Welcome back to the Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This time out, we’ve got a really arty track with a strong 70s undercurrent, a disarmingly honest number from a young, up and coming singer-songwriter, some vaguely baroque adult oriented pop, a legendary band fusing different styles in an unexpected way…and more. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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Lovers of great piano-based pop should really enjoy the current single from Serious Child. Revisiting a similarly grand mood to that of their brilliant ‘Dawn On The 33’, ‘Veneer’ blends the boundaries between adult pop and a baroque influenced retro sound by layering strong piano lines with mournful strings, complimenting a deep, slightly crooned vocal that accentuates the downbeat qualities in a strong melodic core. Perhaps even more so, this brings out the purity in a superb vocal, as it glides effortlessly against strings and between the track’s woodwind interludes. There are echoes of early Tindersticks here; fleeting echoes of ‘And No More Shall We Part’ Bad Seeds, and even a hint of early Scott Walker. Ultimately, though, Serious Child sounds like an individual, pushing the boundaries of sadcore into more beautiful territory. No matter how many labels you try to pin on it, ‘Veneer’ is a fantastic single.
Ska/alternative legends Fishbone sound absolutely superb on their current single ‘All About Us’. The track occasionally shows off their ska origins within a really jaunty sound and chopping rhythm, but the main thrust of the track finds Angelo Moore and company exploring other musical avenues. The rhythm in the intro, coupled with a 50s twang, serves as a nod to rockabilly; the brass taps into a classic swing melody, complimenting the rhythm section perfectly; the bass punches through with a rockier edge, and a swirling organ owes more to b-movie soundtracks than any form of rock or pop. That’s not all: there’s a lead guitar with an obvious blues tone, and Moore’s vocal weaves in a pinch of soul. This is so much fun – a melting pot of influences and sounds – but, no matter where the melody goes, it ultimately sounds like Fishbone. Fans will have a blast!
A razor sharp indie rocker, ‘Before My Eyes’ by rising stars The Radio Addicts fills the better part of four minutes with a relentless rhythm guitar riff that blurs the lines between indie and melodic punk, really selling the young band’s energetic style. A throwback of sorts to the short-lived New Wave of New Wave, it’s certainly an arrangement that’ll catch the ear of those who hit their twenties in the mid 90s, and due to its relative simplicity – there’s no concession to smart lead guitar breaks or a quirky middle eight to derail the punk-ish edge – it has a musical immediacy that just works. Vocally, things are a different matter, since the choice of tone opts for a natural flair over any kind of perfection, but once you tune in, this gives the recording a Pete Shelley-ish naive charm that compliments the knockabout sound.
Scottish indie rockers Quaint have released some interesting tracks in the past, but ‘Secrets’ arguably presents the band with a much bigger sound. The song’s verses set a great atmosphere in place when a post grunge influence colours a repetitive riff beneath a rather melancholy vocal, and introducing a huge, overdriven riff where the chorus should be, the arrangement is augmented with some extra heaviness. This might come as a surprise to those who associate the band with the Oasis-ish sounds of the their ‘Trip Inside’ single from a few years previously, but it’s good to hear the band stretching out. This track is certainly none the worse for that, and the occasionally harder sounds pitch themselves at a different crowd of rock fans. Everything sounds great and has a very 90s feel, but it’s during a harder edged climax that this performance comes into its own, allowing the vocal to stretch into a full on cry. Despite having an unexpectedly moodier feel, this is a number that’ll definitely find a keen audience.
Jody Ellen’s ‘Break Me’ single (released in February ’25) presented a huge vocal over an even bigger drum sound, setting something epic sounding in place before a soaring lead guitar reiforced the track’s rocky edge. The singer’s follow up, ‘Imprinted’, recorded with Tara Chugh, possibly couldn’t be any more different if it tried. The hugely reflective number opens with piano and light vocals – inviting comparisons to early Tori Amos and Charlotte Martin – before introducing reverbed drums which add far more of an 80s influence. Blending the two styles together, the music sounds great, but Jody’s voice sounds even better when soaring over a militaristic rhythm and subsequently the kind of melody that could be found at the heart of many a great power ballad. This is never a track that aims to hit the listener immediately; instead, it asks for a little time for its easy melodies to take a hold. Once they do, Jody’s voice becomes even more inviting, creating a single that delivers something that’s far deeper than a quick fix.
Opening with a pulsing bass, programmed beats and shimmering guitar lines, ‘Medicine’ by Atomic Fruit catches the ear with three distinctly different elements, and yet the music fits together wonderfully. A quiet, semi-gothic sounding vocal adds a different perspective again, but still feels sympathetic to the musical backdrop. Weaving a slow melody, the band take in elements of prog and psych, but present them against something more contemporary, making claims that the track has echoes of Massive Attack seem somewhat valid. The slow, pulsing nature of this recording, along with a mournful voice, never feels a million miles away from a couple of ‘Mezzanine’s deeper cuts, and although echoes of Airbag and Radiohead in some of the guitar work suggests that these guys might be pitching themselves at more of a prog-minded audience, this is a boundary pushing single that promises great things ahead.
‘I’ve Got Issues’ by Long Island singer songwriter Sandy Netburn is an interesting proposition. The recording’s hard strummed acoustic chords call back to 70s performers, but Sandy’s voice shares none of that decade’s Laurel Canyon smoothness. Instead, she favours a slightly loud approach which almost threatens to combat the stripped back arrangement, and also presents a hugely confident, jazz inflected tone. This actually helps to bring a lyric regarding a protagonist with “a screw loose” to life with an alarming clarity. The performance here is striking to the point of being totally disarming, and regardless of genre preferences, it’s the kind of track that calls for a broad audience.
Following a couple of great singles, singer songwriter Celeste Corsano has returned with ‘Shellfish’, potentially her artiest track to date. It’s impossible not to hear echoes of early Kate Bush in the track’s intro with its descending melody delivered in extremely high tones, but as things progress, the number begins to take on more of a rocky identity. The way Celeste’s voice glides over a hard struck piano sets a great musical contrast in place, but the number’s greatest moments come from passages where a deeper vocal collides with a punchy bass and harmonic guitar lines. During those moments, Celeste digs deeply into 70s art rock for inspiration, and despite there being definite echoes of Sparks, Roxy and even Cockney Rebel, she redresses the influences of the past in a way that feels very much her own. Listeners probably shouldn’t expect instant gratification here, especially since the chorus really doesn’t stand out, but in time, ‘Shellfish’ will bring a massive amount of entertainment value.
November/December 2025