Whenever a new, yearly themed box of prog rock cuts gets released by Esoteric Records, genre fans automatically know they’re in for some great listening. Even when their ‘Underground Sounds’ and ‘Progressive Sounds’ anthologies merely recycle a world of album cuts, these affordable multi-disc sets create something that isn’t just well rounded; when approached in the right mood, they’re compilations which are incredibly absorbing. Whether approaching them from a nostalgic perspective or in the hope of discovering something new – hopefully both – these anthologies supply a huge amount of entertainment.
Author Archives: Real Gone
RODNEY CROMWELL – Exercise Class EP
Adam Cresswell first came to the attention of alternative music fans as a member of Saloon. Between the late 90s and mid 00’s, the British band carved out a musical niche mixing elements of post punk, hard edged indie and Krautrock. Their use of angular riffs and vintage synths created something abrasive but distinctive, and the best moments on their 2003 release ‘If We Meet In The Future’ made it very easy to understand why Saloon’s blend of Neu!, Stereolab and Cinerama made them a John Peel favourite.
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Punk Me Up: A Tribute To The Rolling Stones
From Cleopatra Records, the label that gave you ‘Punk Floyd’, a punk tribute to Pink Floyd, comes ‘Punk Me Up: A Punk Tribute To The Rolling Stones’, a release that brings together many of the same bands, and applies a similar no-frills approach to the material in hand. The presence of the same names here strongly suggests that the material was likely recorded at the same sessions for the Floyd tribute and for the fans of some of those acts – Jah Wobble, Fear, Angry Samoans, Skids, et al – their return here will be welcome, since this is another release that potentially offers a couple of interesting collection fillers.
Watch: Polish heavyweights Hamulec share new video for ‘Stos’
From the opening moment where a hard edged, stop start rhythm teases the audience, Hamulec’s ‘Stos’ promises something absolutely devastating. Then, with the introduction of a heavy bass grind and a riff worthy of Sick of It All, the track really finds its feet, delivering on that immediate promise.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #65
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This visit to the SB brings some UK based Americana, a slice of acoustic blues, the return of an industrial legend, an interesting cover tune and more besides. Strap yourselves in…there’s a lot of good stuff here!
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