Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. This time out, we bring you a really noisy piece of retro indie rock with a shoegaze overtone, a collaboration that serves up some late 60s tones doused with a 90s coolness, a pleasingly mellow track dominated by an aching vocal, and more besides… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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When it comes to pure swagger, ‘Wrong End of Your Rifle’ by The Joy Thieves doesn’t mess around. Kicking off with a heavy riff that blends goth-esque tones into a metallic crunch, it catches the ear with immediate effect. Then, it moves through various moods, sharing moments where heavy beats and shouty, quasi-rapped vocals tip the hat to early Beastie Boys, dropping deliberately atonal jazzy brass notes beneath a hard edged rhythm, eventually landing in a world of turntable scratches and samples that call back to the mostly forgotten Phunk Junkeez. Adding an aggressive, repeated refrain and a dirty, almost bluesy lead guitar interlude for an extra curveball, it’s a little unsettled without ever feeling unsettling. Featuring Fini Tribe/RevCo man Chris Connelly, it also comes with a strong musical pedigree, making it a track that lovers of retro alternative noise won’t want to miss.
With its opening bars absolutely loaded with ringing guitars, it initially feels as if ‘Dance Monkey Dance’ by Irish band The Would Be’s will lean rather heavily on retro indie sounds to make a great impression. However, there’s more to this great single than first appears. Hitting the verse, the guitars give way for a harder rhythm dominated by Andy Rourke-esque bass, and this provides a strong and rather more pointed backdrop for a superb vocal where vocalist Julie McDonnell delivers a huge and very melodic performance, owing more to US-centric singer songwriter sounds of the early 90s. Within a few bars, this suggests the veteran band are in superb shape. Bringing the introductory riff back as an effective bridge lends a feeling of fullness, but no matter where the music goes, it’s the vocal melody that wins out, and the way Julia curls her voice for extra emotion during the pre-chorus really makes the track. This comeback single isn’t without humour, either: the lyric is scathing of a world where we’re constantly online, and encourages the listener to log off and persue other interests. Since most people will discover this track via social media and music website word of mouth, it’s an odd request…
The sparse piano at the heart of The Veils’ ‘Aurora’ sets up a fantastic late night listen. Over the gently arranged chords, aching vocals – first presented solo, then in a beautiful subtle harmony – evoke a mood that could easily be compared to the work of Paul Buchanan/‘Hats’ era Blue Nile. That alone will be enough for some listeners to fall in love with this track. Even after bringing in some live sounding bass and drums to flesh out the sound, the spacious, relaxed mood isn’t lost, and as things progress, the band’s sophisticated adult pop takes on a soulful flair that’s just perfect. This doesn’t rely on big hooks, and there are no featured solos or musical showboating of any kind; ‘Aurora’ celebrates the natural power of songcraft, and those into a wonderfully mellow vibe will absolutely love what they hear.
Ian Cobiella’s current single ‘Have I Been Good To You’ is an excellent example of an artist blending styles. The track flaunts a funk bass, jazz-funk drum lines and soulful backing vocals lifted straight from ‘Purple Rain’ era Prince, along with Latin tinges and a wave of indie-pop to create something busy. It becomes even busier once an atonal piano creeps in during the last bars for a prominent solo, and this adds extra interest. In many ways, it’s a recording that’s all about mood, since Ian’s lead vocal isn’t big on melody and despite a repetitious hook, there doesn’t seem to be much here in the way of an actual song. If you’re happy to ride on a decent, rather busy sense of atmosphere, though, it’s still a track that can be enjoyed.
An ear-catching shimmer of mandolin used as an opening gambit proves to be a good move for singer songwriter Ike Dweck. It really pulls the audience into the upbeat arrangement of ‘The End of Me’, before hammering the listener with really busy acoustic guitar lines, some incessant banjo accompaniment and a solid rhythmic stomp. Unfortunately, this has the effect of taking on something that sounds like a Mumford & Sons cast off… Fortunately, the track is ultimately saved by some really enthused lead vocals, a rousing choir filling a very strong chorus, and a memorable hook that has enough power to win over fans of the indie-folk style before the end of the first listen. ‘The End of Me’ will definitely split opinion, but approaching the song objectively, it’s brilliantly played and well produced, creating something that would fit incredibly with an old school radio playlist. It’s easy to imagine BBC Radio 2 being all over this…
Without mincing words, the current single from Fancy Weapon rocks. A collaboration between members of Mudhoney, Paper Planes and Aussie legends Dirty Three, ‘Squid’ utilises huge, jangling guitar sounds drenched in reverb to give a very late 60s feel, underscores a busy melody with some really solid drums and then offsets the bluesy toned garage rock noise with a sprawling vocal that owes more to 90s slackerdom. This creates a sprawling number that drowns the listener in noise without ever feeling forceful, yet at the same time conveys a dramatic presence throughout. The retro guitars have a huge pull here, but if anything remains memorable in the long term, it’s Claire Birchall’s lead vocals which seem to instinctively understand the need for stretching melodies in a way that adds extra atmosphere throughout. This is the sound of a band with a natural flair, making a genuine impact.
In terms of energy, The Missprint’s ‘Advice’ scores pretty highly. The recording blends a garage rock rawness with the incessant buzz of classic shoegaze, creating a wall of sound that’s absolutely incendiary. Following a punchy intro loaded with drums, the band slunks into a swirling mass of noise where rhythm guitars never let up, lead guitars drop edgy tones that sound like a focused J Mascis mid flow, and a half buried lead vocal summons the ghosts of an indie rock past with a confidence that’s genuinely impressive. This mightn’t sound completely original (very little does at the time of release), but when it comes to recycling classic influences for something that’s really edgy sounding in the present, this is hard to beat.
For those looking for something fun, Gurt have you more than covered! Britain’s premier “party doom” band have taken the 2 Unlimited hit ‘No Limit’ and given it an extreme makeover. In true Gurt style, the arrangement mixes dirty riffs with heavy drones, throws in an extreme metal vocal and a contrasting hardcore punk rasp, and has created something that sounds like the weird love child of Andrew WK and Evil Scarecrow for all of your twisted party needs. It never asked to be born, and in some ways it shouldn’t work, but it really does. What’s more, it acts as a brilliant showcase for the band’s irreverent humour and provides an easy “in” for those who are unfamiliar with the band. Crank the volume and let yourselves go!
April/May 2026