MEGA UPDATE - FLASHING OFF THE RECORD

So the Long Weekend come back has ceased (a little) there is so much new music and so happening in the great music world. Yes after travelling to Canberra and back it's time to check out some new releases.

First up they were listed on my list of the Excellent Contribution to Australian Music for 2013, it's the Preatures. They are now back with a new tune "Better Than it ever Could be":



My favourite home girl Azealia Banks is making headlines again, the album "Broke with Expensive Taste" is again in trouble. I do love Azealia and I don't care what anyone says but I am getting scared the album will never see the light of day, read more here.

It's great to know however Kelis and "Food" will come out soon after last year's great taste "Jerk Ribs", which did make my list in the top half of the best 201 songs of 2013. See the full list here and have a look at further details on Food here.

Great news for Lorde, Daft Punk and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at this year's Grammy's, what a show and all the winners live here. Also how was that Macklemore/Ryan Lewis/Madonna mass marriage:


2141262368 by YardieGoals

Laneway Festival is on this weekend in Sydney and here is when and where you can check out Lorde, Haim or Vance Joy. And of course Haim were my album of the year, oh these girls know how to party!

The Presets also today dropped a new tune and landed on the wonderful Groovin the Moo line up. So excited for this regional touring festival.



The line up for Groovin the Moo is amazing! Below is the line up and tour dates:

Action Bronson (USA) 
Andy Bull 
Architecture In Helsinki 
Cults (USA) 
Disclosure (UK) 
Dizzee Rascal (UK)
Holy F**K (CAN) 
Illy 
The Jezabels 
The Jungle Giants 
Karnivool 
Kingswood 
The Kite String Tangle 
Loon Lake 
The Naked And Famous (NZ) 
Parkway Drive 
Peking Duk 
The Presets
Robert Delong (USA) 
Thundamentals
Vance Joy 
Violent Soho
Wave Racer 
What So Not

Fri 25th April 
Oakbank Racecourse
Oakbank SA

Sat 26th April
Maitland Showground
Maitland NSW

Sun 27th April
University of Canberra
Canberra ACT

Sat 3rd May
Bendigo's Prince of Wales Showground
Bendigo 

Sun 4th May 
Murray Sports Complex - Townsville Cricket Grounds
Townsville

Sat 10th May 
Hay Park
Bunbury

Summer Countdown - Sun 27 January 2014 {AUSTRALIA DAY LONG WEEKEND VERSION}

20 - Busta Rhymes - Thank You {Feat. Q-Tip, Kanye West & Lil Wayne}

19 - Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful {Cedric Gervais Remix}

18 - Broods - Bridges
17 - Lorde - Team
16 - 360 - Impossible {Feat. Daniels Johns}
15 - Vance Joy - Riptide

