Southampton University's Finest Entertainment Publication 29th September 2007 SPICE WORLD? 18th May 2007 Editorial Editorial Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit Hamptons, Southampton 5th February 2008. Bonjour lovely readers! I trust you are all sitting comfortably. Perhaps reclining, sipping a fresh and steaming mug or tea, or even coffee, maybe youвЂ™re indulging in a biscuit or two. Either way, you are enjoying a well earned break, with a copy of your favourite entertainment magazine. And you are content in the knowledge that once again a combination of remarkable wit and intelligence has secured you a couple of good examination results. If not, fear not. The musicians and actors within these pages are living proof that you donвЂ™t need exam results to succeed in life. Your stunning looks and partiality for a spot of karaoke shall serve you just as well. Talking of karaoke, check out our brilliant SPICE GIRLS feature. And to fully appreciate the front cover I must stress that the headline is intended to be pronounced in a dulcet tone ala Alan Partridge, to be fully appreciated. вЂ�SpiceworldвЂ™. So we pay homage to the Worlds best pop group. Ever. Because lets face it, tickets to the re-union tour were more exciting than golden tickets into Johnny DeppвЂ™s chocolate factory. (If he had one.) And those of you who claimed you didnвЂ™t want to go? Well youвЂ™re about as fun as a picnic without crisps. We also have interviews with the brilliant FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES, THE LOVED ONES and new Bushfire sensation MATT COSTA. Not to mention the low-down on the latest records from the likes of MARS VOLTA, THE WOMBATS, AMY MACDONALD and remember those chaps UNDERWORLD? So get your read on. Helen The Edge Team: Editor: Helen Wilson Record Editor: Pete Benwell Live Editor: Phil Reynolds Film Editor: Dean Read With... Rik Sharma, Carla Bradman, Natasha Harding, Holly Kilner, Alex Jenkins, Adam Vaughan, Oliver Cragg, Danielle Richardson, Jess Francies, Gareth Brading and Heather Steele The Edge University of Southampton Highfield Southampton SO17 1BJ 023 80595230 023 80595252 [email protected] Reviewers have a dreadful tendency to compare every minor act with someone the reader might have heard of, no matter how farfetched the comparison might actually be. It just seems like a good place to start. If thatвЂ™s where I was to start then I would liken the support acts tonight to; Andrew Bird, Jeremy Warmsley and Band of Horses, but probably not in that order. It helps me because without being able to employ the use of any further description, the bands were a brilliant correlation of such sounds. Unfortunately, a combination of warm beer and high spirits means that I canвЂ™t in retrospect distinguish betweenthe three warm up acts, Mes Memoires, The B In The Bang and Fireworks Night. But with a combination of banjoвЂ™s, ukuleles and accordions they stirred myself and the entire audience, it seemed, into a remarkable sense of goof fortune and prosperity with their individual fragments of traditional folklore and a good old fashioned sense of rhythm. Then the long awaited J. Flynn took to the stage, and I realised I was not the right person to review this fellow. If only I could write reviews as good as Flynn can write songs then maybe I would be able to do him some justice. But the truth is IвЂ™m no bard, whereas Johnny and his troupe of troubadours are. Opening the set with the popular single вЂњThe BoxвЂќ, after one false start Flynn and the Sussex Wit started their tale, with gusto, encouraging the crowd into an enthusiastic jig. вЂњSweep my mass away, leave my body, leave my bonesвЂќ and everyone in the small room was swept away. Away from the patter of rain outside, and the everyday trials and tribulations which weighed heavily upon our tiny shoulders, and mustered up spirit which would challenge that of any good campfire. This was followed by the considerably lesser known, and slower number Eyeless in Halloway, a sad concerto of sinking sand, funeral priersвЂ™ and crooked dreams. The introduction of the string section seemed to somehow bring the band into full fruition. Whereas the previously somewhat skeleton sound of guitar and drums threatened not to live up to the full blown orchestra of the warm up acts. The joviality of new single Leftovers picked up the pace, and got heads a nodding and soon quieted any doubts as to why it was the Sussex Wit headlining. Small venues are brilliant for such acts, but my only concern with this particular venue, was that during the relatively quiet numbers, most notably Cold Bread, the friendly and enthusiastic banter of the barmaids somewhat distorted the experience of the song. (Although I canвЂ™t say IвЂ™m not enlightened by the blondeвЂ™s assertion that pernod is a favourite tipple of hers. IвЂ™ll bear that in mind.) Despite this, and a minor technical difficulty which was only overcome by the temporary dismissal of the celloist, the venue with its throwback decor, dim lighting and cheap drinks made a wonderful setting for this magical brand of vintage folk. The highlight of the set was saved until last however. Brown Trout Blues, a harrowing, harmonica driven, and despair soaked self-vindication. With its dirty blues riff and self-effacing lyrics, it is a beautiful poison for the bleak and desolate, or else the most effective antidote to a broken heart. вЂњWe can roll around like marbles on the floor. Please pick me up and roll me out the door.