THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #23

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. A popular feature, the mixed bag approach at the Singles Bar has often allowed for coverage of things that people wouldn’t necessarily associate with the site. The selection this time around is a little more rock based in places, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of interesting twists, and a jazzy, downtempo track definitely provides one of the best tunes. We present the return of Big River with a very melodic track, some brilliant pop, an interesting take on a classic band, and more besides.

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COYLE GIRELLI – Museum Day

Despite his very distinctive name, the chances are that even by the time of this album’s release, you might not be over familiar with Coyle Girelli. The one time Your Vegas frontman began his solo career in 2018, and on his earlier albums, he explored a world of rock and pop that often sounded more mature than his years. Various tracks from his ‘Love Kills’ debut sounded like a pop-ish take on a Chris Isaak sound, whilst bits of ‘Funland’ follow up fused his retro heart with slight new wave elements and light indie influences that could occasionally be likened to The Killers.

This third (proper) album continues Girelli’s ascent and ventures further into an adult pop-rock sound, and at the core of the ten songs, you’ll discover some great, sometimes very commercial hooks that show off a great talent.

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PORTABLE RADIO – Counting To Three

The self-titled debut album from Portable Radio was one of 2021’s more welcome surprises. Coming at the end of a year where most people not employed as a Conservative MP spent most of their time rattling around indoors, the British band’s brand of retro music hit like a little ray of sunshine, piercing through the gloom. Their big single ‘Should’ve Bounced’ – a tune loaded with stabbed pianos and chiming guitars – gave a good indication of the album’s finer wares with its infectious pop inspired by Jeff Lynne but, even deeper into a great record, the Portable Radio brand of retro pop held firm. With other tunes tapping into the same influences beloved by Teenage Fanclub, and material sounding like a marriage between The early 70s Hollies and the poppier end of Supergrass, the album offered something great for most lovers of AM radio inspired pop.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #19

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This popular feature has become a home for eclectic sounds, for jumping between genres, and for shining a light on a few famous, but often not so famous musicians. The variety keeps things interesting, but also gives coverage to a few bands that might not gain a full length album review. This week, we bring you a near perfect piece of adult pop-rock, the return of a retro rock/power pop should-be legend, a Beatle descendent dabbling in electronica, and more besides. As always, we hope you discover something new. If you have something you think might fit a later feature, please get in touch.

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