July 29th, 2020
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 31):
Wildcard (week 31):
The Magic Gang – Make Time For Change
Brighton quartet The Magic Gang offer a wide range of musical styles. Personally, I like them best when they enter The Style Council territory. In other words: when they revisit the Northern Soul sound. The band did so with recent single Think, and they’re back at it with their new track Make Time For Change.
Lead vocalist Gus Taylor explains, “Make Time For Change is a song about self-care. It’s a reminder to look after yourself and to encourage yourself to do the things that make you feel good.”
28 August, The Magic Gang will release their second album Death Of The Party. This horn-driven new single will feature on the vinyl Bonus Edition and digital formats of that long-player. It was recorded in Atlanta with producer Ben H. Allen (Deerhunter, Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley).
This week, Make Time For Change will feature prominently on Carte Blanche Music. It’s the new Wildcard!
Recommended as well:
What Have You Got To Lose
Think
How Can I Compete
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 31)
This is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, containing the two most recent Carte Blanche Music Wildcards, and the best of the other new releases in alphabetical order:
- Crimer – Eyes Off Me (Wildcard this week)
- Doves – Prisoners (Wildcard last week)
- Ferraro – Fool’s Paradise
- Gracie Abrams – Friend
- Oscar Lang – Apple Juice
- Sam & Sounds – Cloud 9
- The Go! Team – Cookie Scene
Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player below.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: Anne-Marie feat. Doja Cat; Inge van Calkar; mercy, merci and more.
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
Bloxx – Off My Mind
A month ahead of its release we can already conclude Bloxx’ debut album Lie Out Loud will be a banger. How could it not be, when all four previously released singles so far are absolute belters?
And it gets even better, for fifth single Off My Mind doesn’t disappoint. And that’s an understatement. It’s another great pop-rock song with a chorus as catchy as they come. The track is accompanied by a clever video that sees singer Ophelia Booth jumping around between her band mates, who are all social distancing in their own, ehm, booths.
Recommended as well:
Bloxx – Thinking About Yourself
Bloxx – Lie Out Loud
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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.
album track
Alfie Templeman – Things I Thought Were Mine
British teen Alfie Templeman is one of the most talented young artists around. And also one of the most prolific, as well. His brand-new EP is called Happiness In Liquid Form, and the title track is an absolute highlight.
My other personal favourite is Things I Thought Were Mine. A minimalistic, laid-back summer tune, based around a wonky synth melody and a funky guitar. Templeman wrote, produced and mixed this one himself, and deliberately made it very dry-sounding.
Lyrically, it’s just as light-hearted. “It doesn’t have this hugely profound meaning. It’s just an honest song from this time in my life. Kind of like a midpoint between leaving school and childhood and coming into my adulthood, or whatever. This song is just about how, in order to go forward, you have to lose a lot of things as well.”
Recommended as well:
Alfie Templeman – Happiness In Liquid Form
Alfie Templeman – Tragic Love
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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
Yours Truly – Together
Only two studio EP’s and one live EP into their career, Sydney punk rock band Yours Truly just announced their first long-player. Dubbed Self Care, the debut album will be out on 18 September. Thanks to the two singles that preceded it so far, I circled the date in red on my calendar.
Following the single Composure, Yours Truly released the equally strong Together as the album’s second teaser track. Filled with stomping beats, a groovy bass and soaring guitars, it sounds like an upbeat feelgood anthem. Lyrically however, it’s a different story, vocalist Mikaila Delgado explains.
“Together is about feeling the stress and uneasiness of imposter syndrome. I had a lot of fear and anxiety coming into this album, having this expectation to exceed what we did with [second EP] Afterglow. (….) I remember telling myself ‘you need to write the best songs of your life’ and getting upset about the possibility of not being able to prove ourselves. One night I turned to Lachlan [Cronin, guitar] and said, ‘I just feel all the colour has been drained from my brain’. We both looked at each other with wide eyes, and that’s how the idea of Together came about.”