вЂќ And with that we took his advice and headed for the door. Safe in the knowledge that if only this was 1954, we would have just have been witness to a historical event. But alas, itвЂ™s not, and for all his talent and wit Johnny wonвЂ™t ever reach the dizzy heights of success that his forefathers did. But for now, that really doesnвЂ™t matter. British Bhangra Conquers Adversity to go Global Bhangra music has gone from an obscure 1960s Birmingham import to an internationally recognised artform - says the author of the first ever history of the genre. But according to Dr Rajinder Dudrah who is Head Of Drama at The University of Manchester, the music has had to struggle against cultural racism and community politics to stake its place in British popular culture. The Senior Lecturer in Film and Media Studies charts the rise and rise of the mix of Punjabi beats and lyrics, UK pop, RnB, reggae, garage, grime and other world sounds in his new book Bhangra: Birmingham and Beyond. Dr Dudrah said: "Bhangra has made a hugely important contribution to British popular music despite the attitudes of the mainstream music business.вЂќ "In the 1980s Bhangra bands were selling up to 30,000 cassettes a week in Asian music shops. But despite massive popularity, the music was and continues to be unrecognised by the oп¬ѓcial top 40 - though it outsells many of the oп¬ѓcial top 40 bands. Even though the genre now is now taught in schools, it is still sidelined by the British music establishment. When Bhangra artist Panjabi MC sampled the theme tune of 1980's TV series ' Nightrider' , it sold millions of copies globally. However it was ignored by Britain until American rap star JayZ used the tune. Bhangra music has now become a cultural backdrop: you hear it regularly for example in advertising. So surely it's now time for it to be formally acknowledged by the music industry alongside our other major artists." With contributions from Ammo Talwar head of the Midlands-based Punch Records and photographer/music journalist Boy Chana, the book is now out. Interview 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 coп¬Ђee with costa Born in Huntington Beach, CA, in 1982, Matt Costa received his first guitar at age 12. While he was always interested in music, even playing in a band in high school, CostaвЂ™s first love was skateboarding. At the age of eighteen however, a horrific skateboarding accident shattered his leg and dashed these dreams of becoming a professional skater. So he picked up his old guitar. Now focused solely on songwriting, Costa recorded a handful of demos, one of which landed in the hands of No DoubtвЂ™s Tom Dumont. The SoCal axeman went on to produced CostaвЂ™s two self-released EPs, and his 2005 studio full-length debut, Songs We Sing. CostaвЂ™s sophomore effort and second release for Jack JohnsonвЂ™s Brushfire label, Unfamiliar Faces, was released on January 22nd. So you learn other peopleвЂ™s songs that seems quite weird? The more that you take in the more that you can put out you canвЂ™t put anything out if you donвЂ™t take anything in all we do is recycle information, recycle it. ItвЂ™s like a glass bottle I put it in my ear and it comes out my other ear and then itвЂ™s a plate and I can eat off it and someone else will start spinning the plate above their head and doing tricks with it. Then someone else will smash the plate. Everything is just recycling and doing what you want with it. I heard you say in an interview that everything is influenced by something which came before it and so you went really far back to get to the bottom of it all does that mean that you think everything out there at the moment is just a copy of whatвЂ™s already been? And if so what should musicians do to recover some sort of originality? Matt is fresh off a whirlwind European tour, on which he only manJust be yourself because all of the melodies and types of songs aged a couple of London dates, but he assured me that next time round he have been written before so you really just have to put something of would be far more throrough in his roamings of our Isles. Following these yourself into them. Anyone can cover a song but itвЂ™s that person dates I caught up with the man of the Bushfire moment, for a quick chat... who does it in a great way and itвЂ™s different and that time the record spans out and stays with you. I donвЂ™t think IвЂ™ve really achieved it I love the video for Mr Pitiful, have you ever tried busking? yet and thatвЂ™s good because I think itвЂ™s all a bit downhill once you Yes at different places. It didnвЂ™t make too much money though; I think the most I ever made was about $10 once. have. Your making a bit more money now I hope! Has it helped being signed I heard you say in an interview that вЂ�the imaginary world is a lot to Jack JohnsonвЂ™s Bushfire Label, since heвЂ™s already established in the more fun than the real oneвЂ™ so what sort of things do you do in your folk genre? imaginary world? Yes, with everything heвЂ™s done. HeвЂ™s taken me on tour, and I have Everything! Imagine all the things that you want to do but you canвЂ™t complete creative control, on every record. And itвЂ™s nice because he do. Like even when youвЂ™re just walking down the sidewalk. Or maycomes from the same place as me. The Bushfire label is there just to be youвЂ™re in a car and your about to turn left and there is someone support something that is just happening; itвЂ™s not making it too crossing the road, maybe you just want to stop and jump out your c o n t r i v e d . . . . car and go grab them and say hey I think we should be together, because you might just fall in love with them. But itвЂ™s all that sort of I heard rumours that you locked yourself away in your bedroom to write stuff that you never do! this record, how far is that true? I mean, IвЂ™m concerned; did you leave for food etc? Do you feel like you are leading a regular life at the moment? I left for coffee, other than that I just had a piano and a bunch of Yes I enjoy it, itвЂ™s a lot cheaper guitars, a 1967 harmony guitar, Leister the piano heвЂ™s called Where do you see yourself in a few years time? Leicester, and heвЂ™s old. 71 this year actually and he has a lot of knowledge. In the morning IвЂ™d have coffee and then sit down and ask In a few years time I will