Browsing Tag rock
The New Nostalgia – Fragile Bones
The New Nostalgia are a London-based rock band, whose UK-born lead singer Patrick McCallion is currently living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. That’s also where they played their sold out debut show, which was met with praise. The band are currently playing venues and festivals across the UK and the Netherlands. How about that for a quartet (including James Sands, Sam Bramhall and Charley Adey), whose first single is only out since this week?
Fragile Bones is a reflective song about the post-university haze that many twenty-somethings find themselves in. McCallion says: “It’s a song about getting home after an embarrassing night of heavy drinking and having a talk with yourself about life in the bathroom mirror. I think a lot of people in their early twenties start to realise that when their parents were their age they had careers, houses and kids. You realise that you’re still essentially living the same way that you did when you were a student and it hits you over the head like a tonne of bricks.”
The explosive single is taken from their debut album which is currently being recorded and due for release later this year.
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.
Albert Hammond Jr. – More To Life
The Strokes have a few European festival shows in their agenda, but that doesn’t stop Albert Hammond Jr. from exploiting his solo career. After 2018’s album Francis Trouble, he released the single Fast Times (which hadn’t made it onto the long-player) last February. That same month, he was spotted in the studio with Natalie Imbruglia, and I’m very curious to hear what came out of those sessions!
What we don’t have to wait for, however, is another one-off track by Hammond Jr. He says about the new song in a statement: “More To Life was recorded at Sunset Sound in Studio 3. (…) It was recorded live through a collection of analogue gear, Prince’s mojo (he lived in this studio in the late-’80s) and our ever present digital medium that held all these beautiful melodies. (…) This is my first full L.A. production. I hope you enjoy and please play it 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
John Van Deusen – Whatever Makes You Mine
John Van Deusen’s music is difficult to pin down. In his early career he was the frontman and primary songwriter of indie rock band The Lonely Forest, and currently, he yells and plays bass in hardcore punk band Buffet. Meanwhile, he also pursues a solo career, which I’ll focus on here.
As a solo artist, Van Deusen is working on a four-part album series, titled (I Am) Origami. Part 1 (The Universal Sigh) and Part 2 (Every Power Wide Awake) are out already. (I Am) Origami Part 3 (A Catacomb Hymn) is set for release on 19 July, and might be his most raw and personal release yet. The album is centred on fear, doubt and depression.
About the first single, Whatever Makes You Mine, Van Deusen says: “Alone at a lodge in the Cascade Mountains, right at the heart of Bigfoot territory, I kept feeling like some big hairy creature was watching me sleep. I was frightened by the eerie creaks and noises while my mind obsessed over dark Sasquatch legends. I wrote Whatever Makes You Mine in the dead of night as a response to my loneliness and fear; my desire to be with someone (anyone), was overwhelming.”
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 23):
Rammstein – Ausländer
Rammstein have never got out of the way of controversy. On the contrary, it’s a game they play very well. No better way to introduce their new eponymous album than with the provocative video for first single Deutschland. Following a milder clip for second single Radio, the band are now back for a next hit, in more ways than one.
Third single Ausländer has a title that may raise eyebrows, but its video also has titties that may raise eyebrows. Content-wise, it plays with both colonialism and the current refugee problem. All of this seems to have been done in order to evoke a debate. Mission accomplished, for contrary to the criticism that followed the Deutschland mini movie, the Ausländer clip has already received much praise, especially outside Germany.
Apart from the imagery, I think Rammstein’s new single is a great song. Hard-hitting, but with great melodies. As the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard, Ausländer will feature here prominently for a whole week!
In the Wildcards 2019 playlist you can 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.
Otherkin – On And On
As a rock band, Otherkin enjoyed significant success in recent times. But instead of continuing on the chosen path, the Irish quartet have changed its course by adding an electronic edge to their sound.