Recommended as well:
Yours Truly – Composure
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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, wildcardWildcard (week 30):
Wildcard (week 30):
Crimer – Eyes Off Me
Did you like recent The Weeknd singles Blinding Lights and In Your Eyes? Then look no further for your next favourite song. Eyes Off Me is a new track by Crimer, a Swiss singer who deserves to conquer the world with this one.
In his own country, his career has already taken off in a big way. He reached #2 in the Swiss charts with his debut album Leave Me Baby, containing most tracks off his EP’s Leave, Me and Baby. Also, he won the ‘Best Talent’ gong at the Swiss Music Awards 2018.
Previously singing with a baritone voice, Crimer re-invented himself for his new single. Written in just 5 hours during a song-writing camp in Berlin, Eyes Off Me combines his effortless vocals with rousing retro synths. This results in a fresh and exciting electronic pop track with a euphoric ‘80s vibe.
Radio stations and curators who featured The Weeknd, but ignore Crimer, aren’t worth their salt. This week, Carte Blanche Music has its eyes on him, as Eyes Off Me is the new Wildcard. May more well-deserved attention follow!
In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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
Werner’s Weekly (week 30)
This is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, containing the two most recent Carte Blanche Music Wildcards, and the best of the other new releases in alphabetical order:
- Doves – Prisoners (Wildcard this week)
- Grace Farriss – All The People (Wildcard last week)
- Calogero – La Rumeur
- Raye – Natalie Don’t
- Saint Motel – Preach
- Sophie Hunger – Alpha Venom
- The Waterboys – The Soul Singer
Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player below.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: beabadoobee, The Go! Team, Yungblud, and more.
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
Ferraro – Fool’s Paradise
Ferraro are a Toronto-based pop-rock sibling trio: guitarist Cosmo, bassist Tally and drummer Gianni Ferraro (all three handle vocals). They cite The Beatles, Kings Of Leon, Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks and Foster The People as their influences. After starting as a cover band, Ferraro currently produce their own material.
The band just signed a major label deal and will release their upcoming 6-track EP via Warner Music Canada. You Look Good Like That was the EP’s first single, followed by Wish You Were Gay. Just in time for the summer holidays, they put out their new single. Fool’s Paradise is an upbeat, fun track, produced by alt-pop duo The Darcys.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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
Gracie Abrams – Friend
Never heard of LA singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams? Then you’re probably not on Instagram. The 21-year-old has over 310.000 followers on the platform, including Billie Eilish. Also, her five singles so far have been streamed over 90 million times globally. Time to catch up if you hadn’t already.
Minor is Abrams’ first EP. It contains her three latest singles and four new songs. Each of the seven tracks on this collection of breakup songs sounds like a page out of her diary. The lyrics are raw and personal in an introspective way, with heartbreak as their central theme.
Friends is her new single. Musically, it’s stripped back to the point the lyrics stand out even more. ‘And I hate the way you love me / And I hate that I still care’. Haven’t we all been there?
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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 trackOscar Lang – Apple Juice
Oscar Lang – Apple Juice
True to their name, the Dirty Hit label produced quite some (dirty) hits already. It’s home to successful artists like The 1975, Pale Waves, beabadoobee, Wolf Alice and Marika Hackman. All of them featured on Carte Blanche Music before.
Now, we can add Oscar Lang to that list. He’s the son of the former drummer in The Housemartins (remember them?). But more relevantly, he’s a singer-songwriter and producer from London, who crafts his songs in his bedroom studio. He’s part of a group of creative friends, including beabadoobee and Alfie Templeman.
Only 20 years old, Lang already has three EP’s to his name, and the fourth is on its way. The Hand Over Your Head EP is slated for release on 11 September. It’ll feature 7 tracks, including his new single Apple Juice, a fuzzy Brit-rock song with a psychedelic touch.
Sounds like the one to propel Oscar Lang to a wider audience.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
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.