celebrate the anniversary of you asking me Leicester a bunch of questions and by the time all that happened I just that question. had to make sure that I pushed record on my tape player, because lots Thanks Matt. h a p p e n e d . IвЂ™ve also heard that you took inspiration from your favourite books; listening to the record IвЂ™m imagining 19th century American literature like Twain, what are your favourite books? I had a whole bookcase of books. Let me see had a bunch of Steinbeck novels that IвЂ™d read because I think heвЂ™s really good. I also had this book called Riding the Rails which was based in the great depression and is all about the teenagers, because there were about 200 000 who rode freight trains all over America. Some just did it for fun, because they were from wealthy families, but most did it because they felt like they were a burden on their family. The book tells each of their individual stories. I had a bunch of records too, mainly 50вЂ™s and 60вЂ™s Donavan, the Beatles, stuff passed down from my grandparents. WhatвЂ™s on your record player now? Everything I listen to is anywhere from 60вЂ™s folk, rock, Britpop then back into early turn of the century folk music. Every month I have a new obsession musically stuff that I go back to, stuff takes about two years to digest and understand to get it in my brain. Right now IвЂ™m listening to Nick Drake five leans left, for like a week straight. This morning thinking about it and some of the songs I want to learn. Interview 18th May 2007 The Loved Ones are a pop punk band based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band was founded in late 2003 by Dave Hause (formerly of The Curse and Paint It Black) on vocals and guitar, Michael Cotterman (formerly of Kid Dynamite) on bass and Mike Sneeringer (formerly of Trial by Fire) on drums. The bandвЂ™s first release was a self-released four-song demo in 2004. The following year, they released an EP, The Loved Ones, on Jade Tree Records. Their debut album, Keep Your Heart, was then released a year later on Fat Wreck Chords After leaving Paint It Black, singer Dave Hause worked hard as a roadie for New JerseyвЂ™s The Bouncing Souls, which got the Loved OnesвЂ™ foot in the door. They eventually toured with the Bouncing Souls and many other bands, including The Explosion, Against Me!, Rise Against, Bad Religion, NOFX, and Less Than Jake. In April 2006, the band appeared on the cover of their hometown music publication, Origivation Magazine. In December 2006, a posting on the bandвЂ™s MySpace page announced that Cotterman had left the band. He was replaced by Chris Gonzalez and they also added second guitarist David Walsh. They were both formerly members of The Explosion, who had announced their split up near the time Cotterman left. The Loved Ones have announced the details about their upcoming sophomore full length. The record is titled Build & Burn and is due out February 05, 2008. The album was produced by Pete Steinkopf and Bryan Kienlen of Bouncing Souls as well as Bob Strakele who also acted as engineer and mixer. Members of the Hold Steady also provided some guest performances. DH: yeah they would be the ones IвЂ™d wish to see The loved ones have described their music as вЂ�popularist punkвЂ™. Although they arenвЂ™t exactly making music for the masses, they want their music to reach as many people as possible, and not to be hemmed into being an underground punk act. ThatвЂ™s not to say they are sellouts by any stretch of the imagination. These guys have worked hard to be were they are and there music isnвЂ™t exactly heading for the charts. It is an original blend of pop, punk, ska and hardcore which makes them a brilliantly attractive listen. For a review of their latest album, check out the review section starting on page 6. The Loved OneвЂ™s Are: Dave Hause вЂ“ Vocals / guitar David Walsh - Guitar Chris Gonzalez вЂ“ Bass guitar DW: yeah, ever since I was five years old, very young. ItвЂ™s kind of weird when you realise music is gonna be a big part of your life majorly, itвЂ™s a big risk. You still try to maintain your home life, you gotta strike a balance, but itвЂ™s working for us now. RS: What are your plans as a band? DW: Yeah, we just finished up making a record, that comes out in February, called вЂ�Build And BurnвЂ™. DH: We recorded it on a couple different places on the East Coast, with our friends Pete and Brian, they produced it, and Bob. Pete and Brian are in the Bouncing Souls, and Bob is a long time friend. We had a blast making it, and weвЂ™re really psyched about putting it out. [Some people push a giant trolley past, which makes a ridiculouslyloud trolley noise.] DW: [laughs] Do you reckon you got that sound on there? Reporter Rik Sharm caught up with guys before their show... RS: I reckon I did! If you could go to any show, any musician, alive or dead, who would it be? DH: Hmmm [thinks carefully] I would love to see Joe Strummer again. RS: Who would you say your main influences are musically? DH: I guess old rock and roll, 60вЂ™s and 70вЂ™s rock and roll, and punk from the 70вЂ™s and the 80вЂ™s. We like the Clash, the RamonesвЂ¦ the Beatles, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, RS: In the Clash? Or with the Mescaleros? DW: Either way DH: Either wayвЂ¦ I would like to see The Beatles, The Replacements, those would be the top shows I would choose. RS: Have you always wanted to be in music? DH: yeah DW: Mozart? DH: Mozart. DW: Beethoven. RS: Who are your heroes? DW: IвЂ™ve had a bunch of heroes in my life personally, my mum, for sure, my wifeвЂ¦ a lot of women. [laughs]. CG: IвЂ™d like to say at this point in my life, my mother is my hero. RS: Do you have any advice for any musicians who are starting a band? DW: I would just say the most important thing that I found, as a musician, would be to play from your heart, and just because you love music, if you love to communicate