Not to be confused with several bands called The Buddy System, The Buddy System Forever are a three piece indie rock band from Queens, New York and their members delight in sharing a massively retro sound that celebrates the glory days of 90s alternative rock. Across the five tracks that make up their 2025 EP ‘The Most Famous Arena’, you’ll hear a love for the legendary Dinosaur Jr, Superchunk and Pavement delivered in massively broad strokes. Much like other twenty first century bands that are so keen to look back at those plaid filled summers, of course, everything is recycled with love, and the material has a spark of its own.
Tag Archives: alternative
BOX – Born To Crawl EP
When it comes to chosen names, ‘Box’ feels rather cheeky. This one man band’s work refuses to be kept tidy, or easily placed within a genre. Or any kind of box. Beyond “cold, arty rock”, the songs on ‘Born To Crawl’ refuse to conform to any label, and certainly don’t fit any pre-conceived ideas you may have about a musician who has previously been associated with US punks Poison Idea. There are moments that, perhaps, fall a little further in line with multi-instrumentalist Andrew Stromstad’s work with blackened doom band Atriarch but, again, at its best, the Box sound feels very different. It’s certainly less heavy and although it feels more experimental, it’s actually more accessible than some of his past works. The heart of Box definitely shares like a fresh sound for Stromstad, making it the perfect side project.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #99
This week’s Singles Bar features a wealth of different musical styles. A dip into the world of melodic punk brings a fresh take on a well known tune, a melodic rock band bring a massive 90s vibe on a very strong track, and a singer songwriter blends soul, pop and world music on a brilliantly understated performance. Elsewhere, you’ll find a fun country tune, a huge sounding throwback to the grunge glory days, and more besides. It’s a selection that, hopefully, will share something of interest for most listeners… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #98
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we share some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. It’s an especially strong selection this time around, throwing a spotlight on a new, young band with a perfect take on an old sound; a punchy number straddling the line between indie and punk; a potentially frightening, riff-heavy number; something that falls within the boundaries of blues rock…and more besides. We think you’ll find something – or someone – new to fall in love with, and if so, it’s been more than worthwhile. Grab a cup of tea and dive in…
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MAGANA – Bad News EP
Released during the first quarter of 2024, Magana’s ‘Break Free’ single shared some very interesting musical ideas. Billed as “witchy rock”, the track managed to convey a hard edge, but retain a sense of the atmospheric. With the aid of droning keys and percussive rhythms, the performance conveyed a spooky vibe, but was also unafraid to take detours into harder edged sounds. Like a strange hybrid of 90s goth, classic Cocteau Twins and a deep dive into middle period Lush, it wasn’t for everyone, but for those with a love of various 90s and 00’s alternative sounds, it brought a welcome new slant to genre-specific sounds that often felt familiar.