Damaged Bug: Bug On Yonkers [Album Review]
Damaged BugBug On YonkersCastle Face Records [2020] Bug On Yonkers is the new album from John Dwyer’s (Oh Sees) Damaged Bug moniker and it quite possibly may be the best…
NOFX / Frank Turner: West Coast Vs. Wessex [Album Review]
NOFX / Frank TurnerWest Coast Vs. WessexFat Wreck Chords [2020] When Fat Mike of NOFX phoned up Frank Turner and asked him if he wanted to do a split covers…
Chris Taylor: Born On The Beat [Album Review]
Chris Taylor Born On The BeatSelf-Released [2020] Chris Taylor, a San Antonio artist, both a singer/songwriter and painter, is exemplary of how real indie rock artists (not those bands we…
Fontaines D.C.: A Hero’s Death [Album Review]
Fontaines D.C.A Hero’s DeathPartisan Records [2020] Last year’s debut, Dogrel, rapidly launched Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. style of post-punk into the spotlight. Quickly, the 5 piece band has returned with 11…
Dehd: Flower Of Devotion [Album Review]
DehdFlower Of DevotionFire Talk Records [2020] Dehd, the Chicago-based trio of Emily Kempf (vocals/bass), Jason Balla (vocals/guitar), and Eric McGrady (drums), have made grand steps forward on their latest album,…
Randy Holden: Population II [Album Review]
Randy Holden Population IIRidingEasy Records [2020] Randy Holden’s Population II has had a long, tortuous road to its most recent reissue, the ins and outs of which could probably support…
Liza Anne: Bad Vacation [Album Review]
Liza Anne Bad VacationArts & Crafts [2020] Georgia-based, indie rocker Liza Anne returns with her fourth album of smart pop-craft, with plenty of 80’s new wave, pop/punk and rock influences…
The Psychedelic Furs: Made Of Rain [Album Review]
The Psychedelic Furs Made Of RainCooking Vinyl [2020] As influential as UK post/punk rock band The Psychedelic Furs has been in modern music circles, it’s pretty surprising to look back…
Gang Of Four: Anti Hero [Album Review]
Gang Of Four Anti HeroGill Music [2020] After the death of long-time Gang of Four leader and lead guitarist, Andy Gill, in February, the band released the posthumous EP This…
Taylor Swift: Folklore [Album Review]
Taylor Swift FolkloreRepublic Records [2020] It’s almost hard to say what’s more surprising here, that Taylor Swift dropped a surprise new album last Thursday that was entirely recorded in the…
The Lees Of Memory: Moon Shot [Album Review]
The Lees Of MemoryMoon ShotSelf-Released [2020] There is something really refreshing and energizing about the latest The Lees Of Memory record Moon Shot. For all of those unfamiliar, The Lees…
Beans: All Together Now [Album Review]
BeansAll Together NowFlightless Records [2020] All Together Now is the Geelong-based quintet Beans (formally Baked Beans) follow up to their 2018 debut record Babble. The group has taken their already…
Weiwu: Are You Perfect Yet? [Album Review]
Weiwu Are You Perfect Yet?Self-Released [2020] Weiwu is the name chosen by Michael Gungor, as he steps away from the contemporary Christian music band that he led with his wife,…
Pretenders: Hate For Sale [Album Review]
Pretenders Hate For SaleBMG [2020] Like many of the innovative, influential women artists who carved out a name for themselves in the early days of modern rock & roll music…
Protomartyr: Ultimate Success Today [Album Review]
ProtomartyrUltimate Success TodayDomino Records [2020] You might think Detroit’s Protomartyr had a crystal ball when they were writing and recording their fifth album Ultimate Success Today last year as it…
Paul Melancon: The Get Gos Action Hour! [Album Review]
Paul Melancon The Get Gos Action Hour!Self-Released [2020] Atlanta-based, power-pop indie rock artist, Paul Melancon released a number of full-length albums in the early 2000’s to a modicum of local…
Rufus Wainwright: Unfollow The Rules [Album Review]
Rufus Wainwright Unfollow The RulesBMG [2020] Somehow, even when Rufus Wainwright was getting a lot of buzz for the sophisticated sound on his self-titled debut (’98) and his sophomore outing,…
Illuminati Hotties: FREE I.H: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For [Album Review]
Illuminati HottiesFREE IH: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting ForBig Scary Monsters [2020] Sometimes the best thing to do as an artist when you feel pissed off is…
Holy Wave: Interloper [Album Review]
Holy Wave InterloperReverberation Appreciation Society [2020] Who: The story of Holy Wave starts in El Paso, Texas. This quickly changes in 2008 after a life altering My Blood Valentine show….
Intercooler: Read The Room [Album Review]
IntercoolerRead The RoomSilent Echo Records [2020] Brisbane, Australia’s Intercooler is not well known in the US but Read The Room is the bands fourth album and first since 2011. After…
The Jayhawks: XOXO [Album Review]
The Jayhawks XOXOSham/Thirty Tigers [2020] While the quartet of musicians at the heart of The Jayhawks have been together more or less for a quarter of a century, much of…
The Beths: Jump Rope Gazers [Album Review]
The Beths Jump Rope GazersCarpark Records [2020] The debut of Auckland, New Zealand band The Beths, Future Me Hates Me, was one of the musical bright spots of 2018, making…
BOYO: Where Have All My Friends Gone? [Album Review]
BOYOWhere Have All My Friends Gone?Park The Van [2020] BOYO’s new album Where Have All My Friends Gone? is a refreshing slice of indie rock that blends lo-fi, bedroom pop…
Bananagun: The True Story Of Bananagun [Album Review]
BananagunThe True Story Of BananagunFull Time Hobby [2020] When you name your band “Bananagun,” you’re setting up certain expectations for the listener. At the very least, they’re going to anticipate…
Wire: 10:20 [Album Review]
Wire 10:20Pinkflag [2020] While 2020 has taken a lot away from us, like live concerts and international travel, one thing we worth celebrating is that we not only got a…
Japandroids: Massey Fucking Hall (Live) [Album Review]
Japandroids Massey Fucking Hall (Live)ANTI- [2020] There’s a telling moment in Vancouver band Japandroids’ live concert album set, about three and half minutes into their third song “Heart Sweats,” where…
Phoebe Bridgers: Punisher [Album Review]
Phoebe Bridgers PunisherDead Oceans [2020] Phoebe Bridgers’ solo sophomore album arrives amid a growing demand for the young indie rock singer/songwriter. After the release of her debut, Stranger in the…
Mong Tong: Mystery [Album Review]
Mong TongMysteryGuruguru Brain [2020] If you have been reading the pages of TFN over the past year, you have probably noticed more press on the psychedelic scene that mostly has…
Khruangbin: Mordechai [Album Review]
KhruangbinMordechaiDead Oceans [2020] Khruangbin is the Houston-based group comprised of Laura Lee Ochoa (bass), Mark Speer (guitar), and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums) and their third record, Mordechai, is easily one…
Ron Sexsmith: Hermitage [Album Review]
Ron Sexsmith HermitageCooking Vinyl [2020] While I’ve practically made it a personal mission to bring Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn to the attention of American audiences whenever possible, there are numerous…