Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous couple of weeks. This time out, we bring you a near perfect piece of acid jazz, the return of an emerging singer songwriter, some retro rock from Ireland, a familiar voice from the US punk scene with a great side-project, and more besides… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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Mercury’s Antennae are one of those bands who have a natural affinity with a very 80s inspired goth sound. Their ‘Among The Black Trees’ album (released in March 2025) presented nine tracks with a cold yet inviting sound, often heavily dipped in the waters of nostalgia. However, with goth sounds so well played, the release was impossible to resist. The Sisters of Mercy-esque ‘The Reflecting Skin’, Cocteau Twins tinged ‘As I Lay Hidden (Deer Island)’ and the stripped back, haunting tones of ‘Language of The Stars’, in particular, stood out, forming a trio of tracks that were among the band’s very best.
At the beginning of 2025, funk and pop duo DIZZY! released the ‘Hot Mess’ EP, sharing four tracks of well produced, soulful material that really captured a mood that seemed set to soundtrack the summer. The music, drawing influence from various corners of 70s and 80s soul and pop, was pin-sharp, but the material really came into its own when shining a light on DIZZY!’s vocal blend. David and Izzy Gruner’s vocals were obviously a natural fit with each other, with Izzy’s brighter tones sharing an especially pleasing tone. Despite featuring just four tracks, the EP was genuinely varied: the DNA from Lenny Kravitz’s ‘It Ain’t Over ’It’s Over’ could be found on the stand out cut ‘Bitter’; a great blend of pop and soul showed off the duo’s more buoyant side on the brilliant ‘Mess’ and ‘Crybaby’, while ‘Too Late’ even teased with lounge jazz.
On 16th January 2026, Silver Dollar Room announced the upcoming release of a new single. The same day, they broke the news to their fans that this would be their final recording.
They might not have reached the status of a band that were selling out big venues, but over a few short years, they made their mark on the Scottish underground rock scene and would certainly be missed by those who’d taken note of their work.
Across two enjoyable releases, ‘North’ (2019) and ‘Scene’ (2022), San Francisco’s The Morning Line celebrated a very 90s brand of pop rock, with an array of songs driven by jangling guitars and harmonious vocals. Often sounding like a cross between peak Connells and the lighter elements of Soul Asylum circa ‘Candy From A Stranger’, their best songs had the power to uplift, and in the case of ‘Looking Right At You’ and ‘Make Believe’ (very much highlights from ‘Scene’) even shared a nostalgic quality, despite being newly written.