Browsing Category album track
Winnetka Bowling League – Diane
Going through Matthew Koma’s CV, I can’t help but thinking about a chameleon. A Koma Chameleon, as Culture Club would have it… Inspired by Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen, Koma started his music career in punk rock, later transitioning into pop, hip hop and EDM. He worked with artists ranging from DJ’s like Zedd, Hardwell and Tiësto, to Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and Shania Twain.
With his latest project, one might say Koma returned to his roots. Since a year, he is the front man of rock band Winnetka Bowling League. I wrote about their single Feeling California before, which was included on the band’s self-titled debut EP. Last week, they came up with their second EP Cloudy With A Chance Of Sun.
Predominantly produced and recorded by Matthew Koma, the record features six tracks. Kombucha and Slow Dances preceded the release as singles. I’d like to suggest Diane, with its All Day And All Of The Night vibe, as single #3.
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.
Talisco – Sensation
Talisco (née Jérome Amandi in Bordeaux, France) has recently released his third album Kings And Fools. An energetic, joyful, danceable, but before all diverse set of tracks, that appear to have been influenced by fellow French acts like M83 and Phoenix. Still, it sounds like a coherent body of work.
The long-player has been preceded by the singles Sun (the title track of French television series ‘Un Si Grand Soleil’), I’m The Dead Man and Closer, but I’d place my bets on Sensation to become single #4.
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.
Kakkmaddafakka – Get Go
I’m quite fond of Norwegian sextet Kakkmaddafakka; I’ve written about them on this blog a few times before. Most recently, I put forward the track Sin off their most recent album Diplomacy as a potential future single. But that’s not the only great track on the long-player.
This time, I’d like to suggest you listen to the tune Get Go. Another up-tempo, radio-friendly, danceable, 80’s-influenced song that will refuse to leave your head once it’s entered it. You have been warned…
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.
Kakkmaddafakka – Sin
When Kakkmaddafakka released their album KMF, back in 2016, I was afraid they were about to shorten their ‘controversial’ band name. Luckily, they didn’t (so far…).
The Norwegian band’s new album is called Diplomacy. Ahead of its release, the tracks Naked Blue, Runaway Girl and The Rest were put forward. Sin would be a great choice to be single #4. This catchy, up-tempo, funky number sounds a lot like On My Mind by Disciples, and would do great on the radio.
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.
Vendredi Sur Mer – La Nuit
Vendredi Sur Mer is the stage name of Swiss singer Charline Mignot. She may be relatively new to the music scene, but she already manages to inspire other artists. For instance, if you want to know how Canadian singer Munya’s track Hotel Delmano came about, read this. And she also inspired me, for her most recent single Chewing-Gum was the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, just five weeks ago.
Last week, Vendredi Sur Mer released her first album Premiers Émois. A very, very promising debut. Sensual and seductive like a female Serge Gainsbourg, and totally convincing as such. Especially because she appears to be great live as well.
The album contains 17 tracks, four of which also appeared on her first EP Marée Basse. La Nuit, with its synth intro, deep, dark bass and Mignot’s trademark speak-sing delivery, is one of my favourite songs among the other 13.
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.
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.
