This week at the Singles Bar, we bring you a whole world of different sounds. You’ll find something with an orchestral heart, some adult singer-songwriter fare, an indie rock band experimenting with something almost prog-like, and some massive sounding synth based pop. There are a couple of big rock based tunes too, so it’s almost got all of Real Gone’s audience interests covered in eight well-chosen tracks. As alwoays, we hope you find something new to enjoy…

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With its scattergun vocal delivering sloganeering phrases, ‘Everybody Everything’ by Portuguese band Them Flying Monkeys wastes no time in grabbing the attention. As the track progresses, that approach appears to become even more abrasive, especially as the band underscore the more direct sneering with a brilliantly ugly blast of keys. Driving everything forward, the drums attack with a relentless rhythm, rivalling the much-celebrated garage punk of Idles, and choppy guitar work reinforces a superb tension throughout. It doesn’t bring much that’s new to the world of garage punk and post punk noise, but when confronting the audience with such a perfect musical assault, that really isn’t an issue. This is a brilliant track that’ll be loved from the very first listen.

Welsh indie duo Cursive Youth capture a genuine energy on their new track ‘Car Crash’. From the outset, a busy, ringing guitar serves up indie rock sound that calls back to the 90s yet still manages to convey a contemporary edge. That’ll be enough to attract fans of the style, but the recording goes much deeper in terms of musical interest. A heavily distorted vocal gives the performance an unexpectedly sinister quality; a huge, ringing lead guitar sound offers something that adds a welcome grandness, and a crashy hook – arriving in time to create a huge coda – shows how effortlessly Cursive Youth can pummel their audience with something genuinely memorable when required. In between, this semi-aggressive workout actually shares a great sense of atmosphere. The bass floats between the angular elements with ease, and the repetitive melody pulls in the listener and refuses to let go.

Described as “unashamedly pop”, ‘My Religion’ by Sohodolls works some incredibly sugary vocals. That’s more than enough to sell the pop angle here, but the way an already very commercial performance soars into a massive chorus where the voice sells a massive hook more than seals the deal. Backed with a wealth of mechanical beats and a blanket of synths, the music also works a very commercial sound brilliantly, and even a lapse into a brattish, almost spoken middle eight can’t derail a melody with a superb momentum. This is a solid successor to a run of already strong singles.

Anderson East might be best known to some for ‘Deliliah’, his brilliantly arranged album from 2015. A decade on, ‘Say I Love You’ shows he’s lost absolutely none of his creative spark. The soulful number presents a very retro sound where 70s pop meets soul, dressed in a 90s sheen, allowing for bright piano and some subtly placed horns to create a great melody. From first listen, the tune has an appeal, and it certainly feels familiar, but it’s East’s vocal that endures. He conveys an aching tone throughout – one that’s absolutely perfect for the job in hand – bringing a sadness to a great verse, and ultimately, something almost theatrical to a slow-burning hook. In terms of adult singer-songwriter material, these four minutes are almost perfect.

The Struts’ frontman Luke Spiller shares the first fruits of a solo venture with ‘Love Will Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine’. It’s a rather grandiose number where an acoustic base brings forth a mid tempo rhythm, and from that, a world of vocals and strings evoke late 60s fare. You’ll hear a huge debt to The Beatles here; you’ll rediscover the pomp of Thunderclap Newman, and even a wave of mid 60s pop colouring a great melody. Throw in a slow, almost bluesy lead guitar break, and there’s nothing that’s musically left to chance. In the middle of it all, there’s Luke, pouring his heart out with a huge, soulful vocal that’s almost as big as the orchestral arrangement. This is the kind of thing Noel Gallagher desperately wishes he could write. Absolutely marvellous.

Barber Q released a couple of absolutely brilliant singles during the second half of 2024, and they kick off 2025 with another impressive slab of rock. Armed with a semi funky riff, ‘Crack The Code’ opens boldly with a chunky guitar and drum combo, before sliding into a verse where a Royal Blood-esque bass leads the charge and a huge vocal adds a little more of a melodic rock slant. As before, this is definitely a rock number, but the band’s insistence on mixing moods means it can’t be pigeonholed that neatly, and this becomes clear when a middle eight introduces a choppier sound that leans upon more of a post punk feel. Using the moody chorus to build up a huge climax, this is the kind of track that’s destined to improve any guitar based playlist, and the kind of number that deserves to bring a great band a bigger audience.

Not to be confused with several bands called The Buddy System, The Buddy System Forever create a great indie rock sound on ‘Last Time’. Driven by an impressively loud drum sound, the single immediately hits upon a great rocky vibe with hints of 90s greats like Superchunk, as well as a pinch of more recent fare from Muncie Girls and Fightmilk. Most importantly, their overdriven sound is coupled with a great sense of pop-ish melody, largely shared through a superb harmony vocal, but also present in some of the track’s perky guitar fills. For those who love all things fuzzy, a lead guitar break modelled on the sounds of J Mascis should raise a smile, and for those with short attention spans, the band appear to break into a completely different song midway, exploring noisier emo influences, making this feel like a superb value four minute workout.

Manchester’s The Speed of Sound have been on a roll for the past year or so. They’ve released a trilogy of albums under the ‘Cornucopia’ banner, and a clutch of singles that have seen the band gaining some positive online press. Their current single ‘Permafrost’ presents a departure from the expected post punk and indie based sounds. A slow, brooding melody allows for a brilliantly warm bassline to take the reins, whilst a moody vocal evokes the coldness of the weather atmospheres being depicted. After about thirty seconds, things take an unexpected turn when soaring guitar lines hint at old school prog rock with a pinch of atmosphere from Big Big Train’s slower moments circa ‘Goodbye To The Age of Steam’. As things progress, the thoughtful arrangement throws another curveball when jazz saxophones pick up the weight of a great melody. Long time fans will recognise a very affected vocal style and narrative approach, but it’s interesting to hear genuinely trying something here.

January/February 2025