New Music Friday and we have picked out 10 great tracks that have been released today.
1. ABBA – ‘Just A Notion’
Following what was one of the biggest and most anticipated comebacks in history last month, ABBA release the new single ‘Just A Notion’ today.
‘Just A Notion’ is the third single from ABBA’s new studio album Voyage (AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE) which is out Friday November 5th on Capitol Records. The album, recorded at Benny’s studio Riksmixningsverket in Stockholm, includes the previously released singles ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ and ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’.
On ‘Just A Notion’, Björn Ulvaeus says: “Wikipedia says this track was recorded in September 1978, which sounds about right. That puts it in between ABBA the Album and Voulez-Vous, and it would have been included in the latter had we not decided against it. Why did we decide against it? In hindsight, I don’t have a clue. It’s a good song with great vocals. I know that we played it to a publisher in France and a couple of other people we trusted and as far as I can remember they liked it very much. So it’s a mystery and will remain a mystery.”
“Now Benny has recorded a new backing track to which we’ve added drums and guitars, but all vocals are from the original 1978 tracks. In a way, it demonstrates what we plan to do with ABBA Voyage in 2022. There, we will have a live band playing, but all vocals will be from the old recordings.”
“‘Just a Notion’ is a ridiculously happy song and hopefully it will cheer you up in these dark times!”
2. King Charles – ‘12345’
From the flamboyant nu-folk / world music mash-up of his debut album ‘LoveBlood’ to the tumultuous emotions of last year’s dynamic, alt-pop focused ‘Out of My Mind’, King Charles has always been consistently unpredictable. It’s a strength that has attracted over 100 million streams for his three albums to date.
Now King Charles shares his brand new single ‘12345’, which previews the release of his upcoming EP ‘All I Know’. Previously previewed by this summer’s track ‘Animal’, ‘All I Know’ will be the first in a series of four EPs, each of which will see Charles exploring different genres and sonic styles.
‘12345’ is arguably King Charles’s most immediately captivating song to date. Featuring a rich, organic full live band feel, and soulful female backing vocals, the song finds Charles’s expressive topline exploring the idea of searching for identity and meaning in a world that’s forever changing. As a result, ‘12345’ feels like a modern answer to the timeless British pop of The Kinks and Elvis Costello, but one that could also appeal to fans of contemporary artists as diverse as Villagers or Blossoms.
King Charles again hits the road later this month, with his first conventional headline tour in over two years.
Tickets for the shows, listed below, are available here for the UK and here for Europe:
3. Wes Nelson – ‘Say Nothing’
Following his explosive arrival on the UK music scene, R&B/Pop hitmaker Wes Nelson returns with his latest fire hot track and first solo single, the eagerly anticipated ‘Say Nothing’.
Pairing light Afrobeat rhythms with paired back guitars, breezy tropical production and silky R&B melodies, ‘Say Nothing’ shows the world another side to Wes’ multifaceted artistry. Written by Wes and produced by regular collaborator Ayo Beatz (Fredo, Young M.A, KSI), it exemplifies Wes’ talent as both a vocalist and a songwriter, showcasing his innate ability to craft catchy choruses and infectious hooks that linger long after the song has finished. In fact, the track has already become a fan favourite, with an early snippet of the song shared on Instagram picking up over 1 million views in just a few days. Watch here
Wes wrote ‘Say Nothing’ in a makeshift home studio in his friend’s spare bedroom just a day after he penned his breakthrough debut single ‘See Nobody’, which went on to become one of 2020’s biggest singles. A Gold-certified hit in the UK (and about to hit platinum) and double platinum in Ireland, the Top 3 debut single has accumulated over 113 million global streams, over 350k TikTok video creations and over 17 million video views.
Wes says, ‘I wrote Say Nothing the day after I wrote See Nobody over Facetime with Ayo Beatz. The song means a lot to me as it was right at the beginning of my journey as a songwriter, and I was in such a good place creatively. I’m so excited to finally release it’
4. Cold Years – ‘Home’
Aberdeen trio, Cold Years, have today released new single, ‘Home’, a bittersweet hometown anthem, splicing together punk with heart on the sleeve blue collar rock’n’roll akin to Against Me going for a beer with the Foo Fighters.
Speaking of the song, frontman Ross Gordon says, “Home talks you through the pitfalls of growing up in small places. Industry is in decline, the shopping centres are empty, Aberdeen is a deserted dirty ghost town, but I love it. I love my home, and I love the people there.”
Last month, the band returned with storming new single, ‘Headstone’, a song that finds the trio returning with a new found dynamism, regaling Ross’s years of debauchery and all that comes with it.
Speaking of the song, Gordon shares, “I really had a tough time of it a while back, and I was partying too hard. This song really opens that up and exposes the vulnerability that comes with growing up. It kind of peaks and troughs between the highs of being up, and the lows that come crashing into you the next day, and the guilt associated with that. It’s like – if I keep doing this, I’ll die. I’ll die too young, and I don’t want that to happen. So, I need to get my head in the game and calm it down.”
5. Pvris – ‘My Way’
Alt-rock giants PVRIS today unleash their latest single ‘My Way’, which is out now via Warner Records / Reprise Records. Fuelled by a chantable synth-driven chorus, the new track follows their recently released single ‘Monster’ and last year’s third studio album ‘Use Me’. The album marked a new era as frontwoman, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Lynn Gunn confidently stepped forward as PVRIS’ leader and sole architect.
