The Ar-Kaics take their cues from the first wave of ‘60s punk—American teenagers taking cues from the British Invasion, in turn taking cues from pilfers of the hinterland originators—with the added vantage of several subsequent decades worth of wayward balladeers, no names and psychedelic rock hangovers.
The Ar-Kaics have been delivering their off-brand, spot-on garage rock originals out of Richmond, VA, via a flood of small press singles and a self-titled debut album—all of which have since become highly desirable in the collectors market—and several successful DIY tours across the lower 48, with shows in Canada and Europe to boot.
Their new record In This Time was out last Friday on Wick Records. You can find a copy HERE.
The Friday Fire Track: Ty Segall – “Class War”
Ty Segall is releasing a covers album titled Fudge Sandwich next week on October 26th via In The Red. Today’s Friday Fire Track is from … Read more
The Safes – “Universal Heartbeat” [Video]
Chicago band The Safes have released a tribute to Juliana Hatfield today via American Laundromat Records. The record was engineered by the renowned Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. To turn this up to 11, The Safes asked their friends Ted Ansani and Mike Zelenko of Chicago’s one-and-only legendary power pop trio Material Issue to be the rhythm section for this recording.
The 7 inch features their cover of “Universal Heartbeat” and “I See You.” Purchase the 7 inch HERE and see below for full fall tour dates.
US Tour Dates:
Sat 10/13 – Des Moines, IA – Leftys
Fri 10/19 – Champaign, IL – Loose Cobra
Sat 10/20 – St Louis, MO – The Sinkhole
Fri 11/2 – Madison, WI – Mickeys
Sat 11/3 – Minneapolis, MN – Eagles Club
Fri 11/9 – Milwaukee, WI – Quarters Rock N Roll Palace
Sat 11/10 – Green Bay, WI – Lyric Room
Fri 11/16 – Lafayette, IN – Digbys
Sat 11/17 – Grand Rapids, MI – Tip Top Deluxe
Wed 11/21 – Chicago, IL – Schubas
Max Pain And The Groovies – “Checkin’ Out Late” [Video]
Max Pain and the Groovies have released their new EP, Sounds From The Hole, via Greenway Records. Their first release since relocating from Salt Lake City to Brooklyn, it was heavily influenced by the thousands of miles they’ve spent on the road touring.
Check out the video for lead single “Checkin’ Out Late,” a song about staying sane on tour. The video speaks to the many things that can go wrong: “whether it’s getting broken into, breaking down or getting played,” they share, “the only thing you can do is just keep on keepin’ on.”
You can find a hand-poured 7″ of the track right HERE via Greenway Records.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: 5 Reissues (ATO Color Vinyl | 2000 Copies)
King Gizzard fans have been waiting for this day as their first five titles are being reissued which include reimagined artwork, packaging, liner notes and … Read more
Amyl And The Sniffers – “Cup Of Destiny” [Video]
Here is the latest and greatest from Flightless & ATO Records. Melbourne punks Amyl and the Sniffers have just released a limited edition 7” vinyl and “Cup of Destiny” is the b-side. The young band opened for King Gizzard on their 2018 summer tour. Singer Amy Taylor’s stage presence are all you need to see and hear to enjoy this group.
The band will release their debut album in early 2019 on ATO/Flightless Records (North America) / Flightless Records (Australia & New Zealand) / Rough Trade (ROW). The band is currently in the midst of a worldwide tour and will hit North America in October for a series of dates in major cities including NYC, LA, Chicago and more (all tour dates below).
