Somewhere near the beginning of their career, blues duo Black Pistol Fire released ‘Big Beat ’59’, a raw as hell album that cast them in a musical mould somewhere between The White Stripes and The Dead Exs. It didn’t always show a lot of invention in terms of garage blues, but it had a lot of balls, resulting in the kind of rough and ready record that should’ve appealed to all lovers of the style. The albums which followed showed a slight musical progression each time, along with a slightly slicker sound and the suggestion of a slightly bigger budget. This culminated in the release of 2017’s ‘Deadbeat Graffiti’ where the expected Black Pistol Fire raucousness was tempered by far more of an indie rock/blues hybrid sound in places. It was a sound that suited the band well, and on tracks like ‘Fever Breaks’ and ‘Bully’ they even appeared to give Arctic Monkeys a run for their money.
Author Archives: Real Gone
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Love You: A Tribute To Syd Barrett
Despite only spending a small amount of time in a recording studio during his lifetime, Syd Barrett became a cult hero. His whimsical songs about bikes, scarecrows, transvestitism and gnomes became part of English psychedelia’s core; his distinctive musical vision set (The) Pink Floyd on the road to stardom. So much was the love for the Floyd’s 1967 debut ‘Piper At The Gates of Dawn’ and associated singles, that Barrett’s two proper solo albums ‘The Madcap Laughs’ and ‘Barrett’ (released in January and November 1970, respectively) also found an audience, despite being very difficult listens.
Watch the new video from 20 Watt Tombstone
On 22nd January 2021, 20 Watt Tombstone made a long overdue return with their new EP ‘Year of The Jackalope’. Reworking tracks by ZZ Top and Chris Stapleton in typical Tombstone heavy blues style, the two track release had the potential to reel in new fans due to its well-chosen material. After all, the opportunity to hear ZZ Top heavied up and made a little more interesting is one that shouldn’t be missed…
As part of the ongoing promotion for the release, they’ve just shared a new video. You can now experience their chunky ‘Midnight Train To Memphis’ as delivered from their rehearsal space. Whether you’ve already purchased the EP or this is brand new to you, it’s time to crank the volume…
A full review of ‘Year of The Jackalope’ can be found here
Check out the new video from Phantom Elite
Phantom Elite’s second album ‘Titanium’ – released via Frontiers Records in January 2021 – showed a huge leap in quality from their earlier ‘Wastleland’ release. In songs like ‘The Race’ they demonstrated a gift for a much bigger chorus hook and in terms of musicianship, some of the more complex elements seemed so much tighter than before. More importantly, an increased budget afforded the album a superior production job. Joeri Wamerdam’s drums finally came with a decent punch, and combined with a few heavy riffs, Phantom Elite finally sounded like a band with a lot of muscle.
Watch the new video from The Inferno Doll
At the tail end of 2020, The Inferno Doll made a long overdue return with the ‘Sacrifice’ EP. The music’s blend of gothic riffs, industrial twists and occasional black metal flourishes really showed a gift for pushing boundaries.