Blog: Fire Drills

Matt Duke Kingdom Underground Rykodisc [2008] Fire Drills Review: One look at this cover and you think that Matt Duke could be your best friend, college roommate or even the guy bringing you pizza. It is this instant likability that translates to his simple singer/songwriter release Kingdom Underground . It has a balance of up tempo tracks and ballads that sound good to the ear. Is this album going to change your world [...]

White Lies Death [EP] Geffen Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: The hype just keeps building for this trio's full length debut To Lose A Life due in January and the Death EP will continue to fuel the fire. The group not only offers up another solid dark edged and moody slice of their rock sound but it includes a b-side and several remixes of the single. It is the remixes [...]

• WHITE LIES - Death - Crystal Castles Remix

Joel Plaskett Emergency Ashtray Rock Maple Records [2007] Fire Drills Review: This album is still only available as an import from Canada but it just recently reached our doorstep and thought it was worthy of a review even though it came out over a year ago. Joel Plaskett is the former lead singer of alt band Thrush Hermit and his solo efforts definitely sound more singer/songwriter but with a punch provided by his band [...]

Autumn Velvet Sky Self-Released [2008] Fire Drills Review: Autumn Boukadakis has one of those voices that is instantly appealing. On her sophomore record Velvet Sky she not only shows off her vocals but also her piano playing ability backing up her degree in classical piano from the University of Texas in Austin. Along with seven new originals Autumn offers up a killer version of Patty Griffin's "Nobody's Crying" which solidifies her mark [...]

Scarlet BLONDE Bedroom Superstars HyperMedia Recordings [2008] Fire Drills Review: Bedroom Superstars is England's Scarlet BLONDE's debut mini-album before their full length Acerbic hits in early 09. The record is a mix of new wave, rock and electro fronted by the power vocals of Dawn Firth that really drives each song into a grinding frenzy. After taking Bedroom Superstars for a spin it is hard to believe [...]

• Scarlet BLONDE - A Simple Song

Bridge And Tunnel East / West No Idea Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: The post-punk sound lives on with Bridge And Tunnel's interplaying guitars and hard edged melodies. The New York group takes a little different approach because on several tracks the female vocals get the shining light which puts Bridge And Tunnel out on limb more by themselves compared to other bands in this genre. Overall East/West is a quality listen [...]

Switchfoot The Best Yet Columbia/Legacy Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: I can fully admit that I have never been into the whole christian based rock thing so it was easy for me to dismiss Switchfoot very early on in their career. The Best Yet came to my doorstep, which I gave a fair spin and fans and non-fans should actually take listen because it represents a nice collection of their songs from all six [...]

Live Live At The Paradiso: Amsterdam Vanguard Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: Live is a band I have always enjoyed since their debut record Mental Jewelry [1991] . When Throwing Copper [1994] propelled them into the mainstream it looked like always filling arenas would be their destiny but somewhat average releases over the years have stifled their growth. What a fan could always count on is their high energy live performance and [...]

The Ettes Look At Life Again Soon Take Root Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: Heavy driving bass and sassy female vocals lead The Ettes through their sophomore record of 11 tracks in twenty-seven minutes. The trio have definitely grown a bit since their debut Shake The Dust [2006] while dropping the surf vibe for an all out lo-fi and gritty garage rock that fits them well and has lead vocalist [...]

Audrye Sessions Audrye Sessions [EP] Black Seal Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: This self-titled EP is just a taste of what San Fran/Oakland area band Audrye Sessions has to offer on their full length debut set for release early next year. The band has a very big UK sound with sprawling guitars and vocal anthems that get the feet tapping and ears listening. UK bands like the Muse, Travis and [...]

The Police Certifiable Universal Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: In the day of reunions I believe that the Police getting back together for a tour was one of the highlights in this trend. Certifiable is a full two CD and two DVD set capturing this giant tour and the show in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It comes with all the standard hits and sounds great so even the most casual fan can appreciate [...]

Secret Dakota Ring Cantarell No Office/Serious Business Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: Secret Dakota Ring is really guitarist Andy Ross from OK Go (you may know them better as the group in the treadmill video). Cantarell is Ross's second record under the moniker and it shows off his knack for writing and performing multi-layered indie pop that is catchy and softly engaging. Cantarell may never get the exposure of an OK Go [...]

• Secret Dakota Ring - The Fade to Black

Zoos Of Berlin Zoos Of Berlin [EP] Self-Released [2008] Fire Drills Review: You can't really go wrong checking out this 3 song EP from Detroit's Zoos Of Berlin because it really is a unique listen with their combination of baroque-pop and prog. The band features Trevor Naud from PAS/CAL and in a quick ten minutes the groups EP builds large overflowing soundscapes that bring you right into the music. The EP takes on a [...]

Dar Williams Promised Land Razor & Tie Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: So far Dar Williams has had an excellent career and Promised Land is the singer/songwriter's seventh studio record and first in three years. Her light-hearted and clean vocals always make any recording she releases worthy of checking out but she also grabbed some help this go around from friends Suzanne Vega and Marshall Crenshaw making this record even more appealing. [...]

High Places High Places Thrill Jockey Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: It is always nice to hear when a band's debut lives up to the strength of their earlier singles. High Places self-titled record does just that and equals the quality of their first compilation of earlier recordings released in July called 03/07 -09/07 [2008] . The duo of Mary Pearson and Robert Barber mix in elements of electronic, world and indie pop [...]

Holy Hail Independent Pleasure Club Kanine Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: Independent Pleasure Club is the debut record from the energetic indie group Holy Hail out of New York. The album mixes quick and anthem like vocals with distorted guitars, strobing synthesizers and a heavy drum beat which together make for a very upbeat launching on each track. At the end of the day the pace is fast, the tracks are [...]

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Around The Bend [EP] Small Giants Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: You may recognize "Around The Bend" from those catchy Apple commercials for the new iPod Touches with its fun pop ambiance that simply jumps out of the TV with enthusiasm. That is the way The Asteroids Galaxy Tour sound throughout their EP, which defies repetitiveness and never gets to the sunny side of annoying. The single "The Sun Ain't [...]

Land Of Talk Some Are Lakes Saddle Creek Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: This is an album that has been on our 2008 anticipation list since the bands EP release in early 2007. Lead singer Elizabeth Powell has been gaining a separate indie experience touring with Broken Social Scene but Land Of Talk is her main gig and their debut Some Are Lakes delivers a consistent record that [...]

Todd Snider Peace Queer Aimless Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: Todd Snider has been around for quite some time now and has consistently released solid roots rock straight out of Nashville. Peace Queer is really an eight song mini album that clocks in at twenty-six minutes and has some solid rockers like "Stuck On The Corner [Prelude To A Heart Attack]" and a very haunting acoustic read along version of CCR's "Fortunate [...]

Beck Gamma Ray 7" XL Records [2008] Fire Drills Review: What makes the Gamma Ray 7" so special is that Beck went out and teamed up with another mix master of his own skill set in newcomer Jay Reatard for the b-side version of the song. Reatard turns a solid indie groove song from Beck and offers up a dirty distorted version that sounds more frantic and spastic then the orginal while retaining its [...]