AMIGO THE DEVIL – Yours Until The War Is Over

Amigo The Devil’s second album, 2021’s ‘Born Against’ took folk, bluegrass and country influences and created something really interesting. Instead of taking an easy route through those styles, the best material mixed them with more interesting things, which led to tracks like ‘Drop For Every Hour’ and ‘Shadow’ sharing more of a Brecht/Weill influence, the mournful approach of Leonard Cohen cutting through the centre of ‘Different Anymore’, and even further away from the expected, ‘Murder At The Bingo Hall’ blending roots with a moody indie rock rhythm. Not all of the experiments worked, but it was always great to hear a man keen to push the boundaries of folk and Americana.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #38

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. We’ve got a great selection for you as we move further into 2024: there’s a glam infused pop-rocker, some solid sounding country rock, melancholy folk, some absolutely huge indie rock, and more besides. As always, if you discover anything new you’ve enjoyed, stop by and tell us! We’d love to hear from you…and if you’ve got something you think might suit a future feature, please get in touch.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR: A NEW YEAR’S EVE LOCK IN 2023

After launching the Real Gone Singles Bar in June 2023, we found ourselves covering an even broader range of music than before. It became a natural home for anything that mightn’t see a follow up album, or music that, perhaps, might not lead to a full review. The popular feature also became an easy way to introduce people to new music, and our inbox became very busy. Naturally, by limiting the feature to eight tracks per week, not everything made the cut. In fairness, not everything deserved to, but we heard a lot of stuff that was too good to not share.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #27

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This time around, we bring you a very eclectic selection – and what we think might just be one of best SB features to date. We’ve got cosmic country; we’ve got dreampop; there’s time for a slab of indie pop with a ridiculously infectious chorus, and even a bit of bluegrass. Strap yourselves in for the ride – and, as always, if you’ve enjoyed anything here, please drop by and let us know!

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JOBY FOX – I Once Was A Hawk, Now I’m A Dove

Joby Fox began his musical career as a member of Belfast post-punk band The Bankrobbers, who released material on the legendary Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label. Musicians have to grow and change, obviously, and it’s impossible to remain angry at the world for a lifetime; but, that said, Fox’s 2023 solo album ‘I Once Was A Hawk, Now I’m A Dove’ is as different from his formative years as it’s possible to be. It doesn’t even align with his work as a member of Irish pop-rockers Energy Orchard. The album shares a soft, after hours vibe which, used to power songs which stylistically straddle folk, pop and jazz, makes it fit almost into an easy listening bracket. This is by no means a criticism; the laid back moods are perfect for Fox’s voice, which is just one of the record’s many strengths.

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