Following a string of digital singles released between December 2021 and June 2023, this double a-side from rock artists Wolforna continues the Bradford band’s musical ascent. They have shown an ability with a riff or three previously, but these tracks take their sound a little further and – in the case of ‘Amandolyn’, couples a great tune with a strong vocal that could well be their best yet.
Listen: Marillion cover Greg Lake Xmas classic on surprise release
Marillion’s world is a place littered with contradictions. As far as a huge chunk of the mainstream media are concerned, the band split back in the late 80s, and yet they sold out the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2017. In minutes. They spent the second half of the 90s and the early 00’s fighting against the “prog rock” tag, but continued to release albums that featured ten minute epics. As far the general public’s perception is concerned – at least a proportion of the general public that seems aware of Marillion’s existence in the modern day – the band are unfashionable. And yet, their 2022 album ‘An Hour Before It’s Dark’ was a critical and commercial success, hitting #2 on the UK album chart.
THE 355’s – Jig A Jig Out EP
On this debut EP, The 355’s don’t exactly introduce themselves quietly. Within a couple of notes of the opening number – and lead single – ‘Jig A Jig Out’, the level of fuzz applied to the guitar work is off the chart, and there’s even an equally distorted vocal to match. It’s as if they’ve absorbed the best bits of The Black Keys and turned that duo’s typical schtick up to eleven. Although that bluesy element drops in intermittently during the next couple of minutes, effectively driving a great verse against a heavy drum sound, the bulk of this number is actually more concerned with much bigger rock sounds. Cranking the guitars, Adam Thompsett and Craig Lockwood fill the chorus and beyond with a great, overdriven riff that almost sounds like an old glam rock number retooled by a massive sounding garage rock band. This should be enough to appeal to a broad spectrum of retro rock lovers, even though the lyrical hook is a little more simplistic than was perhaps necessary. What that means, of course, is that the number is almost guaranteed to find an audience in high spirits in the live set, and its rowdy approach – combined with a fiery lead guitar break – more than suggests The 355’s are a band with a really gutsy edge. There’s time enough for a little melody here too, since the middle eight drops into a quietly atmospheric moment or two with a more soulful vocal, and this really helps the knockabout number feel far more well rounded.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #30
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual tracks and mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. Now thirty weeks old, the Singles Bar shows no sign of slowing down, or skimping on the variety. This week, we bring you a great singer songwriter, a couple of interesting electronica themed tracks, a couple of strong rockers, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
ROB FILLO – Halfway Through The Dark EP
Canadian singer songwriter Rob Fillo isn’t too concerned with giving the world a traditional Christmas offering. There are enough people filling the shelves with Michael Bublé style romps through the classics, rehashing tales of reindeer bullying, or creating the musical equivalent of a Hallmark greetings card, with their chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Fillo’s holiday season plays more like a downbeat Mark Kozolek winter, or a Five For Fighting in a dour nod to the festive period, and is all the better for it.