Browsing Tag rock
Werner’s Weekly (week 11)
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:
- Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait) (Wildcard this week)
- Kalie Shorr – Amy (Wildcard last week)
- Ali Barter – You Get In My Way
- Eyjaa – Don’t Forget About Me
- Louis & The Shakes – How Badly Do You Want It?
- Lucy Daydream – Fast Forward
- Penfriend – Cancel Your Hopes
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: Dua Lipa, London Grammar, Tom Grennan, 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
You Am I – The Waterboy
Remember the band Silverchair? They named themselves after a You Am I song. Yes, YAI’s career is that long already. Formed in December 1989, they were one of the most successful and admired Australian bands of the ‘90s.
Their latest studio album, Porridge And Hot Sauce, dates from 2015, but a follow-up is on its way. Recorded during the pandemic, the band members recorded their parts individually. The as-yet untitled record is due out later this year, but the Aussies just shared its rocking lead single. Entitled The Waterboy, the new song indeed takes inspiration from The Waterboys themselves. The lyrics directly reference the band’s front man Mike Scott.
Follow You Am I on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Audio Book Club – Boots
Please meet Dylan Jordan, Derek Moore, Adam Thornbrough and Zach Pearson. Four lads from Oklahoma who called their band Audio Book Club. After releasing two 4-track EP’s in 2019, they slowed their production down a little. They released one track (Don’t Ask Me Where I’ve Been) in 2020 and Boots is their first release of this year. But as far as I’m concerned, I like quality over quantity. In that respect, there’s no reason to complain.
Boots is another one of Audio Book Club’s cheerful, dynamic pop songs. It sounds like they recorded it with the same synth Gary Numan used in Cars, 42(!) years ago. Fans of post-punk bands like Devo and The Gang Of Four are sure to like this as well. All in all, this is an energetic, well-produced track that ticks all the right nostalgic boxes.
Follow Audio Book Club on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Wildcard (week 10):
Monowhales – He Said/She Said (I Wait)
Toronto-based Monowhales are a rock band ready to break into the mainstream. That was already clear by the sound of their past singles, which featured in these columns before. But if you have 45 minutes to spare, treat yourself to this recent live concert as well. And on top of all that, the trio (finally!) released their mini album Daytona Bleach last week. It features Monowhales’ four most recent singles and three new songs.
He Said/She Said (I Wait) is a track in the latter category. It appears the band are in a constant battle with themselves to make each next song even catchier than the one before. Yet, the songs have things in common as well: they’re all very well written, and combine glossy synth rock with shiny choruses. He Said/She Said (I Wait) for instance sounds like No Doubt performing Smells Like Teen Spirit. Radio-friendly, danceable rock that’s both alternative and fresh.
The new Monowhales single is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, so it’ll feature prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Recommended as well:
Out With The Old
BL/FF (Fake Friends)
All Or Nothing
Follow Monowhales on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Werner’s Weekly (week 10)
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:
- Kalie Shorr – Amy (Wildcard this week)
- MBG – This Time (Wildcard last week)
- Coach Party – Everybody Hates Me
- Good Health Good Wealth – Love Hangover
- renforshort – Virtual Reality
- The Reytons – Broke Boy’s Cartel
- The Roop – Discoteque
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: Hooverphonic, Ladyhawke, Walk Off The Earth, 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Good Health Good Wealth – Guinness
Only a week ago, I introduced you to Good Health Good Wealth via their debut single Love Hangover. Only a week later, British singer Bruce Breakey and Lithuanian guitarist/producer Simon Kuzmicas release a follow-up. And it’s equally strong and intriguing.
I can imagine it may be annoying for bands to be compared to other artists. But especially in the case of new acts, it can help to explain the public what to expect. You can trust me to only make comparisons that are really there (in my ears, at least 😉 ). Love Hangover for instance, reminded me of Hard-Fi. A sure shot, I thought, for that band’s front man Richard Archer co-wrote and produced the single. However, this new single was co-written and produced by Archer as well, but it has a totally different sound. It’s an ethereal track with moody guitars, and lyrics sung in a The Lottery Winners kind of style.