14 - Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious

13 - Lorde - Royals

12 - Flume & Chet Faker - Drop the Game

11 - Bliss N Eso - My Life {Feat. Ceekay Jones}

10 - Lily Allen - Hard out Here

9 - Avicii - Hey Brother

8 - Eminem - Monster {Feat. Rihanna}
7 - Aloe Blacc - The Man

6 - Ed Sheeran - I See Fire

5 - Avicii - Addicted to You

4 - London Grammar - Strong

3 - Joel Fletcher & Savage - Swing

2 - Rudimental - Free {Feat. Emeli Sande}

1 - Pharrell Williams - Happy

Part Two - The 201 BEST songs of 2013 {100-1}

1 - Lorde - Royals

2 - Daft Punk - Get Lucky {Feat. Pharrell Williams}

3 - Vance Joy - Riptide

4 - Matt Corby - Resolution

5 - John Newman - Love Me Again

6 - Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful
7 - The Preatures - Is This How You Feel?
8 - Robert deLong - Global Concepts
9 - Birds of Tokyo - Lanterns
10 - Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness {Cedric Gervais Remix}
11 - Haim - The Wire
12 - Disclosure - White Noise {Feat. AlunaGeorge}
13 - Kendrick Lamar - Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
14 - Haim – Falling
15 - Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
16 - Lorde - Tennis Court
17 - Eminem - Berzerk
18 - Rudimental - Waiting All Night {Feat. Elle Eyre}
19 - Foals - My Number
20 - Kanye West - Black Skinhead
21 - Lorde - Team
22 - Duke Dumont - Need U (100%) {Feat. A*M*E}
23 - Eminem - Monster {Feat. Rihanna}
24 - Major Lazer - Bubble Butt {Feat. Bruno Mars, 2Chainz, Tyga & Mystic}
25 - Rufus - Take Me
26 - Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
27 - Empire of the Sun - Alive
28 - Phoenix - Entertainment
29 - Pharrell Williams - Happy
30 - Chrvches - Gun
31 - James Blake - Retrograde
32 - Boy & Bear - Southern Sun
33 - Joey Bada$$ - Word Is Bond
34 - Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
35 - Daft Punk - Lose Yourself to Dance {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
36 - Bloc Party - Ratchet
37 - Disclosure - You & Me {Feat. Eliza Doolittle}
38 - Disclosure - When A Fire Starts To Burn
39 - Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun
40 - Major Lazer - Watch Out For This (Bumaye) {Feat. Busy Signal, The Flexican & FS Green}
41 - Kanye West - Bound 2
42 - Skrillex - The Reason
43 - Bernard Fanning - Battleships
44 - Flight Facilities - I Didn't Believe {Feat. Elizabeth Rose}
45 - Rufus - Desert Night
46 - Lily Allen - Hard Out Here
47 - Arcade Fire - Reflektor
48 - Pond - Xanman
49 - John Newman - Cheating
50 - Bliss N Eso - Can't Get Rid Of This Feeling {Feat. Daniel Merriweather}
51 - Jagwar Ma - Man I Need
52 - Flume & Chet Faker - Drop the Game
53 - Bliss N Eso - Act Your Age
54 - Boy & Bear - Three Headed Woman
55 - Haim - If I Could Change Your Mind
56 - Vance Joy - Play With Fire
57 - Illy - Youngbloods {Feat. Ahren Stringer}
58 - Elizabeth Rose - The Good Life
59 - Flight Facilities - Stand Still {Feat. Micky Green}
60 - The Kite String Tangle - Given the Chance
61 - Grouplove - Ways to Go
62 - Disclosure - F For You
63 - Chet Faker - Melt {Feat. Kilo Kash}
64 - Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
65 - John Butler Trio - Only One
66 - Chrvches - Recover
67 - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - White Walls {Feat. ScHoolboy Q & Hollis}
68 - City & Colour - Thirst
69 - Rufus - Sundream
70 - Birds of Tokyo - When The Night Falls Quiet
71 - Loon Lake - On Fire
72 - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Wing$
73 - Dustin Tebbutt - The Breach
74 - Jagwar Ma - The Throw
75 - Pond - Giant Tortoise
76 - Thelma Plum - Dollar
77 - Porter Robinson - Laguage
78 - The Wombats - Your Body Is A Weapon
79 - Tegan & Sara - Closer
80 - The Preatures - Manic Baby
81 - Rudimental - Baby {Feat. MNEK & Sinead Harnett}
82 - Kelis - Jerk Ribs
83 - Queens Of The Stone Age - I Sat By The Ocean
84 - Touch Sensitive - Pizza Guy
85 - Bliss N Eso - Home Is Where The Heart Is
86 - Empire of the Sun - DNA
87 - Polica - Tiff {Feat. Justin Vernon}
88 - Flume - Intro {Feat. Stalley}
89 - Fatboy Slim & Riva Starr - Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat
90 - Dan Sultan - Under Your Skin
91 - Karnivool - The Refusal
92 - Flux Pavilion - Do Or Die {Feat. Childish Gambio}
93 - Illy - On & On
94 - M.I.A - Bring The Noize
95 - The Jezabels - The End
96 - Spit Syndicate - Amazing
97 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
98 - MS MR - Fantasy
99 - Phoenix – Trying To Be Cool
100 - Vydamo - Hurricane 

Party Starter Album of the Year 2013 - WINNER!

After four BIG nominations it's time to say hello to the album that got my party started oh so much in 2013.

These two brothers released a truly polished and well produced album with guests galore and cool guests to boot. AlunaGeorge & Sam Smith headed the group with the monster smash hits "White Noise" & "Latch" respectively.

So hot right now London Grammar also added their charm to "Help Me Lose My Mind" and the big radio hits "You & Me", "When a Fire Starts to Burn" & "F For You". Speaking of "F For You" it has just this week been reworked by the Queen of Hip Hop n RnB. This is great, check it with an awesome video below:


I loved the lead up to this album and Disclosure's The Face EP, so when the album dropped and it was so damn fine, I knew this had to top some kind of end of year list or award. So here it is, PARTY STARTER ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: BIRDS OF TOKYO/KARNIVOOL

After releasing one of the biggest songs of last year "Lanterns" Birds of Tokyo hailing from Perth have gone from strength to strength. Their fourth album "March Fires" really put their stamp on the Australian music scene.

