(Pre) Friday Flash(back)

Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow, known professionally as Sarah Blasko, will be tomorrow's Friday Flash(back).

Releasing her latest record, I Just Need to Conquer This Mountain, last Friday. It was a big week for Aussie legends last Friday with Paul Kelly also releasing his 29th album!

From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acquiesce, between the mid-1990s and 2001. She had performed under her then married name, Sarah Semmens, and, after leaving Acquiesce, as Sorija in a briefly existing duo of that name. 

As a solo artist Blasko has released seven studio albums, The Overture & the Underscore (11 October 2004), What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have (October 2006, which peaked at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart), As Day Follows Night (July 2009, which reached No. 5), I Awake (October 2012, which made No. 9), Eternal Return (November 2015), Depth of Field (February 2018) & the latest I Just Need to Conquer This Mountain last Friday.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2007, Blasko won Best Pop Release for her second album. 

Her third album won the Best Female Artist in 2009 and her fourth album was nominated for the same category in 2013. 

In October 2010 As Day Follows Night was listed at No. 19 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. Sarah also recorded an album, Seeker Lover Keeper, in New York for the group of the same name with fellow founding members and Australian singer-songwriters, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby.

The group's debut album peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Charts in June 2011, Blasko's highest chart entry. The trio embarked on a national tour to promote the album in June and July that year. Where I was lucky enough to see them live at Marrickville's The Factory Theatre.

Ahead of Blasko's Friday Flash(back), let's take in some of the sights and sounds of Blasko's excellent career to date below.

Hamilton

I occasionally go to musicals, last Friday, I was lucky enough to see Hamilton: An American Musical.

The biographical musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Based on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States. 

Hamilton was composed over a seven-year period from 2008 to 2015, the music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes. 

It casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers of the United States and other historical figures. Miranda described Hamilton as about "America then, as told by America now."

From its opening, off-Broadway in 2015, Hamilton received near-universal acclaim.

Hamilton then transferred to the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway, opening on August 6, 2015, where it received uniformly positive reviews and high box office sales.

At the 70th Tony Awards, Hamilton received a record-breaking 16 nominations and won 11 awards, including Best Musical. It received the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A filmed version of the Broadway production was released in 2020 on Disney+. Which I may even check out. However live at The Star in Sydney, it was mazing!

So if you are in Sydney, can get to Sydney or want to see a musical like no other. Go to see Hamilton now. Talk about changing gears from this week's big feature record, Amyl and the Sniffers, Cartoon Darkness. 

Speaking of changing gears, the Friday Flash(back) will also completely change the gears this week too. Come back tomorrow for a sneak peek!

Till then!

 

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - Amyl and the Sniffers - {Cartoon Darkness}

Friday Flash(back) - Laura Marling - Patterns in Repeat

(Pre) Friday Flash(back)

Laura Beatrice Marling has won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist back in 2011. Laura was also nominated for the same award at the 2012, 2014, 2016, & 2018 Brit Awards.

Marling joined her older sisters in London at age 16 to pursue a career in music. She played with a number of groups and released her debut album, Alas, I Cannot Swim, in 2008. 

Her first album, her second album I Speak Because I Can, her fourth album Once I Was an Eagle, and her seventh album Song for Our Daughter were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2020, respectively. 

Her sixth record, Semper Femina, was also nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Folk Album category, as was Song for Our Daughter.

Her songwriting is associated with sex and relationships, the modern concept of womanhood, and trauma.

Marling is the youngest of three daughters. Her mother is a music teacher. Marling's father, Sir Charles William Somerset Marling, 5th baronet ran a recording studio, introduced her to folk music, and shaped her musical taste.  She learned guitar at an early age.

Marling was privately educated at Waverly Primary School in Finchampstead, Berkshire and Leighton Park School, a Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire.

Last Friday, Laura released her eighth record, Patterns in Repeat. Marling co-produced the album with Dom Monks. It was supported by three singles: Patterns, No One's Gonna Love You Like I Can & Child of Mine.

Come back tomorrow for more Laura Marling.

Pearl - Guests