Browsing Tag soul
Young Gun Silver Fox – Midnight In Richmond
Earlier this year, Young Gun (Andy Platts) Silver Fox (Shawn Lee) released the single Lolita, that was not on their album West End Coast. Although that CD contains a few more single worthy songs, the band appears to have moved on. That is, what else could I conclude from their new single being brand new as well?
‘Brand new’ must of course be interpreted with some flexibility, because Young Gun Silver Fox’s music sounds like it has been produced in the 70’s of the last century. The fact radio still loves it, only means the band managed to give it a magical timeless touch.
If Midnight In Richmond is your first encounter with this band, and you like it, then you can drag their whole repertoire into your playlist. And if you want to know where this is coming from, just look up some Eagles and Steely Dan tunes. You’ll like it, I give you my word!

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.
Wildcard (week 29):
Aloe Blacc – King Is Born
If Aloe Blacc were to be remembered for his vocals on Avicii’s Wake Me Up only, it would be a bloody shame. Let’s at least also recall him for his wonderful real name: Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III. And needless (I hope) to remind you of his own hits I Need A Dollar and The Man.
Last year he released three tracks (one of them being the great Broke), all of which haven’t yet appeared on an album (that’s a more or less coherent collection of songs, kids). The same goes for his new single, King Is Born. A new classic, as far as I’m concerned. Most literally so, because it uses a sample from The Ides Of March’s 1970 hit Vehicle. Pop quiz question: in what hugely popular rock band did The Ides Of March singer Jim Peterik show up in the 1980’s?(*)
Talking about boxing, this brings me back to Aloe Blacc’s new single. King Is Born is the theme song to the upcoming boxing match between titans Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, on 26 August. It’s also scheduled to appear on Blacc’s new album, that he is currently finishing.
King Is Born is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard and will feature here prominently the whole week long!
(*) Survivor, best-known for their Rocky-related hits Eye Of The Tiger and Burning Heart.

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.
Llorca (feat. Sapele) – Wonderwhy
After his single Waiting, Llorca now releases a new track from his most recent album The Garden. The Frenchman’s new single is called Wonderwhy, and it’s sung by Swedish singer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and DJ Sapele (real name: Samuel Lancine). The single mix, the Get Up Version, is a totally revamped version of the album track however. It’s hardly recognisable and sounds like a hit this time around.

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 (week 29)
Summers used to be slow-moving as far as new music was concerned, but that has changed in recent years. Why would you wait to release your great new track until after the holidays, when all other artists release their great new tracks as well? Radio and streaming playlists (or listeners in general) are in need of good content the whole year round. No wonder then, that I could add new music from the likes of The Allergies, Arcade Hearts and Foster The People to my 2017 container playlist Carte Blanche Music last week.
Each Monday morning, I put my personal recommendations out of all new releases in Werner’s Weekly, an alphabetically sorted playlist, kicking off with the Carte Blanche Music Wildcards of this and last week. It’s in full below. Follow the links for more information and listen to the songs via the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar!
- Alice Merton – No Roots (Wildcard this week)
- BC Unidos (feat. Shungudzo) – Bicycle (Wildcard last week)
- Black Grape – Nine Lives
- Jain – Dynabeat
- Kesha feat. The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman
- Kideko – Dum Dum
- Urban Cone – Pumping Up Clouds

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.
Kesha feat. The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman
Kesha (who has ditched the dollar sign from her stage name) has a new goal: female empowerment. That became clear last week already, when she released the emotive ballad Praying, but even more so on the quick follow-up: the soulful Woman; a song that features the fantastic Dap-Kings horn section. Both tracks will be on Kesha’s forthcoming album Rainbow, due out on 11 August. It’s her first album in five years and we all know what kept her busy in the meantime…
It looks like Rainbow is an ambitious project all along the line. Lyrically, obviously, but also because of its collaborations. You can expect the Eagles Of Death Metal, Dolly Parton and Kesha’s mother, Pebe Sebert, on it. But personally, I’m looking out most for the appearance of Ben Folds.
Kesha has stated the album was influenced by the likes of Iggy Pop, The Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, T-Rex, James Brown, The Beatles and The Sweet. Not the first names that popped into my mind when I first heard Woman, but what a great song that is! This is the fun video to go with it…

