Browsing Tag rock
Adam Naas – Cherry Lipstick
Parisian singer-songwriter Adam Naas started to conquer the French music scene in 2016 with his promising eponymous EP, a year later followed by the single Please Come Back To Me, which displayed a style that can be described as dark romantic soul. He sings his melancholy lyrics with a characteristic, silken voice.
Now, he is back with his first long player, The Love Album. Last summer, it was preceded by the single Cherry Lipstick, that has now been re-released. It has just a little bit more of an upbeat and rocky edge than before, but one thing’s for sure: this is the sound of now. An artist to reckon with!
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 49)
Although the same number of new tracks is released on Spotify as in other parts of the year, the quality shows the end of 2018 is near. Or perhaps it’s just me getting more critical as another great music year is drawing to a close 😉.
Anyhow, last week I only added brand new songs by Alice Merton, Def Leppard, Joe Jackson, MØ (feat. Foster The People) and a few others to my constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
The absolute highlights, however, are reserved for Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. The links point to my earlier recommendations, and all of the tracks are in the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar for your listening pleasure as well.
- The Lighthouse – Catch Fire (Wildcard this week)
- Starcrawler – Hollywood Ending (Wildcard last week)
- Bent Van Looy – Make Believe
- Caezar – Somewhere New
- Corine – Un Air De Fête
- Jenifer – Hey Jen
- The Smashing Pumpkins – Alienation
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 Smashing Pumpkins – Alienation
The title of The Smashing Pumpkins’ new album is Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.. That’s about as long as the period between this album and the latest to feature founding members Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin, which was 2000’s Machina / The Machines Of God. As widely reported, bassist D’arcy Wretzky is absent from the new recordings, but long-time guitarist Jeff Schroeder fills her shoes.
The new, Rick Rubin produced long player includes the singles Solara, Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) and the beautiful Knights Of Malta, but Alienation is my absolute favourite. Although the piano melody only consists of two notes, it helps build the song. The same goes for the acoustic guitar and the drums, actually, and James Iha probably didn’t have to study hard for his bass part either. Still, with its added strings and trademark electric guitar, this is a Smashing Pumpkins song by the book, that goes from strength to strength until it ends with the same two repeated piano notes it started with.
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.
Piroshka – Everlastingly Yours
Miki Berenyi, frontwoman of British shoegazers Lush, has revealed a new project, where she is joined by her partner, KJ McKillop (from the band Moose), as well as their friends, Mick Conroy (Modern English) and Justin Welch (Elastica). Their indie supergroup is named Piroshka, after the Hungarian word for Little Red Riding Hood. Debut album Brickbat is on its way, but the band already shared their first ever single, Everlastingly Yours.
Although it’s a dreamy guitar pop song, don’t be mistaken: Berenyi sings about cruelty and violation. “Trample my dreams on the ground / Tear up my flowers / And scatter the petals around” for instance. Or: “I’m not afraid to reach down inside to something within me / That gives me the power to rip out his heart / And shatter his bones with a smile.” The track closes just as optimistic: “Nobody here / Ever escapes / With no blood on their hands.” Party time, peeps! 😉
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 48)
As musically diverse as Andy Burrows & Matt Haig, Harts, Metric, Sam Fender, Weezer, Within Temptation (feat. Jasper Steverlinck) and Youngr may seem, they all have one thing in common: all of them released new music last week, which I added to my Carte Blanche Music playlist. They are in very good company, for it’s not at all my intention to add all new releases to this collection. And tracks that are only so-so in my ears, don’t make the list either. After a very heavy selection procedure, I only added 20 new songs last week.
Only the very best of those additions can be found in my definitive round-up Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. Check them below and/or via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Follow the links for more information.
- Starcrawler – Hollywood Ending (Wildcard this week)
- Jonas Brøg feat. Laura Mathilde – I Think Of You I Cry (Wildcard last week)
- Broods – Everything Goes (Wow)
- I Wear* Experiment – Almere
- Navarone – The Strong Survive
- The Lighthouse – Catch Fire
- Yonaka – Death By Love
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.
Yonaka – Death By Love
Yonaka are one of the most exciting new bands from the UK. From Brighton, to be exact, which is an extra seal of quality nowadays. Fronted by lead singer Theresa Jarvis, the band serves dark alt.pop with cool riffs and catchy hooks.
Following numerous singles and the EP’s Heavy and Teach Me To Fight, Yonaka just released their third EP Creature. Death By Love is my favourite track off it. A great display of what the band stands for musically, and lyrically intriguing as well; the song is written from a serial killer’s perspective…
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.
Navarone – The Strong Survive
Navarone are a high-energy rock ‘n’ roll band, that blends classic rock, grunge, alternative, and stoner into a modern interpretation of 70’s rock. True authentic music in which pleasure, craftsmanship and interaction with the public have priority. These elements combined have earned this Dutch 5-piece an enormous live reputation as one of Europe’s best, most versatile and appreciated rock bands in recent years.
If you think this sounds a little exaggerated, just listen to Navarone’s new single. The first single off their upcoming – and aptly titled – album Salvo (due 23 November) is fast and furious. A great and welcome return!
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 47):
Starcrawler – Hollywood Ending
Ever since their debut single Ants, L.A. garage rockers Starcrawler had a rollercoaster of a year. The band, fronted by maniacal and bloodthirsty teenage singer Arrow de Wilde, released their rousing self-titled debut album, toured with the likes of Foo Fighters and the Distillers, and won praise from big-name fans such as Garbage’s Shirley Manson.
Next up is their brand new single, which was produced by Ryan Adams and has an intro that reminds me of Todd Rundgren’s classic I Saw The Light. “Hollywood Ending is my version of a prayer,” de Wilde says. “In the song I pray for ‘The End.’ The end of being lied to, toyed with, the end of false friendships and relationships. I’m begging for a clean start. Let me walk into the light.”
Let me start by putting the spotlights on the singer, her band and their single this week. Hollywood Ending by Starcrawler is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!
In the Wildcards 2018 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.
Deanna Petcoff – Stress
Asked to describe her activities in short, Toronto-based Deanna Petcoff replies: ‘writing happy songs about sad things’. Her second single is a good example.
“My new single Stress is about frustration, loss of hope and acceptance of a situation that will never be fixed. The unbearable weight of not feeling good enough for the person you want; thinking they might want you back but can’t follow through with their flirtatious actions is a common feeling. I wanted to encapsulate the frustration that accompanies this.”
Meanwhile, however, she has the confidence and self-worth to remain open and optimistic to interpersonal exchange. Long story short: Deanna Petcoff is serious fun.
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 Slow Readers Club – On The TV
Last May, Manchester four-piece The Slow Readers Club released their third studio album Build A Tower on multiple formats, causing it to become a hit in both the physical album chart, the vinyl chart, and even the cassette chart. On The TV is the latest single to be taken off it.
Singer Aaron Starkie says of the track: “On The TV is a song about feeling a sense of discomfort, disassociation and extreme anxiety at the state of the modern world. It’s a scream against everything from caged kids at the Mexican border to the rise of nationalism in the UK and US. In the verses I seek solace in family and ask my parents for guidance. It also has a great riff.“
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.
