Since the late 80s, Mr. Big have been one of the most popular acts on the melodic rock scene. Their superior musicianship and a gift for very melodic hooks has made them a hit with musos, the less demanding radio listener, and a whole world of rock fans in between. The albums have always centred around some superb guitar work, but first and foremost, Mr. Big have come armed with accessible songs and melodies, and in Eric Martin, they’ve always had a gifted and reliable frontman, possessed with one of his generation’s finest voices. In terms of smart, melodic rock, an on form Mr. Big can be the full package.
SUNBOMB – Light Up The Sky
Although the name Sunbomb might not be a massively familiar one on the rock scene in 2024, the band features a few familiar faces. Making up the core of the band, LA Guns guitarist Tracii Guns is joined by his old bandmate Adam Hamilton on drums, and taking on vocal duties, you’ll find legendary Stryper man Michael Sweet. This new band aren’t contemporary sounding, nor are they especially subtle, but Sunbomb were never likely to be either. According to Tracii, the main aim was to make the kind of metal album he “would have made at [the age of] seventeen”, back in 1983.
Watch: Pop punkers ZacTheLocust celebrate ‘Lazy Days’
Welsh pop punkers ZacTheLocust have been part of the UK alternative underground since 2019. Although originally conceived as a solo vehicle for guitarist Keryn Isaac, it wasn’t too long before the project had grown into a fully formed, four piece pop punk/emo outfit.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #59
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual mp3s and other bits that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. In true SB tradition, we bring you a genuine mixed bag this time around, with a Europop gem, something with an electronica base, a couple of massive metal tunes, a slice of indie folk, and more besides… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
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MARK BACINO – Top Of The World
Mark Bacino’s 2010 album ‘Queens English’ saw the US singer songwriter moving away from the perfect bubblegum pop he’d shared on his earlier records, but for those willing to invest the time, it was an album rich in character. With a narrative theme concerning home and family, the material was more mature: ‘Happy’ revisited the sounds of Randy Newman; ‘Muffin’ hinted at a love of Billy Joel, and the title cut opted for something a little more direct with a pinch of 70s glam informing its sound. It was the kind of record that worked best as a whole, and yet could still be cherry-picked.