November 30th, 2020
werner's weekly
Werner’s Weekly (week 49)
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:
- Monowhales – BL/FF (Fake Friends) (Wildcard this week)
- Joel Culpepper – WAR (Wildcard last week)
- A Is For Arrows – Every Now And Then
- Lola Scott – The Eviction Song
- Rinse feat. Hatchie – Back Into Your Arms
- Tanaya Harper – Emma
- The Cribs – Siren Sing-Along
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: Miley Cyrus, Tori Amos, 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
Bugs – Old Youth Feeling
One way to describe the last two years: Bugs broke out of Brisbane. From the east of Australia, they spread their wings all over the continent. Rightfully so, for there is much to like in their songs. I couldn’t help thinking about the happiness bands like Fountains Of Wayne brought me in the ‘90s/’00s with their power-pop…
The Underground Stage described their songs as ‘grinalong singalongs’, which says it all. Their infectious, energetic songs often come with contemplating lyrics. Bugs’ new single is no exception. The title already gives it away: Old Youth Feeling. It’s a powerful, guitar-driven and hook-laden song on the one hand. On the other hand however, it deals with nostalgia, and how as life progresses, many seek comfort in old habits and memories.
Vocalist and guitarist Connor Brooker explains: “Seeing an old family photo, driving past your childhood school, finding a box of toys and outdated pop culture artefacts. Our memories are so intrinsically tied to who we are, it’s not often you have those moments but when you do they are quite profound.”
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
Raave Tapes – Habitual
On their new single, Australian duo Raave Tapes push their experimental pop sound one step further. Habitual contains both massive pop hooks and bursts of glitched-out noise and crushing, distorted bass. They blow the dust off industrial, so to speak.
While recording the song, Lindsey O’Connell and Joab Eastley used Lady Gaga, Nelly Furtado, Charli XCX and Nine Inch Nails as references. Eastley recalls: “Throughout the recording process, we found moments where we asked ourselves ‘Can we get away with this? Are we allowed to do it?’ Then we remembered that the points are made-up and nothing actually matters. We stood by our game-plan of unapologetically committing to guilty pleasures. Live it up baby.”
Lyrically, the track holds some pleasant surprises as well. How about the line ‘I put the ‘bitch’ in ‘habitual’, you put the ‘dick’ in ‘predictable’? Classic, I’d say.
With its beautiful verses and crunchy choruses, Habitual is instantly addictive.
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.
remake, single track
Indochine x Christine & The Queens – 3Sex
In 2021, it’ll be 40 years since Indochine formed in Paris. In the beginning, they were mainly successful with an emerging new wave audience. Ultimately however, they crossed over to the general public. So far, they sold over 13 million albums and singles, making them the best-selling French band.
One of their first songs to reach a large audience, in 1985, was the single 3ème Sexe (‘third sex’). It was a hymn to sexual tolerance. Still one of their most popular songs, it continues to be played at radio. Also, the band regularly play it live at concerts, often in new versions.
Strange enough, the song is missing from Indochine’s recent ‘best of’ Singles Collection (1981-2021). But in good news: the band reprised the song (now titled 3Sex) with Héloïse Letissier of Christine & The Queens. They couldn’t have found a better (and more fitting) artist to perform it with. Where the original version was sung in a pretty aggressive, activist way, this version sounds softer. This is not only helped by the addition of a female voice, but also by a more electronic musical approach.
Let’s hope this song will get humanity one step closer to understanding, for there is still much to gain as far as sexual tolerance is concerned…
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
King Princess – Pain
21-year-old Brooklyn-born Mikaela Straus is currently making a living as King Princess. Her career exploded in March 2018, when Harry Styles tweeted a lyric from her debut single 1950. ‘I love it when we play 1950′. Next February and March, if everything goes as planned, she’ll support him at the European leg of his world tour.
Meanwhile, King Princess is working on her sophomore album. Pain, co-produced by Mark Ronson, is the second single to be released ahead of it. A rollicking pop song, incorporating old-school sounds like a house piano. It teams an upbeat melody with devastating lyrics. ‘I feel it now / Pain’.
Speaking with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, she said about Pain: “I think what I love about it is it’s got that fucking piano. It’s the ultimate George Michael meets Erotica-era Madonna meets an incredible remix if you’re in a gay club that makes you uncomfortable and horny.”
