Browsing Tag rock
single track
Moretti – D’ya Care?
Moretti are a rock band from Bradford, UK. Jack Duffy (vocals/guitar), Cameron Bagnall (guitar/vocals) and Alex Marsh (bass) are childhood friends, while Brad Dransfield (drums) and Matt Armstrong (guitar) joined in later. In true DIY spirit, they write and produce their songs themselves.
They cite Oasis, Stone Roses, Blink-182, James, David Bowie and Suede as their influences. A great bunch! Personally, I think Guns N’ Roses should be in that list as well, for new single D’ya Care? bears more than a little resemblance to Sweet Child O’ Mine. But isn’t that one of the best inspirations a rock band can have?
D’ya Care? is an anthemic, driving song with ‘90s style rock riffs and a powerful rhythm section. Armstrong describes it as ‘the band’s manifesto’. “It incorporates everything we are about: big sound, big chorus. It asks the question D’ya Care? because we want the audience to think about what is important to them and their lives.”
Follow Moretti on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
album track
Deap Vally – Phoenix
Ten years ago, Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards formed Deap Vally in Los Angeles. Mixing hard rock with greasy blues riffs, their sound sat somewhere between The White Stripes and The Black Keys. This landed them support slots for the likes of Muse, Peaches, Wolfmother, The Vaccines, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Following their debut single End Of The World in 2012, they released three full length albums. Last week, record #4, Marriage came out. Included are assorted tracks from the band’s 2021 EP’s Digital Dream and American Cockroach plus eight completely new ones. Also, the album features guest appearances of KT Tunstall, Peaches, Jennie Vee and jennylee.
The best of the 12 songs however, is Phoenix. It pairs Deap Vally’s trademark blues-rock with a danceable groove and a slinky synth motif. With a chorus that goes ‘Nothing’s gonna take me down / Nothing’s gonna break my crown / As long as I can breathe / Nothing’s gonna stop me’, it’s a classic, self-confident American ode to the power of the self.
Follow Deap Vally on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Dead Anyway – Space Dust
Writing a long article isn’t that hard. All you’ve got to do is pour out all of your ideas and combine them in one piece. Making your point in a short article however is much more complicated. It forces you to really choose your words carefully and only include your strongest arguments. As far as I’m concerned, the same goes for songs. Short songs (provided they’re crafted by great musicians, of course) often cut the deepest.
Enter Dead Anyway. Kate Arnold (lyrics/vocals) and Marc Symonds (beats/instruments) are currently two of Britain’s most prolific artists. If you think: ‘I betcha, their songs are 2 minutes on average’, I’m afraid you didn’t catch my drift. Creating a short track can easily take more time than a long one.
In the case of the duo’s new single Space Dust, the lyrics are as witty and humorous as ever. Musically, they chose a driving jazzy drum beat, piano and percussion for a back drop. This way, once again, Symonds found a highly effective way to highlight Arnolds poetry. In 97 seconds, it’s all over. Thank God for the repeat button. Let’s hope Adele doesn’t kill it…
Listening to Space Dust, The Jackal by Ronny Jordan feat. Dana Bryant (1993) came to mind. You might like that one as well. But: listen to Space Dust first!
Recommended as well:
Dead Anyway – Pigs In Blankets
Follow Dead Anyway on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 47):
Wildcard (week 47):
Laura Mac – Garage Full Of Dreams
You’ve got debut singles, and then you’ve got DEBUT SINGLES. Garage Full Of Dreams by Laura Mac easily falls in the latter category.
Laura Mac is a brand-new duo from the Australian Sunshine Coast, consisting of Laura MacLachlan and Zachary Connelly. They call their big red tour bus their official third member. That’s the place where the couple wrote this song, record their demos and spend most of their time. Zac writes all the music and then Laura throws in the occasional bass line and puts vocals down over the top.
The band subsequently took their demo to a real studio, where Luke Williams (Dead Letter Circus) was enlisted to play the drums. Ian Peres (ex-Wolfmother) played the keys. The result is an energetic fun track with sunny verses and a guitar-heavy chorus. Despite the busy, rocky backdrop, Laura’s powerful voice cuts through the music like a knife.
In an interview with Good Call Live, the band’s front-woman says about Garage Full Of Dreams: “You know how some people have to work really hard for things that other people have given to them for free? That’s kind of what this song is about. That and cool cars! I sing about all these cool cars when in reality I drive the world’s most beat up Toyota Camry. When I got the car it was rancid and had 5000 cockroaches in it. It’s clean now but has subsequently been nicknamed ‘The Roach’.”
This whole week, Garage Full Of Dreams by Laura Mac will feature here prominently as our Carte Blanche Music Wildcard.
