Browsing Category album track
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.
Sophie & The Giants – Waste My Air
Glad you guys like Sophie & The Giants as much as I do! Last week, I could reveal that my recommendation of their single Bulldog was the most read Carte Blanche Music blog in October. In the meantime, the band also managed to enter the European Border Breakers Chart with the song.
Last week, singer Sophie Scott, guitarist Toby Holmes, bass player Bailey Stapledon and drummer Chris Hill released their first EP Adolescence. In a week and a half, opening track Waste My Air has developed into the band’s most popular song on Spotify. Four tracks into their career, it is indeed their most accessible tune so far. I wouldn’t be surprised if (radio) playlist curators would pick it up, enabling Sophie & The Giants’s well-deserved definitive break-through.
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.
Arthur Adam – O
Arthur Adam is a talented and respected Dutch singer-songwriter with a great, instantly recognizable voice. He is part of a multitude of bands and projects, where he follows his own inclination, playing music from the heart and never avoiding an experiment or two. Often, his music isn’t easy listening, but it isn’t meant to be. One of his bio’s started with the line: ‘Arthur Adam makes music because he has to’. His current bio states: ‘Arthur Adam makes music out of deep personal need/urge’. What’s not to praise about that?
Still, the music he puts out under his own name often does come very close to pop music. Pretty random examples are Happy Hangover, Dividing A Spider, Older and She’s A Mystery.
As one of his first supporters, I was happy to learn Arthur recorded a new EP, entitled Dances. It was a spontaneous affair. This is what he wrote me about it: “Last summer, I suddenly felt like recording a few songs, and that’s what I did: made the plan in July, rehearsed and recorded in August, mixed and mastered in September. What came out was a guitar pop EP with up-tempo pop/rock songs, influenced by Weezer, early Joe Jackson, Ben Folds, Joni Mitchell, Darryl-Ann and the rest of my record collection.”
That’s some bunch of references!
All six of the tracks on Dances were recorded on 21 en 22 August by long-time musical partner Tim van Doorn, who also played the bass and mixed and mastered the songs. Arthur Adam sung, played guitars, drums and keys. The EP is out now on Van Doorn’s and Adam’s own label BandBus Records.
My favourite EP track is simply titled O. A rock song full of energy and drive, a bit like Voicst’s Whatever You Want From Life. But the other five tracks are very much worth checking out as well. Pop music for grown-ups.
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.
Wildcard (week 41):
Janelle Monáe – Americans
On her latest album Dirty Computer, which was preceded by the single Make Me Feel, Janelle Monáe saved the best for last. Americans is the closing track on the album. Combining elements of pop, gospel, R&B, funk and neo-soul, it sounds like a tribute to Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy, but in fact, the song preaches the importance of all Americans coming together and being recognized for who they are and what they contribute to their country. But as we all know, that’s not the way it works in the United States nowadays. Non-male Americans, queer Americans, Americans of colour, poor Americans, etc. are looked down upon.
A spoken bridge and outro by Reverend Sean McMillan lists the marginalised people in contemporary America: “Until women can get equal pay for equal work… Until same-gender-loving people can be who they are… Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head… Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful… Until Latinos and Latinas don’t have to run from walls… this is not my America.”
I’m not sure if this is Monáe’s new single, but it’s playlisted by BBC Radio 6music. And that’s not all; a great track like this, with such an important message, deserves to be next week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard! All 41 of them, so far, are in the Wildcards 2018 playlist.
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.
Christine & The Queens – Le G
In 2014, all of a sudden, a new pop star stood up in France: Héloïse Letissier with her musical alter ego Christine & The Queens. A stylish act, both musically and in clothing, that can count artists like Stromae, Lorde and Madonna as fans.
Her debut album Chaleur Humaine contains slightly disruptive synthesizer pop (which she calls ‘freak pop’ herself). Letissier sings an awkward mix of French and English, that even the French don’t quite get. Yet (or perhaps because of that) it became a multi-platinum hit. First in her home country, and a year later in the rest of Europe. In order to try and conquer the United States, she re-recorded some of her songs in English and re-released her album.
Now, the artist makes her next move: her new album Chris comes in two versions: one in French and one in English. They’re not completely the same, though, as the French version has one track more, and two of the French songs don’t appear on the English version.
One of those two songs is my favourite on the set: Le G. The music on this new album being more funky and more sexy, I’m not sure whether this track is about G-funk or the G-spot, but either way: it’s as great as it is funky and sexy. Think Janet Jackson, for instance. Even the electric guitar solo at the end fits in nicely with the smooth overall production. Formidable!
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 Proclaimers – You Make Me Happy
It’s 31 years ago we first heard from the identical Scottish twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid. Their debut album This Is The Story contained the instantly likeable (Gerry Rafferty-produced) single Letter From America, which was followed by other folk pop gems like I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), and Let’s Get Married.
By now, the twins are 56, and they tirelessly continue to make the world a little bit better through their music. Their new album Angry Cyclist is their eleventh to date. My favourite track off it is an instant singalong: the bruising, direct and driving Celtic belter You Make Me Happy, where the brothers sing of achieving a state of romantic bliss so potent it has the ability to eradicate all of life’s inherent negativity. It’s not an official single (yet), but a fan compiled his own video for it, and did a great job!
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.
Pale Waves – Red
Since their 2017 debut single There’s A Honey, Pale Waves released 11 other singles, quickly making a name for themselves as one of the most promising young bands around. The fact that part of their output was produced by Matthew Healy and George Daniel of The 1975 certainly helped, but there’s no denying the talent of songwriters Heather Baron-Gracie and Ciara Doran (the singer and drummer of the band).
Only eight of the 11 singles (including the most recent one: One More Time) made it onto their debut album My Mind Makes Noises, in some cases in remixed form. My favourite of the six non-single tracks on the long-player is Red. A poppy song, with a very eighties synth line, a very contemporary pumping beat and a very great guitar hook. A modern new wave classic in the making.
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.
Tash Sultana – Cigarettes
Since her grandfather gifted a guitar at the age of three, Tash Sultana learned herself to play numerous instruments. Playing open mic nights and busking on the streets of Melbourne, Australia, she developed and perfected her own distinct sound. As a one-woman band, she creates and loops all of the sounds herself, both live and on her debut album, where she plays each of the 15 instruments that are present.
Two years ago, her first single Jungle immediately caught the attention of DJ’s and bookers alike, leading to sold out theatres globally and playing at the world’s biggest festivals. And all of that without an album in sight.
Only last week, her highly anticipated debut long player Flow State was released. Cigarettes is my favourite song on it. An easy-going track, until she ups the tempo after three minutes and a bit. What follows, is an upbeat, funky instrumental part with a delicious guitar solo that could go on forever.
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.
Brett Dennen – Be Somebody
Instead of an album, American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen decided to release two EP’s this year. After the first EP Let’s…, he just came up with the EP Here’s Looking At You Kid. Both were co-written and produced by Dan Wilson, whose band Semisonic reunited last year for two series of live shows.
Here’s Looking At You Kid contains five feel-good, sunny tracks, that were written with four themes in mind: friendship, fatherhood, groundedness, and above all, love. These songs will keep the summer vibes alive as September sets in. Be Somebody is the most catchy tune among them and my favourite track on the EP.
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.
