Browsing Tag soul
The Brand New Heavies feat. N’Dea Davenport – Getaway
In the late ‘80s, early ‘90s of the last century, Acid Jazz wasn’t only an acclaimed record label, its name was also a used to describe the musical genre that was the common denominator of most bands on the label. Signees like Young Disciples, Jamiroquai and The Brand New Heavies all produced music labelled as acid jazz (also known as jazz dance), combining jazz, soul, funk and disco.
In the 1990s, The Brand New Heavies scored hits like Dream On Dreamer, Midnight At The Oasis and You’ve Got A Friend, most of them sung by N’Dea Davenport. While still a popular live act in later years, real hits appeared to be a thing of the past.
Hopefully, a turn of events is on its way, for The Brand New Heavies are back, and they’re also back on Acid Jazz Records. Recently lauded by the likes of Mark Ronson (who invited the band to play at his fortieth birthday celebrations), they have a brand-new (pun intended) single out, once again featuring long-time vocalist N’Dea Davenport. On top of that, it includes a wink at The Emotions’ Best Of My Love.
Getaway is a most welcome return, which spells the beginning of the next chapter, with a new album underway!
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 5)
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:
- Sigrid – Don’t Feel Like Crying (Wildcard this week)
- Jon Tessier – For A Little Eye Candy (Wildcard last week)
- Alice Merton – Learn To Live
- Ivan & The Parazol – Changin’
- Jealous Of The Birds – Blue Eyes
- Superbird – Cola Bottle Fizz
- The Revivalists – Change
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: Bring Me The Horizon, Danko Jones, Death Cab For Cutie, Dido, Florence & The Machine, Foals, Vampire Weekend, 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.
The Revivalists – Change
Change has always been one of my favourite tracks off The Revivalists’ latest album Take Good Care, and the New Orleans octet just released it as their new single.
Change is a vibrant pop soul song, that sounds like a modern Motown recording.
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 4)
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:
- Jon Tessier – For A Little Eye Candy (Wildcard this week)
- Lizzo – Juice (Wildcard last week)
- American Authors – Stay Around
- Jesse Hite – When It All Comes Down
- Stats – Lose It
- Videoclub – Roi
- whenyoung – Never Let Go
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: The Cranberries, The Dandy Warhols, Hozier, Jade Bird, Joe Jackson, Sigrid, Yungblud 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.
Jesse Hite – When It All Comes Down
Never heard of Jesse Hite? You’re not to blame, When It All Comes Down is only his debut single. But what a way to start a career!
Jesse Hite is an American artist, who currently lives in France. This first release is equal parts funk and soul, in a way Jamie Lidell, Jamie Woon, or even Hall & Oates combined them. And the horn section at the end makes it even groovier. His debut EP, with even more of this, is something to look forward to. It comes out this Spring.
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.
Mamas Gun – Golden Days
Exactly one year after its first single, Mamas Gun’s album Golden Days yields a fifth single. A good old case of saving the best for last, the album’s title track has been chosen to follow in the footsteps of I Need A Win, London Girls, You Make My Life A Better Place, and On The Wire. Golden Days is another one of the band’s trademark modern soul tracks, co-written by Christopher Braide (Sia, Lana Del Rey, Paloma Faith).
If you’re a fan of singer-songwriter Andy Platts’s other project Young Gun Silver Fox, but didn’t know Mamas Gun yet, this is a great introduction. Satisfaction guaranteed!
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 43)
‘Old’ heroes like Claw Boys Claw, Def Leppard, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Kim Wilde, Kylie Minogue, Macy Gray, Richard Ashcroft and Weezer never die, even though you hardly hear them on the radio anymore. Giving them the credits they deserve, I added their new singles to the Carte Blanche Music playlist last week.
However, most of this list consists of younger, mostly emerging artists, like Amber Arcades, Angèle, Boy Azooga, Fil Bo Riva and Oh Pep! The playlist is updated constantly, so if you follow it, I’ll keep you updated about great new music, the moment it comes out (and often even earlier 😉).
The best of them all can be found in Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. This week’s edition is below, including links to more information about each track. All for of them are in the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar, for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!
- Harts – Shake Ya Pants (Wildcard this week)
- Janelle Monáe – Americans (Wildcard last week)
- Anteros – Ordinary Girl
- Fyfe & Iskra Strings – Gold
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 42)
How many Indian summers can one year hold? Not that I’m complaining… Likewise, there are sunny spells in musical respect as well. What other conclusion can be drawn after a week that saw artists like Alma, Joe Jackson, Maggie Rogers, Paloma Faith, Razorlight and Young The Giant drop brand new music? Not to mention the many less known musicians that made our lives a little bit better with great new tracks?
As always, Carte Blanche Music tries to introduce you to the best new tunes, regardless of the artist’s prior status, descent, gender, the language, genre, etc. Just great music for open-minded people that aren’t stuck in a niche but are happy to discover.
All of those wonderful songs are added to my Carte Blanche Music playlist on an ongoing basis, and each Monday I publish my ultimate shortlist: Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. This, my friends, is it:
- Janelle Monáe – Americans (Wildcard this week)
- They Might Be Giants – The Communists Have The Music (Wildcard last week)
- Angèle feat. Roméo Elvis – Tout Oublier
- Satellite Stories – The Fame
- SOAK – Everybody Loves You
- Tom Helsen – Be The One
- Wooze – Party Without Ya
More info is behind each link and all seven songs can be enjoyed through the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Have 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.
Wildcard (week 41):
Janelle Monáe – Americans
On her latest album Dirty Computer, which was preceded by the single Make Me Feel, Janelle Monáe saved the best for last. Americans is the closing track on the album. Combining elements of pop, gospel, R&B, funk and neo-soul, it sounds like a tribute to Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy, but in fact, the song preaches the importance of all Americans coming together and being recognized for who they are and what they contribute to their country. But as we all know, that’s not the way it works in the United States nowadays. Non-male Americans, queer Americans, Americans of colour, poor Americans, etc. are looked down upon.
A spoken bridge and outro by Reverend Sean McMillan lists the marginalised people in contemporary America: “Until women can get equal pay for equal work… Until same-gender-loving people can be who they are… Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head… Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful… Until Latinos and Latinas don’t have to run from walls… this is not my America.”
I’m not sure if this is Monáe’s new single, but it’s playlisted by BBC Radio 6music. And that’s not all; a great track like this, with such an important message, deserves to be next week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard! All 41 of them, so far, are 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.
Werner’s Weekly (week 41)
Last week’s New Music Friday was a voluminous one. But it was quantity over quality, in my opinion. So, out of the enormous pile I took less than 25 releases to add to my Carte Blanche Music playlist. Among them veteran stars like Kylie Minogue & Jack Savoretti, The Prodigy, Suede and Kim Wilde, but mostly fresh new talent, like boy pablo, King Nun, She Drew The Gun and a re-released There’s A Honey by Pale Waves.
That leaves me with only one task to make your Monday complete: the announcement of Werner’s Weekly, your compass to the music that matters. This week’s list counts six songs, that you can listen to via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar. Or just read on and click the links if you want to know more about one of the following tracks:
- They Might Be Giants – The Communists Have The Music (Wildcard this week)
- morgxn & Walk The Moon – home (Wildcard last week)
- Christine & The Queens – Le G
- Eliza Shaddad – Just Goes To Show
- Hrvy – I Wish You Were Here
- Sophie & The Giants – Bulldog
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.
