In June 2025, one man band Tooth Gore released their excellent ‘For Losers, By Losers’ album, an almost filler free collection that drew influence from melodic punk, surf rock, power pop and even post rock to create a riff driven collection that really captured the spirit of the DIY artist’s earlier singles.
Tag Archives: rock
THE BLACK KEYS – No Rain, No Flowers
The Black Keys’ thirteenth studio album ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ finds Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney taking a massive musical detour. The bulk of the material finds the duo in a light mood, from a musical perspective. There are a few recognisable guitar lines along the way; a familiar sounding musical hook or two, but in the main, the album stands as their grand adult pop-rock opus. Part of this shift will be, no doubt, due to enlisting pop producer Rick Nowels for both musical and technical duties, along with other collaborators from outside of the garage rock and blues field. This isn’t a move that’s likely to please some of their hardcore fans, but it could win them new supporters on this leg of their already long journey since, although very little of ‘No Rain’ sounds like classic Black Keys – at least on the surface – its songs are brilliantly arranged, and some of the “poppier” elements show off a great finesse.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #117
Every visit to the Real Gone Singles Bar uncovers new treats, but as we start to pull towards the end of a UK summer, this selection shares a couple of really special tracks. A new offering from a UK born/Dubai based soul singer could be one of the best things you’ll hear before the autumnal weather sets in; a couple of legends provide the basis for a near perfect reggae banger, and an underground electronica musician really stretches out on his current single. We’ve also got a piece of fairly traditional sounding country, a loving tribute to a classic grunge sound, and a huge alternative rock tune from a band making their debut. As always, we hope you find something to enjoy.
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DUCK & COVER – EP
In 2022, US band Duck & Cover released the ‘Attention Economy’ EP, a short listen that hit hard and fast with a world of trashy riffs that blended a love of garage rock with The Replacements, and even added a tinge of 80s glam to a few of the vocals. The tracks have since appeared on streaming services as three digital singles, but whether heard together or apart, the material retains its appeal. 2024’s two track ‘Trash Fest’ showed off a little more melody around the edges – particularly noticeable in the vocal approach taken on the massively hooky ‘Girl From Nowhere’ – but the band’s love of a wonderfully retro sound held firm.
Watch: Nightblade share new video for ‘Speak As You Find’
Opening with a fat bassline, Nightblade’s current single ‘Speak As You Find’ immediately catches the listener’s attention. Adding a chopping guitar riff, it initially sounds like the British rockers are about to venture into early Franz Ferdinand territory, but with the spikier elements offset by a broad, melodic vocal, it isn’t long before a slightly more familiar Nightblade sound takes centre stage.