Friday Flash(back) - Kings of Leon - Can We Please Have Fun

(Pre) Friday Flash(back)

Kings of Leon will be tomorrow's Friday Flash(back). So how did the world's biggest band, go onto releasing their ninth studio album, early last month to little fan fair?

Well that is one of the reasons I wanted to bring this new blog series to life. There are so many bands that have the highest of highs (see Vampire Weekend from a few weeks back) to just releasing albums to their die hard fanbases.

Kings of Leon formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. They are brothers Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill and their cousin Matthew Followill.

The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and garage rock with blues influences, but it has evolved throughout the years to include a variety of music genres and a more alternative rock-based sound. 

Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine top 40 singles and two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their third album, Because of the Times, reached No. 1.

After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008, the band achieved chart success in the United States. The singles Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, & Notion all peaked at number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. 

The album was their first platinum-selling album in the United States, and the best-selling album of 2008 in Australia, being certified platinum nine times. The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010. Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24, 2013.

The seventh studio album, Walls, was released on October 14, 2016. Their eighth studio album, When You See Yourself, was released on March 5, 2021. Their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, was released only last month.

Can We Please Have Fun is  their first album to not be released on their original label, RCA Records. The band recorded the album at the Dark Horse Recording studios in Franklin, Tennessee, with Kid Harpoon, who produced it.

The album was announced back in February, simultaneously with the release of the lead single Mustang. The four piece will support the album with a headlining tour throughout North America, Ireland and the UK.

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - Gracie Abrams - {The Secret of Us}

Friday Flash(back) - Moby - Always Centered at Night

(Pre) Friday Flash(back)

Richard Melville Hall is normally known as Moby.

Moby has sold 20 million records worldwide. Following taking up guitar and piano at age nine, he played in several underground punk rock bands through the 1980s before turning to electronic dance music. 

In 1989, he moved to New York City and became a prolific figure as a DJ, producer and remixer. His 1991 single Go was his mainstream breakthrough, especially in Europe, where it peaked within the top ten of the charts in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. 

Between 1992 and 1997 he scored eight top 10 hits on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart including Move (You Make Me Feel So Good), Feeling So Real & James Bond Theme (Moby Re-Version).

Throughout the decade he also produced music under various pseudonyms, released the critically acclaimed Everything Is Wrong (1995), and composed music for films. His punk-oriented album Animal Rights (1996) alienated much of his fan base.

Moby found commercial and critical success with his fifth album Play (1999) which, after receiving little recognition, became an unexpected global hit in 2000 after each track was licensed to films, television shows, and commercials. 

It remains his highest selling album with 12 million copies sold. The seventh single, South Side, featuring Gwen Stefani, remains his only one to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 14. Moby followed Play with albums of varied styles including electronic, dance, rock, and downtempo music, starting with 18 (2002), Hotel (2005), and Last Night (2008). 

His later albums saw him explore ambient music, including the almost four-hour release Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep. (2016). Moby continues to record and release albums; his twenty-first studio album, Resound NYC, was released in May 2023.

Tomorrow return to stream the latest record, Always Centered at Night, his 22nd studio album. Released through Moby's label of the same name, Always Centered at Night, and Mute Records.

Moby's first release on the label was the album's first single, Meduza featuring Aynzli Jones, issued in June 2022. 

Jones also collaborated on Moby’s 2008 song Alice. Similarly to his 2023 album Resound NYC, it features collaborations with vocalists on all tracks, although the tracks are new. The album also includes a collaboration with British writer and musician Benjamin Zephaniah, who died in 2023.

So start your Thursday right with some old school Moby! 

Album of the Year Nomination #5 - CHARLI XCX - brat

Now joining the brilliant PNAU, Beyoncé, Tyla & Billie Eilish, it's time for the fifth Album of the Year Nomination.

Brat is the sixth studio album by Charli XCX. Brat was released originally on 7 June, three days later, a deluxe version with three additional tracks.

Brat debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and reached the top ten in nine additional countries including the United States. 

The album features production from Charli XCX's longtime executive producer A.G. Cook and herself, in addition to Easyfun, Cirkut, her partner George Daniel, and others. 

The album's pop sound draws on both rave music and the singer's previous experimental releases, and balances an aggressive and brash attitude with moments of vulnerability.

Charli's sixth record joins the Album of the Year race for 2024!

As we reach the middle of 2024, we are really building a great list of records for the Album of the Year race! So stream the deluxe edition of album below right now. The new three songs are EPIC BTW!