Amyl and the Sniffers tour:
9/27 – London, UK @ International Festival Forum
9/29 – Memphis, TN @ Gonerfest
9/30 – Nashville, TN @ Springwater
10/02 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
10/03 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
10/04 – Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog
10/05 – Toronto, Canada @ Hard Luck Bar
10/06 – Montreal, Canada @ La Sala Rosa
10/08 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
10/11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
10/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Beautiful World Syndicate
10/13 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd Music House
10/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
11/07 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 Academy
11/08 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrlowland
11/10 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
11/12 – Belfast, IE @ The Limelight
11/15 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
11/16 – Liverpool, UK @ O2 Academy
11/17 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
11/19 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy
11/20 – Briston, UK @ O2 Academy
11/22 – Cardiff, UK @ Tramshed
11/23 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
11/24 – London, UK @ Alexandra Palace
Smoking Popes: Into The Agony (Random Mixed Half/Half Vinyl | 500 Copies)
Smoking Popes new album, Into The Agony, is set to be released on October 12, 2018 via Asian Man Records. The 1st press is avaiable … Read more
Active Bird Community: Amends [Album Review]
Active Bird Community Amends Barsuk Records [2018] Who: Active Bird Community is a Brooklyn band formed in 2005. Amends is their Barsuk Records debut. Sound: … Read more
Death Valley Girls – “More Dead” [Video]
Death Valley Girls just recently announced their new album Darkness Rains (out October 5th via Suicide Squeeze) along with the Iggy Pop-starring video for lead single “Disaster (Is What We’re After).” Now the Los Angeles band has shared the second single from the album entitled “More Dead.”
After you watch the video, you can pre-order the album HERE.
Oh Sees – “Overthrown” [Video]
This new video from Oh Sees perfectly captures the essence of their latest record Smote Reverser. Check it out now!
The Friday Fire Track: ORB – “Space Between The Planets”
TFN has still not tired of the heavy psych weapons Flightless Records out of Australia currently has in their arsenal. ORB of course are now … Read more
The Friday Fire Track: RAYS – “Yesterday’s Faces”
Oakland’s RAYS are back! The follow up to their self-titled debut will be out November 2nd via Trouble In Mind and is titled You Can … Read more
The Friday Fire Track: Ron Gallo – “Always Elsewhere”

Stardust Birthday Party is the follow up to Ron Gallo’s debut album, Heavy Meta, which was a fantastic garage rock album that we missed out on in 2017. Well, we are not missing this one as Gallo storms back with today’s Friday Fire Track, “Always Elsewhere.” The track is from Stardust Birthday Party which is out October 5, 2018 via New West Records.
Gallo’s energy sounds like a modern Talking Heads as the track has a very pop backbone under its excited guitar playing and call out type vocal delivery. The song just has all the components to make your Friday better!
Ron Gallo Website
Ron Gallo Facebook
New West Records
Mitski: Be The Cowboy [Album Review]
Mitski Be The Cowboy Dead Oceans [2018] Fire Note Says: It is fantastic to hear Mitski in full control and give the indie world a … Read more
Down By Law – “Rebrand It” [Video]
Veteran punk band Down By Law recently released their 11th record, All In, via Kung Fu Records under exclusive distribution through Cleopatra Records, Inc. The band has followed up with the debut of a brand new video for their latest single “Rebrand It.”
Death Valley Girls – “Disaster (Is What We’re After)” [Video]
Los Angeles punk glam rockers Death Valley Girls have announced their third studio album Darkness Rains, out October 5th via Suicide Squeeze Records. The announcement arrives with this fantastic Iggy Pop-starring video for the new single “Disaster (Is What We’re After).” It really will have you wanting a hamburger!
The band also has a 30-date US tour scheduled this fall which you can see all the dates below.
