Browsing Category wildcard
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 10):
indie | pop | rock
Wildcard (week 10):
Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait)
Toronto-based Monowhales are a rock band ready to break into the mainstream. That was already clear by the sound of their past singles, which featured in these columns before. But if you have 45 minutes to spare, treat yourself to this recent live concert as well. And on top of all that, the trio (finally!) released their mini album Daytona Bleach last week. It features Monowhales’ four most recent singles and three new songs.
He Said/She Said (I Wait) is a track in the latter category. It appears the band are in a constant battle with themselves to make each next song even catchier than the one before. Yet, the songs have things in common as well: they’re all very well written, and combine glossy synth rock with shiny choruses. He Said/She Said (I Wait) for instance sounds like No Doubt performing Smells Like Teen Spirit. Radio-friendly, danceable rock that’s both alternative and fresh.
The new Monowhales single is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’ll feature prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Recommended as well:
Out With The Old
BL/FF (Fake Friends)
All Or Nothing
Follow Monowhales on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 9):
indie | pop | rock
Wildcard (week 9):
Kalie Shorr – Amy
Kalie Shorr’s career is off to a fabulous start. She was named ‘CMT Next Woman Of Country’ and a ‘Top 10 Country Artist To Watch In 2018’. A year later, her debut album Open Book even became the #7 best album of 2019 according to The New York Times.
The Portland, Maine singer-songwriter just started the next chapter of her success story. Amy is her first all-new track of 2021. Gone are the country roots. Instead, she embraces a grungy sound. But that only emerged secondarily. Initially, Kalie Shorr posted a 30 second video of the song played on an acoustic guitar on TikTok. It was watched over 2 million times, and one of its viewers was renowned producer Butch Walker (Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift, Green Day). He offered to produce the final version, which ended up a rock song in the best ‘90s tradition. To me, it sounds like a cross between Cornershop’s Brimful Of Asha and Sinéad O’Connor’s Mandinka (the latter being from 1987, obviously, but you get the point).
Amy is an honest and brutal song. Based on feelings of both hurt and anger, it contains great one liners like ‘He wasn’t over me when you were under him’. It’s the first track released from Shorr’s forthcoming EP, set for release later this year.
This week, Kalie Shorr’s Amy is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
Follow Kalie Shorr on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 8):
indie | pop | rock
Wildcard (week 8):
MBG – This Time
MBG is short for Music Box Girl, the artist name of Carolina ‘Leena’ Rodriguez from Ontario, Canada. A toy keyboard sparked her interest in music at the age of 15. It was the first instrument she mastered, learning songs by ear. She also self-taught herself other instruments such as the drums, guitar, and bass. Since her family couldn’t afford music lessons – let alone the instruments themselves – she commuted to the local music store every day after school, where she practiced until closing time.
In 2021, after years of self-education, Leena is a skilled multi-instrumentalist who excels in the genres of jazz, r&b, blues and classic rock. She is part of a band project called the Common Chase, a four-piece where she mostly plays the bass and sings background vocals. But above all, she’s an up and coming solo artist using the MBG moniker. As a one-woman rock band, Leena writes, records, performs and produces her music in her home studio.
Following her 2019 debut EP Have A Alright Day, she put out a single in 2020. New track This Time is her first release of 2021. A great alt-rock track with an accessible melody, drenched in guitars.
This Time by MBG is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. As such, it’ll feature prominently at the top of this blog for a whole week.
Follow MBG on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 7):
pop
Wildcard (week 7):
Drew Sycamore – 45 Fahrenheit Girl
Drew Sycamore’s is a Danish singer-songwriter with Welsh roots. Her voice lies somewhere between Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa. Musically, she fishes in the same pond as well. Expect tight, ‘90s inspired pop music with a disco twist.
45 Fahrenheit Girl (which is only 7 degrees Celsius, by the way) is a very strong pop song that’s only 2,5 minutes long. It’s got big shoes to fill, for her latest two singles Take It Back and I Wanna Be Dancing both reached the summit of the Danish airplay charts. Luckily, it totally lives up to the expectations.
The song has a classic theme, but with a ‘different’ angle. 45 Fahrenheit Girl describes a relationship between a woman and a vampire. The vampire is dead and the woman is alive, which presents her with a huge dilemma; should she have the vampire kill her so that they can live together forever?
This week, 45 Fahrenheit Girl by Drew Sycamore is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard.
Follow Drew Sycamore on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 6):
indie | pop
Wildcard (week 6):
Almost Monday – Live Forever
Only a year ago, San Diego trio Almost Monday’s career took off to a flying start. In 2020, Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Cole Clisby (guitar) and Luke Fabry (bass) released four tracks. All of them drenched in sunshine, with funky basslines, ecstatic choruses, and danceable grooves. They were crafted with producers Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and Simon Oscroft (The Naked & Famous, Dreamers). Together, those songs formed their debut EP Don’t Say You’re Ordinary, which racked up 23 million audio and video streams. Countless garage jams, small-scale DIY gigs, and innumerable writing sessions paid off.
