Tag Archives: power pop

THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #159

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Over the past week or two, the amount of submissions for the Singles Bar column has gone through the roof! That’s made it harder than usual to pick the highlights. Regular visitors to the SB will certainly recognise a couple of names this time around as we explore some of the recent offerings from a variety of genres, but That doesn’t mean the selection is predictable. By jumping between power pop, post rock, Irish music, and even something that’s in almost an ambient mood, our choices really highlight some great sounds filling the underground as we head into the summer. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!

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MUCK AND THE MIRES – Beat Revolution

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In 2004, at a time when half the world was hopped up on the sounds of the Franz Ferdinand debut and Arcade Fire’s ‘Funeral’ (an album the Canadian band have never bettered), and at a time when Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ was making inroads into being a best seller, somewhere in the wilds of Boston, Muck and The Mires were making garage rock noises for a much smaller audience. Not that the love poured into the tunes on their ‘Beginner’s Muck’ LP was any the lesser; the energy on that record spoke for itself, and the band’s love of Flamin’ Groovies and other retro fare propelled them forward, subsequently making stronger albums whilst retaining admiration from the underground power pop fans.

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THE CHELSEA CURVE – The Rideout

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Those keeping a close watch over the Boston music scene in a post-lockdown era will certainly be aware of The Chelsea Curve. Vocalist Linda Pardee and her band have really carved out a niche in feel good sounds, blending the hooks of the early 80s power pop bands with a mod driven feeling of power. Their short and sharp approach has delivered lots of superb sounding chorus oriented numbers that revel in their love of recycling the past, yet never sound stale.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #149

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Welcome back to the Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. This time around, there’s an amazing ballad from a veteran singer-songwriter, some really cool retro vibes from a brand new rock act, a slab of almost perfect shoegaze, and a metal oriented number that flaunts a massive 90s riff with an industrial edge. You’ll also find a piece of Americana tinged pop-rock that shows massive promise, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!

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Watch: Modesty Blaise share video for ‘Coral Mountain’ ahead of deluxe reissue

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A quarter of a century ago, Modesty Blaise released a self titled album full of retro pop gems that took cues from various touchstones from the past, including The Beach Boys and The Zombies, and recycled them with love. A second record, ‘Melancholia’ improved on the formula, and at its best, the record flaunted a huge budget and equally big hooks. In terms of that kind of musical pilfering, Jellyfish became absolutely worshipped in the power pop community, and by comparison, Modesty Blaise have sort of become also-rans. That deserves to change.

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