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.
The Allergies (feat. Andy Cooper) – It Won’t Be Me
The Allergies is the production/DJ outfit from heavyweight DJ’s Rackabeat and Moneyshot, from Bristol, UK. They call it their mission to take vintage sounds and reshape them for the modern dancefloor, which they started doing in 2012.
After a few EP’s The Allergies released their first album As We Do Our Thing. Andy Cooper, one-third of Los Angeles rap trio Ugly Duckling, was one of the artists doing a guest performance on the record. He will also be present on their upcoming second full-length Push On, to be released on 28 July.
One of the tracks he will grace with his presence is It Won’t Be Me, The Allergies’s new single.

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.
Black Grape – Nine Lives
When The Happy Mondays fell apart in 1992, no-one expected to ever hear from Shaun Ryder again. It was commonly accepted that he (or at least his career) probably wouldn’t survive his various drug addictions. So, it was quite a surprise to see Ryder – in fairly healthy shape – return to the top of the charts three years later, with a new band: Black Grape. A band he formed with ex-Ruthless Rap Assassins frontman Paul ‘Kermit’ Leveridge (not the green one).
Black Grape’s debut album It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah was nothing less than a master piece and, although commercially less successful, I love 1997’s follow-up record Stupid Stupid Stupid as well. No link there, as it’s officially missing from streaming services, but *cough* YouTube *cough*. Worth the effort, though…
You can imagine that after 20 years of silence, the announcement of a new Black Grape album was even a bigger surprise than the band’s debut in 1995. But you’d better believe Pop Voodoo will be out 17 July. And since it’s 2017, new tracks off it are being released each week now, to give the album release as much momentum as possible. Nine Lives is my favourite 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.
Jorja Smith – Teenage Fantasy
Jorja Smith is a young British neo soul singer, who turned 20 last month. She released her debut EP Project 11 only at the end of 2016. Earlier this year, she released the single Beautiful Little Fools on International Women’s Day and she also featured on two tracks on Drake’s More Life playlist.
According to a press release Smith wrote her new single four years ago. The intro features humming she recorded while babysitting when she was 16 years old. Teenage Fantasy is a laid back track, jazzy and soulful at the same time. Bonus points for keeping the blooper at the end as a part of the song…

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 (week 26)
Music is good, new music is great and the tracks in Werner’s Weekly are the greatest 😉 . Werner’s Weekly contains the best songs that were added to my 2017 container playlist Carte Blanche Music last week (including new tracks by Beth Ditto, Rat Boy, Haim, Blondie and Vant).
These are the ones that made it to the final round…
- IX – Difference (this week’s Wildcard)
- Nana Adjoa – The Resolution (last week’s Wildcard)
- Dangers Of The Sea – You And I
- Julian Velard – Don’t Ask Me About Hamilton (Anymore)
- Pimpy Panda feat. Alana & NiCo Gomez – Don’t Give Up
- School Of X – Words
The links will bring you to more information about each song and if you want to listen to any of them, please check the Werner’s Weekly player in the sidebar of this blog.
If you like what you hear, you might consider subscribing to one (or both) of these playlists…

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.
Pimpy Panda feat. Alana & NiCo Gomez – Don’t Give Up
If you dig Tower Of Power, be sure to check Pimpy Panda. You’re not going to believer they’re actually from Germany. I can hear you think: ‘funk and soul from Germany? Yeah right…’. But don’t judge before you heard it, they’re groovy!
Pimpy Panda just released their new album Pandrenalin as well, although it’s not yet available on streaming platforms. Schade… Don’t Give Up is the new single!

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.