February 28th, 2017
single track
Disciples – On My Mind
Disciples are a British production trio that reached the masses in 2015 via a collaboration with Calvin Harris on what became a worldwide Top 5 hit: How Deep Is Your Love. Their collab with David Guetta (No Worries) fared less well, but their new tune is a very smart one.
The track is all about the power of repetition. After three minutes thereās no denying what the title is: On My Mind. And thatās exactly where the song will stick for the rest of the dayā¦
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Blondie – My Monster
After the first single Fun, Blondie have come up with a second teaser to prepare for their next album Pollinator, that is scheduled for release on 5 May. My Monster is a rocking track, written by none other than Johnny Marr.
By now, Blondie is an eighties legacy band. Despite Debbie Harry being 71 years old, they are still touring their socks off. This year, they will share the stage with Phil Collins, Garbage and Cyndi Lauper.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Ride – Charm Assault / Home Is A Feeling
Shoegazing ā as a musical genre ā was very popular in the United Kingdom at the end of the eighties and the start of the nineties. Bands like Cocteau Twins, the Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Lush are among the best-known shoegazers.
The latter band made a very welcome return last year with their EP Blind Spot, and Ride is back at the scene as well! Not only have they announced new live dates for the coming months (they have already been playing live extensively last year), but next summer they will release their first new album in twenty years!
As an ultimate teaser the band released not one, but two new singles: Charm Assault and Home Is A Feeling. Two totally different songs, but each of them great in its own right. Thatās why I feature them both.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
werner's weekly
Wernerās Weekly (week 9)
Last week, my container playlist Carte Blanche Music, with the best new music of 2017 so far, has been updated with tracks by The Amazons, Maggie Rogers, Nina June, Spoon and many others. But believe it or not, none of those great songs made my final selection of the very, very best tracks of the past seven days: Wernerās Weekly.
The ones that did make the cut, are listed below (in alphabetical order). Click on the links to read what I wrote about them when they first featured on this blog and if you want to listen to all six songs while reading about them, simply start the Wernerās Weekly Spotify player in the sidebar. Youāll be done in 20 minutes.
- MisterWives – Machine (this weekās Wildcard)
- Fishbach – Y Crois-Tu? (last weekās Wildcard)
- Canāt Swim – We Wonāt Sleep
- Loyle Carner – Aināt Nothing Changed
- Regina Spektor – Older And Taller
- TANA – Leave Away
Obviously, the above titles are a selection of a selection, since Iām not able to write about all the tracks that I add to my container playlist. If you want to hear them all, or if you want to make your own selection, click on the image in the sidebar, which will open the complete Carte Blanche Music playlist on Spotify.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Pumarosa – Dragonfly
Pumarosa are a five-piece band from London, consisting of singer Isabel Munoz-Newsome and her entourage of four male band members. They describe their music as āindustrial spiritualā, whatever that may mean. After the well-received introductory track Priestess, the band put the songs Cecile and Honey online.
Now, Dragonfly completes the first quartet. Itās a moody, groove-led track with added power chords for an extra dramatic effect. And that works like a charm. Dragonfly is a prelude to Pumarosa’s debut album The Witch, that will be released on 19 May.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
border breaker, single track
Vargas & Lagola – Rolling Stone
You may not know Swedish duo Vargas & Lagola (consisting of Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare) yet. But their debut single Rolling Stone might change that immediately. After all, Al Fakir and Pontare are not new to the gameā¦
First of all, they were successful solo artists in their home country and in a second life they became Swedish Grammy winning songwriters and producers, who wrote and produced songs for the likes of Seinabo Sey, Katy Perry, Avicii, Axwell /\ Ingrosso and Madonna. Coffee, anyone?
Now, Al Fakir and Pontare have given their careers a third leash of life by forming recording duo Vargas & Lagola. Rolling Stone is only their first single, but one that sounds like you have known it all your life long. An earworm, thatās for sure.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
chart, ebbchart
European Border Breakers Chart 24 February 2017
Each Friday new European Border Breakers Charts are published. These charts show which emerging European bands are getting airplay outside their home countries, and where in Europe this free publicity takes place. Very interesting information for artists and fans, but also for managements, media, bookers and so on.
This week the EBBChart has a new number one, but with the smallest of margins. So donāt be surprised if things look differently next week. But thatās what charts are all about, arenāt they?
As always there is plenty of new blood in the charts. Four out of the fifteen (re)entries are first time visitors: Anne-Marie (Ciao Adios, #54), Off Bloom (Falcon Eye, #70), Rhys (Last Dance, #92) and Pixx (I Bow Down, #93).
My personal recommendations among the re-entries include Fil Bo Riva (Franzis, #88), Aston Merrygold (Get Stupid, #94) and Orange Skyline (Sound And Fury, #96). Check them out!
For the complete chart, click the āEBBChartā tab at the top of this blog (loading of the PDF may take a little while). For more rankings (like the Bubbling Under, which ranks the tracks that are on their way to the Top 100), please visit www.europeanborderbreakerscharts.eu.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Canāt Swim – We Wonāt Sleep
This band from New Jersey is less than two years old. They released their debut EP, Death Deserves A Name, only exactly one year ago, on 24 February 2016.
After touring for most of that year, they recorded their first album, Fail You Again, which will come out on 10 March. It was produced and engineered by their own drummer Danny Rico, who has since then switched to playing the guitar. His place on the drums was taken by Andrea Morgan. I think female drummers (and female bass players, for that matter) are cool!
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Regina Spektor – Older And Taller
Regina Spektor was born in Moscow, where she started a classical piano training when she was six years old. She continued taking piano lessons after she and her family emigrated to New York, at the age of nine. She was originally interested in classical music only, but listening to Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, and other singer-songwriters encouraged her to start writing her own songs.
Last year, she released her seventh album Remember Us To Life. The singles Bleeding Heart and Small Bill$ are now followed by Older And Taller, that sounds like it was written for her by Joe Jackson. Which isnāt true. But being a huge Joe Jackson fan, it sure is (meant to be) a compliment!
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Pretenders feat. Neil Tennant – Letās Get Lost
This is not the first pairing of legends and it wonāt be the last. But it sure is beautiful! Letās Get Lost was already a āPretenders onlyā track on their latest album Alone. This is the new single version, featuring the unmistakable vocals of Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant. And thatās not all. They blend together wonderfully with Chrissie Hyndeās voice. Letās Get Lost is part of a double a-side single with the rock track Gotta Wait, but this ballad is the one for me.
The video below is not the original clip by the way, but a great animation by āMrPopovā I stumbled upon, which uses Letās Get Lost as its soundtrack. I like it as much as the song itself š .
- 24 Feb. ’17 – Rather disappointing update: this appears to be a Disney animation, only uploaded by this ‘MrPopov’. Just so you know…
- 1 March ’18 – Another disappointment, sorry guys: a year after this post, ‘MrPopov’ suspended his YouTube account; probably a rights thing. Therefore, I added the audio-only ‘video’
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
