2014 was an absolutely great year for music from DIY bands or releases distributed through independent labels. There was so much great music this year that Real Gone found that just one free sampler just wasn’t enough!
A free sampler containing tracks from ten different metal bands can be found here. For those who’d like a few free gems from other genres – rock, pop, punk etc – in ‘Idiots & Idols’ we’ve got a similarly top-notch collection for you!
In the spring of 2013 Manchester alt-rockers Duke And The Darlings unleashed their second EP, ‘Champagne of the People’, a brief work that showed the band to have a lot of energy – an energy they really harnessed when choosing to record that EP live in the studio, thus capturing their core sound in a much welcomed unfussy manner. While their song writing wasn’t always memorable in the long term, the EPs music had moments of great drive and an enthusiasm which guaranteed those lucky enough to hear it would wind up musing on how the band’s sound would develop in the future. Surely in an upwards direction, taking the best parts of their sound, refining them for an even better release…?
Duke & The Darlings are all set to release a new single on Friday 20th December.
‘Svengali Says’, taken from the Manchester alt-rock band’s yet to be titled EP, will be available via iTunes and Spotify.
This second EP from Manchester-based Duke and the Darlings was recorded live in the studio and its relative rawness gives the material a natural energy and edginess. After recovering from the initial shock of something sounding like a blown speaker, there are four well played numbers waiting to be discovered from beneath the general fuzziness.