Browsing Tag pop
Black Grape – Nine Lives
When The Happy Mondays fell apart in 1992, no-one expected to ever hear from Shaun Ryder again. It was commonly accepted that he (or at least his career) probably wouldn’t survive his various drug addictions. So, it was quite a surprise to see Ryder – in fairly healthy shape – return to the top of the charts three years later, with a new band: Black Grape. A band he formed with ex-Ruthless Rap Assassins frontman Paul ‘Kermit’ Leveridge (not the green one).
Black Grape’s debut album It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah was nothing less than a master piece and, although commercially less successful, I love 1997’s follow-up record Stupid Stupid Stupid as well. No link there, as it’s officially missing from streaming services, but *cough* YouTube *cough*. Worth the effort, though…
You can imagine that after 20 years of silence, the announcement of a new Black Grape album was even a bigger surprise than the band’s debut in 1995. But you’d better believe Pop Voodoo will be out 17 July. And since it’s 2017, new tracks off it are being released each week now, to give the album release as much momentum as possible. Nine Lives is my favourite so far!
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.
Jain – Dynabeat
Today, exactly half a year ago Jain collected her European Border Breakers Award in Groningen for being the most successful emerging French artist outside her home country. That same day, I introduced you to Dynabeat, my favourite of the six new tracks on her Zanaka EP (which had also been added to the Deluxe Edition of her same titled debut album).
Now, precisely six months later, the track is chosen as Jain’s new single. It comes with a video that is full of the kind of visual elements that made watching her earlier clips such fun. If only radio would embrace this great track, nothing would stop it from being one of the best songs on the airwaves this summer. Are you in?
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.
Trip To Dover – Fade Into Gold
When pianist Johannes fell in love with punk girl Olga, people predicted it wouldn’t last. But the contrary was true: they married and started a band: Trip To Dover.
Combining elements of new wave, synth pop and DJ style electronics the duo creates its own blend of epic alternative dance. Or, as they like to summarize in one sentence: ‘Dave Grohl’s twin sister meets a Chemical Brother at a The Naked And Famous concert’.
Fade Into Gold, the title track of their latest album, is Trip To Dover’s new single!
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 28)
From now on you can also follow the Wildcards 2017 playlist, if you wish. Obviously, this playlist contains all of the tracks that were chosen as Carte Blanche Music’s ‘pick of the week’. In other words: the most interesting – but not per se the most commercial – songs 2017 produced so far. A real treat for your ears!
For this has been a good year for new music so far, as last week proved. My 2017 container playlist Carte Blanche Music features additions by Haim, The All-American Rejects, Wolf Alice and The Dirty Denims. And from the tracks I recommended to you on this blog, only the very best are now in my shortlist, Werner’s Weekly. They are listed alphabetically below. Click on the links for further reading and while doing so, listen to the songs through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Happy discovery!
- BC Unidos (feat. Shungudzo) – Bicycle (this week’s Wildcard)
- Eliza & The Bear – Higher (last week’s Wildcard)
- Anna Of The North – Someone
- AronChupa – (Don’t Fight It) Feel It
- Punnany Massif (feat. Pásztor Anna, Charlie & Petó Szabolcs) – Ami Volt Az Majd Lesz!
- Roy Paci & Aretuska – Tira
- The Dead-On – Lovesick
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.
Uncle Frank – Your Man
Did I ever mention Uncle Frank here? Oh yes, I did. And now, they’re back with a new single.
Your Man is the fifth track to be pulled from their recent album Love Lion. And it’s… different. Still funky, as we’ve gotten used to, but I dare describe this one as a ballad. A what?!?! A ballad milord, a down tempo love song. One with beautiful soul and R&B influences, in this case. You didn’t see that one coming, did you?
So lay down, take a deep breath, and relax. And hit that play button. Hit it hard!
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.
Jorja Smith – Teenage Fantasy
Jorja Smith is a young British neo soul singer, who turned 20 last month. She released her debut EP Project 11 only at the end of 2016. Earlier this year, she released the single Beautiful Little Fools on International Women’s Day and she also featured on two tracks on Drake’s More Life playlist.
According to a press release Smith wrote her new single four years ago. The intro features humming she recorded while babysitting when she was 16 years old. Teenage Fantasy is a laid back track, jazzy and soulful at the same time. Bonus points for keeping the blooper at the end as a part of the song…
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.
Shaka Ponk – Mysterious Ways / Rocksta (feat. Skin, De Staat & KillASon)
For 13 years now, French band Shaka Ponk rocks and funks its way through the music business. The band consists of six members of flesh and blood and a computer animated monkey, Goz. It’s because of Goz that they called their new EP ApeTizer.
The EP features five tracks, two of which will feature on their next album, to be released on 17 November. One of them is the single Gung Ho. The other is my favourite track on the EP, the rather Beatlesque song Mysterious Ways.
My other favourite EP track is Rocksta, which will not appear on the album. It sounds like a great medley of Demagogue by Urban Dance Squad and (Rock) Superstar by Cypress Hill. Featured artists on Rocksta are Skin (Skunk Anansie), Torre Florim (Dutch band De Staat) and French rapper KillASon.
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.
Anna Of The North – Someone
The eighties called, they want their music back! Anna Of The North’s new single sounds like a great tribute to an epic musical era. The drums, the synths, the choirs… It even resembles Kim Carnes’s Bette Davis Eyes (from waaaaaaay back: 1981).
Anna (real last name: Lotterud) didn’t consciously experience the eighties, though. She was born in June 1989. She released her first single Sway when she was 25 and several other dreampop tracks followed. All of these garnered praise from critics, but I think this new single, Someone, could propel her to a larger audience.
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.
AronChupa – (Don’t Fight It) Feel It
In 2014, Aron Michael Ekberg, better known as AronChupa, scored a pan-European novelty hit with I’m An Albatraoz. This currently is his only hit to date, but that might change…
For the short movie ‘La Vida Nuestra’ he recorded a new version of Sam Cooke’s (Don’t Fight It) Feel It. 56(!) years after the original, the song sounds as fresh as ever. If radio embraces it as a summer anthem – which it is – this could very well be the comeback of AronChupa. If not, it’s still a fun party song.
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.
Wildcard (week 27):
BC Unidos (feat. Shungudzo) – Bicycle
Competition is mad recently, but only one song can be chosen to be the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard…
This week, this blog will prominently feature Bicycle by BC Unidos (feat. Shungudzo). It may be the debut single for this Swedish duo, but they aren’t new to the game. Patrik Berger wrote Dancing On My Own for Robyn, I Love It for Icona Pop and Boom Clap for Charli XCX and Markus Krunegård has amassed multiple Grammy nominations.
Perfectly timed for the Tour De France and the summer, this could be a smash! It will undoubtedly sound great on the bicycle, but I strongly recommend listening in your car. With the woofers open wide. Feel that bass!
Long story short: this week, when visiting this blog, you’ll be only one click away from BC Unidos (feat. Shungudzo)’s Bicycle. It’s the Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
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.
