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 previous few weeks. This visit brings the usual variety, from the expected rock and metal tunes, to some old style garage rock, another singer songwriter, and even some westcoast AOR/yacht rock gold. There’s something in here for most Real Gone supporters to latch onto – as always, hopefully, you’ll find something that inspires you to explore further.
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First up, the return of a favourite band. Since 2010, Swedish duo State Cows have been making their mark on the yacht rock scene with some terrifically retro sounds. Their early albums shamelessly revisited the style of bands like Airplay, Maxus and the Michael McDonald era of The Doobie Brothers. It was hard to believe such an authentically late 70s/early 80s sound was being recreated in the twenty first century, and even harder to believe it came from the colder climes of Scandinavia. Their subsequent works have been just as cool, but occasionally made on a smaller budget. They released their fourth proper album at the beginning of June ’22 but, as always, wasted no time in creating new material following its release. Their fourth single for ’23, ‘Echoes of You’ is everything a fan could hope for. With a broad selection of bright sounding electric piano sounds and clean vocals, their yacht-friendly approach is present from the outset, and when the chorus hits with its blend of light AOR and disco-ish undertones, it could be 1978 all over again. For those who still love the Toto debut and Marc Jordan’s ‘Mannequin’, it’s a must hear.
A duo of a very different kind, Yur Mum return in style with ‘Say Say’. The band’s previous fuzzy garage rock outings always had a lot of musical weight, but this new single raises the bar in terms of noise. The bass is heavily distorted; the vocals are roughed up just as much, and with the wall of sound underscored by a massively crashy drum part, there seems to be no limit to how much glorious noise two people can make. Armed with a crushing garage punk groove that hits hard throughout, and a howling vocal that conveys a superb attitude, Yur Mum take a massive leap forward with a track that makes Royal Blood seem like soppy wannabes.
Following a couple of digital single releases in 2022, Welsh band Stellar Echoes have finally returned with the very enjoyable ‘Break of Day’. The new single features a very natural vocal that might take some listeners a while to appreciate, but in terms of familiar songcraft, it’s a great track, mixing the noisier strains of US indie sounds with a faint jangle that sounds like a throwback to The Wonder Stuff in a bad mood. It’s the sort of number that’s designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of guitar based bands, and by the time a soaring lead fills the coda, it might even feel like something you’ve always known.
The current single from Pune based singer songwriter Trisha J has actually been floating around the internet since the end of 2022, but it’s been one of those slowcburning tracks that hasn’t quite found its audience, so a second round of promotion has brought it to the Real Gone inbox. It mixes a little indie with a huge swathe of pop, but ‘Killer Times’ isn’t quite what you’d expect. At times, it adopts an almost trip hop-ish rhythm; the bulk of the music eschews the usual guitars and electronica for bass grooves and bell-like keys, and its slow and sultry groove ensures that Trisha’s voice remains the main feature. Her chosen tones add a rather unsettling atmosphere in places, but there’s something about the whole package that’s hugely appealing. Despite being an older track, it really deserves to reach new ears.
Looking for old school metal? The current single from Immortalizer brings an unashamed studs and leather sound. On ‘Out In The Streets’. Mainman Dave D.R. hammers through a selection of guitar riffs inspired by the 80s glory days of big hair and big solos, and to bring his huge sound to life, he’s enlisted the help of Primal Fear’s Ralf Scheepers. Musical fashion be damned – this has all the makings of an old school classic; the sort of thing that would really suit an on form Rob Halford.
By injecting a few metallic guitar tones into a classic pop punk sound, Around 7 make no secret of a love for Sum 41 on ‘Breakthrough’, but the track isn’t a straight copy of the hugely popular band’s sound. Frontman Lachlan Wallace makes no attempt at hiding his Scottish roots, and a heavily accented vocal gives the band an easily recognisable identity, and the thundering drums that power the number constantly suggest that Around 7 could pack a much bigger punch than some of their musical influences and heroes. Like the Trisha J song, ‘Breakthrough’ first appeared a while back, but a reissue for the summer of ’23 should bring it to a new audience. And rightly so, as it’s very promising single indeed.
Bristol’s Bearpit really aren’t messing around on their current single. ‘Cyclone’ is a masterclass in metalcore, right from its opening barrage of pneumatic sounds. From there, the heavy workout indulges in some superb riffs that combine the metal and hardcore elements of an on-form Killswitch Engage with some of the cold, brutal mechanics of ‘Dehumanizer’ era Fear Factory. As such, it’ll be an instant love for fans of crossover metal sounds. A gruff vocal stokes up the anger, but is perfectly suited to the job in hand, and as the track progresses, the band’s desire to throw in a couple of melodic twists, firstly via a quiet interlude and then through a lead guitar melody really helps to keep things interesting.
Finally, here’s another glorious noise… Local Authority take the guts of garage punk and inject it with a dose of Cramps inspired psychobilly on the truly fantastic ‘Big Bad Man’. The single’s raw and very live sound brings out the best in one of the year’s dirtiest basslines and helps the guitar work pierce through the speakers with a genuine fury. Factor in a fiery lead vocal, repetitive hook and equally furious drums and you have the recipe for a genre classic. This is easily one of the most exciting singles of 2023…so far.
June 2023
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