This visit to the Singles Bar takes in various moods, highlighting a varied selection of submissions over the past two weeks. We have an absolutely superb track capturing a perfect indie/dream pop sound, some amazing folk rock, a sidestep into soul-pop, a nod to 90s slackerdom, and a great piece of contemporary alternative metal. There are also tracks from the world of power pop and retro shoegaze, so there’s a little of everything that we feel keeps the SB – and Real Gone as a whole – constantly interesting. We hope, as always, you find something new to enjoy.

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Within seconds, Winnipeg duo sundayclub whisk their audience back to the 90s on the absolutely delightful ‘Sad Summer’. The core of ringing guitar tones and mid tempo groove immediately present a throwback to the very best dream pop/twee indie sounds, even before the vocal hits. The music is superb, but it’s actually the vocal that sells the track, with Courtney Carmichael adding a light and somewhat breathy performance that calls back to the work of Drugstore and Dubstar, while remaining relevant to a contemporary era. Across three minutes, the layered sound – always centring around melodically driven shoegaze influenced guitars, creating the ultimate summer soundtrack for the alternatively minded – captures a band at the top of their game. This is so uplifting, it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with on first listen. sundayclub have already shown great promise with their earlier releases, but this is easily the best single you’ll hear in a long while.

Earlier in 2026, Wooden Overcoat released their debut single ‘Home’, a number loaded with swirling guitars, adding a light psych/shoegaze influence to a big sounding arrangement that would appeal to older indie rock fans. The choppy, indie inflected ‘Heaven Right Now’ feels a little more throwaway at first, sounding like something built from a Super Furry Animals cast-off, but thankfully, another heavily treated vocal and 60s guitar twang offers a link with the previous release. That said, a simpler arrangement makes it feel as if the sense of grandness is absent here, and despite featuring a more immediate melody in some ways, it isn’t as interesting. However, over time, the mix of wavering lead vocals and retro guitar will win over most, since there’s a sense of the otherworldly that brings out the best in Brant Hajek’s performance, while a tentatively approached lead guitar break adds an unexpected twist with a light Hawaiian tone. In terms of accessibility, this definitely captures a more melodic side to the Wooden Overcoat sound.

Power pop legends The Spongetones are back with ‘I Really Need (To Kiss You)’, a stand alone single that celebrates a very retro sound. From the outset, the McCartney-esque piano and bass work sets a classic pop sound in place, signifying something interesting, but it’s with the second verse and with the injection of a little more speed that this track really springs to life. Despite being part of the scene long before, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons with Jellyfish once the melody finds its feet, and that will be enough for power pop fans to love this track. On the slightly negative side, the lead vocal sounds a little too ragged for the shinier pop backdrop – very much giving away the band’s vintage status – but for the long time fan, that certainly won’t be much of an issue. With this track, The Spongetones play things very safely in genre terms, but much like a new work from The Flashcubes or Matthew Sweet, their return is always welcome.

Following a huge drum roll, Liam Horne’s ‘Everywhere’ slunks into a world of quiet, muted notes, then explodes into a shiny soul-pop blend that sounds like a cross between an Ibiza chill out piece and a mellow jam from Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams. It has a heart that feels more than familiar – and should still feel that way to those who aren’t especially fans of this style – and the easy groove that’s quickly set in place is perfect for the vocal. In keeping with the smooth melodies, Horne’s voice has also been subjected to some obvious studio shine but, looking past that, he fills this single with a very relaxed and soulful sound that has a superb sense of flow against the mid tempo beats. Listen closely, and you’ll also hear traces of old school funk guitar creeping through the cracks, very much lending ‘Everywhere’ a little extra coolness. This isn’t obviously about the bigger hooks, and a well arranged piece of R&B influenced pop such as this deserved a more obvious climax – or any kind of climax at all – but there will be a lot of people out there who’ll consider this a vital part of their summer soundtrack.

Here’s another track that carries an influence from soul recordings, but recycles that in a very different way. The vocal melody chosen by Veronica D’Souza for ‘No One Is A River’ captures a mood that could fit with some late 60s soul jams, but the singer uses the huge melody in a less commercial manner, choosing to place the huge, flowing sound over a selection of glitchy beats. In some ways, this sparse approach could’ve made the track feel a little mechanical; disjointed even. However, a bright sounding piano and a few 80s inspired synths are on hand to fill some space, and between them, certainly make the arrangement feel more assured. The heavy beats that fill the coda provide more of a contemporary R&B interest, allowing ‘…River’ to explore a few different moods during its relatively short duration, but D’Souza’s huge vocal remains the ultimate selling point, sharing a massively confident sound throughout. Since it’s a touch more mainstream, this has the potential to reach a broader audience than the earlier, more mechanical ‘Canary Song’ but without drawing too much away from this performer’s cult status.

British band Forget Them Wendy channel the 90s throughout their current single ‘Nice Guy’. The combination of programmed drums and lax vocals brings a slacker vibe to the fore, whilst a shimmering guitar line adds an unexpected dream pop flair. With the addition of wordless vocal hooks dropped intermittently, the track manages to be catchy even before the bigger riffs hit. As it transpires, ‘Nice Guy’ is very much a track of two halves: the slacker pop elements make FTW sound like Wet Leg on half power – particularly with its use of fey vocal tones – whilst the crunchy rock riffs call back to the likes of Superchunk and Catherine for even more of a nostalgic feel. For those already familiar with the band, this will mark a welcome return.

The opening of ‘Wings’ by alternative band Tokyo Taboo is a real ear opener. For the first few bars, vocalist Dolly Daggerz takes centre stage, sharing a huge, soaring melody which initially sounds like a cross between Paramore and the more commercial aspects of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. If that doesn’t grab you, the crunchy guitar part that follows certainly will. Within seconds, this London based act hit upon a powerful mix of melody and crushing riffs, taking an alt metal into a place that feels quite commercial, but still retains an outsider’s heart. As things progress, the push and pull between a dirty groove and spacious passages where vocals glide over blankets of synth sound even more powerful, with George Love’s drums doing some serious heavy lifting when it comes to giving this hard edged but melodic act a solid quality. With a couple of programmed drum loops creeping in during the latter stages, this feels as if it’s keen to branch out a little further, but there’s certainly already enough here to keep people very interested.

Last up, Bring Your Own Hammer have shared another track in their ongoing series of recordings reimagining nineteenth century Irish poetry and literature as contemporary songs. This time out, Lavinia Blackwall takes the reins on ‘The Cruel Father’, a tale of Richard Guinness Hill, a man who abandoned his wife and child and decamped to London. A grim tale of neglect has been given an absolutely marvellous send off where the assembled band hit upon a rich vein of folk rock, where hard struck keys and pulsing bass takes centre stage to create an epic, dark melody. The melodies and arrangement are superb, but the music is outshone by the vocal, with Blackwall bringing a huge crying tone that lifts everything considerably. There’s an echo of Maggie Reilly in her delivery, and its blend of trad folk lilt and theatrical feel is just perfect for the job in hand.

June 2026