Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting tracks to land in our inbox over the past few weeks. This selection takes in a perfect piece of soul, something from Australia with a bluesy leaning, another number from some UK ska veterans, a superb cover tune…and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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Following her ‘Leaves’ single, singer songwriter Julia Greenberg has returned with the beautiful ‘Sometimes The Sea’. Centring around a big vocal and understated acoustic guitar strums, the recording calls back to a wealth of great singer songwriter wares from the 90s, and is almost guaranteed to appeal to those who love the ballads of Shaun Colvin, Dayna Manning and Patti Griffin, as well as tapping into the more sedate elements of the Indigo Girls catalogue, whilst retaining a charm of its own. The way an upright bass fills space gives the recording a natural backbone, complimenting a terrific vocal throughout, but if anything makes a lasting impression beyond Greenberg’s natural cry and a lyric loaded with strong imagery, it’s a prominent accordion melody that adds a folky twist and giving everything a vaguely nautical feel befitting of the tale that unravels. This is a great example of how music needn’t be complex to leave a lasting impression. For those who feel a connection here, Julia’s upcoming EP ‘Born Sentimental’ (due for release on June 11th) is certainly going to be worth investigating.
There are many words that could describe ‘Dirty Laundry’ from Aussie band Murray and The Movers, but perhaps the most accurate would be “sultry”. The band work through a confident mid tempo here, taking on a retro tone in a manner of something befitting an old Tarantino soundtrack. This allows for some perfect, blues-drenched lead guitar work and a very cool electric piano undercurrent, creating music that has an old heart but still captures a genuine spark. Such a great arrangement could’ve drawn away from the vocal, but Lizzie Mack totally owns the track with a performance that has a perfect balance between smoothness and a smoky late night flair, dropping several “oohs” throughout a fine melody for extra impact. For those who like melodic bluesy sounds, this is a track not to be missed.
For those keeping an ear on the electronica/industrial underground, South Africa’s Hunter As A Horse will likely be a familiar proposition already, but ‘Obey’ really ups the ante in terms of sharing something that’ll make a long term impression. It takes their mechanical sounds into almost danceable territory, filling space with heavy drones and glitch beats, pulling between a stand-offish coldness and appealing goth-laden sounds on the fringes of melodic industrial. The almost robotic music is strong, but the vocal really sells the piece, shifting between aloof tones, a disquieting cry and manipulated, juddering repetition. It’s one of those tracks that’s impossible to date: the synth heart is pure 80s, the dark and occasional industrial edge calls back to the early 90s, while a sharp production job helps everything feel a little more contemporary. Looking at this in rather old fashioned terms, nobody has created this track with radio play in mind, but it certainly deserves to gain traction through internet word of mouth.
Lauren Wallace has already released some impressive singles, and here’s another. ‘Mr. Saving Grace’ taps into some perfect indie pop, where chiming guitars are underscored by epic sounding synths, forming a contemporary yet classic sound that’s perfect for the performer’s voice. The transition from a light and melodic verse into a chorus where the arrangement swells in a way that almost feels cinematic suggests something is building, but that doesn’t prepare the listener for an even bigger contrast where a muted middle eight gives the feeling of a rockier riff absolutely exploding upon its return. No matter which path the music takes, Lauren sounds like someone in complete control of the track, using her huge voice to breathe a massive amount of emotion into a piece that sounds rather personal. Sometimes sounding like a grander version of Lande Hekt, this deserves to be on the radar of indie pop fans everywhere.
Although rooted in country music, Rev. Dave and The Sin Eaters aren’t afraid to mix genres. With its acoustic heart, liberal use of banjo and slow mood, ‘Clouds Like Buffalo’ has a distinct country heart, but stretches beyond the genre’s typical boundaries with the use of horns. At first, the brass brings more of a late night feel, as per The Delines, but eventually, a prominent trumpet solo with a mariachi tone brings more of a desert based feel, mixed with a pinch of jazz. Meanwhile, Rev. Dave’s moody vocal adds a strong narrative quality straight from the heart of an alt-country sound, whilst a second female vocal opts for something very much in the trad vein. With everything pulling in different directions – both musically and vocally – this shouldn’t work as well as it does, but for those willing to keep an open ear, it promises to something interesting. [‘Clouds Like Buffalo’ was originally released in 2025, but is getting a welcome re-promotion for the summer of ’26, alongside Rev. Dave’s album of the same name.]
Taking a riff that sounds suspiciously like Cream’s classic ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ and transposing it to a horn led arrangement is a slightly cheeky move – one probably inspired by Spanky Wilson – but it gives Belle Scar’s ‘Overwhelmed’ a musical hook that really sticks. From there, the track opens into a brilliant slab of soul where other late 60s influences and a pinch of funk bass form something utterly indelible. With a superb arrangement in hand, Belle sets about sharing an equally huge vocal, and from the off, she fills this track with a huge cry that actually sounds like a call to arms of sorts; the sound of an artist absolutely comfortable with a shift into a different style. This bears absolutely no relation to the spacious torch songs and gothic tinged numbers on her ‘Atoms’ LP from 2024, but presents an exploration into something much bigger and, arguably, better. This single – and Belle Scar’s upcoming album – are set to win the performer a whole new set of fans.
Just a couple of weeks on from the release of the moody ‘Propaganda’, British ska legends King Prawn are back with ‘U Fake’, a more traditional sounding track that reinforces their musical origins. Throughout the track, a chopping guitar and upbeat bassline hit upon something that should invite an easy skank, which should make it an instant hit with fans. The real magic happens after the brass rises, though, and the featured solos here really convey the energy present within a typical KP live show. Even with its less than crisp production values and a vocal that occasionally feels at odds with the music, there’s more than enough here to suggest the veteran band’s forthcoming album will share a few belters…
Last up, here’s an absolutely fantastic cover tune. Laura Silverstone has taken the much-loved Springsteen number ‘I’m On Fire’ and redressed it in a light folk arrangement. The quiet, stripped back arrangement allows for bell-like clarity within some lovely finger-picked guitar melodies, while a hushed vocal – conveying a light country-esque lilt – allows for some easy harmonies to fill out a superb sound. The main melody remains intact, but now sounds pleasingly fragile, which allows a slow build to a great climax with crying, wordless vocals wringing out a world of emotion. If you already like the original cut, chances are you’ll love this: Laura will potentially make you feel as if you’re hearing ‘I’m On Fire’ for the very first time…
May 2026