Carte Blanche Music | Pagina 4 van 227 |

You may not have heard about Telenova before, but you’re not to blame. The trio only just released their debut single. How about a little introduction, then?

Telenova is front woman Angeline Armstrong, and producer/multi-instrumentalists Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriarty. Three seasoned musicians, who were in notable Aussie acts Beachwood, Slum Sociable and Miami Horror before. Comes pretty close to a super group from down under, doesn’t it? The trio first met at a songwriting camp in early 2020, curated by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla. Bringing together their respective music worlds, they immediately connected. This resulted in a refreshing and distinctive sound. A symphonic fusion of classy indie-rock with a splash of modern disco.

Their own description is: ‘cinema for your ears’. A further explanation reads: ‘a silver screen dreamscape of ‘70s chords, haunting melodies, cinematic song-writing and nostalgic trip-hop beats’.

In a press release, Armstrong said the genesis of first single Bones stemmed from the percussive intro, sounding like ‘rattling bones’. “It reminded me of this feeling I’ve had of being so trapped inside my own head, my own skin and bones. We started to envision this elaborate narrative of melancholia and longing, a girl trapped in her own bones… her own disillusionment.”

Telenova’s debut single Bones will feature prominently at the top of this blog for a full seven days. It’s this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!

Follow Telenova on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

werner's weekly

Werner’s Weekly (week 12)

March 22nd, 2021

This is Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, containing the two most recent Carte Blanche Music Wildcards, and the best of the other new releases in alphabetical order:

Hawke – Pinch Me (Am I Dreaming?) (Wildcard this week)
Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait) (Wildcard last week)
Japanese Breakfast – Be Sweet
Lucy Spraggan – Heartbreak Suites
Madame Monsieur – Coeurs Abîmés
Montaigne – Technicolour
You Am I – The Waterboy

Click the links for more info and listen to each of the tracks via the Werner’s Weekly player below.

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist. Also added last week: Daði Freyr, Inhaler, Middle Kids, Saint Motel, UNKLE, and more.

electronic | indie | pop | rock

album track

The Blue Stones – One By One

March 20th, 2021

The Blue Stones are a Canadian band, formed by Tarek Jafar and Justin Tessier. In the year of their tenth anniversary, they release their second full-length album Hidden Gems. But despite this title, half of its ten tracks had surfaced before. Four had been released as singles in the last year and a half, and appeared on their recent live EP Live On Display. A fifth, Spirit, was put forward in February, along with the announcement of the album.

I’d like to introduce you to my favourite ‘deep cut’ (album track) though. Based on a brooding groove, it’s a softer song than you might expect from this rock duo. It’s very much a The Blue Stones track, it only channels blues rock, hip-hop, soul and funk differently from other songs of theirs. In that respect, Hidden Gems is a more varied album than their earlier output. This is probably a result of Paul Meany’s involvement. He produced Twenty One Pilots’ album Trench before. One By One is a good example of The Blue Stones’ new musical course.

Follow The Blue Stones on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track

Babygirl – Nevermind

March 20th, 2021

After meeting at music school in Toronto, Canada, Kiki Frances and Cameron Breithaupt started to write songs together. They make ‘90s-inspired soft pop-rock songs in the vein of Aimee Mann, whom I happen to like a lot. At first, they intended to write for other artists, but then they realised they wanted to be performers themselves. Hence the decision to form their own band, Babygirl.

The two EP’s they already released over the past years, will soon get a companion. Their third EP Losers Weepers is scheduled for release on 16 April. On this EP, more than ever before, the duo collaborated with other writers and producers on some of the songs. Their new single Nevermind for instance was co-written by Steph Jones and Phoebe Bridgers collaborator Marshall Vore.

On the Nylon blog, Frances explains: “I like the word ‘never mind’. It’s often said after you’ve said something you immediately want to take back or undermine, and we like pointing to that nervous tick in the context of a romantic relationship. Like, ‘I love you… wait, you don’t love me back? Never mind’. We like to write from a ‘you can’t fire me, I quit’ place. Everyone has different defensive instincts, and that’s definitely one of mine.”

Follow Babygirl on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track

Said The Whale – Honey Lungs

March 20th, 2021

Fans of Vancouver band Said The Whale affectionately describe themselves as ‘SaidHeads’. And there are a lot of them by now. No wonder, for the band has been around for 14 years, and released six album, so far. During their career, they won a Canadian Juno Award and topped the alternative radio chart in the country. And now, with a seventh album on its way, they announce they’re opening their most ambitious chapter yet.

Time will tell if they can live up to that claim, but their new single sounds very promising. Throughout 2020, singer-songwriters Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown and bassist Lincoln Hotchen threw themselves fully into working on new material with producer Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat).

Honey Lungs is the first fruit of this collaboration. Their first self-released single is an anthemic track. Not sure if it’s a pop tune with rock sensibilities, or a radio-friendly rock song, but that’s not most important here. The lyrics, on the other hand, address ‘today’s political climate and the importance of empathy’. In a statement, Bancroft added: “It’s about using kindness as a way to approach difficult subjects. As we’re fighting for change, let’s come from a place of trying to understand our fellow human beings.”

Amen to that!

Follow Said The Whale on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | rock

single track

Amy Shark – Baby Steps

March 20th, 2021

Australian phenomenon Amy Billings released her early solo material under the name Amy Cushway. Since 2014, we know her as Amy Shark. Only two years later, she broke through in a huge way with Adore, which has been streamed over 110 million times by now. Her second biggest single, 2018’s I Said Hi, was nearly as successful.

