Browsing Category album track
Sundara Karma – Greenhands
Based on the singles Illusions, One Last Night On This Earth, The Changeover, Higher States, and, most recently, former Carte Blanche Music Wildcard Little Smart Houses, I already presumed Sundara Karma’s second album Ulfilas’ Alphabet would be a triumphant return. And so it is…
My favourite album track is Greenhands, which sounds like a very good track by The Killers. One can hear the hand of producer Stuart Price there, who also worked with Madonna, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, and… The Killers (and many more). Top song!
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
SWMRS – Lose Lose Lose
SWMRS (but you can call them ‘Swimmers’) are a young punk rock band from Oakland, California. When they formed, in 2004, the four guys – Cole Becker (vocals), Max Becker (guitar, vocals), Joey Armstrong (drums) and Seb Mueller (bass) – were 10-year-olds. They released their debut album in 2011, and their fourth long-player Berkeley’s On Fire came out last month.
There’s a bit of the Ramones about SWMRS, and a bit of Green Day as well. Joey is Green Day frontman Billie Joe’s son, you know? But on this new album, their sound has been enriched with contemporary electronic elements, giving their songs a more modern feel. One of the standout tracks on the album for instance, the energetic Lose Lose Lose, comes with an added breakbeat-like foundation. Win win win, as far as I’m concerned.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Picture This – Modern Love
Since their self-titled debut album came out in August 2017, Picture This have gone on to become the biggest selling Irish act in 2017 and 2018. Last week, they released its follow-up, MDRN LV, which is even for sale as a cassette. In interviews, the band claim not to have felt any pressure producing the record, but I bet their label feels pressure to make it just as successful as the first one 😉 .
The long-player opens with Modern Love, more or less the title track, and the song whose lyrics inspired the album’s title. The track marks a different sound for the band, with tight, clean The 1975-like production. Destined to become a live favourite.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
-M- – Grand Petit Con
French singer-songwriter and guitarist Matthieu Chedid uses -M- as his stage name. In January 2017, he scored a Carte Blanche Music Wildcard with Bal De Bamako, a great song that could have been a huge hit when released a few months later.
22 years after his debut album, -M- just put out his seventh studio album Lettre Infinie. The title track is his new single, but I’d like to introduce you to the album track Grand Petit Con. Not a song that will likely yield him many new friends, as the title means ‘big little asshole’. But never mind, if you don’t speak French 😉.
Grand Petit Con is another funk-infused pop stomper that would sound great on the radio. Non-French radio, that is…
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Art Brut – She Kissed Me And It Felt Like A Hit
Art Brut, or as the Brits call it, Outsider Art is art by self-taught or naïve art makers. When Eddie Argos formed a band, in 2003, he thought Art Brut was the perfect name for it. One of the first things he subsequently did, was writing a song about forming a band. It became their first hit.
15 years later, and seven years since their latest effort Brilliant! Tragic!, Art Brut just released their fifth album Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out! Argos’ trademark speak-sing delivery is still omnipresent, but we get horns as an added bonus. For instance on my favourite album track She Kissed Me And It Felt Like A Hit.
The song title refers to The Crystals’ controversial 1962 single He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss). “I love a big glorious love song,” Argos says about it. “This is one and it’s about love at first kiss, it’s about immediately knowing the person you are with is even better than appearing on Top Of The Pops and what could be more glorious than that?”
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
The Smashing Pumpkins – Alienation
The title of The Smashing Pumpkins’ new album is Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.. That’s about as long as the period between this album and the latest to feature founding members Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin, which was 2000’s Machina / The Machines Of God. As widely reported, bassist D’arcy Wretzky is absent from the new recordings, but long-time guitarist Jeff Schroeder fills her shoes.
The new, Rick Rubin produced long player includes the singles Solara, Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) and the beautiful Knights Of Malta, but Alienation is my absolute favourite. Although the piano melody only consists of two notes, it helps build the song. The same goes for the acoustic guitar and the drums, actually, and James Iha probably didn’t have to study hard for his bass part either. Still, with its added strings and trademark electric guitar, this is a Smashing Pumpkins song by the book, that goes from strength to strength until it ends with the same two repeated piano notes it started with.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Corine – Un Air De Fête
After two EP’s, French nu-disco queen Corine just released her first full album Un Air De Fête. A long-player with equal parts groove, sensuality and kitsch, where Giorgio Moroder, Nouvelle Vague and even Jean Michel Jarre are never far away. But the singer with the Jane Fonda looks also explores chanson territory in the few ballads present. All in all, the album couldn’t possibly have sounded more French.
Apart from Cocktail, all Corine’s past singles are there: Pourquoi Pourquoi, Il Fait Chaud, Maquillage and Première Traversée. Pourquoi Pourquoi (with its hilarious video) surely deserves to be re-released, now that Corine is ‘hot’ in every sense. But out of the other tunes, the album’s title track is easily my favourite.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Jenifer – Hey Jen
Jenifer (born Jenifer Yaël Dadouche Bartoli in 1982) is a French singer. Just 20 years old, she won the first season of TV talent show Star Academy. Since then, she released eight albums, although the most recent – Nouvelle Page – almost hadn’t come about. After being involved in a heavy traffic accident in March 2017, the singer considered halting her career. She decided to turn the page however, changing label and management. So, in more ways than one, her present comeback explains the album’s title, which translates as ‘new page’.
My favourite track off the album is Hey Jen. A funky and danceable song with a happy vibe, but a deeper meaning: it’s a rant against the paparazzis who have been following her for 17 years now. Easy on the ears, the message hits hard.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Yonaka – Death By Love
Yonaka are one of the most exciting new bands from the UK. From Brighton, to be exact, which is an extra seal of quality nowadays. Fronted by lead singer Theresa Jarvis, the band serves dark alt.pop with cool riffs and catchy hooks.
Following numerous singles and the EP’s Heavy and Teach Me To Fight, Yonaka just released their third EP Creature. Death By Love is my favourite track off it. A great display of what the band stands for musically, and lyrically intriguing as well; the song is written from a serial killer’s perspective…
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
Hollydays – Minuit (La Baie Noire)
Hollydays are Elise Preys and Sébastien Delage, a pop duo from Paris. Seven years ago, they came together in high school. At first, they were playing covers, but in 2012, they started writing their own songs as Hollydays. Pop songs, that is, by its original meaning, being ‘popular’. The band love melodies that everyone can sing, all together. Their musical vision: a good melody can make the difference.
After releasing a single and three EPs over the years, Hollydays have finally put out their debut album Hollywood Bizarre. Four of their old songs are on it, next to nine new ones. I’m particularly fond of Minuit (La Baie Noire). A Vive La Fête kind of electronic pop song with great instrumentation and catchy vocals. Frencher than French.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
Music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Has been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, he developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart.