‘My Way’ echoes that sentiment of growth, as Lynn states, “‘My Way’ is a song about accepting and embracing the trials and tribulations of the past, present, and future. It’s about facing the pain, loss, hard times, and hard decisions while finding empowerment and humility (and a sprinkle of humour) through it all. Life always pushes us toward great change and growth. When we stop fighting it and flow with it, we offer ourselves, and others, so much more. Whatever way it takes us, our paths are all so uniquely our own. You have your way and I have my way.”
6. Anne-Marie – ‘Beautiful’
Global superstar, Anne-Marie’s exclusive Amazon Original version of “Beautiful (Orchestral Version)” is out now – listen here. Recorded at London’s prestigious Abbey Road Studios, the new orchestral rendition, which see’s Anne-Marie’s god-children join her for the final chorus, adds a new level of emotion to the track, bringing together her past in music theatre and her present pop career in a version unlike any she’s done before.
Listen to “Beautiful (Orchestral Version)” here and watch the stunning performance video featuring a special heartfelt moment with the star’s god-children below.
Anne-Marie said “Beautiful is about accepting yourself for who you are and feeling good about yourself. I have loved stripping the song back to the beautiful instruments and hearing the song’s message because that’s what I really focus on when I release music. It felt so good to be at Abbey Road Studios, the energy is mad that you feel here”
After storming straight to the top of the UK Album Chart with her latest album, Therapy, Anne-Marie has recorded a stunning orchestral version of “Beautiful” in London’s renowned Abbey Road Studios, which is available exclusively for Amazon Music customers. Anne-Marie’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric. After becoming a BRITs Critics Choice finalist, Anne-Marie has achieved numerous other nominations including a BRIT’s ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ and has been hitting the UK chart scene continually with her unstoppable raw, soulful vocals and collaborations with some of the biggest names within the music industry such as Little Mix, Doja Cat and KSI.
7. Miles Kane – ‘See Ya When I See Ya’
Following the release of the soulful ‘Caroline’, Miles Kane today reveals the carefree video for his new track ‘See Ya When I See Ya’, the third advance from his highly-anticipated new album Change The Show, out 21st January 2022 on BMG. The release comes as Miles features on ‘The Dealer’, a track he co-wrote with Lana Del Rey for her new album Blue Banisters.
A soaring, horns driven, singalong anthem, Miles said “‘See Ya When I See Ya’ is about being confident in yourself and sticking to your gut whilst letting the Jekyll and Hydes pass you by.” Perfectly complementing the music, the track is accompanied by a Phoebe Fox directed video, filmed in East London. Watch the video for ‘See Ya When I See Ya’ HERE.
Opening with the honest soft croon of ‘Tears are Falling’, the album is a joyous ride from start to finish and features a surprising, but spectacular appearance from Grammy-nominated singer Corinne Bailey Rae for a duet on ‘Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough’. It’s an album that best represents Miles himself: charmingly authentic, and like nothing else you’ll hear in pop music today.
8. Charlotte Jane – ‘Alone In A Crowded Room’
Tipped by Sir Elton John and Lewis Capaldi, Charlotte Jane’s growing reputation has cemented her position as one of the UK’s hottest rising prospects – something which has been underlined by airplay at Radio 1 and Radio 2. Now the 22-year-old releases her latest single ‘Alone In A Crowded Room’, which is part of ‘Playlist’, an innovative book/album project by Germany’s best-selling psychological thriller author Sebastian Fitzek.
Fitzek’s novel, released today, tells the story of Feline, a teenage girl who is kidnapped. The only item she is carrying at the time of her abduction is an old MP3 player that contains 14 songs. Her playlist provides the only connection to the outside world as she can rearrange the tracklisting to provide clues as to her location.
Charlotte Jane’s ‘Alone In A Crowded Room’ reflects Feline’s
9. Halfnoise – ‘Last Day On Earth’
Halfnoise – the celebrated solo project of Zac Farro (Paramore) – share ‘Last Day on Earth’, taken from their upcoming 4th studio album ‘Motif’, due November 5th.
Continuing from the sonic style of first singles ‘Two Of Us’ & ‘Superstition’ (praised by DIY, DORK, Rocksound, Brooklyn Vegan and more), Halfnoise continue their new sonic direction, with their new track a shimmering, nostalgia-tinged acoustic number, punctuated by sultry sax.
‘Last Day on Earth’ is a dreamy Mind Games-esque anthem combining the whole cast of instrumental characters in a rapturous, romantic crescendo as the two lovers fantasize about their relationship in apocalyptic metaphor.
10. Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – ‘The Dark End Of The Street’
Multi-platinum selling, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted recording artist and songwriter Dave Gahan, along with long time musical partner Soulsavers (Rich Machin), have shared “The Dark End Of The Street” as the latest new music to be unveiled from their forthcoming album Imposter, out November 12th. It can be heard here.
Chips Moman and Dan Penn wrote “The Dark End Of The Street” in 1966, and soul singer James Carr initially recorded it as his signature single. Carr’s version dented the Billboard Hot 100 and inspired eventual covers by Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, Elvis Costello, Frank Black, and more. Now, Gahan brings a bluesy grit to this take uplifted by his inimitable delivery.
Gahan and Soulsavers preceded the album with a cover of Cat Power’s “Metal Heart.” Spotlighting the track, Brooklyn Vegan wrote, “His version starts much like Cat Power’s spare original, from 1998’s Moon Pix, with just his voice and a guitar, but it soon grows into a full-on, stadium-sized rock epic,” and mxdwn praised, “The soft sentimental song floods the listener’s ears with magnificent harmonies alongside the slow building percussive elements that crescendo towards an uplifting end.” Additional positive coverage includes but is not limited to The Guardian, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Stereogum and many others. Clash notes, that Imposter is, “a rare chance to hear Dave Gahan sing other people’s material, but it’s also much more than a standard covers record.”
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