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
Rea Garvey – Just A Minute
In 1998, Rea Garvey moved from his home country Ireland to Germany. He had a demo CD in his pocket, but no band to record the songs with, or play live shows. Via an ad in a local paper, he found his band mates and formed Reamonn. This is an Irish form of the name Raymond, Rea’s real first name. Their 2000 debut single Supergirl was an immediate Top 5 hit, both in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. It went Top 10 in Switzerland. In 2010, after five successful studio albums, the band called it quits and Garvey went solo.
Since then, he released five studio albums as a solo artist well. His fifth, Hy Brasil, has just come out. As we have come to expect, it’s a collection of well-crafted pop songs. The record opens very strong, with the singles Talk To Your Body and Hey Hey Hey. These two are followed by a track that sounds like a future single. Just A Minute is a radio-friendly song with a pleasant tempo and simple, but uplifting violin parts.
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
Dry Cleaning – Scratchcard Lanyard
Dry Cleaning just released the coolest song of the moment: Scratchcard Lanyard. Brilliant title, for starters. If you ever asked yourself how Lou Reed would have sounded if he’d have been a woman, here’s your answer. The song lacks a real chorus, but it all comes down to this: ‘Do everything and feel nothing’.
Musically, it’s a post-punk track, where the walking bass and plenty guitar motifs battle for your attention.
Dry Cleaning are a London-based quartet, featuring singer Florence Shaw, guitarist Tom Dowse, bassist Lewis Maynard, and drummer Nick Buxton. After two EP’s, they signed to the legendary 4AD label. Scratchcard Lanyard is their first song for the label, as well as the first single off their upcoming debut album. One to look forward to.
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 trackSuper-Hi x Neeka – Following The Sun
Super-Hi x Neeka – Following The Sun
Super-Hi aren’t a household name yet. Not surprisingly, for Following The Sun is only their debut single. Yet, the duo behind this outfit have many hits to their name already. Super-Hi are producers Red Triangle (George Tizzard and Rick Parkhouse from Bournemouth, UK). The list of artists they wrote for and produced is long, and includes David Guetta, Charlie Puth, James Arthur, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Alesso and Green Day.
As said, Following The Sun is their first single as artists. It’s an optimistic song, which is all about believing and escaping. It describes a moment of freedom, a moment where you leave all your troubles behind. A topical subject these days…
The track is sung and co-written by Neeka, the stage name of Negin Djafari and Katy Tizzard. They explain: “We wrote Following The Sun with one ambition: to make people happy. If we can bring some light and positivity to the world right now, then we have succeeded.”
Neeka’s vocals, combined with its loose and danceable production, place the song somewhere in between Empire Of The Sun, Milky Chance and Fleetwood Mac.
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 48):
Wildcard (week 48):
Monowhales – BL/FF (Fake Friends)
Canadian indie-rock band Monowhales recorded their debut album with JUNO Award nominated producer Ryan Worsley. So far, only two tracks have been released ahead of it: RWLYD (Really Wanna Let You Down) and All Or Nothing. Or, to be precise, they just added a third one to the list: BL/FF (Fake Friends) is the Toronto trio’s new single. An ode to online dating, this is another great, bold and bouncing pop-rock track that begs to be played live.
About the song, vocalist Sally Shaar says: “BL/FF (Fake Friends)” gases you up for a hook-up. Memories flood into your head about that damn person that’s hard to get over because the tension is just too fun to avoid. Imagine a late night, your phone dings and you get that far too familiar message. So, you jump in your car at 3am and turn this song up surrounded by streetlights and heavy feelings of lust on your way to some spicey sleepover.”
No word yet about the release of their album, alas. Judging by the sound of the singles, it will be epic. For now, all we can do is wait for another of their colourful video’s. While you’re at it, listen to BL/FF (Fake Friends) on repeat. It’s the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard and will feature here prominently for a week!
Recommended as well:
Monowhales – All Or Nothing
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 48)
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:
- Joel Culpepper – WAR (Wildcard this week)
- Keleketla! – International Love Affair (Wildcard last week)
- Eelke – I’m A Man
- Just – Dark Days
- Raye – Love Of Your Life
- Shaka Ponk feat. Cypress Hill – Pure 90 (Rapping Queen)
- Slum Sociable (feat. Kye) – You’re In My Head
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: LP, Miley Cyrus x Dua Lipa, The Radar Station, 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.
