Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This selection takes in a couple of pop-ish tunes, a pair of tracks from bands that are still very new, and even a singer songwriter offering that blends huge melodies with a strangely prog-like flair. As always, we hope there’s something here for everyone, and if you like what you hear, it’s worth exploring some of these artists further…

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First up, here’s a great track from a potentially unfamiliar name. New York based singer songwriter Joe Geni serves up an interesting sound on ‘City Where The Sky Subsides’. Musically, the number centres around a chopping guitar that falls somewhere between hard edged indie and melodic post punk. That’s enough to catch your attention, but its the performer’s choice of vocal style that really makes this stand out. Whereas most singers might choose to adorn the angular sounds with something moody, Geni delivers a high toned croon. That makes his voice sound more like something lifted from an 80s neo-prog tune, perhaps even something from Twelfth Night’s ‘Art & Illusion’ sessions. The vocal dominates throughout, but as everything pulls to a close, Geni pulls out the stops to share something even more shrill – theatrical, even. The end result is something that’s arty but sharp; melodic, but occasionally strange. This is a bold single, but those able to find an easy way in will surely love it.

Sohodolls unleash their pop side on ‘Napoleon Baby’. From the opening bars, and via a world of pulsing synths, the track invites the listener to latch onto an incessant rhythm which, delivered at a constant mid-tempo, actually sounds more aggressive than expected. The fairly minimalist melody is boosted immeasurably with the help of a brilliant bubblegum infused vocal; Maya von Doll has been absolutely unafraid to sell a performance which accentuates the pop on the verse, but absolutely explodes on a wordless hook that gives the listener a massive dopamine hit even before the chorus is over. Synth pop with a strong emphasis on the pop, this is a solid reminder of how music can really connect with an audience, and – to paraphrase singer songwriter Mick Terry – why pop should never be a dirty word.

A month on from sharing the acoustic heartbreaker ‘Moth To A Flame’, country singer Morgan Wade has returned with something a little more plugged in. ‘Total Control’ kicks off with a muted rhythm guitar part that feels better suited to a power pop tune, but quickly blossoms into a full scale country infused number where the elements of light rock are contrasted by crying steel guitars. Wade launches into a heavily countrified vocal, with her always distinctive voice curling its way around a world of radio friendly melodies, everything starts to work together with ease. With a ringing tone beefing up the chorus and occasional organ sounds bleeding through the rhythmic arrangement, it’s a track that feels very full, yet never bloated or in any way overdone. Simply put, it’s the kind of tune that Morgan’s fans will immediately take to heart.

Blending nu metal guitar tones with something even heavier, Brighton’s Bleed Again take no prisoners on their recent single ‘Parasite’. The track quickly sets a hefty riff in place, and its nostalgic feel immediately injects something surprisingly feel-good into an arrangement that aims squarely towards the aggressive. With occasional rapped interludes colliding with a clean vocal chorus, it’s too easy to make comparisons with Ill Nino, but these guys aim higher in terms of pure groove here, and by the time they slow down enough to bring a sludgy edge to a pure hardcore riff, they sound truly immense. 2024 has served up some superb metal tunes, but this is in a different league.

A mechanical backdrop and occasional synth bursts appear to be the driving force behind blondestandard’s ‘Ruin My Day’, but as this single’s melody grows, it becomes a more interesting musical prospect than first impressions might suggest. A sassy vocal adopts a fairly nonchalant tone, but its the arrival of bright, chiming guitars that really make the track. They don’t really rock things up but, instead, choose to adopt to an old fashioned new wave quality that’s truly uplifting. Not that this ever sounds like an early 80s throwback, either; it manages to rework a few retro elements into something genuinely contemporary. On first listen, it’s a great single; a few spins later and it sounds like a potential underground classic. If the huge chorus at the heart of this track doesn’t turn you on to the blondestandard sound, it’s likely very little will…

Fifteen years is a long time between recordings by most people’s standards – even those set by Guns N’ Roses – but after a decade and a half away, Sunset Rubdown have returned. The cult band offer some really interesting sounds on comeback single ‘Reappearing Rat’, too. The track opens with a machine gun rhythm, then shifts awkwardly into a mid tempo guitar groove that’s part old school college rock, part indie folk with a huge muscle, before growing to incorporate bending brass sounds and shrill new wave keyboards. This slightly lop-sided concoction manages to house a natural vocal very well, however – and what’s more, it results in something that sounds like a catchy take on the retro slacker set. And when you think everything has run its musical course, the band throws in a semi acoustic riff that sounds like a cheeky throwback to the grunge era. It’s a strange beast of a track, but in terms of slacker pop, it’s also rather endearing.

A brand new band for 2024, Fever Dreams serve up a massively catchy debut track with ‘So Naive’. It’s indie pop core occasionally shares hints of New Order within its vocal melodies, but no further connection with the Manchester legends should be sought. Likewise, there’s something about the upbeat melodies and bright sounding keys that recall Bleachers, but again, Fever Dreams take the influence and make it their own. At the song’s peak, the richly layered sound takes in waves of indie, a pinch of shoegaze and even a pop-ish melody to create something really grand. It’s familiar in the best possible way – and when the band warns that “you won’t get the hook out of your head”, you can believe it. With such a strong first offering, it’ll be interesting to see where Fever Dreams go from here…

Another new arrival on the rock scene for ’24, Angelica & The Crooked Path are set to bend your mind with their hybrid sound. Dubbing themselves “bloom metal”, the Appalachian act mix huge swathes of 90s style dream pop with the downbeat vibes of doom and sludge metal. The wonderful ‘Creatures of Spring’ places a huge focus on their dreamy side by latching onto a riff that works a dominant but clean guitar, picking out a melody that would suit many old 4AD recordings, whilst Angelica’s vocal mixes indie and folk in a way that’s often reminiscent of All About Eve and even newer bands like Elastic Sleep. This marriage of floaty moods and great riffs sustains a track’s worth of superb vibes that are guaranteed to please fans of the style, before the band unleashes a massive, doom laden riff. Sounding like a completely different beast,  the musicians pummel the listener with a terrifically intense coda that takes influence from the likes of The White Swan and Aawks, capturing an uncompromisingly slow and heavy sound that really doesn’t mess around. Everyone will definitely be hearing more from these guys in the future…

July 2024