Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past couple of weeks. This time around, we bring you an unexpected cover tune, two slices of top drawer power pop, and among other things, a great track that bends elements from various different genres into something genuinely interesting. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy.
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First up, here’s something absolutely wonderful. Given some extra promotion due to a change of management/promotion teams, music fans are getting the chance to (re)-experience Kabüki’s ‘Shardfall’. The single wastes no time in grabbing the attention with the help of a grand intro where pomp laden riffs and massive whoahs come together in a genuinely rousing fashion. From there, the band launch into a mix of melodic punk/emo and retro hard rock riffs that brings a trashy aesthetic to a contemporary sound, which coupled with a slightly warbly vocal, leans into something knowingly showy. The results sound like a bizarre marriage of ‘Black Parade’ era My Chemical Romance (but better), The Darkness at their most flamboyant, with a pinch of The Beat Angels’ glam infused retro rock for good measure. First and foremost, it’s a number that aims to make its audience feel good – and on that score alone, it works brilliantly.
On the rather lovely ‘The Stranger’s Grave’, Irish singer songwriter Miriam Ingram takes the idea of haunting melodies to the next level. Opening with a soft finger picked acoustic guitar, the track makes no secret of its wistful edge, taking influences that sound like a mix of Andy Ellison’s ‘It’s Been A Long Time’ and ‘Pink Moon’ era Nick Drake and applying them with a lilting, folky vocal where harmony vocals sound like a ghosty version of The Unthanks. As things progress, the arrangement brings in other great elements, including string sounds, flowing piano and minimalist percussion, but your attention will always be drawn in by a fantastic vocal which shares a perfect empathy with the fragility of the musical arrangement. This sounds great from first listen, but time spent will eventually uncover a performance that feels rather special.
Lovers of shamelessly old school power pop should enjoy ‘Sorry Not Sorry’, the current jam from Asbury Park’s the dt’s. Following a slightly rocky intro where chunky guitar sounds launch into a surprisingly hard edged riff, the track settles into a retro arrangement where a broad 70s rock pop sound underscores a natural sounding vocal. It’s more melodic than the intro suggests, but still a little bit raw for the style. Luckily, having had a chance to settle, things improve massively when a semi-psychedelic vocal filter stokes up the retro qualities, before a harmony filled chorus taps into an absolutely classic, AM radio inspired mood, sounding like an old Rubinoos or Raspberries deep cut has been unearthed for a new audience. The fact that the chorus melody appears to lean towards ‘Rosie’ by Greengage lends a welcome cheekiness, and the hook and harmonies suggest that this will sound better after a few spins. It’s a suggestion that proves to be true; in terms of retro pop, this is so much fun – even without the rousing handclaps that lift the final chorus!
Here’s something that should be familiar to many. The King Canutes have turned their attention to one of Prefab Sprout’s finest pop numbers and given it their own twist. Their version of the majestic ‘Cars and Girls’ starts rather unsurely, with a strange vocal colliding with a thin programmed rhythm, which doesn’t really sell the track’s great melody in the way you might hope. Give it time, though: they’re weaving magic here, even if rather slowly. By the middle of the second verse, the sparse feel begins to take on an almost Blue Nile-esque sadness, and once the bass and drums kick in – sweeping aside those misjudged drum machines – everything makes complete sense. A genuinely aching vocal soars against a strident bassline, and reverbed guitar sounds build up an almost cimematic quality during the coda. It doesn’t beat the original, obviously, but it’s great to hear some genuine love heaped upon this fantastic 80s track.
Despite their choice of name, ‘Spill No Mo Wine’ by Robin Ross & The Melodynes isn’t actually that big on an easy melody. It opens with a punchy rhythm and a rough sounding guitar which immediately sets about setting the track’s biggest musical hook in place. The rocky arrangement is then offset by slightly flat vocals that, somehow, aren’t especially lifted by a world of harmonies. It would be remiss to call this performance ugly, but it’s certainly rough and ready. This becomes especially apparent when an atonal lead guitar break – akin to one of Neil Young’s mid 90s ragged outpourings – takes centre stage. This could a difficult listen if approached in the wrong mood, and yet, there’s something ridiculously catchy about the single itself. Robin and friends clearly know that a strong and somewhat repetitive vocal hook can do a lot of heavy lifting if applied in the right way, and this number hammers the title into their audience’s skulls with a huge amount of glee. This won’t be for everyone, but it’ll be interesting to see if Robin is able to follow this with something a little more palatable.
The Paper Kites continue a run of fantastic singles with ‘Change of The Wind’. A laid back affair, this track takes in even more of a country vibe than before, placing a honeyed lead vocal against mellow strums, blending the acoustic and electric in a way that’s positively Jayhawks-esque. The rhythm barely changes throughout, and the melody moves along with a rather subtle lilt, but there’s nothing about the performance that could ever be called flat. The smooth vocals fit brilliantly within the unfussy arrangement, and a slightly harder twang applied to the lead guitar gives everything a lift, but without breaking the mellow mood. In some ways, it finds the band in a relative comfort zone, but when they sound this good, that’s certainly not a complaint. For fans, this is likely to be an instant favourite.
There’s a strong late 60s/early 70s influence running through the centre of the brilliant ‘Everybody Knows’ by The Legal Matters. That’s clear the minute a hazy vocal appears over a chiming backdrop sharing a love for Badfinger, but becomes even stronger by the time the band hit the chorus. Absolutely dripping with power pop harmonies set against harmonic guitar lines, the track’s main hook is almost guaranteed to click with fans of the style from the first listen, but it’s almost outshone by a Jeff Lynne tinged instrumental interlude where the great guitar sound comes to the fore, making The Legal Matters sound even more like a finely crafted throwback than ever before. This is so familiar even from first hearing, it could even be one of the band’s best track’s to date.
Six years on from their ‘Alive’ single, Irish rock band Stone Blind State are back with the hugely melodic ‘There She Goes’, an unashamedly retro number that blends the grittier end of Silveroller with the swagger of early Black Crowes, and adds some cool bluesy lead guitar for an extra (relative) grittiness. It isn’t long before this single’s familiar sound grabs the listener with the help of a solid sounding guitar riff, but the track is ultimately sold with the help of a slightly weathered vocal that’s just perfect for the job in hand. From the outset, Martin Furlong’s whisky soaked tones approach the melody with a huge confidence, and when finding himself sharing the most simple of chorus hooks, his voice sounds huge. It’s a very natural companion to Mick McDonagh’s guitar work which, here, slides from a chunky riff into soaring leads with a genuine ease. While Stone Blind State almost certainly couldn’t be called original, this single shows how their old school sound has plenty of muscle. Returning after a long haitus, they now sound ready to take the Irish rock scene by storm.
December 2025