 

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - HOCKEY DAD - {Rebuild Repeat}

Friday Flash(back) RE: Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend was the definition of cool when their debut, self titled album was released back in 2008. The band's debut album, incorporated elements of indie pop, Afropop, & chamber music. It featured the anthems, A-Punk & Oxford Comma. While it has been hailed as one of the greatest debut albums.

The rock band hails New York City, forming in 2006 with cool AF lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio. Batmanglij. 

Their sophomore album, Contra (2010), was similarly acclaimed and garnered strong commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, and featuring well-received singles including Holiday.

Following Contra, in 2013 we got, Modern Vampires of the City & in 2019, Father of the Bride .

This April, they released their fifth studio album, Only God Was Above Us.

The album marks the third collaboration between the band and their longtime producer Ariel Rechtshaid. It is also the first album recorded by the band as a trio of vocalist-guitarist Ezra Koenig, bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson after the 2016 departure of keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij; 2019's Father of the Bride, the first post-Batmanglij Vampire Weekend album, was created and promoted by Koenig as a solo project with Baio and Tomson only involved for the album's tours.

I was lucky enough to see the super cool NYC group at Sydney's Metro Theatre, many years ago. The group were super fun live! Playing all their sing-a-long hits. So I am super excited to feature, Vampire Weekend as a Friday Flash(back) star. Next week, an artist who released one of those MASSIVE albums of the early 2000's that you simply could not escape! See you then.

Friday Flash(back) - Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

 

Album of the Week - CHARLI XCX - {BRAT}

Album of the Long Weekend - Offical Music Videos

Album of the (long) Week (end) - PEGGY GOU {I Hear You}

Friday Flash(back) - Crowded House - Gravity Stairs

 

(Pre) Friday Flash(back)

Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. 

Founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn (vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter) and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). 

Later band members included Finn's brother Tim who was in their former band together Split Enz, sons Liam and Elroy, as well as Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod, with Neil Finn and Seymour being the sole constant members.

Originally active from 1985 to 1996, Crowded House had consistent commercial and critical success in Australia and New Zealand.

They achieved success in the United States with their self-titled debut album, which provided the Top Ten hits Don't Dream It's Over and Something So Strong.

Further international success came in the UK, Europe, and South Africa in the early 1990s with their third and fourth albums (Woodface and Together Alone) and the compilation album Recurring Dream, which included the hits Fall at Your Feet, Weather with You, Distant Sun, Locked Out, and Not the Girl You Think You Are.

Neil and Tim Finn were each awarded an OBE in June 1993 for their contributions to the music of New Zealand.

Crowded House disbanded in 1996 following several farewell concerts that year, including the "Farewell to the World" concerts in Melbourne and Sydney.

In 2006 the group re-formed with drummer Matt Sherrod and released two further albums (Time on Earth and Intriguer), each of which reached number one in Australia.

In November 2016, the band was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

The band went on another hiatus, and reunited in 2020 with a new line-up featuring Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn's sons Liam and Elroy. Dreamers Are Waiting, was released in 2021. However return tomorrow to stream their latest record, Gravity Stairs. Which also happens to be the feature record on Double J this week.

See you tomorrow for more Crowded House.

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE - {Enhancer}

Friday Flash(back) RE: Lenny Kravitz

Leonard Albert Kravitz otherwise known as Lenny Kravitz. Is 60, can you believe it! He was born in New York, May 26, 1964.

His parents, TV news producer Sy Kravitz and actress Roxie Roker, Kravitz was exposed to the entertainment industry at a young age. Kravitz grew up in a musically diverse environment. His childhood was split between Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, leading to his early passion for music, inspired by several genres and seeing The Jackson 5 live. 

Kravitz released his debut album Let Love Rule in 1989. 

Kravitz has had hit singles, including in 1991, It Ain't Over 'til It's Over,  Again in the year 2000.

Are You Gonna Go My Way from 1993 & Fly Away in 1998, were my first intro to Kravitz. However his hit in 1999, American Woman was everywhere!

Kravitz has won several awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, which he received four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most wins in that category, and setting the record for most consecutive wins in one category by a male performer. 

Aside from his music career, Kravitz has acted in films including Precious (2009) and the first two The Hunger Games film series (2012–13). He was previously married to Lisa Bonet, with whom he has a daughter, Zoë Kravitz. Who is also a pure legend! So the Friday Flash(back) heads back to its recent origins of 1990's stars. Come back next week for a trip across the ditch to New Zealand for truly a huge group!