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 time around, our chosen eight numbers take in some ska, some chunky country rock with the emphasis on the rock, a couple of brilliant synth oriented tracks, a treat from the shoegaze archives, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy.
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KOYO’s third album, ‘Onism’, (released November 1st) saw the experimental band evolving. The featured material captured many of the complexities of past works, but by introducing a heavier edge in places, the band’s alternative sound embraced more of a post-rock aesthetic. Despite the confident changes and the fact that bits of the material drew from a huge pool of influences, the record proved that KOYO were keen to forge their own musical path.
As a band, KOYO have always been purveyors of interesting rock music, but trying to pin an easy identity on their sound is a thankless task. On their 2017 debut, they jumped between styles, somewhat gleefully, with the semi-psychedelic ‘Lost In The Kingdom’ playing like a lost Jane’s Addiction track overlaid by bleeping new wave keys, ‘Now I Understand’ sounding a bit like a Charlatans deep cut, and ‘Tetrachromat, Pts. 1 & 2’ dipping its toes into a world of contemporary sounding prog, where a complex arrangement was joined by Hawkwind-esque sax work, creating a trippy feel, augmented by a melodic metal undertone. Their 2020 release (‘You Said It’) saw them experimenting with shorter songs and a punchier sound, but for those willing to invest the time, the best songs still conveyed a sense of adventure, with the title cut blending modern indie sounds and a pinch of post rock crunch. Better yet, the album standout ‘Obelisk’ worked a huge art rock sound, where jerky rhythms collided with huge metallic riffs and trippier passages reminded listeners that the band who’d shared ‘Lost In The Kingdom’ just a few years earlier were still there…somewhere.
There are plenty of bands out there who claim to break down musical barriers. Quite often, this turns out to be little more than posturing, but sometimes one will come along and share something that transcends genre. You’ll hear various influences scattered throughout this current single from Ecce Shnak, not least of all from the mighty Mr. Bungle, but this truly experimental band combines sounds and influences in a way that feels genuinely inspired.
A lot can change in ten years. Unlike most DIY punk/alternative bands, though, for Bad Mary, issues with an ever shifting line up hasn’t ever been a factor. Since day one, the unity between vocalist Amanda Mac, her drumming dad Bill, bass playing husband Mike and guitarist David has been unquestionably strong. What has changed in that time, however, is the band’s recording budget and their collective musical skills. The 2024 Bad Mary sound much bigger and much fiercer than their younger selves. With that in mind, they chose not to mark a decades’ worth of work with a career spanning compilation, but to re-record some of the best tunes from their ‘Better Days’ debut disc.