"Lanterns" came after the 2012 radio hit "This Fire" and the third and final single from the album was "When the Night Falls Quiet". Ian Kenny certainly is one of the busiest men in Australian music scene with his another group Karnivool also smashing out an album in July 2013.

The Karnivool release "Asymmetry" went to number one and featured the radio hits "We Are", "The Refusal" & "A.M. War".

Ian Kenny definitely a mover and shaker in the Australian music scene and I expect to see a few entries from him and the two groups on my final reveal of the best songs of 2013, this Sunday.

Tuesday Music News

For some great remixes (most of them Free Downloads) check out Shahaf Morans Soundcloud, he does have a great ear for good pop tunes and turning them into dance floor/workout smashes.

The Hottest 100 is back this weekend and here is the guide to what's on your radio:

Saturday from 10am AEDT - Hottest 100 of 2012 Sunday from midday AEDT - Hottest 100 of 2013 Monday from 10am AEDT - Hottest 200-101 of 2013 

Also those naughty boys did the Warmest 100 again, if your game take a peek at what they believe the Hottest 100 will include.

Laneway Festival is Sold Out, it's part of my Real Sydney Festival and the set times and maps are all up online now!

It's a big week in music and I will be posting more great achievement in Australian music in the lead up to Australia Day, I will also post the best 1-100 songs of 2013 and the Party Starter Album of 2013.

Australian Singles of 2013 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part Four

1. Vance Joy - Riptide
2. Birds of Tokyo - Lanterns
3. Matt Corby - Resolution
4. Empire of the Sun - Alive
5. Bliss N Eso - Act Your Age
6. Flume/Chet Faker - Drop the Game
7. Flume - On Top {Feat. Chet Faker}
8. Bliss N Eso - House of Dreams
9. Rufus - Take Me
10. Illy - Youngbloods
11. Bliss N Eso - My Life
12. John Butler Trio - Only One
13. Birds of Tokyo - When the Night Falls Quiet
14. Hermitude - Hyperparadise {Flume REMIX}
15. Gurrumal Yingpingu - Bayini
16. Boy & Bear - Southern Sun
17. Bliss N Eso - Home is Where the Heart Is
18. The Kite String Rangle - Given The Chance
19. Rufus - Sundream
20. Flight Facilities - Stand Still {Feat. Mickey Green}

Summer Countdown - Sun 20 January 2014

20 - Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious

19 - Broods - Bridges

18 - Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful {Cedric Gervais Remix}

17 - Lorde - Team

16 - Busta Rhymes - Thank You {Feat. Q-Tip, Kanye West & Lil Wayne}

15 - Vance Joy - Riptide

14 - Lorde - Royals

13 - Aloe Blacc - The Man

12 - Bliss N Eso - My Life {Feat. Ceekay Jones}

11 - Flume & Chet Faker - Drop the Game

10 - Avicii - Addicted to You

9 - Lily Allen - Hard out Here

8 - Avicii - Hey Brother

7 - Eminem - Monster {Feat. Rihanna}

6 - Ed Sheeran - I See Fire

5 - 360 - Impossible {Feat. Daniels Johns}

4 - London Grammar - Strong

3 - Joel Fletcher & Savage - Swing

2 - Rudimental - Free {Feat. Emeli Sande}

1 - Pharrell Williams - Happy

Party Starter Album of the Year Nomination #4 - Kanye West - Yeezus

It's the final nomination for the Party Starter Albums of 2013, the one and the only Kanye West!

So it feels so soon and only like yesterday I announced Haim as the having the album of the year and next Sunday - 8 days away I will announce the Album that started more parties than Skrillex's Bangarang.

Kanye West's Yeezus record could not be ignored, the big beat and instant killer tune "Black Skinhead", "Bound 2" and my personal favourite "New Slaves" had me thanking God or Yeezus that Kanye West was still making great music in 2013. And the thing is no one can know exactly where Kanye is headed.

The album featured the usual roster of great guests on a Kanye record and with a quick release and little lead in the album didn't feature a "Gold Digger" or "Stronger" but it did really have hits on it.

Kanye West Yeezus does it have what it takes to be Flashing Off the Records first ever Party Starter Album of 2013?

