Chicago’s Push Puppets are a pop rock band who think a little bigger than most. There are moments during their second album ‘Tethered Together’ that hark back to the alternative boom of the 90s, moments that celebrate power pop, and there’s even a touch of melodic prog within some of the guitar work. It’s to main man Erich Specht’s credit that he has the creative vision to make everything fit together so well, but since he’s given sole credit for writing the songs and creating the album’s string arrangements, alongside being the band’s vocalist and guitarist, and being the co-producer of this record, he obviously has a very clear understanding of the direction he wishes the music to take, despite everything being drawn from different influences. What this creates, of course, is the kind of album that encourages its audience to listen closely.
Listen: Irish singer songwriter Conn Thornton shares new track ‘Heaven, I’m In Heaven’
Singer songwriter Conn Thornton has had a busy few years. Since transitioning from a classical background to a pop career during the lockdown period, they’ve released a string of singles and three full length albums, gaining critical praise.
Watch: Nightblade share new video for ‘Speak As You Find’
Opening with a fat bassline, Nightblade’s current single ‘Speak As You Find’ immediately catches the listener’s attention. Adding a chopping guitar riff, it initially sounds like the British rockers are about to venture into early Franz Ferdinand territory, but with the spikier elements offset by a broad, melodic vocal, it isn’t long before a slightly more familiar Nightblade sound takes centre stage.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #116
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past couple of weeks. This time out, we’ve got something folk based with a strong 60s vibe, some well crafted pop with strong harmonies, and some dark alt-country. There’s also something with a twist of alternate pop, and a 90s influenced rocker that makes the best of a classic sounding riff. As usual, we hope the variety offers something of interest for many of our visitors and that you find something new to enjoy.
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Watch: The Prize share new video for ‘From The Night’
In 2022, Aussie band The Prize released a thoroughly enjoyable EP ‘Wrong Side of Town’. The short release was big on entertainment, and the band’s retro sound played like a superb celebration of a power pop past, with huge nods to bands like The Nerves and The Real Kids influencing their material.
It was expected that The Prize would deliver a full length album soon after, but only a couple of digital singles materialised. These turned out to be a case of quality over quantity, though, with ‘First Sight’ being particularly catchy. That track’s repetitive hook captured the spirit of late 70s power pop even more effectively than any of the previous EP’s material, proving that The Prize’s knack for a great chorus would likely be one of the album’s biggest assets…whenever it was due to arrive.