Death Valley Girls Tour Dates:
08-26 – Long Beach, CA @ Happy Sundays (FREE)
09-13 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriets *
10-03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom **
10-04 – Tustin, CA @ Marty’s on Newport **
10-05 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah **
10-18 – Riverside, CA @ Aurea Vista
10-19 – Las Vegas, NV @ Bunkhouse Saloon
10-20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room
10-21 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
10-23 – Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas
10-24 – Dallas, TX @ Regal Room
10-25 – Norman, OK @ Opolis
10-26 – Memphis, TN @ The Hi Tone
10-29 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery #
10-30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie #
11-01 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge #
11-02 – Cleveland, OH @ The Winchester #
11-03 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx #
11-04 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen #
11-05 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club #
11-07 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge #
11-08 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge #
11-09 – Boise, ID @ The Olympic #
11-11 – Chico, CA @ Duffy’s #
11-13 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios #
11-14 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret #
11-15 – Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown #
11-16 – Seattle, WA @ Freakout Festival
11-17 – Eugene, OR @ Old Nicks #
11-20 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop #
* w/ L.A. Witch
** w/ Roky Erickson
# w/ Gymshorts
(Sandy) Alex G Announces North American Fall Tour
Since the release of Rocket, the 8th full-length album from (Sandy) Alex G – aka Alex Giannascoli – in May of last year, Alex and … Read more
The Friday Fire Track: Art Brut – “Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!”
Art Brut is back and just released a brand new single and today’s Friday Fire Track, “Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out.” Frontman Eddie Argos … Read more
Baked Beans – “Slow” [Video]
Flightless Records just announced that they have signed Baked Beans. Their debut album BABBLE is set to drop next Friday. If you like Flightless bands – you are going to enjoy Baked Beans!
The Joy Formidable – “The Wrong Side” [Video]
Earlier this summer, The Joy Formidable announced that they would be returning with yet another huge step forward, in the shape of new album AAARTH. The band is now unveiling a video for their latest single “The Wrong Side”.
Bassist and vocalist Rhydian Davies comments on the visuals; “This is our second collaboration with [Boston-based creative studio] TRLLM. We love their imagination and, like all our favourite artists, they’re not afraid to make it weird. They had the background to the song, how lyrically it’s pieced like a collage from memories and snippets of time, and they used that, along with the album artwork to create this experimental, multi-coloured dream sequence that we think captures the essence beautifully.”
AAARTH is released on September 28th via Hassle Records on CD, download and LP, as well as an extremely limited boxset, Indie retail exclusive vinyl, and Rough Trade exclusive vinyl, which will be supported by in-stores at Nottingham, Bristol and London East.
Clean Spill – “Rolling” [Video]
Santa Barbara’s garage rock band, Clean Spill, have a new single and official video for “Rolling.” The song is the second release from the band’s forthcoming EP, Nothing’s On My Mind, due out soon before summer ends.
In an interview, Clean Spill told Consequence of Sound: “This song is the essence of Clean Spill, a happy song with sad lyrics that emulates the paradox of our band name. If all the lyrics were happy, the song would be cheesy.”
Clean Spill Website
Clean Spill Facebook
The Friday Fire Track: GØGGS – “Pre Strike Sweep”
GØGGS, the Los Angeles-based group comprised of co-founders Chris Shaw (vocals) and Ty Segall (guitars), and Michael Anderson (bass) and Charles Moothart (drums, guitar), are … Read more
Wild Pink: Yolk In The Fur [Album Review]
Wild Pink Yolk In The Fur Tiny Engines [2018] Who: Yolk In The Fur is Wild Pink’s sophomore long player and their third release in … Read more
The Living End – “Don’t Lose It” [Video]
Rise Records and Australia’s The Living End – the trio of Chris Cheney, Scott Owen and Andy Strachan – have announced the band’s eighth studio album titled Wunderbar (pre-order). Out on Friday, September 28, Wunderbar brings more pop punk like the first single and video here for “Don’t Lose It.“
Fred Thomas – “Good Times Are Gone Again” [Video]
Fred Thomas has been making music nonstop for years. He has continually evolved but gained notice with 2015’s critically hailed album All Are Saved, then last years Changer and now a new long player titled Aftering.
“Good Times Are Gone Again” is taken from Fred Thomas’ new album, Aftering, which is out September 14, 2018 via Polyvinyl Records. You can pre-order the record HERE.