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 past couple of weeks. This time around, we bring you a superb pop-rocker from a Scottish act, a massive slab of dub from a legendary figure, a pair of very different punkers, something folky, and a throwback to industrial’s 90s peak. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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At the beginning of 2025, Hike The Peak – an ongoing, collaborative punk project helmed by Sheffield based musician Lee Byatt – released ‘Fire’, a two track offering that, musically, fell between the tougher end of Sum 41’s work and the more melodic elements of Strike Anywhere. Members of Aussie punk band Fake News and US punks Gametime proved to be useful musical allies, and although there were elements of the short listen that already felt familiar from a fan’s point of view, it more than suggested that Byatt would deliver even more great music going forward.
A new band for 2025, Austin’s Cheap Fix deliver two slabs of raw garage punk on their debut 7”. Whilst neither track attempts to break any new ground, genre wise, it’s actually clear within seconds of hitting the play button that these Texan lads mean business, and this first taste of their hard and fast sound suggests they are capable of going head to head with some of the scene’s best noise makers.
During the first half of 2025, our weekly Singles Bar feature went from strength to strength. The daily submissions piled up, and in keeping with the second half of ’24, no matter how many great tracks we highlighted, there always seemed to be a few that slipped through the cracks. This Summer Special shines a light on some of the greatest tunes and more interesting bands that didn’t make the cut. These shouldn’t be considered leftovers, though – everything here is of a hugely high standard. We’ve got blues, country, metal, a couple of interesting twists on a pop sound, a couple of off kilter indie bands…and far more besides. Grab yourselves a cuppa and turn up the volume: these twenty selections are all worth hearing in their own right, and when experienced together, act as a reminder of why our Singles Bar has become one of Real Gone’s most popular features.
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Clean Lines isn’t necessarily the best known name in punky circles, but the band have put in some hard yards on the live circuit in the US. They’ve shared stages with Me First & The Gimme Gimmes and The Kids, and have creative links with Geraldine Fibbers and Circle Jerks. They caught the attention of The Briefs’ vocalist Steve E. Nix, who eventually joined their musical ranks.