Sounds like Good Health Good Wealth are a band that’s not easy to pigeon-hole. Cheers to that!
Recommended as well:
Good Health Good Wealth – Love Hangover
Follow Good Health Good Wealth on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Penfriend – Cancel Your Hopes
Penfriend may sound like a new name in rock music, but Laura Kidd (her real name) is quite a veteran already. The Bristol-based music producer and songwriter started her music career as a bassist and vocalist for hire. In that role, she toured the world with the likes of Tricky and a-ha. From 2010 to 2019, she released four full-length solo albums and played 600 live shows under the moniker She Makes War.
Since then, she has been making music as Penfriend. Half a year ago, I highly recommended her single The Only Way Out Is Through. Her new track Cancel Your Hopes is just as great. Musically, the upbeat, empowering track is equal parts garage and pop-rock. Lyrically, despite its title, it encourages you to keep thriving even in a hopeless place. Powerful in every sense.
Recommended as well:
Penfriend – The Only Way Out Is Through
Follow Penfriend on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Ali Barter – You Get In My Way
Since the release of her second album Hello, I’m Doing My Best in 2019, things have gone pretty quiet around Ali Barter. Luckily, the Australian rock chick just announced her new EP Chocolate Cake, set for release on 30 April. She already served up its lead single Twisted Up last year, but now a second teaser track is out.
You Get In My Way is unlike anything in Barter’s discography. It contains spoken word verses, which eventually erupt into a booming chorus.
In a press release, the Melbourne singer-songwriter explains: “I wrote You Get In My Way in Nashville in 2019. I was travelling without my husband and had this feeling of freedom to do all the silly things I did when I was single.” She continued to say that she “often [has] funny conversations with my friends in long term relationships about the dumb things we would do if our partner wasn’t around. Ultimately I don’t want to do these things, but it was fun to explore the feeling of rebelling from the security of a long term relationship.”
Recommended as well:
January
Backseat
Girlie Bits
Follow Ali Barter on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Louis & The Shakes – How Badly Do You Want It?
Louis Antoniou (lead vocals), Jamie Lawson (lead guitar), Manny O’Donnell (drum) and Will Finnerty (bass) are Louis & The Shakes. They may be a London four-piece, but their music sounds as American as can be. In their infectious, hard-hitting songs they combine blues, Americana, and psychedelic indie-rock into a distinctive cocktail.
Up-tempo new single How Badly Do You Want It? is no exception to the description above. In other words: it’s one’s for fans of Queens Of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys. It even adds a Long Train Runnin’ kind of funky guitar to the mix.
Front man Antoniou says of the track: “I’ve always had a bluesy streak and I think you can hear that in this tune particularly – the simplicity of the claps and the ‘tribal’ backing vocals in the verses. (…) Lyrically it’s all about keeping going, keep believing and never giving up. Instead of resting on our laurels [after COVID-19 came] we thought let’s get in the studio and record this album.”
How Badly Do You Want It? is the first single from the band’s upcoming same-titled debut long-player.
Follow Louis & The Shakes on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Lucy Daydream – Fast Forward
Lucy Daydream are Paige Duché and Ross Ryan from Denver, Colorado. They met in the Spring of 2017 when Duché covered one of Ryan’s original works on YouTube. After reconnecting almost a year later, they started writing songs together.
While crafting their tunes, they fully embrace the independent/DIY ethic. The duo do everything themselves, from writing, producing, mixing and releasing the music to filming and editing the music videos. That way, they never have to make compromises to their exciting indie-pop songs.
Ever since their 2019 debut album Awake And Dreaming, they’ve been quite prolific. Earlier this year, they put out the EP Infinite Quest For The Rainbow Butthole, which was followed by four brand-new singles. These are now compiled on their second EP of the year: Enter The Lucy-Verse.
Stand-out track Fast Forward is the pair’s new single. It opens with a driving bassline that remains a prominent factor throughout the song. The catchy chorus is another strength of the song, just like the guitar solo that rips the track apart before the 2-minute mark. And less than 3 minutes after the opening bars, it’s all over.
Follow Lucy Daydream on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
