January 2nd, 2021
single track
You Me At Six – Adrenaline
In recent years, You Me At Six changed their sound more than once. Not ready to become predictable, the British band embraced experiments. Although they continued their working relationship with Dan Austin (Biffy Clyro, Massive Attack, Pixies), who produced their 2018 album VI, they pushed themselves even further while recording their upcoming seventh album Suckerpunch, which will be out on 15 January.
Adrenaline is the band’s fourth new song to be released ahead of the long-player. It’s big, bold and bombastic. Driven by saturated bass, it adds electronic elements to their rock sound. For reference, think Awolnation or Imagine Dragons.
Lead vocalist Josh Franceschi says of the track: “Adrenaline is about understanding and accepting the capacity we all have as humans to have split personalities. Coming to terms with the idea of co-dependency.”
Recommended as well:
What’s It Like
Back Again
3AM
Follow You Me At Six on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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 trackPäter feat. Alexandra Willett – MTL
Päter feat. Alexandra Willett – MTL
Iran-born, Canada-based singer-songwriter Päter is a young artist with currently only nine songs on her repertoire. But by the sound of them, she has a bright career ahead of her. If that might not happen, she can always look back upon being a good person. For instance: she makes a habit of doing fundraisers, giving away her modest income from music to good causes like the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources. This social attitude is also reflected in her lyrics, like the ones for her recent single Earth In Revolt.
MTL (which is short for Montreal) is Päter’s new single. She recorded it with fellow Canadian artist Alexandra Willett, who adds a francophone element to the song. MTL is a joyful and catchy track. A great way for Päter to end the year 2020, which saw her deservedly grow her audience.
Recommended as well:
Päter – Earth In Revolt
Päter – Sleep
Follow Päter on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Follow Alexandra Willett on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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
Graham Colton – Let’s Spend The Night
Graham Colton is a talented American singer-songwriter. His second album Pacific Coast Eyes was his first I came across. I played much of its tracks in my then radio show Carte Blanche, especially the title track and 1981. I also visited one of the many living room sessions he played by then. But he also shared stages with artists like Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, Counting Crows, and Maroon 5.
Since his most recent album Inside Out, released earlier this year, Colton put out two brand-new songs. Well, not quite, for Everybody’s Talkin’ was a cover of the Harry Nilsson classic. But Let’s Spend The Night is an original, and a damn fine one. Both lyrically and musically, it’s a light-hearted song that sounds like it was made for the radio.
Follow Graham Colton on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
cover, single track
† † † (Crosses) – The Beginning Of The End
At the end of the 1980s the American electro-pop band Information Society came up. I was a huge fan of their (US) hit What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy) and of later singles like Think. Shortly after, another American band fished in the same musical pond: Cause & Effect. Their 1991 debut album Another Minute is another favourite of mine from that period. The following year, the two bands were to go on a club tour together. The remainder of that trek was sadly cancelled after Cause & Effect frontman Sean Rowley died of complications from an asthma attack during a soundcheck.
One of the ten songs on Another Minute was The Beginning Of The End. This track has now been covered by an unlikely act: † † † (Crosses), a side project of Deftones frontman Chino Moreno’s. This band had been on hiatus since their eponymous 2014 debut album.
Moreno recently indicated their were some ‘unreleased’ songs he’d like to finish. This cover is the first fruit of these intentions. † † † (Crosses) kept the original composition mostly intact. This results in a beautiful, Depeche Mode-like rendition of The Beginning Of The End.
Follow † † † (Crosses) on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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
Beks – The Thing About Us
She used to be the frontwoman/guitarist of all-girl punk band Rackett, and drummer of Bec & Ben. Now, Sydney’s Rebecca Callander is on a songwriters journey as Beks. Her new single The Thing About Us is a catchy pop tune. It’ll make fans of Kylie Minogue and Dagny beg for more.
The singer explains: “I wrote this with my friends Cam Nacson (Sad Boii) and Tamika Nacson (Xira) during a songwriting session for my mixtape in October 2020. This song encapsulates the feeling of being in love and then out of love with your best friend. Your best friend that you party and wake up hungover with and then realise that you’ve crossed a line of no return, blurred the boundaries and you’re desperate to find a way back. The thing about us is there was never an ‘us’, it was only ever ‘you and I’.”
The mixtape Beks mentioned is a project she’s been working on for the last months. It’ll feature 12 tracks she wrote and produced with people like Jim Eliot (Ladyhawke, E^ST), and Kim Moyes (The Presets). Her debut mixtape is set for release mid-2021.
Follow Beks on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
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
Hotel (feat. Obi Ill Terrors) – Loose Change
Andrew Tudehope, from Sydney, made music under a string of monikers and pseudonyms before. He used to be known as Archie Buck & His Kick Ons Crew, Lars & The Never Ending Journey Of Friendship, Paper Squared, Afternoon Jack & His Pumpkin Patch, What About Yellow? and Topsi Turvi. In other words: he isn’t new to the music scene. His latest musical project is simply called Hotel. That name was drawn from his years working as a porter in one of Sydney’s finest hotels.
Loose Change is only Hotel’s debut single. With its crunchy guitars, new wave synths and hip hop beats it’s best described as glam-pop. Gorillaz fans are sure to love this. The song was produced by Billy Gunns and features a verse by Obi Ill Terrors. Both are childhood friends of Tudehope’s and established hip hop artists. Another close friend, Nick Hutt from the band Johnny Hunter, provided some of the backing vocals.
Follow Hotel on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
Follow Obi Ill Terrors on Facebook | Spotify
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
Harry Styles – Treat People With Kindness
Let’s pretend 2020 didn’t happen, and start this new year exactly like the previous one: with the best of intentions. I believe you get what you give. Therefore, I believe in the adage ‘treat people with kindness’. For that reason, my first post of 2020 was my favourite track of Harry Styles’ then brand-new album Fine Line. Although it wasn’t a single yet, I made Treat People With Kindness my Wildcard, and presented it here prominently for a whole week.
Fast forward to 2021: early on New Year’s Day, the track was announced as the long-player’s sixth single. Lyrically, it’s an uplifting mantra, while musically, it’s a funky beat-driven pop tune. A clever song with a simple message. As I wrote a year ago: a good choice for a single, even though all the fans will probably have the album by now. Nevertheless, this will sound great on the radio.
Follow Harry Styles on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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.
