GRETCHEN SHAE & THE MIDDLE EIGHT – Inside A Dream EP

Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight’s ‘Exit Fire’ EP from 2022 introduced listeners to a band with an impressive amount of punch. That release’s best material mixed the slightly punkier aspects of Justine And The Unclean with a bass heavy undercurrent that drew more from a classic post-punk/retro alt-rock sound. What was abundantly clear, though, was that Gretchen knew her way around a catchy hook, with ‘Unnatural Love’ and ‘Red Light Green Light’ (in particular) flaunting choruses that were a match for any similar sounding acts from yesteryear.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #85

For our first Singles Bar feature of 2025, we’ve brought together an interesting selection of tunes. You’ll find a “typical” Real Gone backbone of rock, but with the help of some great, spiky synth sounds, a couple of singer songwriters, and even a country infused bar room sneer from a familiar musical figure, there’s enough here to attract anyone with a curious ear. As we prepare to embark on another year of great musical discovery, we hope you find something of interest here!

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR: A NEW YEAR’S EVE LOCK IN 2024

Throughout 2024, we’ve featured literally hundreds of new tracks in our weekly Singles Bar column. Never committed to any particular style or genre, the SB has become a haven for any new tracks that have caught our ear, and we’ve introduced people to a whole spectrum of new bands. There wasn’t time to cast a spotlight on everything we loved, however. So, as we get ready to wave goodbye to another great year for music, we’ve brought together a selection of twenty five great tracks that slipped under the radar during the second half of the year. These are more than mere leftovers – every track deserves a loving ear. We’ve got singer songwriters; we’ve got melodic prog; we’ve got a couple of metal-centric workouts, indie bangers, and even a pinch of blues. If you’re a regular visitor to the Singles Bar, we know you’ll find more stuff to love!

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #74

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have dropped into our inbox over the previous few weeks. This time around, we bring you some moody singer songwriter pop, a well crafted slice of Americana, something that falls between dance and pop, the return of an underground rock band with an excellent track…and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…

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SUN ATOMS – Take This Love / And The Lion Saw The UFO

Near the beginning of 2024, US post punk band Sun Atoms broke a near three year silence when they released the single ‘Ceiling Tiles’. That track provided the perfect reminder of their great sound with its angular riffs, pulsing rhythms and light gothic tones. In a little over five minutes, the music transported the listener back to the early 90s with its alternative feel, but Sun Atoms’ music still played very well in the present.

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