Follow Laura Mac on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2021 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
werner's weekly
Werner’s Weekly (week 47)
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:
- Carla Wehbe – Hurts To Love You (Wildcard this week)
- Foals – Wake Me Up (Wildcard last week)
- Archie X – Fight Me
- Blu DeTiger – Blondes
- G Flip feat. Upsahl – Scream
- Lizzie Esau – Bitter Weather
- Nilüfer Yanya – Stabilise
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: Alessia Cara, David Bowie, Sea Girls, and more.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Mother Culture – Drawing By Design
Mother Culture are a duo from Melbourne, consisting of brothers Darcy and Spencer Ward. They fully embrace the DIY ethos, writing, recording and producing all of their music independently in their home studio.
After releasing their first three singles in 2018, 2019 and 2020, they speeded up things considerably. 2020 also saw the release of the duo’s first EP To Be Frank, followed by two brand-new songs this year. Now, Mother Culture add a third one to that list.
Drawing By Design opens acoustically, but builds into a groovy indie rocker full of hooks and fuzzy guitars. This way, the instrumental follows the song’s lyrics, which deal with the end of a relationship and the weight of emotional doubts that come with it.
Explaining the title, the brothers say: “To be ‘drawing by design’ is to act without thinking, and this song is about how it feels to be with someone who behaves that way.”
Follow Mother Culture on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Palace Winter – Slasher
While isolating at the start of the pandemic, Palace Winter’s Carl Coleman spent a lot of time watching horror films. The paranoia and fear in the movies seemed to reflect the times. It’s hardly a surprise then that this kind of themes started serving as inspiration for new songs. One of those is out now as the band’s new single.
Slasher is a shimmering track with racing drums, noir guitar, a bar piano and a psychedelic solo. Keyboardist and producer Casper Hesselager explains: “After all the heaviness of 2020 and COVID etc., we wanted to make something fun and danceable. So we developed a beat inspired by ‘90s drum ‘n’ bass and things like The Prodigy, Portishead etc. There’s an element of ‘Ennio Morricone and Scott Walker discover ‘90s drum ‘n’ bass’ about it.” Elsewhere, the band also cite The Verve and Everything But The Girl as inspirations for the song. “We wanted to mix all those flavours with a horror movie script, and Slasher was born”, the Danish/Australian duo say on their Facebook profile.
Recommended as well:
Richard (Says Yes) (feat. Penny Police)
Empire
Follow Palace Winter on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single trackRoyal & The Serpent – I’m Not Sorry
Royal & The Serpent – I’m Not Sorry
Nowadays, it’s more important than ever for an artist to pull the listener into their song within seconds. Opening with the lyric ‘Hey, it’s a beautiful day to be an asshole’, will do the trick, I guess. This is the case with Royal & The Serpent’s new single I’m Not Sorry. A dark, intense, sometimes even manic song with trippy guitars. Somehow, it reminds me of Maybe An Angel by Heather Nova.
Elsewhere, the song includes lyrics like ‘I wanna kill everybody, I’m not sorry’. That’s not meant to be taken literally though, there’s a deeper meaning. In an interview with Papermag, Ryan Santiago (her real name) says: “It’s about being unapologetic in our imperfections, and unafraid to speak up and seek help when we know we need it most.”
I’m Not Sorry comes with a creepy video, for which Royal & The Serpent transformed herself into the Joker.
Recommended as well:
Royal & The Serpent – MMXX
Follow Royal & The Serpent on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
single track
Pinegrove – Alaska
Formed in 2010, Pinegrove are an American rock band from New Jersey. The line-up is variable, with two main members: Evan Stephans Hall and Zack Levine. On 28 January they’ll release their sixth album 11:11. This title can be explained in a number of ways (pun intended): it resembles a row of trees for instance, or striped corduroy, or people shoulder-to-shoulder. The record was self-produced by the band, and mixed by Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie).
Of the album’s themes, Hall says: “It spends equal time on optimism, community, reaffirming our human duty to look out for one another even in the absence of the people we expect to do those things. What if we have to be our own salvation?”
Just over two minutes long, Alaska is the forthcoming album’s second single. It’s an upbeat four-to-the-floor track, full of driving guitar-based riffs. Lyrically, it references the idea behind the album title. Alaska is about flying diagonally across the country and seeing patterns in cornrows, trees, and more, all resembling the shape of the number ‘1’.
Following an extensive tour of North-America, early 2022, the band will come over to Europe in May.
Follow Pinegrove on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
werner's weekly
Werner’s Weekly (week 46)
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:
- Foals – Wake Me Up (Wildcard this week)
- Smith & Thell – Pixie’s Parasol (Wildcard last week)
- Dual – Wipe Your Tears Away
- Teenage Dads – Piano Girl
- The Ramona Flowers feat. Nile Rodgers – Up All Night
- Thunder Fox – Head In The Clouds
- Who Parked The Car – Candle Dance
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: Johnny Marr, Stereophonics, The War On Drugs, and more.
I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
