When a release promotes itself as “power pop”, you’d probably hope for something in the time honoured power pop tradition – maybe the early MTV sounds of Shoes, or something with the killer choruses of Fountains of Wayne. Something with a strong sense of melody; almost certainly something with a core that centres around the golden age of pop/rock from the 70s and 80s. What the term “power pop” doesn’t suggest is any of the thin, trebly indie sounds or bursts of garage rock noise that make up the bulk of Dolls’ 2020 EP ‘Eggshells’.
Author Archives: Real Gone
IF NOT IF – Forgiveness EP
Like a lot of people, multi instrumentalist Graeme Ginsburg found himself with a lot of spare time during the pandemic lockdown. He used that time wisely to compose and create new music, which resulted in a pair of instrumental EPs where various electronica based moods and influences collided with a prog-ish mindset. Released under the name If Not If in December 2021, the second of those releases, ‘Forgiveness’, showcases pretty much the whole of the composer’s musical spectrum in a very short space of time. For those looking for new music, it’s the perfect way to get the measure of Ginsburg’s self-made musical world, bouncing between moods and pulling bits from different genres, yet sounding like a complete package in itself.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #16
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. It’s a place that is not concerned with genre; it can also lead to unexpected finds. It’s somewhere we celebrate stuff we’ve enjoyed, regardless of any usual listening preferences, or visitors’ expectations from our website. The “mixed bag” approach keeps it as interesting for us as it does for you! This week, we bring you some great alternative pop, some timeless sounding Aussie rock, the return of Roisin McCarney, a well loved track re-imagined, and more besides. If you find anything here you’ve enjoyed, please drop by and tell us. Also, if you think you have a new track that would have a place at the Singles Bar in future, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
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SLOMATICS – Strontium Fields
With their slow and uncompromisingly heavy sound, Slomatics have become one of the best-loved bands from the UK sludge metal scene. They’ve faced stiff competition from the likes of Morag Tong and Conan, but the Slomatics brand has remained the most interesting. They can do heavy, but unlike some of their peers, they can also serve up great, dark atmospheres that sound lighter musically, but convey just as much doom. In short, if you want intense riffs, the Slomatics will rarely let you down.
SUPPLEMENTAL PILLS – No Easy Way Out
On their second full length release, Supplemental Pills serve up some interesting music that’s at times minimalist, and at times noisy, but absolutely unafraid to hop between styles. Sometimes the material doesn’t even care for much of a tune, but it works. It’s also strangely hypnotic.