through music. If you look at it in terms of a career, or as a way to be famous or something, youвЂ™re probably gonna be let down. But if youвЂ™re playing for the sheer joy of playing, then thatвЂ™s the way to do it, and anybody could do it. CG: If you approach it in an artistic and creative way you know, then itвЂ™s a great outlet. DW: you gotta keep it humble, and grass roots, then let it grow from there. RS: And finally, whatвЂ™s it like being on Fat Wreck Chords? DH: we like being on Fat! We have a good relationship with everyone there, theyвЂ™re really professional, and really hands on. DW: and theyвЂ™re really fun too DH: yeah, you can have drinks with them CG: and they give you artistic freedom too DW: Chris and I, our old band was on a major label, RS: It sounds friendly, and a nice atmosphere DH: yeah itвЂ™s a nice atmosphere, its really good RS: That was my last question! DW: thanks for the interview RS: Thank you Records 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath By Pete Benwell The Mars Volta have always split opinion. Built from the ashes of Texan post-hardcore outfit At The Drive In, The Mars Volta are to some a breath of fresh air in a popular rock music scene dominated by dull and formulaic unit shifters (IвЂ™m looking at you, Foo Fighters), but are to others a hangover from the worst excesses of 70вЂ™s prog; self indulgent and unnecessary. Whilst debut album De-Loused In The Comatorium gained popular acclaim worldwide, subsequent eп¬Ђorts Frances the Mute and Amputechture were somewhat less well received, and the band havenвЂ™t reached the level of mainstream popularity that their initial reception suggested was possible. Instead, they remain a largely cult phenomenon, managing nonetheless to sell out tours in large-ish venues worldwide. The problem that most detractors have with The Mars Volta is that they seem to lack direction. Too much experimentation for experimentationвЂ™s sake makes listening hard work. Frances... especially was horribly cluttered with unnecessary instrumentation, and with some tracks over ten minutes long, you had to be pretty damn committed to stay the course. Thankfully The Bedlam in GoliathвЂ™s longest track is a вЂ�mereвЂ™ nine and a half minutes, and the album starts with a refreshingly straightforward direction that makes the prospect of listening to the whole aп¬Ђair a lot less daunting. Opener вЂњAberinkulaвЂќ abruptly kicks things oп¬Ђ with a fat guitar riп¬Ђ and Cedric BixlerвЂ™s electrifying screech of vocals. Combined with cascading drums and a torrent of sax, it makes for an invigorating opener. Followed by the similarly emphatic вЂњMetatronвЂќ and the dirty groove of вЂњIlyenaвЂќ, the initial stages of The Bedlam in Goliath seem to resurrect ghosts of At The Drive In, and theyвЂ™re all the better for it вЂ“ heavy and exciting but tapered with the experimental flair of Omar Rodriguez-LopezвЂ™s guitar work. This re-found rock edge rears its ugly but welcome head at points throughout the album, to most devastating eп¬Ђect on the albumвЂ™s centrepiece, the nine and a half minute opus вЂњCavalettasвЂќ, Lopez and new addition John FruscianteвЂ™s guitars tearing all over the place, rocketing the track into the stratosphere. The lumbering вЂњGoliathвЂќ, meanwhile, is blessed with the closest The Mars Volta have ever got to a pop chorus, before descending into an orgy of guitar masturbation. Unfortunately, this rocking new dynamic doesnвЂ™t last for the whole album. Perhaps inevitably for anyone whoвЂ™s familiar with their work, at points, The Bedlam in Goliath descends into pointless experimentation to such a self indulgent extent you can practically hear them air high-fiving each other around the mixing desk. вЂњSoothsayerвЂќ is probably the worst culprit of this; nine minutes and eight seconds of tangled guitars and screeching strings that achieves very little apart from confusion. At other points on the album Cedric BixlerвЂ™s yelps become irritating, victims of overuse of eп¬Ђects. Of course, thereвЂ™s nothing wrong with experimentation per se; but when it doesnвЂ™t create any kind of atmosphere; doesnвЂ™t take the song in any direction then it just gets boring. So, The Bedlam in Goliath is far from perfect by any means. The Mars Volta havenвЂ™t managed to completely cut the crap; the album is splattered with a lot of pointless guitar noodling and unintelligible vocals. Yet, at points, this experimentation combines with a heavy quality that recalls their hardcore roots, and it really works. I suppose The Mars Volta are a quintessential вЂњmarmiteвЂќ band вЂ“ some will love the dense and complex instrumentation and wilfully experimental edge, whilst others will be put oп¬Ђ. However, despite being patchy in places, this eп¬Ђort at least shows a will to entertain the listener rather than simply indulge their wildest bedroom mirror and tennis racket prog-rock fantasies, and for that, itвЂ™s well worth a listen. вЂ�The Bedlam in GoliathвЂ™ is out now on Universal. The Mars Volta are touring the UK during March. Matt Costa- Unfamiliar Faces By Phil Reynolds In a music scene where dreamy eyed pop-folk troubadours come ten a penny, something special is required to lift oneself above the haze of James Morrison, Paolo Nutini and their floppy fringed ilk. Breathing new life into an already over-crowded sub-genre, newcomer Matt Costa is exactly that special something, a pure, and accomplished song-writing talent that will give the Jack Johnsons and James Blunts of this world cause for serious concern. CostaвЂ™s second album, which hit the shops last month, is an joyously complex patchwork of influences and musical styles, woven together by tight production and an admirable musicianship rarely seen in todayвЂ™s top forty. Although CostaвЂ™s guitar occupies the central position in most tracks, each one demonstrates an impressive variety of musical styles and arrangements that