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 past few weeks. We kick off our second year at the Singles Bar with one of the most varied selections to date. We’ve got electronica, country, a brilliant slice of synth pop, something retro sounding featuring an indie/shoegaze legend, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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Apology Kink are on a massive 80s inspired synth pop kick with ‘Let Me Be Your Heartthrob’. Its opening bars set up a pulsing electronic rhythm, over which an upbeat pop vocal shares a surprisingly understated melody. It’s with the chorus that this tune really springs into life, since a much bigger sound pays a debt to the film soundtrack hits of the decade, and a soaring vocal injects a much bigger melody into the mechanical groove. With a few multi-tracked harmonies, a massive round of whoah-oh’s used as a second hook, and a few elements sounding like a more commercial Autogramm, this single is as catchy as hell.
More pulsing sounds inform ‘Everything Turns’, a great offering from shoegaze stalwarts A Shoreline Dream. This single’s semi-droned base evokes strong late 80s/early 90s vibes, and the way the huge synths weave in and out of the track’s sporadic beats lends a pleasingly cold feel. That’s not to say the track shuts out the listener completely; a natural vocal does some very heavy lifting in terms of adding a strong melody, and with Ride man Mark Gardener guesting, it ensures an even bigger sound. With elements of light, almost ethereal shoegaze, big electronica and a swathe of indie cool pulling together to create a wavering tune that feels familiar from the outset, this has a great crossover appeal.
In terms of blending styles, ‘The Way She Wants’ by Giacomo Turra is huge. The bulk of the arrangement shares a great soul pop sound that has a hugely retro quality that casts itself back to the 80s, but Turra gives everything a lift with a jazz guitar that would be at home on a few Ibiza chill out tracks. These musical elements are linked via a strong vocal where special guest Nic Hanson adds a flowing pop melody which feels as if it’s inspired by something from the late 90s and early 00s, somehow without killing the 80s vibe. Those already into this kind of smooth soul-pop will love this, and in a perfect world, this single would be a summer hit.
It may well boast one of the most emo-centric titles ever, but My Best Unbeaten Brother’s ‘Time On Our Hands, Spider-Man’ shares two minutes’ worth of the purest post-punk. From the rough hewn bassline and hard edged ringing guitar, the ghosts of early Wire lurk, but there’s a pointed style at play that has more of its own identity. Everything is perfectly suited to the voice which seems keen to veer towards a spoken rant, and the blend of sharp edges and vocal grumblings are set to make listeners sit up and take notice. Every element of this semi lo-fi track is an unashamedly British joy. It also sounds far less like a Wedding Present tribute than the band’s previous ‘Slayer On A Sunny Day’, suggesting that their ongoing musical experiments will eventually see them delivering something even more distinctive.
Hard rock heroes The Dead Daisies are back, and what’s more, vocalist John Corabi has returned to the fold. His first recording with the band since 2018, ‘Light ’Em Up’ is a full throttle no nonsense number that values the presence of his gritty approch as much as Doug Aldrich’s huge riffs. With Corabi in full roar, the band were always going to deliver, but with a massive AC/DC and Rhino Bucket inspired riff in hand, the band bring old school sounds that have a genuine power and timeless appeal. Everything here is pin sharp, from Doug’s fiery lead guitar work to the hefty rhythms supplied by Tommy Clufetos, suggesting that they’ll take their future live audiences by storm.
Singer songwriter Olive Louise shows an open and honest heart on the semi-confessional ‘No Medicine’. It’s use of light melodies and sedate beats leans towards an indie-pop sound, but the track’s main melody is drawn from much older stock, since Olive’s confident yet lightly mournful tones latch on to a tune that occasionally seems to want to drift into ‘Dream A Little Dream of Me’. The way the performer uses this familiar melody in a more modern context, augmented by chamber pop smoothness, gives the track an almost timeless quality and ensures her single sticks in the head long after a lot of other singer songwriter fare has faded. The combination of music and lyric here is perfect, and the huge crescendo reached in the middle of this performance captures a moment that suggests Olive’s talent is even bigger than this track actually shows. [Video clip is vaguely NSFW]
With its shuffling rhythm and occasional steel guitar crying through the cracks, ‘This Old Truck’ by Grant Langston possesses a fairly traditional country soul. However, Grant’s pop-infused vocal and feel-good tones give this single a welcome lift. His voice offers the biggest pull here as he recounts a tale of engine and oil based love, but a spritely solo allowing the country twang to emerge in full bloom also adds some huge melodic charm. It won’t necessarily appeal to those who don’t dabble with unashamedly country-based sounds, but what Grant does, he does very well.
An Americana influence of a different kind cuts through the heart of ‘I Saw You Standing There’ by Tom Baker & Justine Covault. The track’s semi-acoustic rhythms call to mind elements of the early Wilco catalogue, whilst the slightly grubbier elements feel like a natural companion to Baker’s own spit ‘n’ sawdust roots rock with The Dirty Truckers. The big draw here, though, is the opportunity to hear Baker and Covault sharing vocal duties. Tom adopts a slightly affected twang to suit the music, and Justine approaches the number much in the way she approached her country side project Justine’s Black Threads. A retrospectively released tune, this is as much a celebration of the much-loved and sadly missed Justine Covault as anything else, but it’s a track that fans of either artist will be glad to add to their digital collections.
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Have you got something that would suit a future Singles Bar? If so, please get in touch at the contact email supplied at the top of the site. We’re always on the lookout for new submissions, and the more varied we can make the Singles Bar, the better it is! Thanks.
May 2024