Browsing Tag rock
Werner’s Weekly (week 34)
What’s the similarity between the brand-new songs by Christine & The Queens, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Janet Jackson & Daddy Yankee, Ladytron, Paul McCartney, The Mowgli’s, Novastar and Suede? The were all added to my constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist, which features only the best new tracks of the year so far. Of course, it features many younger artists as well, like Blossoms, Pale Waves, and a few I’ll introduce to you in the coming week.
But on Mondays, we look back upon last week. Below, you’ll fine the highlights of recent releases in Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. If you can spare 23 minutes, you’ll be able to check them all in full through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. But you can also perform the gentle art of cherry picking by clicking some of the links below:
- Cookin’ On 3 Burners feat. Kaiit – Warning (Wildcard this week)
- Jade Bird – Uh Huh (Wildcard last week)
- Arcade Hearts – Humble
- Broods – Peach
- Sean OB – Trouble
- Sir Notch – Gimme That Sunshine
- The Struts – Primadonna Like 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.
The Struts – Primadonna Like Me
Derby band The Struts, now working from Los Angeles, are well underway to become the best classic rock band of this decennium. After One Night Only and Body Talks, they are now serving up the third single ahead of their second album. Judging from these tracks, that long-player is unlikely to disappoint.
Primadonna Like Me – a brilliant song title for flamboyant frontman Luke Spiller – opens with a cowbell, proceeding into an intro that brings back fond memories of songs like Start Me Up, Saturdaynight’s Alright (For Fighting) and many more. And with a first line like ‘Hey you, don’t you know who I think I am?’ you know for sure Spiller hasn’t forgotten to squeeze in the right amount of bravado.
The Struts continue to hit the bull’s eye. One hundred and eightyyyyyyyyy!
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.
Dashboard Confessional – KindaYeahSorta
Dashboard Confessional is an American band with singer-songwriter Christopher Carrabba as its focal point. He started the project in 2000, but it wasn’t until 2004, when they contributed the song Vindicated to the ‘Spider-Man 2’ soundtrack, that the band truly resonated with a wide audience, with the single rising to #2 in the United States. After 2009’s album Alter The Ending, an extended hiatus followed.
Only in 2017, Carrabba resurrected Dashboard Confessional for the Covered And Taped EP, which featured covers of songs by The 1975, Justin Bieber, and others. Early in 2018, he returned with Crooked Shadows, his first collection of original material in over eight years.
Not wasting any time, Dashboard Confessional just released a brand new song. KindaYeahSorta is simple and sun-drenched, and sometimes that’s all you need.
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.
Arcade Hearts – Humble
Portsmouth band Arcade Hearts haven’t sat still since they brought us their debut single Honey in 2017. Follow-up Running was even better, and the quartet just released their fourth single.
Humble is another glossy pop song with ‘eighties’ written all over it. It precedes the band’s debut EP, due 21 September.
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.
Sean OB – Trouble
Sean OB is a songwriter from Dublin, who first picked up a guitar at 12 years of age. After finishing school, he started taking his musicianship more seriously. Displaying remarkable skills as a songwriter and lyricist, he developed an attitude and voice that’s unmistakable. Do you like a quick and easy comparison? Think Jamie T or Arctic Monkeys. But under the surface, there’s also Joe Strummer, John Lennon and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Sean OB spent two years plowing through his pile of self-penned songs to pick the right ones for his debut EP, which he recorded with Grammy Award-winning Rob Kirwan (of Hozier and The Horrors fame). His second single is Trouble, which was – in his own words – ‘written for anyone dealing with anxiety and depression, mild or major. In past or present relationships, good or bad. And who spends those long nights staring into the darkness questioning our strange existence’.
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 33)
With the addition of great new tracks by Elle King, My Baby, Ten Tonnes, You Me At Six and others, the Carte Blanche Music playlist got another quality boost last week. 2018 has proved a fine year for music so far, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down, even in the midst of summer. On the contrary, when looking at Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters, one can only come to the conclusion that there are a lot of fantastic new acts to be discovered as well.
As always, this shortlist is made up of the latest two Wildcards, complemented by the best new releases of the last week. More info is behind the links below, and you can listen to the songs via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar.
- Jade Bird – Uh Huh (Wildcard this week)
- Manic Street Preachers – People Give In (Wildcard last week)
- Danko – Hit Me Up
- Dizzy – Backstroke
- Fanclub – Leaves
- Gecko Turner – Un Limón En La Cabeza
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.
Fanclub – Leaves
Hailing from Austin, Texas, Fanclub was initially founded by guitarist Mike Lee, who wanted to re-record his favourite albums with an ever changing cast of musicians. However, after working with singer Leslie Crunkilton, he decided it might be a lot more fun to record his own songs. He enlisted his old bandmate, drummer Daniel Schmidt, and Fanclub was born.
The band finds itself between indie and pop, with New Order as an obvious influence, but listening to their debut single Leaves, I’m sure they like shoegaze as well. All in all, with its understated vocals, great indie guitar sound and subtle shimmering electronica, Leaves comes across as a future classic indie-pop song.
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.
Wildcard (week 32):
Jade Bird – Uh Huh
Only a year ago, now 20-year-old Jade Bird released her debut EP Something American, which featured the lovely single Cathedral. Since then, she hit the jackpot again with Lottery and put out Furious, which sounded all but that.
Now, she’s back with her most raw, powerful and rocky tune yet. An upbeat melody accompanying Bird’s great voice, Uh Huh lasts only less than two and a half minute, but it is convincing from the first second. Without a doubt an important next step towards wider success.
In an attempt to help Jade Bird spread her wings, I chose Uh Huh as this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. You can find the full bunch of great songs that preceded her in the Wildcards 2018 playlist.
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.
Hands Like Houses – Overthinking
Hands Like Houses, who were born and bred in Canberra, are one of Australia’s biggest rock exports. Their 2016 album Dissonants, especially, helped them achieve that status. It was their major break-through, in- and outside their home country.
The band spent recent months in Hollywood, recording their 4th album -Anon. which was produced by Colin Brittain, who worked with 5 Seconds of Summer and All Time Low before. The long player will be out on 12 October. Around that time, Hands Like Houses will return to Europe for a series of concerts. In the meantime, we can enjoy their new single Overthinking, a swing-groove powered rock stormer with huge production and an even bigger chorus.
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 32)
This summer is a great time for sun lovers and music lovers alike. Last week alone, I had no trouble finding great new music to introduce to you. I’ve added fresh tracks by Black Honey, Chvrches & Wednesday Campanella, Dashboard Confessional, Death Cab For Cutie, Morcheeba, Neneh Cherry, Robyn, and many emerging artists to the Carte Blanche Music playlist, a list that doesn’t pretend to be complete, but relevant. It only features the best songs the year 2018 produced so far.
At the same time, Werner’s Weekly only presents the absolute highlights. As such, it’s your compass to the music that matters. You can check the list below via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar and learn more about each track by clicking the links:
- Manic Street Preachers – People Give In (Wildcard this week)
- Young Gun Silver Fox – Kingston Boogie (Wildcard last week)
- Dreams – Love To Live
- Just Loud feat. Debbie Harry – Soul Train
- Maggie Rogers – Give A Little
- Roy Paci & Aretuska feat. Willie Peyote – Salvagente
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.
