Browsing Tag rock
Joel Stoker (The Rifles) – Stuck Inside
Joel Stoker, the frontman from The Rifles, has released an isolation anthem titled Stuck Inside. An early version of the song was originally shared on the band’s social media in early April.
Since then, Joel Stoker has fully recorded the track in his home studio, which resulted in an uplifting fun tune. He released it with the following message: ‘I would like to let you all know that whilst at home I have recorded a full version of the acoustic track Stuck Inside, which I posted up recently. I will be releasing it for download with 100% of the proceeds from the sale going to the National Health Service, which I think we can all agree have always done a very tough, brave and amazing job (especially at this current time)!’
The track is available via Bandcamp for a minimum donation of £0,99.
Recommended as well:
The Rifles – The General [Unplugged]
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.
Razorlight – Burn, Camden, Burn
Razorlight’s glory days were 15 years ago, when the band scored hits like In The Morning, America and Wire To Wire. It must be added though that in the meantime the band have been on hiatus for almost 10 years. They attempted a comeback in 2018 with the album Olympus Sleeping, which was moderately successful.
Now, Razorlight are back once again with the single Burn, Camden, Burn. It’s not a new song, however. In fact, it’s a previously unreleased track from 2009. Despite its title, Burn, Camden, Burn is a happy-sounding, up-beat, energetic song. And not in the least: it’s as catchy as their best output.
Orange Juice’s Edwyn Collins, well-known for 1995 solo hit A Girl Like You, produced the Razorlight track. Its release coincides with its use in Trying, a new TV series which debuted last week on Apple TV.
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.
Flossy – The Mess You Made
If you liked grungy bands like The Breeders, Sleater Kinney and Veruca Salt in the ‘90s, Flossy might be your new favourites. The band consists of sisters Sinéad (vocals, bass) and Lauren O’Hara (vocals, guitar), and Charlie Smith (drums). Already big in Perth, I wouldn’t know why their success should be limited to Australia.
The Mess You Made is the alt-rock trio’s new single. A hard-hitting tune filled with their signature heavy bass lines, big guitars, catchy hooks and layered harmonies. Lyrically, it’s about the anger and blame that ensues after you lose yourself to someone.
Sinéad explains: “It’s about feeling like you’ve been left a shell of a human after a bad relationship. It’s a reflection on what went wrong, and an exploration of trying to navigate your way through rebuilding after you’ve had your identity taken from you. Sometimes you need to disassociate and sometimes you need to stare it straight in the face and work from there. It’s basically saying ‘fuck you for doing this to me, but I’m going to be OK’.”
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.
The Calicos – Nova
The Calicos are Quinten Vermaelen, Aäron Koch, Sander Smeets, Maximilian Dobbertin, Guido Op de Beeck and Olivier Penu. Six young guns from the city of Antwerp in Belgium. In the spring of 2018, they won Humo’s Rock Rally, a two-yearly contest for rock bands, organized by magazine Humo. The band blew the jury away with their own brew of indie, rock, Americana and alternative country. Songs in the tradition of Wilco, Ryan Adams and The War On Drugs, pedal steel guitar included.
Following the singles Our House, Driftwood and Runaway Kid, the band took their time to fine-tune their songs and sound. Tobie Speleman (Geppetto & The Whales, Blackwave. and others) helped them achieve this goal. Now, they confidently announce ‘a killer maiden album’ as a result. We’ll be able to check that next November.
Nova, the first single to be released ahead of that debut record is very promising indeed. The Calicos have developed into an alternative pop group with the ability to appeal to a large audience of all ages.
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 18)
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:
- Grand Corps Malade – Effets Secondaires (Wildcard this week)
- Dive In – Give Me A Reason (Wildcard last week)
- Inge van Calkar – Spinning Around
- Julian Velard – Half Done
- Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions – Victory!
- Picture This – Troublemaker
- Smallpools x morgxn – Slowdown
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: The 1975, Hayley Williams, Maria Mena, Pet Shop Boys, 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.
The Treble – No Secrets (There For You)
You may have noticed – and it’s hardly a secret – I’m very much into Australian and Canadian music lately. These are two of the largest countries on the globe, although most popular music comes from Great-Britain or the US. Hopefully, I can help you discover some great talent from elsewhere!
The text above could be shortened to ‘no secrets (there for you)’ 😉
The Treble are a rock band from Winnipeg, Canada. Their second album Rivals includes previous singles Saturday Night, Fix Of You and All The People, plus five new tracks. One of those, No Secrets (There For You), is the band’s new single. If you like Carte Blanche Music favourites The Snuts, you’re sure to like this one!
This blog is all about the music, but please let me point you to the track’s self-produced video as well. It features shot-for-shot remakes of the band’s favourite videos from the ’80s. A whopping 45 of them, including clips from a-ha, Talking Heads, Nena and George Michael. “We had started the project pre-quarantine, but thankfully the concept made it something we could continue during the lockdown”, The Treble explain.
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.
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.
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.
Maddy Jane – Perfection’s A Thing And You’re It
Maddy Jane is an independent singer-songwriter from the small town of Bruny Island, Tasmania. Her honest lyrics and captivating song-writing have earned her a regular spot on the airways of Australian alternative radio station triple j. She already did huge arena tours, supporting the likes of Catfish & The Bottlemen and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Perfection’s A Thing And You’re It is the third single off Maddy’s forthcoming debut album Not All Bad Or Good. Scheduled release date: 1 May. The punchy track finds itself amongst the heavier edge of her music. “It’s not a love song”, the singer says. “It’s sarcasm for perfection’s not a thing and you can’t be it. It came from people in my life who were not willing to accept other people’s faults, or their own. It’s a song saying no one is perfect and we should try to love all of ourselves and others, faults and all.”
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 17)
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:
- Dive In – Give Me A Reason (Wildcard this week)
- Izo FitzRoy – Red Line (Wildcard last week)
- Alfie Templeman – Happiness In Liquid Form
- Helmut Fritz – Ça M’énerve [2020 Version]
- Liss – Waste My Time
- Rat Boy – Brave New World
- The Strokes – Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus
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: Billie Joe Armstrong, Christine & The Queens, DMA’s, Florence & The Machine, Hayley Williams, 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.
Picture This – Troublemaker
Four piece pop-rock band Picture This are one of Ireland’s hottest new acts. They just released their punky new single Troublemaker, based on an attitude filled bass line and a punchy beat. Lyrically, it’s about the kind of love that isn’t good for you, which makes you want it even more. Quote: ‘She gives me a million reasons why I should hate her / But I can’t, ‘cause she’s my troublemaker’.
Frontman Ryan Hennessy explains: “Troublemaker is a song about a love that seems doomed and volatile, but has so much spark and excitement that you just can’t seem to let it go. It’s a battle between two lovers who are both full of attitude and cockiness, love and life, and it’s an explosive combination – but it just feels so good. It’s a sexy unpredictability.”
Troublemaker is the first taste of Picture This’ forthcoming third studio album, which will arrive later this year.
Recommended as well:
Picture This – Modern Love
Picture This – When We Were Young
Picture This – Take My Hand
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.
