In an age where people dip in and out of playlists rather than digest full albums, there’s been more of a fashion for alternative rock bands to take a record/release approach to their work. It’s often common to find new “single” tracks on streaming services, only for those not to be followed with anything more concrete. Wolforna have been adding to their catalogue of digital singles since 2019, and although there has been a pleasure in watching them grow as a band, the quick single hits haven’t always given fans much in which to immerse themselves. The blame, of course, lies not with the band, but the quick fix world to which music streamers have become all too accustomed.
Tag Archives: rock
KOYO – Onism
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.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #76
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, in places, things are slightly rockier than usual, but we feel the selection will still present a pleasing variety of artists and styles. There’s a great new number from a hard working British act, a couple of singer songwriters sharing strong hooks, and you’ll also find the return of some familiar faces… It’s time to open your ears and dive in – as always, if you find something new to enjoy, our work here is done!
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Listen: Absinthe Green cover The Spice Girls ‘Viva Forever’
In the summer of 2024, Absinthe Green’s ‘Give The Devil His Due’ was given some well deserved re-promotion. Although the track was two years at that point, it hadn’t really connected with a UK crowd. If it happened to be your first exposure to the Greek rock band, it certainly wasn’t a bad place to dive in. The track’s tonal shift from classic sounding doom into a driving hard rock riff showed off the band’s range of rock sounds very naturally, and although the featured vocal could’ve perhaps been a little sharper, the bulk of the track shared a great melodic feel.
RED EYE PARIAH – Tequila King EP
Northern Irish rockers Red Eye Pariah formed in April 2021, during the pandemic lockdown and amid an unsure world. Once things had settled, however, they wasted no time in building a reputation. Within a couple of years, they’d found a solid grass roots audience, and also gained praise and air time from various radio outlets, including BBC Radio Ulster and the popular alternative broadcaster Radio X (formerly Xfm). On the live circuit, they’ve supported artists as diverse as actor Michael C. Hall and the now legendary disco infused alternative rock band Electric Six.The 2022 EP ‘Koala Tea’ introduced even more people to the rocky Red Eye sound, but their second release, ‘Tequila King’, is an improvement in many respects.