The eight picks that make up this selection for the Singles Bar cover a lot of musical ground. Joining a couple of superb singer songwriters, there’s a reggae-centric number from some legends of British ska, a beautiful track that pushes beyond the boundaries of dream pop, a slab of great post punk, and more besides. It’s one of our stronger selections in a while. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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A shimmering guitar line immediately advertises a track with a sense of atmosphere, and indeed, Kyle Boswell seems in no hurry to deliver anything with real punch during the first verse of ‘The Way It’s Always Been’. It’s a smart move, as this gives the listener time to get acclimatised with his striking vocal tones – higher registers that convey an echo of Jake Bugg, a pitch that doesn’t always sit entirely comfortably with this recording’s pop-rock backdrop. However, allowing for that important adjustment time, when this song hits its stride, it actually works, and armed with a brilliant chorus melody that sounds like a throwback to ‘Cloudcuckooland’ era Lightning Seeds and a couple of half-remembered Scottish jangle pop bands from the late 80s, Boswell presents himself as a songwriter who has the confidence of someone far beyond his years. This might take a couple of plays to make a positive impression, but in the end, some timeless pop melodies will certainly win out. This is a great single.
Guitarist Jann Klose fuses pop, heavy beats and some brilliantly jangly melodies on the very polished sounding ‘Future Trap’, a single that takes a very layered sound into territory that’s hard to categorise. The heavy rhythm guitar provides a brilliant musical hook, but if anything sticks in the longer term, it’s the way Jann uses multi-tracked vocals to beef up a great chorus and the way electronic treatments eventually offset the poppier aspects with something a little artier. If Kevin Gilbert were still here, this could be comparable to the sounds he might be sharing, but as it is, Klose has hit a rich vein of sophisticated adult pop/melodic prog he can proudly call his own.
Chiming guitars and wordless vocals kick off ‘Bending Roads’, the new single from The Pretty Graves. Then, at the point where the listener is expecting an indie banger with hazy overtones, the band switches gears to introduce an angular riff that blends an art rock sensibility into a post-rock sound, which suits the Lou Reed-esque vocals brilliantly. At that point, it becomes obvious that this track isn’t necessarily about any genuine immediacy, but more concerned with making an impression via something that feels strangely nostalgic, despite being brand new. In another sharp twist, the arty edges subside to make room for an old school lead guitar break which proves to be an unexpectedly good fit. Despite sounding like sketches for three different tracks held together with a huge amount of chutzpah, this really works.
Do you like The Gaslight Anthem? Erik Core almost certainly does. The opening moments of ‘Dynamite Tears’ hit upon a rough hewn, janging sound that isn’t far removed from the rougher elements of Brian Fallon and co’s blue collar sound, and its slightly aggressive, relatively simple approach serves this performer well. By offering a musical backdrop that feels over familiar, he’s able to reel in the audience, and that’s enough to overlook a slightly wayward vocal that takes a little longer to appreciate. That, too, eventually has its own charm, vaguely recalling old work by short lived goth band Old House Playground and the rawest end of the Americana spectrum, fusing the styles to create something that feels mildly threatening. After a couple of plays, it becomes clear that this is far more about narrative interest than any obvious musical perfection, but it’s an energetic single that might appeal to those who love dark atmospheres within a rocky backdrop.
There’s an old soul lurking within ‘Leaves’ by Julia Greenberg. The acoustic guitar lines and upright bass evoke elements of Joni Mitchell’s folk-jazz crossover sound circa 1974 at first, but the feeling of hearing something classic runs far deeper than that. An unpolished vocal owes more to Marianne Faithfull and her unapologically confessional style, and the presence of a tasteful accordion gives the feeling of something distinctly European. There’s definitely something about this recording that feels defiantly vintage. With a lack of percussion, the listener is constantly drawn towards the vocal and the lyric, shared with a perfect confidence from Greenberg. Despite a wordy approach, ‘Leaves’ is also a track that flaunts a simple and catchy hook, making it feel perfectly rounded. Working its charms from the very first listen, this is a must-hear for lovers of singer-songwriter fare.
Sounding like a throw back to the US new wave and power pop scenes from the early 80s, crossed with a little mid-80s college rock, Charlie Padfield’s ‘A Boy Named Cigarette’ has a very transatlantic sound for an artist based in Yorkshire. Regardless of location and influence, though, it’s a single with an insanely catchy heart. Building upon a bouncing bassline and jangling guitar lines, the track offers a superbly melodic lead guitar hook, and that, coupled with a very retro sounding vocal serves up something that has a feel-good quality that hits from first listen. Much like a Smithereens hit, this is a single that has enough sharp edges to make an impression, but also an abundance of melodies that almost lean towards the sugary, creating something that feels pleasingly light, even with a slightly dark croon applied to the vocal. Measured against some of Charlie’s earlier recordings, this is a massive step forward.
‘Lose My Senses’, the current single from King Prawn, finds the UK ska legends taking a bit more of a musical risk. Instead of serving up more of the ska punk blend they’ve been known for, this track shares an incredibly moody core. The vocals rely heavily on long, protracted notes which immediately conveys a sense of unease; beneath those, the bulk of the brass takes on even more of a moody, almost threatening feel. This is perfect for a lyric that feels less than positive. The results will certainly split opinion, but the more marginal elements here are given a great balance thanks to a massive bassline hitting upon a slow, dub-centric groove with ease, showing off some fine reggae credentials, and some impressive drum fills which really help convey the weight behind this rather bold track.
Last up, here’s something pleasingly minimalist. The intro of Rorey’s ‘Dying Fire’ works a light droning sound that captures the spirit of a mellotron, and the performer uses this subtle sound as an effective blanket for a soaring melody. Moving between quiet, questioning tones to a full cry and back again, the scale of the vocal is such that the lack of bass and percussion never really becomes evident. This pulls the audience into a dream-like state where the ghosts of 90s indie meet with twee pop, shifting a dream-pop like sound way beyond the boundaries of its usual jangle. Those who love this will be absolutely smitten from first listen, but it’s a track that loses none of its beauty over time.
April 2026