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: VANCE JOY/MATT CORBY

Both solo male stars really turned out for the Australian music scene in 2013. Matt Corby won an ARIA for "Song of the Year" for the tune "Resolution" and Vance Joy had the highest selling Australian Single of 2013 with "Riptide".

Speaking of "Riptide" it just this week debuted at number 35 in the UK Top 75 Singles. This is huge, the UK has a massive scene and this will be a hit with all the Mumford and Sons and Of Monsters & Men fans.

So 2013 it was the year for solo male singer songwriters, lets hope in 2014 we finally see that debut album from Matt Corby and some more new and exciting music from Vance Joy.

Party Starter Album of the Year Nomination #3 - Rudimental - Home

Rudimental were the lucky first nominations for the Album of the year all the way back in May 2013. The album continued to chart well and spawn single after single throughout 2013. 2012 saw Rudimental bounce onto the scene with the monster cuts "Feel the Love" & "Not Giving In" and 2013 this continued with "Waiting All Night", "Right Here" & "Free".

"Free" has become a Summer smash and all over commercial and non commercial radio. The smooth combo of good production and Emeli Sande's vocals makes for a perfect Summer tune.

Other tracks like "Baby" & "Spoons" just perfectly round this terrific disc.

It definitely started the party in 2013 but will it be the Party Starter Album of 2013? Find out real soon, right here on Flashing off the Record.

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: JAGWAR MA

Some Australian bands just click overseas and Jagwar Ma are just that. I remember reading an article on these guys in NME and thinking man these guys have made it. They are joined on their record label Future Classic by the likes of Flume, Touch Sensitive, Panama and lot's more cool Aussie acts.

Hailing from Sydney their debut album "Howlin" has been a real hit, featuring top tunes like "Man I Need", "Come & Save Me" & "The Throw". Their tune "Let Me" made Part One of my top 201 tunes of 2013 @ 195. Yes it just scrapped in but I am sure their will be some more tunes in Part Two on Australia Day.

Jagwar Ma definitely deserve their name on my list of Australians who delivered excellence in music throughout 2013.

Summer Countdown - Sun 13 January 2014

20 - Busta Rhymes - Thank You {Feat. Q-Tip, Kanye West & Lil Wayne}

19 - Eminem - Rap God

18 - The Aston Shuffle - Tear it Down

17 - John Butler Trio - Only One

16 - Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful {Cedric Gervais Remix}

15 - Lupe Fiasco - Old School Love {Feat. Ed Sheeran}

14 - Bliss N Eso - My Life {Feat. Ceekay Jones}

13 - Vance Joy - Riptide

12 - Lorde - Royals

11 - Flume & Chet Faker - Drop the Game

10 - London Grammar - Strong

9 - Lorde - Team

8 - Lily Allen - Hard out Here

7 - Avicii - Hey Brother

6 - Avicii - Addicted to You

5 - Eminem - Monster {Feat. Rihanna}

4 - Joel Fletcher & Savage - Swing

3 - Ed Sheeran - I See Fire

2 - Rudimental - Free {Feat. Emeli Sande}

1 - Pharrell Williams - Happy

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: THE PREATURES

The Preatures are a great little band out of Sydney. They delivered one of the best hit singles in 2013 on the radio and after seeing them live, they very well have a promising future.

"Manic Baby" was the follow up to the instant classic "Is this How You Feel" and it saw the crew channel the Bee-Gee's in the best kind of way. The Preatures definitely did their fair share for Australian music in 2013 earning them a nod for my Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013.

#TUNE

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: ELIZABETH ROSE/FLIGHT FACILITIES

A double whammy for today and with neither releasing an album and one featuring on the others track I thought let's kill two birds with one stone and live the good life.

Elizabeth Rose like Rufus started out on Triple J Unearthed and now she is flying high with her solo track "Good Life" & a couple of EP's prior.

Flight Facilities had the use of Elizabeth Rose's vocals on their standout tune of 2013 "I Didn't Believe" earning them buck loads of airplay and attention by those in the know. Neither have had a number in the Top 201 of 2013 yet but that all may change on Australia Day, so come back here then to find out.

In the meantime a round of applause for these two Aussie dance kings and queens, let's hope 2014 the dance floor is alive & pumping with the Flight Facilities & Elizabeth Rose.

