THE ROOM – Beyond The Gates Of Bedlam

the room bedlamAt the end of 2012, UK melodic prog rockers The Room released their debut album ‘Open Fire’. Its mix of pompy melodic rock with proggy flourishes really struck a chord with some listeners and in the live setting, the band really excelled. Their level of professionalism was hardly surprising given the seasoned musicians involved (vocalist Martin Wilson and guitarist Steve Anderson had previous links with Grey Lady Down), but it was also good to hear a bigger focus on chorus based material, even if the band sometimes insisted on keeping a strong hold onto epic track lengths.

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DAVID MYHR – Record Collection EP

david myhr epIn 2012 singer-songwriter David Myhr (one time of The Merrymakers) released his solo debut ‘Soundshine’. That album was one of the best power pop releases of the decade – possibly even ever – with Myhr celebrating pop’s past, his love of McCartney and myriad 70s pop bands cutting through the core of each track. This follow up EP (issued in early 2014) rounds up a few extra tunes, each one delivered with a broad smile designed for that maximum feel-good factor.

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CHARLOTTE CARPENTER – The Fault Line EP

charlotte carpenterOn her fifth EP ‘The Fault Line’, singer-songwriter Charlotte Carpenter serves up four tunes which owe as much to atmospheres as hooks, her natural and plain voice weaving in and out of some fairly downbeat soundscapes. Of the EP, she says herself: “I wrote this during a time where a lot of what I loved stopped feeling perfect.” It shows, too. The bulk of the material comes with a dark heart, but this is juxtaposed with a near-perfect production value, resulting in four songs with a real sense of emotional depth.

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The REAL GONE ARCHIVES, Vol. 1 (2009-2014)

On 16th November 2015, Real Gone celebrates its 6th birthday.  In some ways, it’s not an important anniversary – it has none of the milsetone charm of a fifth anniversary, or reaching a decade of creativity – but on the other hand, every year Real Gone exists it’s a milestone, nonetheless.  People are still reading; bands are still hitting us up for review and we’re still attempting to open people’s ears to a world of cult music.

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