Friday Flash(back) - Bloc Party - Anatomy of a Brief Romance

Bloc Party formed in London in 1999 by co-founders Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, sampler) and Russell Lissack (lead guitar). Their first four albums all featured Gordon Moakes (bass, keyboards) and Matt Tong (drums), who have since left the band. 

Their current lineup also contains Louise Bartle (drums, percussion) and Harry Deacon (bass, synthesizer). Their brand of music, whilst rooted in rock, retains elements of other genres such as electronica and house music.

Upon their formation at the 1999 Reading Festival by Okereke and Lissack, the band went through a variety of names before settling on Bloc Party in 2003. Moakes joined the band after answering an advert in NME magazine, while Tong was picked via an audition. Bloc Party got their break by giving BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos a copy of their demo She's Hearing Voices.

In February 2005, the band released their debut album Silent Alarm. It was critically acclaimed, and was named Indie Album of the Year at the 2006 PLUG Awards and the NME Album Of The Year – which both honour indie music. That year, the record was also certified platinum in Britain. 

The band built on this success in 2007 with the release of their second studio album, A Weekend in the City, which reached a peak of number two in the UK Albums Chart and number twelve on the Billboard 200. In August 2008, Bloc Party released their third studio record, Intimacy, which entered the UK Albums Chart at number eight and number eighteen on the Billboard 200.

The band went on a hiatus in October 2009 to focus on side projects. 

They reunited in September 2011, and shortly thereafter released their fourth album, Four, which entered the UK Albums Chart at number three. 

In August 2013, Bloc Party released their third EP titled The Nextwave Sessions; the band then began a second hiatus following the departure of Tong, with Moakes following soon after. 

The band's fifth studio album, Hymns, was the first to involve Bartle and Justin Harris (bass); it was released on 29 January 2016. 

Their sixth studio album, Alpha Games, was released on 29 April 2022, and their fourth EP The High Life was released the following year. Deacon joined the band in 2023, following the release of The High Life. 

Their seventh album, Anatomy of a Brief Romance, was released last Friday. You can stream the entire thing below. How good is it to have the Bloc Party back!

Bloc Party have sold over 3 million albums worldwide, & are regarded as one of the key English bands in the post-punk revival of the 2000s.

The Friday Flash(back) will be back next Friday, all the way up to Halloween eve. Have a good weekend. Happy listening.

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Friday Flash(back) - Angus & Julia Stone - Karaoke Bar

Karaoke Bar is the sixth studio album from Sydney duo, Angus & Julia Stone. The album was announced in May 2026 alongside the release of the title track.The album was created across multiple locations in Greece, France and Australia and the album is shaped by the people and places they encountered.

Angus & Julia Stone formed in 2006 by siblings Angus and Julia Stone. To date, they have released six studio albums: A Book Like This (2007), Down the Way (2010), Angus & Julia Stone (2014), Snow (2017), Cape Forestier (2024), and now, Karaoke Bar.

The duo also provided the soundtrack to the 2021 video game Life is Strange: True Colours, releasing it as the soundtrack album Life is Strange in 2021. 

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010, they won five awards from nine nominations: Album of the Year, Best Adult Alternative Album, Best Cover Art and Producer of the Year for Down the Way, and Single of the Year for Big Jet Plane.

Angus & Julia Stone have also announced a date at the iconic Sydney Opera House forecourt. Sure to be one of the most special performances of the summer, don’t miss out. Tickets go on-sale today. Like now!

See you again next week for another Friday Flash(back). Have a sensational weekend!

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Friday Flash(back) - Weezer - Weezer (Gold Album)

Weezer (also known as the Gold Album) is the 12th studio album by Weezer, released last Friday.

Produced by Klas Åhlund and Kenneth Blume, the album was preceded by the singles Shine Again, We Might as Well Be Strangers, & C.E.O..

Inspired by the collaborative nature of working on a forthcoming feature film together, the writing and recording sessions marked a return to all four band members – Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell and Scott Shriner – working together as creative equals.

It is the band's first studio release in four years since SZNZ, the band's series of four mini-albums released in 2022, and their first full-length album since Van Weezer in 2021.

Weezer's Gold Album has thus far, received generally favorable reviews from critics. So who are Weezer?

Weezer formed in Los Angeles, California, back in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Scott Shriner (bass, keyboards, backing vocals). They have sold 10 million albums in the United States and over 35 million worldwide.

After signing to Geffen Records in 1993, Weezer released their acclaimed self-titled debut album, also known as the Blue Album, in May 1994. Backed by music videos for the singles Undone – The Sweater Song, Buddy Holly, & Say It Ain't So, the Blue Album became a multi-platinum success. 

Weezer's second album, Pinkerton (1996), featuring a darker, more abrasive sound, was a commercial failure and initially received mixed reviews, but achieved cult status and acclaim later. Both the Blue Album and Pinkerton have been cited among the best albums of the 1990s. Following the tour for Pinkerton, the founding bassist, Matt Sharp, left the band and Weezer went on hiatus.

In 2001, Weezer returned with the Green Album with their new bassist, Mikey Welsh. With a more pop-oriented sound, and promoted by singles Hash Pipe & Island in the Sun, it was a commercial success and received mostly positive reviews. 

After the Green Album tour, Welsh left for health reasons and was replaced by Scott Shriner. Weezer's fourth album, Maladroit (2002), incorporated a hard rock sound and achieved mostly positive reviews, but weaker sales. 

Make Believe (2005) received mixed reviews; however, its single Beverly Hills became Weezer's first single to top the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and their first to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2008, Weezer released the Red Album. Its lead single, Pork and Beans, became the third Weezer song to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart, backed by a Grammy-winning music video. 

Raditude (2009) and Hurley (2010) both featured more modern pop production, along with songs written with other artists, receiving further mixed reviews and moderate sales. 

Everything Will Be Alright in the End (2014) and the White Album (2016) returned to a rock style that was reminiscent of their 1990s sound, mixed with modern alternative production, and achieved more positive reviews, while Pacific Daydream (2017) returned to a more mainstream pop sound.

In 2019, Weezer surprise-released an album of covers, the Teal Album, followed by the Black Album.

In 2021, they released OK Human, which featured an orchestral pop sound and received acclaim, followed by the hard rock-inspired Van Weezer. In 2022, Weezer released SZNZ, a series of four mini-albums based on the four seasons. Now comes their twentieth album, the Gold Album, which you can stream below to bring on the weekend!