Browsing Tag indie
Barrie – Clovers
Barrie is a Brooklyn five-piece, named after Barrie Lindsay, and also featuring Dominic Apa, Spurge Carter, Sabine Holler, and Noah Prebish. Appropriately, their 2018 debut EP Singles contained all of the tracks they released so far. Now, the band are ready to take the next step.
3 May, Barrie will put out their first full album Happy To Be Here. Lindsay largely wrote these songs late into the night, alone in her apartment. Barrie, the band, is primarily her project. On the record, she plays guitar, piano, synth and bass. But still, Barrie is distinctly not a solo project; all of the others contributed their talents to the long-player. Lindsay says: “We’re very different, but we cover each other’s gaps personally and creatively, and are eager to learn from each other.”
Clovers is the first single off Barrie’s debut album.
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.
Simple Creatures – Drug
Both their bands being between albums, Mark Hoppus (blink-182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) found some down-time to start a side-project: Simple Creatures. Their debut EP is due out in March and was produced by Zakk Cervini (blink-182 and All Time Low, but Yungblud and 5 Seconds Of Summer as well).
Drug is the duo’s first single. After a short intro, it starts with a ‘Nanana’ bit that could’ve been ripped off of Pink’s So What. The sound and attitude of that song are echoing throughout the whole of Drug. Lyrically, it’s about being destroyed by the things you love.
Gaskarth: “Drug is a song about someone or something you want the most, being terrible for you… Feels great until it doesn’t, but then you can’t stop. In the studio it felt immediately like it was the song that best defined Simple Creatures; it’s gritty, grimy, rooted in the musicality we both came up on, but with a twist that takes it away from anything we’ve worked on before.”
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.
Two Year Vacation – I Forgot Your Name (But I Like You)
After self-releasing a couple of singles and EP’s, Swedish band Two Year Vacation have rightfully been picked up by a major label. Their upcoming debut album is full of songs that a press release calls ‘reminiscent of warm summer days spent by the ocean: beams of sunlight on your skin, feet buried in the sand, cold beverage in hand, and worries banished beyond sea’.
Their music is a fascinating blend of rock, Caribbean kraut, and disco, dubbed ‘tropical disco kraut pop’ by the band. In case you wonder what that sounds like: their new single I Forgot Your Name (But I Like You) is a wonderful example.
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.
PLYA – Adenaline
British band PLYA (pronounced ‘ply-ah’, Spanish for ‘beach’) has Julia Sykes as its centre point. The singer was brought up in Mallorca and Morocco, before she headed to the United Kingdom. There, she met bandmates Kris Taylor (guitar) and William Brown (drums). After years of playing together, they have captured their perfect sound: dreamy electronic pop.
PLYA just released the intimate and honest live video for their latest single Adrenaline. See it below, or listen to the studio version on the platform of your liking through here.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 8)
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:
- Stats – The Family Business (Wildcard this week)
- Billie Louise – Like Machines (Wildcard last week)
- Elliphant – To The End
- Mat Kerekes – Diamonds
- Mauger – Grace Plays Alone
- Pet Shop Boys – What Are We Going To Do About The Rich?
- Sir Notch & Tommy The Sound – Miami Vice
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: Avril Lavigne & Nicki Minaj, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Christine & The Queens, Hozier, Stereophonics, and many more.
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.
Mauger – Grace Plays Alone
Mauger is the brainchild of singer/guitarist Mauger Mortier. Initially, he did his thing as a singer-songwriter, but then he found three kindred spirits in ten-year Absynthe Minded veterans Jan Duthoy and Jakob Nachtergaele, and Matthias Debusschere (ex-Sioen). Together, they make timeless, intelligent pop songs. You can find a first collection of them on the band’s debut album Sunday Competition.
Grace Plays Alone is Mauger’s new single. Early fans may know the song already, as it has also been put forward in the summer of 2017. Since then, however, the track has evolved into a much better version, which was recorded for the album. After the intro, that brings back memories of the wonderful If You Were Here by Kent, Grace Plays Alone goes its own way with a simple, but very gripping melody.
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.
I Know Leopard – Heather
After releasing two EP’s and two separate singles since 2014, Sydney quartet I Know Leopard have just announced their debut album Love Is A Landmine is due on 5 April. It includes lead single Landmine, which was released last August, and brand-new song Heather. The latter has a subtle groove and overall nostalgic harmonies, that are evidently inspired by the 70’s.
Lead singer Luke O’Loughlin says of the track: “With Heather I wanted to write a classic ‘tormented in love’ song. There are songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s with this kind of theme that I was drawing upon and although it isn’t based on a specific personal experience I think a lot of people can relate to a relationship or even brief encounter in which they have felt chewed up and spat out.”
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.
Mat Kerekes – Diamonds
Ohio-based singer-songwriter Mat Kerekes is best known as the lead vocalist of alt-rock band Citizen. On his new solo material, he presents his softer side and showcases his versatility as a singer-songwriter. His second solo album Ruby, incorporating elements of pop and alternative, is expected later this year. It boasts massive choruses, dynamic arrangements, and infectious melodies.
Following the long-player’s title track, Diamonds is the set’s second single. A pop song with a rock edge that will go down well with fans of Billy Joel and Ben Folds.
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.
Sports Team – M5
During their short career so far, British six-piece Sports Team worked with some seasoned producers. Their debut EP Winter Nets, released in January 2018, was produced by Dave McCracken (Ian Brown, Depeche Mode), follow up single Kutcher was recorded with Courtney Barnett producer Burke Reid, and their latest release M5 was helmed by Jolyon Thomas (The Magic Gang, Kendrick Lamar, U2).
The infectious new single has been tried and tested during the band’s live shows last year. Drummer Al Greenwood expands: “No one had heard the song, but by the second chorus we had crowds singing the lyrics back to us.” M5 is taken from a new EP called Keep Walking!, out on 8 March.
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 7)
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:
- Billie Louise – Like Machines (Wildcard this week)
- Dua Lipa – Swan Song (Wildcard last week)
- Cassia – Small Spaces
- dodie – Monster
- -M- – Grand Petit Con
- Nadia Sheikh – Toxic
- Tessa Dixson – Beautiful Pain
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: Beck, Caravan Palace, The Heavy, Mercury Rev, and many more.
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.
