Previously of Oxford Collapse, singer-songwriter Mike Pace takes a different approach on his 2018 LP ‘Smooth Sailing’. Recorded with his other band The Child Actors, the album moves away from the indie rock of their 2015 LP ‘Best Boy’ and is – in Mike’s own words “a big pop record…or something like it, recorded by a forty year old who grew up on indie rock and later discovered the joys of soft singer-songwriters, AOR and prog through bargain bins.”
Author Archives: Real Gone
SIMON HINKLER – Moving On EP
Simon Hinkler (aka The Wing Commander) was the guitarist with a formative line up of Pulp, playing guitar on their 1983 album ‘It’ long before Britpop was even a twinkle in the NME’s eye. He’s guested with Eden House and The March Violets and had an on/off solo career. For many, though, he will be best known as guitarist with The Mission, playing an invaluable role in the creation of their first four – and best – albums between 1986 and 1990.
Hinkler’s 2018 solo EP ‘Moving On’ might be short, but it draws heavily from years of experience and dabbles with different styles and moods, all with equal charm. The sharp changes in mood are probably due to the songs being written across a decade or more, but as an overview of a sometimes underrated talent, it all works brilliantly.
DARTO – Fundamental Slime EP
Formed in Seattle in 2010, experimental electronic act Darto have spent years carving themselves a niche in the musical underground. Their music, while always interesting, isn’t always completely accessible; that said, somewhere within its darkness – for those able to invest the time – haunting songs eventually emerge. Don’t expect big hooks, though, since Darto are all about the overall mood. On their 2018 EP ‘Fundamental Slime’ (recorded by the legendary Steve Fisk), the songs take many cues from the darker and artier side of the late 70s – a period after Roxy Music had all but abandoned art for pop sheen and Ultravox were not the worldwide hit makers known to millions, but a Roxy/Eno obsessed synth band.
Jethro Tull ‘This Was’ 50th Anniversary box set coming in November
Over the past few years, Jethro Tull fans have been utterly spoilt. The lion’s share of their classic albums have been reissued as multi disc sets at very affordable prices. Typically, each reissue has contained the main album of the chosen title, alongside all available associated recordings, plus a 5.1 remix by Steven Wilson.
Over the past couple of years, there has been a little grumbling amongst fans regarding the lack of Wilson remix for the debut album, 1968’s ‘This Was’.
KUROKUMA – Dope Rider EP
‘Advorsus’, the 2016 debut from UK sludge fiends Kurokuma, was easily one of the heaviest things to be released that year. Since then, the band have played various live shows, one of which was released digitally for posterity; they’ve contributed to a split release with sludge pioneers Conan and even found time to record a Kraftwerk cover. Nobody expected that. With one thing and another, even though it has only been two years, a proper studio follow up from Kurokuma seemed to be a long time coming.