Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting tracks to land in our inbox over the past few weeks. This selection takes in a perfect piece of soul, something from Australia with a bluesy leaning, another number from some UK ska veterans, a superb cover tune…and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
*
In terms of blending metal subgenres, Kill The Silence’s ‘The Final Word’ makes a bold statement. The track’s very heavy intro fuses the sheer force of groove metal with the complexity of prog, resulting in something that appears to pull in different directions, yet sounds incredibly tight. It takes all of a few seconds for guitarists Sam Rickerby and Daniel Ridding to make an impact, and the huge and dirty tones recall great work by Chimp Spanner, as well as the slightly more commercial sounding later works by Lamb of God, before introducing a classic sounding hardcore vocal; the kind that would normally sit with music closer to a hardcore punk sound. By the time the audience gets to grips with that, Kill The Silence switch gears to demonstrate more of a melodic streak, taking things from a techy/post-hardcore stance further into a world of sophisticated emo tones, allowing plenty of space for a genuinely powerful vocal from Jason Walsh. The way he uses his voice to soar, even when the rest of the band are tackling some rather sharp edges, sets up a superb contrast, and it’s that contrast that makes ‘The Final Word’ not just interesting, but genuinely thrilling.
For the classic rock fan, Brian Robertson is a man who’ll need no introduction. His years serving as one of Thin Lizzy’s guitarists has already earned him legendary status, and his short lived tenure with Motörhead saw him adding his considerable talents to 1983’s ‘Another Perfect Day’, one of the band’s most underrated discs. Then, there’s his own band, Wild Horses, a hard rock powerhouse whose rather scant output has been in danger of being overlooked since the 80s. Thankfully, the Cherry Red label set about getting the Wild Horses recordings back on the radars of keen music fans in 2025 with the help of a lovingly curated six disc set, bringing together the band’s complete output. This wasn’t really in the hope of having a massive seller on their hands – more a case of “public service”, and the same can be said for their 2026 expanded 2CD reissue of Robertson’s sole solo album ‘Diamonds & Dirt’, originally issued in 2011.
In 2004, at a time when half the world was hopped up on the sounds of the Franz Ferdinand debut and Arcade Fire’s ‘Funeral’ (an album the Canadian band have never bettered), and at a time when Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ was making inroads into being a best seller, somewhere in the wilds of Boston, Muck and The Mires were making garage rock noises for a much smaller audience. Not that the love poured into the tunes on their ‘Beginner’s Muck’ LP was any the lesser; the energy on that record spoke for itself, and the band’s love of Flamin’ Groovies and other retro fare propelled them forward, subsequently making stronger albums whilst retaining admiration from the underground power pop fans.
As we live in a constantly connected world, it sometimes feels as if we’re under constant surveillance. With that in mind, and inspired by the George Orwell novel of the same name, ‘1984’ by Mitchell Young is an anthem that’s fitting for the modern age. Lyrics concerning a fear of even “turn[ing] on the phone” and a suggestion that people feel a need to suppress their feelings seem especially pointed at a time where it doesn’t always feel like there’s much to be positive about.