distance CostaвЂ™s oп¬Ђering from the dreary sound-a-likes of Morrison and Blunt. вЂ�LilacsвЂ™ is a soft, bouncing folk ballad that wouldnвЂ™t sound out of place on a Seth Lakeman album; gentle, lightly strummed guitars and cymbals wind over soft synthesisers, allowing CostaвЂ™s reedy vocals to play over the top. вЂ�ViennaвЂ™ sees Costa turning his hand to a chilled out lounge music style, which work surprising well with the acoustic guitar. Soft echoes and some delicate voice work lift the song into a soothing uptempo ballad. Elsewhere, вЂ�Never Looking BackвЂ™ catches Costa at his most reflective, a single, melancholy guitar is the order of the day, backed by soft, sombre harmonica parts; the song is pure folk-rock, in the darker spirit of Simon and Garfunkel or James Taylor; and a merciful reminder that CostaвЂ™s range extends beyond the gratingly cheerful folk-pop of his stablemates. Of course, Costa does indulge those moments; but when he does, he approaches them with a refreshing verve and bent for experimentation. Particularly noticeable is вЂ�Emergency CallвЂ™ a summery ballad that incorporates both piano and trumpets around CostaвЂ™s lively (and impressively energetic) acoustic guitar work, and is sure to become one of this summerвЂ™s biggest hits. Unfortunately, itвЂ™s these more exuberant moments that also let the album down, Matt CostaвЂ™s first single, вЂ�Mr.PitifulвЂ™ is a dreary piece of swaggering indie-pop. Led by simple piano arrangements and a distracting falsetto performance, the track feels like a disappointing attempt to conform to chart and genre expectations, instead of taking the bolder step of establishing himself apart from his rivals. Ignoring the insipid first single, Matt CostaвЂ™s first major label release is a beautiful, uplifting collection of pared down folk, delivered with an impressive modern edge, this is folk for the i-pod generation. вЂ�Unfamiliar FacesвЂ™ is out now on Brushfire. Records 18th May 2007 The Mountain Goats- Heretic Pride By Helen Wilson The Mountain Goats are, as yet, still to be sniп¬Ђed out by the savage wolves of success. Despite averaging an album per year since their formation in 1995, they are still straying in deserted moorland territories, unknown to the entire population of the U n i te d Kingdom, it w o u l d seem. But anybody who appreciates music knows, metaphors a b o u t m o n e y , success, fame and glamour really donвЂ™t matter. What does is the quality of the music, and in this case it is superb. I love that sense of relocation that a book or song can give you. Listening to the Mountain Goats I honestly feel like IвЂ™m at the helm Mojave Desert. In fact IвЂ™m sitting of 1956 Ford Mustang (Coupe) at my desk, have no interest in steering down a highway in the cars, and havenвЂ™t travelled that far The Loved Ones - Build and Burn By Rik Sharma The Loved Ones sound has expanded for this, their third album, and their second on Fat Wreck. From the pop-punk music that adorned those eп¬Ђorts, it has evolved to give a larger spectrum of sound; with definite country influences along with good old fashioned rock вЂ�nвЂ™ roll combining with their punk sound. One of the best things about the band is Dave HauseвЂ™s rough, unpolished vocals, and this is noticed immediately as the album starts, as his voice powerfully enhancing the bandвЂ™s music, particularly impressive on opener вЂ�Pretty Good YearвЂ™. The opening two tracks infact, are probably two of the three strongest on the disc; coming straight from The Loved OnesвЂ™ punk rock roots. The third track, вЂ�The BridgeвЂ™, is much slower in comparison, with a steady beat, and it retains the feel good feel from the warm vocals. вЂ�SarahвЂ™s GameвЂ™ is a surprisingly touching story about a woman who, from the first verses it appears the listeners are meant to dislike, as she plays games with men, teases them and twists them round her little finger, but as the song progresses, it is clear to see that she is the one losing out because of it. вЂ�Brittle HeartвЂ™ continues the motif of building and burning that the album is West in America. Ever. This Iowa based minstrel (John Darnielle) spins yards of yarn and fables, the usual southern America, post-depression blues. Stories about love and love making, songs about running away, but ultimately about coming back home, and of course songs about spies from Imperial China (that all important political element?) are all sung in deep and raspy tones, which make you one part tearful and one part giddy (and makes it damn near impossible to emulate his choral soar in Karaoke). Opener вЂ�Sax Rohmer #1вЂ™ was written in reaction to one of Sax RohmerвЂ™s infamous spy novels, and more specifically as a dedication to the character FuManchu. It is a vivid, pulsating, heavily articulated ragged camp fire anthem. Every moment leads toward its own sad end, and the song drums up momentum , with the advancing and complicated plot straining JohnвЂ™s voice into its final hoarse plea вЂњI am coming home to you, if itвЂ™s the last thing that I do.