SILVER DOLLAR ROOM – Gilded Echoes

Scottish rockers Silver Dollar room aren’t afraid of going retro on their debut album ‘Gilded Echoes’. By taking influence from a wealth of classic rock bands and mixing in strong elements of a post-grunge sound, they’ve created a ten song release that’s riff heavy, but also very accessible. Naturally, there are times when the influences shine perhaps a little too brightly, but that never stops the songs being enjoyable – and it’s always clear that this band more than knows their way around a decent hook.

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BOULDER FIELDS – With All The Other Ghosts

Singer songwriter Cam Fraser has had a long career on the fringes of stardom. The cult musician first became known to some as a member of The Cataran, a band whose three albums gained the band a following in the 80s, and he latterly ventured further into the realms of jangly indie as a member of Borrowed Books, whose 2020 album presented a timeless sound where a very 90s feel was underscored with occasional folk-rock rhythms, taking influence from Lou Barlow’s Folk Implosion. Under the name Boulder Fields, Cam explores the avenues of Americana – albeit from a Scottish perspective – going deeper into the folky, but without losing his roots, and although 2024’s ‘With All The Other Ghosts’ sometimes values atmosphere over immediacy, his sense of melody and lyricism often comes through in massive waves.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #62

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we investigate some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. There’s a really smart selection this time out which, among other things, shares some great instrumental sounds, welcomes back some ska heroes, explores the darker side of an Australian singer songwriter, and even takes an opportunity to introduce someone brand new. As always, we hope you find something to enjoy!

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #61

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting mp3s and individual tunes that’ve landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. In proper Singles Bar tradition, this week’s column covers a lot of musical ground by taking in country and a couple of singer songwriters alongside some extreme metal. There’s even time to introduce a new rock band. It’s unlikely that everything here will appeal to everyone, but as always, we hope you find something new to enjoy.

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BANSHEE – Bubble EP

When Banshee released their ‘Say My Name’ EP in 2016, the online press were incredibly enthusiastic. The then still-young band even found a champion in the legendary Joe Elliott, despite their music being half a world away from his own or that of his own Def Leppard or beloved Mott The Hoople. That EP set out the Scottish quartet’s musical interests very clearly – and its combination of alt-rock guitars, poppy hooks and enthusiastic vocals very much carried the spirit of bands like Tonight Alive and ‘Riot!’ era Paramore. Three years on, their ‘Bubble’ EP offers much more of the same, but if anything the guitars are slightly more subdued in places. To make up for that, though, its four songs have choruses that could really stick.

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