These tracks landed her multi-platinum certifications and other prestigious awards by the bucket loads in her home country. They were also hits in the US, by the way. But even though Shark worked with the likes of Markus Hoppus and Travis Barker (both of blink-182), and Jack Antonoff (fun.) in recent years, she has yet to break through elsewhere. I don’t blame European radio stations for mainly concentrating on European acts, but it’s a pity this means they (have to) slam the doors in the faces of all of those talents from Australia or Canada. To name but two of the territories that are well-covered by Carte Blanche Music…

Hopefully, Shark’s new single will bring European success one step closer (even if it’s only a baby step…). Maybe referencing Mumford & Sons or Of Monsters And Men will open some doors? Baby Steps is a great up-beat track, that’s equal parts pop, rock and folk. For starters, it opens with a guitar riff à la Heart’s Barracuda. But besides the electric guitar, there’s also a big role for the acoustic guitar in this tune, that’s held together by a driving drum rhythm. This is as fun as break-up songs get, and it deserves to be heard.

Amy Shark’s new album Cry Forever will be out on 30 April.

Follow Amy Shark on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

folk | pop | rock

single track

Trunky Juno – Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes

March 20th, 2021

Remember Jamaica’s 2010 single I Think I Like U2? You don’t? Go be ashamed of yourself! One of the things that made it such a big tune were the phased guitars. I guess I haven’t heard any of those since then. BUT: here’s another track with phased guitars, and once again it’s a big tune. I’d say there must be a causal relationship…

I’m talking about Trunky Juno’s new single Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes. Trunky who? Let me tell you a little secret: he’ll also turn his head when you call him Mark Owens. After releasing his first single Small Town in 2019, he collected his subsequent singles on the EP Too Many Teeth.

Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes is an all-new track, his first of 2021. It’s about wanting to escape reality for a little while – or maybe even forever. A very relatable subject nowadays. The artist explains: “Sometimes we all feel like going out to buy cigarettes and never coming home. Escaping reality by shaving your head and moving to a farm in the Outer Hebrides. Or maybe just turning your phone off for a few days. I loved the phrase ‘Daddy’s gone for cigarettes’ so much and decided to write a track around it. It took a really long time to get it right, but I hope the message is one the average anxious millennial cowboy/cowgirl out there can enjoy.”

With this track, Trunky Juno continues his exploration of lo-fi bedroom pop, but injects it with a healthy dose of Americana, while adding a gigantic hook. In that respect, I’ll go as far as comparing Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes with Beck’s Loser. Which was a huge (radio) hit as well. Hopefully my friends at radio will tune in to this one as well. And if they don’t, we’ll have to stream the hell out of it ourselves, don’t we?

Follow Trunky Juno on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track

Noga Erez feat. Rousso – Story

March 20th, 2021

It may sound corny, but Noga Erez’ 2017 debut album Off The Radar put her very much on the radar. She’s got a unique and adventurous approach, including synths and ingenious beats, that makes the Israeli pop star stand out. She makes her music in collaboration with her partner and co-writer, composer, and producer Ori Rousso.

Story is Erez’ new single. It’s the fifth track to be released ahead of her upcoming album Kids, set for release on 26 March. For the first time, she and Rousso delved into their personal relationship. The song explains how couples’ relationships are always a relationship between two people’s past and present.

The singer-songwriter says of Story: “This is the first time we tell a story about our relationship in a song and video. It’s a song about a couple fighting and how, in that situation, sometimes what you hear the other person say is not what they actually said. The making of this video was a 10-day couples therapy session for us. As we rehearsed the pretend fighting and martial arts moves we knew that, at times, one of us would get punched just a little too hard. It was so intense and interesting to live in this world, where our relationship comes alive in the most physical way.”

Recommended as well:
Noga Erez – No News On TV

Follow Noga Erez on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop

single track

King No-One – Bad Porno

March 20th, 2021

Formed in York in 2013, King No-One built a live reputation busking the streets across the UK. Eventually, they went on to sell 8.000 concert tickets a year, selling out major venues. Until 2020, this is.

Bad Porno is the alternative pop outfit’s new single. It combines an acoustic riff that later turns into an electric guitar solo, punchy percussion and some hip hop inspired scratching. Lyrically, it’s about the toxicity, misplaced grandeur and pretentiousness around the sex culture. But infectious enough to sing along to. All of this makes for a catchy, hi-NRG indie-pop/rock song, that’s sure to become a staple during future live shows.

Follow King No-One on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop | rock

single track

Gretta Ray – Bigger Than Me

March 20th, 2021

After experimenting with the concept before, Gretta Ray has now announced a series of ‘Duologies’. These are two songs released simultaneously, with the same theme, but sonically different. A bit like good old double A-sided singles. The first Duology, her first release of 2021, consists of the songs Bigger Than Me and Readymade.

Ray says about the concept: “When I write a song, I often find it’s in response to something that I’ve already written about, whether that be a week or a year ago. Bigger Than Me and Readymade are both songs about my relationship with creativity, which is something that I can become very obsessive about, especially since I’ve found myself on that path, completely immersed in it, collaborating with a lot of like-minded people.”

Readymade is an intimate, reflective song, but Bigger Than Me is my favourite. In line with its title, it’s a big, upbeat, glossy indie-pop song. It’s got delicious drum fills and a climax that’s backed by a string section.

Gretta Ray is a Melbourne-based singer-songwriter. She won prestigious airplay and songwriting awards at just 18, and Bigger Than Me is a great radio-friendly composition as well. Another winner!

Follow Gretta Ray on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

indie | pop

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