Browsing Tag rock
Vant – Beetlebum / Talk Like Thunder
British rock band Vant was formed in 2014 by frontman and songwriter Mattie Vant. Virtually all of his lyrics deal with political issues of worldwide concern, like wars and global warming.
Early this year, after quite some singles (of which I love Fly-By Alien and Karma Seeker in particular), they released their debut album Dumb Blood.
Last month, to my astonishment, the band announced they were taking an ‘indefinite hiatus’. And this is what they just wrote on Facebook: ‘What a ride these past few years have been. (…) Thanks for all the support. We’ve been Vant from Planet Earth. See you in another life’.
Well, that’s all a little bit hard to believe, isn’t it? Let’s just wait, keep breathing, and see what happens.
In the meantime, there is a lot to enjoy among Vant’s ‘final’ tracks, collected on the EP Talk Like Thunder: a nice cover of Blur’s 1997 anthem Beetlebum, for instance, and the title track of the EP, which you can find below:

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.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – It’s A Beautiful World
In 2009, Noel Gallagher left Oasis, and the rest of the band continued as Beady Eye. When he released his first solo album, it shifted more units in a week then Beady Eye’s in 8 months…
This week, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds launch their third album Who Built The Moon? and It’s A Beautiful World is the third single off it. It follows the great Holy Mountain and the less great, Kanye West inspired Fort Knox.
It’s A Beautiful World however, is an epic slice of spacey, beat-driven pop/rock. It features a spoken word guest vocal in French from his High Flying Birds bandmate Charlotte Marionneau, who can be heard playing the scissors(!) on the track as well…

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.
Alvvays – Not My Baby
In five months time, second album Antisocialites by Canadian indie-pop darlings Alvvays (pronounced as ‘Always’) has produced four singles. In Undertow was the first and Not My Baby rounds off this quartet.
Not My Baby is a lovely, jangly guitar pop anthem that has already been added to BBC Radio 6music’s playlist. Who follows?

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 47)
With the likes of Bad Sounds, Black Honey, Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato, Sea Girls and Yungblud added to my container playlist Carte Blanche Music in the last week, what could possibly go wrong this week? Nothing really!
But to make sure you don’t miss out on the best new music of the past seven days, I compiled a new edition of Werner’s Weekly for you. Check it below, listen via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar and/or read more information about each of the tracks by clicking the links.
Enjoy the ride and follow my playlist for daily updates!
- Kira Puru – Tension (Wildcard this week)
- The Presets – Do What You Want (Wildcard last week)
- Alien Stadium – This One’s For The Humans
- Boy Azooga – Face Behind Her Cigarette
- Eleanor Jacks – Run ‘n’ Hide
- The Night Ships – Half The World
- Youngr x Endor – Give It Up

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.
Boy Azooga – Face Behind Her Cigarette
The groove is back in today’s music and I can’t get enough of it! Take this debut release by Boy Azooga for instance.
The band, the brainchild of Cardiff native Davey Newington, has signed with the legendary Heavenly Recordings label that discovered artists like Manic Street Preachers, Saint Etienne and Doves in the nineties.
Boy Azooga plays psychedelic indie-pop/rock and this first single pays tribute to Nigerian funk icon William Onyeabor.

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.
Alien Stadium – This One’s For The Humans
When Steve Mason (The Beta Band) and Martin Duffy (Primal Scream) start a new project, it’s instantly interesting on paper. And after hearing Alien Stadium’s debut single, one must conclude: it’s not only an interesting project on paper.
This One’s For The Humans is a groovy, cosmic pop rock song, that already makes me look forward to their first EP Livin’ in Elizabethan Times, which comes out 1 December.

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.
The Unlikely Candidates – World In My Pocket
American rock band The Unlikely Candidates was formed in 2008. Their debut single Follow My Feet, released in 2013, still stands as their biggest hit, but that could change now.
This year, the band released two EP’s, Bed Of Liars and – most recently – Danger To Myself. The latter EP now produces the single World In My Pocket. A Panic! At The Disco kind of track.

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 46)
What ‘big names’ I added to my daily updated Carte Blanche Music playlist last week, you ask? How about Dannii Monigue, Icona Pop, Liam Gallagher, Morrissey, Turin Brakes and The Wombats? But perhaps more interesting, from a discovery point of view, are less well-known artists like Fil Bo Riva, Kris Berry, Nana Adjoa and Pale Waves. Please, check them out and enjoy their talent!
Additionally, I compiled my Werner’s Weekly playlist for you, featuring a personal selection of last week’s best new music. Every track comes with additional information, which you will find by clicking the links below. You can listen to all seven tracks in this compact, alphabetically sorted chart through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar.
If you like what you hear, follow my playlists, and I’ll keep you updated on new music as soon as it’s released.
- The Presets – Do What You Want (Wildcard this week)
- MisterWives – Never Give Up On Me (Wildcard last week)
- High Contrast – Love On A 45
- Joan As Police Woman – Warning Bell
- Millie Turner – Eyes On You
- She Drew The Gun – Sweet Harmony
- Zak Abel – Still Want UUU

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.
She Drew The Gun – Sweet Harmony
She Drew The Gun started in 2013 as a solo project by singer-songwriter Louisa Roach. Her debut album Memories Of The Future (2015) was produced by James Skelly, who added haunting riffs and an electronic element to Roach’s poetic narrative lyrics.
Since then, the project gradually expanded. Siân Monaghan (drums), Jack Turner (guitar) and Jenni Kickhefer (keyboards) joined, and made She Drew The Gun the four-piece it currently is.
In 2016, they won Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition and subsequently played the John Peel Stage at the legendary festival. And recently, as part of the ‘25 Years of Parr Street Studios’ project, they recorded a cover version of The Beloved’s 1993 smash Sweet Harmony. Or actually, they re-invented it. Adding a rap and a far more rocky vibe than the sugar-coated original, She Drew The Gun’s version sounds like a song of their own.

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 45):
The Presets – Do What You Want
Sydney duo The Presets (Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes) are remixers for acts like Kings Of Leon, Silverchair and Lenny Kravitz, but are also musicians in their own right.
Their latest album Pacifica, which included the great single Promises, among others, dates back to 2012. Now, thankfully, there’s a new sign of life. Do What You Want is The Preset’s new single, and I love the way they announced in on their Facebook: “Do yourself a favour and buy it. Ha ha, just kidding. We know you’re not going to buy it. So stream it, sing it, scream it, feeeel it. We don’t care. Our love for you is unconditional. Do what you want.”
The track couples a pounding four-to-the-floor beat with a rocky sound and some old-school vocal sampling, resulting in a certified banger that combines the best of LCD Soundsystem and Audio Bullys. Or, as they describe it themselves: ‘pub rock techno’…
Find out how that sounds via Carte Blanche Music, where Do What You Want is this week’s Wildcard. Hence it will feature on the blog prominently, only one click away from discovery…

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.