Fire Note Says: Music here is an easy 5 - the lack of extras holds this version slightly back from taking all gold! Album Review: I don't think there should be much argument or even discussion about how great So is from Peter Gabriel. It is a record that took him from being the [...]

The Soft Moon Zeros Captured Tracks Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The Soft Moon has something in a box it'd like to show you. Album Review: Zeros is full of hermetic, chain-chamber music that’s simultaneously a funhouse mirror image of scary music and the thing itself. “Machines” swirls and pelts. “Zeros” and “Lost Years” burst with disco shimmies and goth gasps. “Crush” drowns us. [...]

Trapper Schoepp & The Shades Run, Engine, Run SideOneDummy Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Get ready to run with Trapper Schoepp & The Shades as their third lp is a non-stop Americana romp! Album Review: Southern flavored music from a Milwaukee band on a typically punk label? That does not necessarily sound like a recipe for success but I will tell you that Trapper Schoepp & The [...]

Soundgarden King Animal Universal Music Group [2012] Fire Note Says: Soundgarden return after 16 years with a fan satisfying album. Album Review: We have already seen plenty of classic groups come back together in 2012 and now Soundgarden add to the list after a 16 year absence since a studio record. As one of the kings of grunge I don't think anyone knew what to expect from King Animal . [...]

The Who Live at Hull 1970 Geffen/Universal Music Group [2012] Fire Note Says: See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Release Me Album Review: Originally released as part of the Deluxe Edition of Live at Leeds in 2010, The Who- Live at Hull 1970 , has finally been given its own standalone release! Recorded the night after Leeds, February 15th 1970, the [...]

Green Day ¡Dos! Reprise/Warner Bros. Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The second offering of the Green Day trilogy works harder to find its own identity. Album Review: Green Day are back with the second installment of their trilogy, correctly titled ¡Dos! , and it once again throws caution to the wind with its free spirited vibe. This release of course is coming at you after the [...]

Further Seems Forever Penny Black Rise Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Further Seems Forever comes back to the scene strong. Album Review: Further Seems Forever returns with their first studio record in eight years, and the first to feature the full original line-up since 2001’s The Moon is Down . I’ve rocked Further Seems Forever before, but I’d never heard anything from Chris Carrabba’s time in [...]

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 ax slingers behind psych, sludge powerhouses Mastodon. This side project, West End [...]

Helvetia Nothing in Rambling Joyful Noise Recordings [2012] Fire Note Says: Helvetia mix Olivia Tremor Control and My Bloody Valentine in a blender and come up with Nothing in Rambling! Album Review: Hevetia (pronounced hel-vee-shuh) play a brand of experimental psychedelic indie rock that calls to mind bands like Deerhunter and classic Elephant 6 bands from the past, without ever falling down the rabbit hole of weirder [...]

Neil Young and Crazy Horse Psychedelic Pill Reprise/Warner Bros. Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Neil Young saddles up the Horse for a long psychedelic journey through the past! Album Review: Until this spring, it had been nearly a decade since Neil Young had saddled up his longtime backing band Crazy Horse and recorded with them. Now we have Psychedelic Pill , which is the 2nd album [...]

Anberlin Vital Universal Republic Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Anberlin makes good on their promise to deliver their most aggressive record. Album Review: I’ve been listening to Anberlin for a few years now, ever since New Surrender [2008] dropped. Needless to say, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Vital , their seventh studio record. In June, frontman Stephen Christian said that this album would be their [...]

Times New Viking Over & Over EP Siltbreeze Records [2012] Fire Note Says: Times New Viking make a triumphant return to Siltbreeze with their new EP! Album Review: You Can Never Go Home Again is the name of a posthumous book by Thomas Wolfe, in which he famously stated that once you have left your proverbial country home for the big city, you can never return to [...]

The Jam The Gift [Super Deluxe Edition] Universal Records [2012] (3CD / 1DVD Set) Fire Note Says: A "super" revisit with The Jam's last record The Gift . Album Review: The Jam were one of more notable bands that rose out of the 1977 British punk scene right alongside The Clash, Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols. What is interesting is that they seem to still be relatively unknowns [...]

A Shoreline Dream 333 Latenight Weeknight Records [2012] Fire Note Says: A Shoreline Dream float on an open sea of dreams with their 333 LP. Album Review: A Shoreline Dream comes to us all the way for Denver, Colorado bringing with them a moody blend of ambient psych with a nice post-rock tinge. A neat idea, the 333 album was actually each released as an EP each [...]

Basement Colourmeinkindness Run For Cover Records [2012] Fire Note Says: The sophomore album from Basement brings back the glory days of indie guitar rock for an entire new generation to enjoy! Album Review: I was just having this conversation last week about my wish (and the need) for solid straightforward guitar rock to make a return to the indie ranks. I am not talking about what many [...]