As you may have noticed, Australia and Canada are currently two of my favourite sources of exciting new music. Altered By Mom are from Toronto.

The project started as an excuse for producer/songwriter Devon Lougheed to play with some of his favourite musicians from all across Canada. But it really took shape with the permanent addition of Gina Kennedy (bass/vocals) and Jamie Williamson (drums). Well, not really permanently actually, for in 2020, Altered By Mom are a duo consisting of Lougheed and Kennedy. In general, they play all instruments themselves.

Long before Corona kicked in, the band set a goal for themselves: they would release a song a week this year. That’s 52 songs. In other words: quite a lot! Still, they manage to maintain a high standard, combining a knack for infectious melodies and classic song-writing with a quirky sense of humour and a tongue-in-cheek post-grunge aesthetic. They describe themselves as ‘like Sloan had a baby with Barenaked Ladies… and then that baby stole your cigarettes’.

Walking With The Enemy is the pair’s latest single. Or, by the time you read this, they’ll probably have released a follow-up already. But Walking With The Enemy is a song worth servicing to radio stations and playlist curators. It’s an above par track which starts with an ‘80s, Neue Deutsche Welle kind of synth, before the drum kicks in. What follows is a tune so catchy, it deserves to be a hit (whatever that may mean these days).

As I like to put my money where my mouth is, Walking With The Enemy by Altered By Mom is this week’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcard!

Recommended as well:
Altered By Mom – Hear That Sound

In the Wildcards 2020 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

Werner Schlosser

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.