вЂќ вЂ�San BernardinoвЂ™ follows in a totally diп¬Ђerent vein. The story follows a young unmarried couple who gives birth to a baby boy in a cheap motel, oп¬Ђ a freeway in the High Desert, California. A dark take on the nativity tale, the angelic harp plucked guitar and orchestral strings, ignore the morality of it all and conclude with an impassioned sentimental resonance. As a rule The Mountain Goats are a vocal heavy band, based on; the band say that the record has an underlying theme of peopleвЂ™s decisions in life, and how they have a large impact for either good or bad, how sometimes something good is there for you, yet you tear it down. Along with вЂ�Selfish MasqueradeвЂ™ these two tracks are amongst the softest on the album, a departure from the raucous, driven earlier tracks, not necessarily a welcome one, but the band prove they are adept at playing this music too. With the slower tracks comes a little less originality, and they could be considered to be bordering on the edge of blandness at times. relying on the merit of their clever, pathos ridden and poetically inventive lyrics. But on this album they experiment more musically, inviting the musically multi-lingual Eric Friedlander to improvise over the guitar and vocal arrangements. The result is a much more interesting variety of sounds. Sometimes rather aggressively, such as on вЂ�Lovecraft in BrooklynвЂ™, The Mountain Goats adopt a much more conventional sound of guitars, bass and drum, which results in a unique and beguiling rock вЂ�nвЂ™ roll number. In other instances, such as вЂ�In the Craters of the MoonвЂ™ they exploit the theatrical build up of the song with the supplement the dramatic tension of the song with an orchestral break. вЂ�I start to sweat I canвЂ™t cool downвЂ™ shouts John, their songsfrantic and impassioned, down to the last augmented chord. Not quite typical Yankee folk, these guys take influence from pioneers such as Donavan and Dylan, and bring it into the twenty-first century. Full blown band blues. The Mountain Goats are chronically under-rated, I sigh again after listening to Heretic Pride. вЂ�Heretic PrideвЂ™ is out now on 4AD. A couple of the standout tracks, however, is the sad вЂ�3rd ShiftвЂ™, followed by вЂ�LouisianaвЂ™. This latter track is the main country influence on the disc, and provides the easiest song to sing along to. Closely behind is вЂ�Dear LauraвЂ™, which brings back a punkier feel. The final track on the CD is the love song вЂ�I SwearвЂ™, probably the most accomplished number here, a great album closer, and a possible future a good live set ender also. The record is always solid, and at times, touches of greatness are displayed, but overall it remains at a fairly similar, always listenable, but not always exceptional, level, and it is clear that this band has produced a good record, but a record that was always firmly within their capabilities. вЂ�Build and BurnвЂ™ is out now on Fat Wreck Chords. St Vincent - Marry Me By Holly Kilner Having already toured with The National and Arcade Fire, this year looks promising for St. Vincent. Formerly of The Polyphonic Spree, Annie Clark, American multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter creates haunting yet beautiful music, comparable to the likes of Regina Spektor and Bat For Lashes. Debut Marry Me sees her unique blend of beguiling and striking vocals met with a mish mash of instruments from guitars and organs to xylophones and French horns. The result is a beautifully crafted and original debut, ranging from the crazed melodies of fairground-esque tracks such as вЂ�Paris Is BurningвЂ™, with an almost waltz like chant of вЂ�dance poor people dance and drownвЂ™, to the soft bluesy style of вЂ�Human RacingвЂ™. St VincentвЂ™s a singer songwriter with a diп¬Ђerence, with weird and wonderful lyrics covering the serious to the often tongue in cheek and quirky. Oп¬Ђering a wide range of sounds, album opener вЂ�Now, NowвЂ™ enchants with its soft vocals, organs and strings. Whilst the edgier вЂ�Your Lips Are RedвЂ™ is rockier, blending pianos, violins and percussion with bass, synthesisers and distortion. The brilliant mixing of genres and mesmerising vocals really defines the album which blends a complete myriad of sounds with ease. Each track builds brilliantly and oп¬Ђers something diп¬Ђerent from the last. An impressive debut, Marry Me oп¬Ђers a unique blend of rock, soul and indie beats with hand-clapping aplenty. вЂ�Marry MeвЂ™ is out now on Beggars Banquet. Interview American hardcore outfп¬Ѓit From Autumn to Ashes have been feverishly touring the UK supporting Hundred Reasons, and on their travels swung down to pay Southampton University a visit. Interviewer Rik Sharma caught up with the band, before the show, for a quick chatвЂ¦ RS: So! Introduce yourselfвЂ¦ BD: IвЂ™m Brian, I play guitar in From Autumn to Ashes RS: BD: evil. Describe your Loud. Loud Not unlike sound and AC/DC. RS: What are your next plans as a band then? BD: Well, weвЂ™re touring, mainland Europe, Australia, Brazil and Japan, and weвЂ™ve started writing new music, so hopefully it will be out by the end of the summer. RS: Are you looking forward to the seeing the world then? BD: yeah weвЂ™ve been to Australia and Asia before but we have never been to Brazil! I love Australia, love Japan, IвЂ™m sure IвЂ™ll love Brazil, itвЂ™s all good! RS: Why was the new album called вЂ�Holding a Wolf by the EarsвЂ™? BD: We thought it was a clever name, really nothing beyond thatвЂ¦. IвЂ™m kidding! There is actually a meaning to itвЂ¦.. noвЂ¦ it was just clever [laughs]. RS: Are you planning to play Reading Festival again? BS: YeahвЂ¦ weвЂ™ve done it twice now, anytime they wanna have me back, IвЂ™ll go! at RS: Who are your main inп¬‚uences as a band? You mentioned AC/DC earlierвЂ¦ BS: I was kidding about that.. I donвЂ™t really think they inп¬‚uence our band too much, except for listening to themвЂ¦ we all pretty much listen to different things, I donвЂ™t think thereвЂ™s much crossover even in the band.. SoвЂ¦ IвЂ™d say anything from between Barbara Streisand and DSL. We like to take it all in, and make a little schmorgusboard ofвЂ¦ delicious rock music. RS: When you record, how does your sound come together? BS: Well I donвЂ™t think thereвЂ™s ever a conscious effort to sound a certain way, but once things start to come together they just keep on going from there RS: Do you have any advice to people trying to start a band? BS: DonвЂ™t! DonвЂ™t start a band. Go to school. Get a real job. Find a nice lady, marry that ladyвЂ¦ get divorced by that lady and thenвЂ¦ hopefully that lady had a lot more money than you did, take money from her! [laughs] No, I donвЂ™t knowвЂ¦ you wanna start a band, do it! Just know that if you wanna make this your job, 