New single On And On is driven by a dirty synth bassline, and features a kick ass guitar riff alongside screaming keyboards and a catchy chorus. Richly produced and with an Oasis or Kasabian-like swagger to it. In one word: epic.
Speaking on their inspiration, the band say: ‘’We were listening to a ton of French House before making On And On, and felt inspired to make a song for the dance floor. As we were approaching it from the context of being a guitar band, we thought it would be cool to break the song up with a huge riff, bringing the two worlds together. We paired it with a story of a guy we know who’s a conniving, scheming weasel that’ll never change his ways, regardless of what happens to him. This song is like one fist in the air and one middle finger in the air to him.’’
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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 23)
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:
- boy pablo – 50 Souls And A Discobowl (Wildcard this week)
- Countless Numbers – Twice As Hard (Wildcard last week)
- Delmoro – Dove Siamo Finiti
- Girli – Up And Down
- Inhaler – My Honest Face
- Izzy Bizu (feat. Chris Martin) – Someone That Loves You ’19
- The Snuts – All Your Friends
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: Bakermat, Circa Waves, Hot Chip, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Polish Club – Goddamn!
When David Novak (vocals, guitar) and John-Henry Pajak (drums) formed a band in 2014, it wasn’t difficult to name it. Both of them having Polish roots, Polish Club was an obvious choice for a name. Their official biography describes them as both ‘the loudest goddamn soul outfit you’ve ever heard’ and ‘the sweatiest rock band in Sydney’. Sounds (and probably smells) like a fun act!
On 7 June, the duo release their second album Iguana, and Goddamn! is the third track to precede it. “Goddamn! was the first song we wrote during the writing process for this record,” the band said in a statement. “It’s also the most fun. It’s also a song where Novak is pretty much screaming the whole time. It’s also got a title with an exclamation mark. It’s also got heaps of drums and shit on it.”
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.
The Snuts – All Your Friends
The Snuts’ first demo, in 2016, was called Glasgow. Appropriately, for a Scottish band. Since then, the quartet’s star is rising fast. They played huge sold-out gigs and festival sets in their homeland, signed to Parlophone Records, and continued to release massive indie tunes.
Just like their debut album, which the band are currently recording, their new single All Your Friends was produced by Inflo, who worked with Danger Mouse, Michael Kiwanuka and others. The Arctic Monkeys-like track is full of rock ‘n roll swagger. It possesses an irresistibly catchy raw edge and a massive chorus. No doubt, The Snuts will be one of 2019’s break-out bands.
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.
Girli – Up And Down
At the age of 12, Milly Toomey originally wanted to pursue a career as an actress, but after two unsuccessful auditions, she left the dream behind. Three years later, she formed an all-female band where she played the role of singer and guitarist. She wasn’t the easiest person to get on with, however. Or, in her own words: “I was totally neurotic. I was the bossiest, most annoying band member ever.” After the group fell apart, she decided to carry on on her own, adopting the stage name Girli.
After singles like Hot Mess, Day Month Second and Deal With It, she put out her debut album Odd One Out in early April. The closing song has now been chosen as Girli’s new single. Another guitar-based electropop song, which is about having mood swings. But, the singer concludes, “This is me, and if you want me around you, take it or leave it.”
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.
Inhaler – My Honest Face
Inhaler are a four-piece rock band from Dublin, consisting of Elijah Hewson (vocals, guitar), Josh Jenkinson-Tansia (guitar), Robert Keating (bass), and Ryan McMahon (drums). They met while still at school and formed the band in 2016. Inspired by artists such as Joy Division and The Stone Roses, they mostly sound like a younger version of U2. This hardly comes as a surprise, since Hewson is Bono’s son. That said, Inhaler can do without this reference. Although they only have a handful of songs out, they can easily stand on their own feet.
Last week, the band added two new tracks to their tiny catalogue: There’s No Other Place and My Honest Face. The latter, my favourite, has the rhythm tandem working their asses off, with its driving drums and bass line. Great 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. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