Not wasting any time, Almost Monday release their first single of the new year. Live Forever (not the Oasis song), is another uplifting feel-good tune with a catchy chorus. It’s a reminder for us to boldly live in the moment, especially in these crazy times. A very promising start of what should be their break-through year.
As a push in the right direction, Live Forever by Almost Monday is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. As such, it’ll feature prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Follow Almost Monday on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 5):
indie | rock
Wildcard (week 5):
The Reytons – Jealous Type
Are you a Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not-era Arctic Monkeys fan? Then you need to get to know The Reytons. This rising Yorkshire quartet has the same unashamedly anthemic rock ethic that Arctic Monkeys came to the scene with.
At the start of their career, in 2017/8, The Reytons released three EP’s in quick succession. Since then, they put out seven singles, Jealous Type being the latest. It kicks off with strong guitar riffs which are a perfect launch pad for lead singer Johnny Yerrell’s strong lyrics. There’s a raw element to the production that gives the song a certain edge. In that respect, it recalls the colossal live shows that gained The Reytons a large following. It’s impressive to hear how the band reproduce that sound in the studio.
Jealous Type precedes a new EP, titled May Seriously Harm You And Others Around You, due out later in February.
This whole week, The Reytons’ Jealous Type will feature prominently at the top of this blog as the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
Follow The Reytons on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
cover, single track, wildcardWildcard (week 4):
blues | rock | spoken word
Wildcard (week 4):
Tom Jones – Talking Reality Television Blues
Tom Jones may be 80 years of age, after 58 years in the business he is still as relevant as ever. From It’s Not Unusual to Kiss to Sex Bomb, he always had a good nose for the musical trends. In that respect, it might seem odd that he’s chosen to record a covers album as his next project. The long-player, Surrounded By Time, will be out on 23 April. It features songs by Cat Stevens, Michael Kiwanuka, Tony Joe White and Bob Dylan.
Jones’ new single however, is a remake of Todd Snider’s Talking Reality Television Blues. But it’s unrecognizable. Snider’s version, only from 2019, was a two and a half minutes short country song. Jones stretches it out over six and a half minutes. His version has almost a Stone Roses drum shuffle, a Beck-like blues guitar and a Bob Dylan-style vocal. Other influences appear to come from acts like Baz Luhrmann, Radiohead and Public Service Broadcasting. Brilliant lyrics as well, by the way.
This week, Talking Reality Television Blues by Tom Jones is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so you’ll find it at the top of the blog for a whole week!
Follow Tom Jones on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 3):
electronic | indie | pop | rock
Wildcard (week 3):
San Mei – In The Machine
San Mei is almost a Carte Blanche Music veteran. I guess I‘m a fan 😉. Maybe that’s because none of her tracks sound the same, ranging from dream pop to indie-rock. Her new single In The Machine however, has a decidedly electronic touch, with fuzzy guitars and big drum beats. To me, it sounds a bit like an updated version of Gary Numan’s Cars.
On Facebook, she adds: “Sometimes in life, we find ourselves just going through the motions and operating on auto-pilot. Especially when life gets hard and wears us down. But don’t get lost in the process. Get moving, shake it up, fight for what you want, who you want to be.”
This week, In The Machine by San Mei is the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
Recommended as well:
Dakota
Midnight
Hard To Face
Follow San Mei on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 2):
indie | pop | rock
Wildcard (week 2):
Black Honey – Believer
Brighton 4-piece Black Honey go from strength to strength. I described their recent single Beaches as ‘their finest moment’, but this new one is even better. It’s the kind of track words like ‘stomper’ and ‘belter’ were invented for. Will it be a hit? Probably not, but who cares?
Yet, Believer is an earwormy, foot-stomping track, with echoes of Primal Scream in it. Not in the least because of the trumpets and bar piano that spice it up. Lyrically, it’s a rather spicey cut as well. Talking about the track, singer Izzy B. Phillips explains: “Believer is a song to accompany your existential crisis. I wanted a religious satire that was eye rolling at all the patriarchal nonsense of spiritual sense of self. I wanna believe in me, the outsider and the underdog. It’s like coming of age, coming out and coming up.”
The single is the fourth taste off Black Honey’s sophomore album Written And Directed, set for release on 19 March. The record, which follows their self-titled debut album, was written in 2019 and recorded in between the band’s tour commitments.
Black Honey’s Believer is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, which means it’ll feature here prominently for a whole week.
Recommended as well:
Black Honey – Beaches
Follow Black Honey on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
single track, wildcardpop
Wildcard (week 1): Philippine – Bah Non.
In 2019, Gavin James recorded a version of his hit Always with Philippine. For most people it was their first acquaintance with the now 22-year-old French singer. Two years later, she hopes to reach an even larger audience. To accomplish that goal, she will battle with 11 other candidates to represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
Philippine Zadéo will take part in the competition with her self-penned song Bah Non. She wrote it last summer after her relationship of several years ended badly. With this track, she wants to empower and encourage other people (no matter their gender) to say ‘no’ in situations where they feel vulnerable. An important message that deserves a large international audience.
For starters, Bah Non. by Philippine is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
Follow Philippine on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 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.
