Browsing Tag rock
Werner’s Weekly (week 32)
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 Magic Gang – Make Time For Change (Wildcard this week)
- Crimer – Eyes Off Me (Wildcard last week)
- Alfie Templeman – Things I Thought Were Mine
- Bloxx – Off My Mind
- Everything Everything – Violent Sun
- Machine Gun Kelly – Bloody Valentine
- Yours Truly – Together
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: Bastille feat. Graham Coxon, Biffy Clyro, Semisonic, Snow Patrol & The Saturday Songwriters and 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.
Black Honey – Beaches
Black Honey are a Brighton 4-piece with plenty bravado, swagger and talent, fronted by energetic front lady Izzy Bee. Not to be confused with Izzy Bizu, by the way. I played their early singles Corrine, All My Pride and Hello Today often in my then radio show Carte Blanche.
In my opinion, their new single Beaches is their finest moment. Its hand clap beat gives it a distinct glam rock feeling. Elsewhere, bursts of horns further fuel the already powerful chorus.
On writing the song, Izzy B. Phillips says: “Beaches is cheeky twisted collage of all things weird, set to a playground clapping song. It’s all eye rolls, punk gigs & girls in polka dot bikinis. A nonsense filled retro world I wanna disappear into at times like these.”
Three minutes of sun-kissed seaside fun!
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.
Leoniden – L.O.V.E.
If you’ve been following Carte Blanche Music for some time, you may remember me praising Leoniden’s singles Kids and People. Both featured on the German band’s sophomore album Again, which enabled the band’s breakthrough.
In the two years since its release, the band grew considerably. Not only in popularity, but also in sound. New single L.O.V.E. is an energetic song with a stadium-sized chorus, playful Wurlitzer, driving bass line and subtle string and brass sections.
Listening to it, I wouldn’t know why Leoniden’s success should be limited to their own country. Great track!
Recommended as well:
Leoniden – People
Leoniden – Kids
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.
Badflower – 30
If you like AKA George, for instance, be sure to check Badflower’s new single. It’s called 30, and that’s for a reason. Badflower frontman Josh Katz turned 30 on 17 July and he’s written a song about it. Obviously, he’s not the ‘happy 30’ type of guy. “I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea of getting older”, he explains. “30 is a milestone I’ve been dreading since 20. I wanted to write a song about how I’m feeling internally and everything happening around me in 2020 as a 30 year old. The world is fucking weird and I hate it here.”
These feelings are reflected in the songs lyrics. “I’m nervous, so nervous / I overeat, I lack purpose / And I’m only scratching the surface / And I’m not shelved cause sex sells / But how long till I’m canceled / This is 30, fucking 30 / I’m still here, I’m still dirty.”
The Los Angeles-based alt-rock band emerged in 2019 with its compelling debut album OK, I’m Sick. Bold new track 30, with its deliberate guitar riff, is the first single off their forthcoming sophomore album.
Recommended as well:
Badflower – Promise Me
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 31)
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:
- Crimer – Eyes Off Me (Wildcard this week)
- Doves – Prisoners (Wildcard last week)
- Ferraro – Fool’s Paradise
- Gracie Abrams – Friend
- Oscar Lang – Apple Juice
- Sam & Sounds – Cloud 9
- The Go! Team – Cookie Scene
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: Anne-Marie feat. Doja Cat; Inge van Calkar; mercy, merci and 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.
Bloxx – Off My Mind
A month ahead of its release we can already conclude Bloxx’ debut album Lie Out Loud will be a banger. How could it not be, when all four previously released singles so far are absolute belters?
And it gets even better, for fifth single Off My Mind doesn’t disappoint. And that’s an understatement. It’s another great pop-rock song with a chorus as catchy as they come. The track is accompanied by a clever video that sees singer Ophelia Booth jumping around between her band mates, who are all social distancing in their own, ehm, booths.
Recommended as well:
Bloxx – Thinking About Yourself
Bloxx – Lie Out Loud
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.
Yours Truly – Together
Only two studio EP’s and one live EP into their career, Sydney punk rock band Yours Truly just announced their first long-player. Dubbed Self Care, the debut album will be out on 18 September. Thanks to the two singles that preceded it so far, I circled the date in red on my calendar.
Following the single Composure, Yours Truly released the equally strong Together as the album’s second teaser track. Filled with stomping beats, a groovy bass and soaring guitars, it sounds like an upbeat feelgood anthem. Lyrically however, it’s a different story, vocalist Mikaila Delgado explains.
“Together is about feeling the stress and uneasiness of imposter syndrome. I had a lot of fear and anxiety coming into this album, having this expectation to exceed what we did with [second EP] Afterglow. (….) I remember telling myself ‘you need to write the best songs of your life’ and getting upset about the possibility of not being able to prove ourselves. One night I turned to Lachlan [Cronin, guitar] and said, ‘I just feel all the colour has been drained from my brain’. We both looked at each other with wide eyes, and that’s how the idea of Together came about.”
Recommended as well:
Yours Truly – Composure
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 30)
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:
- Doves – Prisoners (Wildcard this week)
- Grace Farriss – All The People (Wildcard last week)
- Calogero – La Rumeur
- Raye – Natalie Don’t
- Saint Motel – Preach
- Sophie Hunger – Alpha Venom
- The Waterboys – The Soul Singer
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: beabadoobee, The Go! Team, Yungblud, and 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.
Ferraro – Fool’s Paradise
Ferraro are a Toronto-based pop-rock sibling trio: guitarist Cosmo, bassist Tally and drummer Gianni Ferraro (all three handle vocals). They cite The Beatles, Kings Of Leon, Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks and Foster The People as their influences. After starting as a cover band, Ferraro currently produce their own material.
The band just signed a major label deal and will release their upcoming 6-track EP via Warner Music Canada. You Look Good Like That was the EP’s first single, followed by Wish You Were Gay. Just in time for the summer holidays, they put out their new single. Fool’s Paradise is an upbeat, fun track, produced by alt-pop duo The Darcys.
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.
Oscar Lang – Apple Juice
True to their name, the Dirty Hit label produced quite some (dirty) hits already. It’s home to successful artists like The 1975, Pale Waves, beabadoobee, Wolf Alice and Marika Hackman. All of them featured on Carte Blanche Music before.
Now, we can add Oscar Lang to that list. He’s the son of the former drummer in The Housemartins (remember them?). But more relevantly, he’s a singer-songwriter and producer from London, who crafts his songs in his bedroom studio. He’s part of a group of creative friends, including beabadoobee and Alfie Templeman.
Only 20 years old, Lang already has three EP’s to his name, and the fourth is on its way. The Hand Over Your Head EP is slated for release on 11 September. It’ll feature 7 tracks, including his new single Apple Juice, a fuzzy Brit-rock song with a psychedelic touch.
Sounds like the one to propel Oscar Lang to a wider audience.
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.