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 that its not like playing a gig on the weekend, youвЂ™re gone! Say goodbye to everybody you know, if you have a girlfriend, say goodbye to her too, cause sheвЂ™s breaking up with you. RS: So you spend a lot of time away from home, on tour? BS: 10 months out of the yearвЂ¦ your girlfriend, your friends, youвЂ™re not gonna have вЂ�em anymore. You have to make a decision whether this is more important than having a normal life. RS: And would you say it was worth it? BS: Yeah if it works out its worth it! But if not, I guess you could always go backвЂ¦ but itвЂ™s been worth it for me! RS: Do you have any bad habits? BS: I smokeвЂ¦I smokeвЂ¦ IвЂ™m an alcoholic, IвЂ™m a drug addictвЂ¦. I have a lot of bad habitsвЂ¦ [Suddenly] I donвЂ™t look at porn really! So thatвЂ™s not like one of my vicesвЂ¦ thatвЂ™s kind of redeeming, you know.. IвЂ™m not like a creepy, grimy guy! So I smoke and drink and do drugs, but other than that IвЂ™m pretty good! RS: jobs what BS: Have you had any other other than this? And was the worst of them? Yes! I got п¬Ѓred from working in a shoe store, years ago, before the band! And then actually right after that we went on tour! I sold Vans. RS: How did you get п¬Ѓred? BS: I guess I wasnвЂ™t good at selling shoes! I had to go open up the store in the morning and I probably didnвЂ™t show up on timeвЂ¦ I KNOW I didnвЂ™t show up on time! And I had to open the place, and kids were outside trying to buy shoes, and I wasnвЂ™t there! So I guess thatвЂ™s why they п¬Ѓred meвЂ¦ RS: but its turned out really well! BS: Yeah, thinks have worked out ok for me! That was a terrible jobвЂ¦ it wasnвЂ™t a hard job or anything, it was just a terrible job man. When they п¬Ѓred me, I was just likeвЂ¦ okay! I didnвЂ™t even care that I didnвЂ™t have money or anythingвЂ¦ but thatвЂ™s ok cause I hate you. I hated selling shoes, nothing good about selling sneakers to people. RS: WhatвЂ™s your ideal day now? BS: On tour or at home, thereвЂ™s two different ideal days! RS: Both! BS: Well, at home, I like waking upвЂ¦ fairly early, playing with the dogs, three dogs, I like hanging out with themвЂ¦ then I start drinking at 11 am and that pretty much takes over for the rest of the day! And my guitar! ThatвЂ™s a great dayвЂ¦ and then on tourвЂ¦ all those things, but minus the dogs! Followed by a good show, and good people to hang around with, the other bands, it helps to be on tour with bands that are good guys and have fun and stuff. Just stuff thatвЂ™s not very stressful or anything, it has to do with the people that youвЂ™re around. RS: Thanks! BS: Thank you very much! From Autumn to Ashes are currently on a headline tour around Europe. Their album Holding a Wolf by the Ears is out now to buy or download! 18th May 2007 Live SPICE UP YOUR LIFE! SPICEGIRLS RE-UNION TOUR. 9TH JANUARY 2007 O2 ARENA, LONDON. The Spice Girls. Some revel in criticising their songs, making fun of their costumes and sometimes even insulting their fans. These people we generally refer to as boys. Personally I was there with the best of them on Boxing Day 1997 waiting to see the Spice Girls movie for the п¬Ѓrst time. Having owned all the albums and even some of the merchandise going to see the Spice Girls reunion tour was a natural step. But 1997 was a long time ago and was I ready to be a Spice Girls fan again. The O2 arena formally known as the millennium dome is a large entertainment district complete with a cinema, exhibitions, ice skating rink, restaurants, and the O2 arena. This world class venue has played host to many big names such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. Its great acoustics and wide range of facilities perfect to hold the Spice GirlвЂ™s reunion tour. On the 9th January 2007 this complex was littered with spice girls fans waiting to relive their childhoods. Men in drag stood patiently waiting for their friends, dressed in fetching union jack dresses and ginger wigs and merchants paced through the crowds trying to п¬‚og grossly overpriced programmes. Excitement п¬Ѓlled the air and crowds piled into the arena п¬Ѓlling all of the 20,000 available seats. Suddenly darkness and the atmosphere became electric each fan looking desperately for where their childhood icons would appear on stage. Could it be through the stage doors or down the spiral staircase and then in time honoured pop band tradition the Spice Girls appeared, shooting up though the п¬‚oor. The Spice Girls began their set with Spice Up Your Life, the live band bringing the song to life and fans everywhere screaming out every lyric. Following this they performed such hits as stop and say youвЂ™ll be there with classic dance routines to match. Between each costume change a plethora of dancers entertained the crowds really showing off why this tour sold out in 38 seconds. At every stage of this performance the Spice Girls were not afraid of friendly banter with the crowd. They even managed to slip in the odd joke about TescoвЂ™s and indulge in the odd spot of вЂ�dadвЂ™ dancing. About midway through this concert the Spice Girls costume changes take a step into the past as they don their original trade mark outп¬Ѓts. As the guitars kick in with the funky riffs of Who Do You Think You Are, Ginger Spice appears out of the п¬‚oor in her union jack dress, sending the crowd into a fury. Each of the Spice Girls then appear out of the darkness in their own trade mark outп¬Ѓt. No come back tour would be complete without such iconic clothing. The Spice Girls then go on to perform some of their biggest solo endeavours such as ItвЂ™s Raining Men. I Turn To You, and Maybe. Mel BвЂ™s performance stands out, covering Lenny KravitzвЂ™s Are You Gonna Go My Way she takes what is a legendary song and makes it her own. The Spice Girls performed mama complete with videos of their own childhoods and a child choir sending the crowd into mass