Party Starter Album of the Year Nomination #2 - Rufus - Atlas

Nominated for the Album of the Year 2013 back on September 10th 2013 Rufus brought the Party with their debut Atlas. Hailing from sunny old Sydney the trio formed in 2010 and released their debut EP in 2011. They were the darlings of Triple J Unearthed back in the day and then came "Take Me". It was an anthem and their first commercial smash.

The album dropped along with "Desert Night" and the album debuted at number one on the ARIA charts on the 18th of August 2013.

Rufus will also be nominated and archived: 

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013

They have also had one appearance in the 201 best tunes of 2013:

159 - Rufus - Tonight

I have a sneaking suspicion the trio will have a few more numbers in my second part 100 all the way down to 1. That will be published right here on Australia Day or the day after depending if I am not celebrating another day of drinking and public displays of stupidity in Sydney or another capital city.

Well done to Rufus, they are one of four acts up for the Party Starter Album of 2013. Winner announced Australia Day AM.

Until then stay tuned for a nod to the last two nominations (Rudimental and Kanye) and more Australian Acts named and well not shamed, honoured maybe in the Excellent Contribution to Australian Music in 2013 list.

Summer Countdown - Sun 6 January 2014‏

20 - Eminem - Rap God

19 - John Butler Trio - Only One

18 - Calvin Harris & Alesso - Under Control {Feat. Hurts}

17 - Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness {Cedric Gervais Remix}

16 - Bliss N Eso - My Life {Feat. Ceekay Jones}

15 - Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful {Cedric Gervais Remix}

14 - Lupe Fiasco - Old School Love {Feat. Ed Sheeran}

13 - Lorde - Royals

12 - Vance Joy - Riptide

11 - London Grammar - Strong

10 - Flume & Chet Faker - Drop the Game

9 - Lorde - Team

8 - Lily Allen - Hard out Here

7 - Avicii - Addicted to You
6 - Joel Fletcher & Savage - Swing

5 - Ed Sheeran - I See Fire

4 - Avicii - Hey Brother

3 - Eminem - Monster {Feat. Rihanna}

2 - Rudimental - Free {Feat. Emeli Sande}

1 - Pharrell Williams - Happy

Excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013: CUT COPY

Four albums into their career, one a little under the radar, one amazing and totally set my heart on fire, one luke warm follow on and now a return to form in FREE YOUR MIND. Released November 5 2013 and with two stellar singles lifted from it, this was the comeback album.

It also falls nicely into my Party Starter Album of the Year for 2013 category. This album however is not in the running but an album like this deserved a mention for one of the leading Australian Albums of 2013.

Such slick production and killer tunes like "Meet Me in a House of Love", "Free Your Mind" & "Let me Show You Love" I was more than impressed.

Cut Copy, well done on your return to form in 2013, I can't wait to see what 2014 and beyond has in stall for this Melbourne outfit. Come back here on Australia Day to see where they make it in Part 2 of my top 201 songs of 2013. So far they have got lucky at:

199 - Cut Copy - Let Me Show You

172 - Cut Copy - Meet Me In The House Of Love

Party Starter Album of the Year Nomination #1 - Disclosure - Settle

So announced back on Monday June 24th, 2013 a BIG debut went in for the race of the Album of the Year for 2013. Disclosure's "Settle" was a damn fine debut and according to other ace music Blog's, it was the Album of the Year. Recently they just released the sixth single from the album, a killer cut "Voices", check out the ace video below:


There album "Settle" has already made an impact on my 201 songs of 2013, they came in at number 157 with some help from London Grammar for the chilled tune "Help Me Lose My Mind" & also made impact with the Ed MacFarlane featured tune "Defeated No More" @ 191. I have a funny feeling their will be more tracks when I publish tracks 1-100. For the full list of 101-201 have a click here, go on it's a public holiday indulge yourself.

Now back to "Settle" it's my first of four big nominations I will post here until January 26th and on Australia Day I will post the biggest and best Party Starter Album of 2013. Also on the way to Australia Day I will be posting excellent achievement in Australian Music. So keep an eye on Flashing off the Record as I post more reflections on 2013 than you can poke a stick at.

So first up for excellent contribution to Australian music in 2013 it's FLUME:

I granted the album the Australian Album of 2012 and in 2013 the ARIA's were all his, the J Award was his and well he released the Deluxe Edition of this terrific album and well it made the album even better if possible. Flume is a Sydney god, he is a Super Producer and I am so proud of his achievements here and abroad.

Flume is the first in my excellent achievements in Australian Music January 2014 series, more to come before Australia Day.