Browsing Tag blues
Additions to the Carte Blanche Music playlist (week 12)
Not all, but only the *best* new music. Added to the playlist this week (alphabetically):
- Addley – Are You Awake?
indie | pop
- Bakermat (feat. Rhys Lewis) – Good Feeling
electronic | gospel | pop
- Bloxx – Television Promises
indie | pop | rock
- Death By Denim – Hope We Don’t Fall In Love
pop | rock
- Jesse Hite – How Did I
indie | rock
- Allie Kelly – Gunshy
indie | pop | rock
- Jason LaPierre & Kelsey Blackstone – When I’m With You
indie | jazz | pop | soul
- Milck – Metamorphosis indie | melancholic | pop
- Reverend & The Makers – A Letter To My 21 Year Old Self
indie | pop |soul
- The Rions – Scary Movies
indie | pop
- Jake Shears (feat. Amber Martin) – Devil Came Down The Dance Floor
disco | indie | pop
- Amen Sioux – Useless
indie | pop
- Hailee Steinfeld – SunKissing
pop
- ZZ Ward – Baby Don’t
blues | indie | pop | rock
Check them all in the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music Spotify playlist.
Follow (click ‘♥’) to hear the best new music first.

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.
Tiarni Hope – Salt In The Wound
Tiarni Hope is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who works as a session drummer, among other things. On the Australian Gold Coast and in Brisbane, she built up a strong reputation with her powerful live shows. Now, it’s time to spread her wings.
Three years after her debut single Resist, she drops her second track. Salt In The Wound is a powerful song with influences ranging from country and blues to rock. Americana from down under, is that even possible?
About the meaning of the track, Hope says: “When I was writing this song, I felt like I was drowning under the weight of so many expectations, self-imposed or otherwise, that I couldn’t see a way out the other side. It became a way to tell myself that despite the doubts and the harsh words I harbored for myself, that I could pull through, even if better seems a ways to go.”
Salt In The Wound doesn’t only showcase Hope on drums and percussion, bass, guitars (both acoustic and electric), banjo, mandolin, and a plethora of vocal layers. It also features indie jazz songstress Hazel Mei on keyboards and organs, and slide guitar from producer Jared Adlam.
Follow Tiarni Hope on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 11)
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:
- Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait) (Wildcard this week)
- Kalie Shorr – Amy (Wildcard last week)
- Ali Barter – You Get In My Way
- Eyjaa – Don’t Forget About Me
- Louis & The Shakes – How Badly Do You Want It?
- Lucy Daydream – Fast Forward
- Penfriend – Cancel Your Hopes
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: Dua Lipa, London Grammar, Tom Grennan, and more.

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.
Louis & The Shakes – How Badly Do You Want It?
Louis Antoniou (lead vocals), Jamie Lawson (lead guitar), Manny O’Donnell (drum) and Will Finnerty (bass) are Louis & The Shakes. They may be a London four-piece, but their music sounds as American as can be. In their infectious, hard-hitting songs they combine blues, Americana, and psychedelic indie-rock into a distinctive cocktail.
Up-tempo new single How Badly Do You Want It? is no exception to the description above. In other words: it’s one’s for fans of Queens Of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys. It even adds a Long Train Runnin’ kind of funky guitar to the mix.
Front man Antoniou says of the track: “I’ve always had a bluesy streak and I think you can hear that in this tune particularly – the simplicity of the claps and the ‘tribal’ backing vocals in the verses. (…) Lyrically it’s all about keeping going, keep believing and never giving up. Instead of resting on our laurels [after COVID-19 came] we thought let’s get in the studio and record this album.”
How Badly Do You Want It? is the first single from the band’s upcoming same-titled debut long-player.
Follow Louis & The Shakes on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 6)
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:
- The Reytons – Jealous Type (Wildcard this week)
- Tom Jones – Talking Reality Television Blues (Wildcard last week)
- Eelke – Too Much Too Soon
- President Street – Time Is Up
- Katie Kittermaster – Lukewarm Lover
- Kuzko – My Mama Says
- Tom Aspaul & Funk LeBlanc (feat. Madeleine Wood) – The Program
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: Celeste, Serj Tankian, Vargas & Lagola, and more.

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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 5)
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:
- Tom Jones – Talking Reality Television Blues (Wildcard this week)
- San Mei – In The Machine (Wildcard last week)
- Archie X – Karma Sucks
- Julietta – Not Today
- Lilly Wood & The Prick – You Want My Money
- Lou Hayter – Time Out Of Mind
- Sam & Sounds – Silly
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: Celeste, Pale Waves, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, and more.

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.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 19)
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:
- MisterWives – Rock Bottom (Wildcard this week)
- Grand Corps Malade – Effets Secondaires (Wildcard last week)
- Austra feat. Cecile Believe – Mountain Baby
- Carmanah – Best Interests
- E^ST – Maybe It’s Me
- Mxmtoon – No Faker
- The Haggis Horns – Haggis Express
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: Dagny, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Sea Girls, and many more.

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.
Carmanah – Best Interests
Canadian band Carmanah took its name from the rainforests in the province of British Columbia. One can imagine why. Their music is steamy, moody, shimmering and brooding. Imagine a spooky, soulful melting pot with elements of roots, blues and (soft) rock. It’s got a bit of a trip hop vibe as well, and an atmosphere comparable with Concrete Blonde’s Joey. Hope that makes sense. If not, all you can do is listen (which is highly recommended anyway).
Best Interests is Carmanah’s new single. It comes with a driving melody, lush instrumentation, and Laura Mina Mitic’s soulfully luminous vocals. Following As I See You, Best Interests is the second single to be released ahead of the band’s upcoming sophomore album Iris.
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 52)
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:
- beabadoobee – She Plays Bass (Wildcard this week)
- Kakkmaddafakka – Baby (Wildcard last week)
- Barry Moore – The Tide
- Don’t Bring Stacey – Changed My Hair
- Nancie Schipper – Take Out The Trash
- Spo Dee O Dee – Colours [2019 Version]
- ZZ Ward – Sex And Stardust
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: Elton John, Machine Gun Kelly, Ten Fé, and many more.

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.