swaying. Also they performed Goodbye and Wannabe before п¬Ѓnally п¬Ѓnishing with a reprise of Spice Up Your Life. One thing that was clear from this concert is that the Spice Girls are great performers. In the past they may have mimed on top of pops but this time they sung without the help of machines or studio magic and just relied on what are truly good voices. Slowly the stadium emptied and the magic was over. Crowds piled onto the tube network and women covered head to toe in Spice Girls merchandise chatted about how close to David Beckham they got to sit, bragging to anyone who would care to listen. It was all over but it left you with a nice happy feeling like you had made your 9 year old self proud. The Spice GirlвЂ™s reunion tour known for its record price tag, each Spice Girl set to earn ВЈ10 million from the show, has certainly caused a fuss in the British media over the last few months. Associated with cheesy advertising telling us in п¬Ѓve different ways that they are indeed getting back together and other corny publicity, some have claimed that they are only in it for the money. But in their own words they wanted to put on the greatest pop show the world had ever seen. Did they achieve this? I think they did and I got the impression that 20,000 other people that night agreed with me. The Spice Girls have cancelled the rest of their World tour. So if you missed them, well silly silly you. Live Plain White TвЂ™s Southampton Guildhall 29/1/2008 Cartel and Girls Like Boys were the supporting acts for the Plain White TвЂ™s at Southampton Guildhall. Both acts were well worth seeing in their own right. Girls Like Boys especially were a complementary band to be playing alongside The Plain White TвЂ™s. They successfully warmed up the audience by blasting out a number of their songs, and certainly were crowd pleasers. The Plain White TвЂ™s began their set with their latest single to be released in the UK: вЂ�Hate (I Really DonвЂ™t Like You)вЂ™. Immediately I realised that my assumptions of The Plain White TвЂ™s, and expectations of the gig, had been amiss. Based on the slow and sentimental single вЂ�DelilahвЂ™, that was a bit hit at the close of last year, and from hearing their album вЂ�Every Second CountsвЂ™ I anticipated quite a tame gig, verging on the boy-band. How very wrong I was. From the minute the band came on stage the atmosphere in the packed out Guildhall became electric. Having pushed our way through the crowd, many of whom were sporting plain white t-shirts, and being only a few rows from the front I wasnвЂ™t quite prepared for the ground beneath me to literally start shaking from the force of the Plain White TвЂ™s audience jumping up and down. The crowd mainly consisted of teenage girls, and therefore the front few rows quickly became a mosh pit of screaming fans. Turning to look back at the rest of the audience it was amazing to see everyone dancing and clearly enjoying themselves. Everyone in the Guildhall was actively participating in the music of The Plain White TвЂ™s. 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 The Plain White TвЂ™s sang all of the songs from the album вЂ�Every Second CountsвЂ™. The live versions were defi nitely more вЂ�rockвЂ™ than the albumвЂ™s renditions of the songs. In fact The Plain White TвЂ™s live versions of their songs were much more energetic and enthusiastic than the recorded versions, and in many ways preferable. Perhaps they might take the lead of stars such as Paolo Nutini, who have successfully released live editions of their albums. The Plain White TвЂ™s also did a few songs from their fi rst album including вЂ�Lonely SeptemberвЂ™. The charisma of the band, in particular of Tim Lopez, one of the guitarists, and Tom Higgenson, the lead singer meant that they had a powerful hold over the crowd. At one point Tom Higgenson leapt into the crowd to meet his audience, to the delight of the waiting female fans. The band obviously enjoyed performing as much as the Guildhall enjoyed seeing them perform. Several times they stopped to talk and interact with the crowd, striking up an instant repertoire, as well as engaging in some banter with a fan on the topic of вЂ�man-loveвЂ™. After apparently finishing the gig there was much clamour for more from The Plain White TвЂ™s. The band came back on stage giving their eager audience not one finale song, but two. The encore of вЂ�DelilahвЂ™, the single that brought The Plaint White TвЂ™s to the attention of the British public, was particularly impressive. The audience, showing their admiration of the band, sang along to all the lyrics of вЂ�DelilahвЂ™. The Plain White TвЂ™s were visibly overwhelmed by this. The gig ended with вЂ�Take Me AwayвЂ™ and a promise from The Plain White TвЂ™s that after they had finished recording their new album in America this summer, they would be back in England touring for their fans. Natasha Harding Further Listening.... Albums вЂ�Every Second CountsвЂ™ - 2006 вЂ�All That We NeededвЂ™ - 2005 DownloadвЂ�Hey There DelilahвЂ™ вЂ�Hate (I Really DonвЂ™t Like You)вЂ™ Live 18th May 2007 Alter Bridge Southampton Guildhall 24/1/08 After meeting the band earlier on in the day, and realising just how lovely they were, I started to really look forward to the gig. My excitement heightened when my flatmate agreed to escort me, and being her fi rst-ever gig, I could not wait to open her eyes to the thrill and excitement that accompanies at least the start of every performance. We arrived and headed straight towards the stage, albeit hesitantly on Wendy (my fl atmateвЂ™s) part. I promised a speedy exit further back after she had at least experienced the outskirts of a mosh pit. After the customary chanting of вЂ�Alter Bridge, Alter Bridge,вЂ™ the band arrived on stage and started making their noise. While I am sure the band kicked off to a great start, my attention at that moment took a diversion. Right in front of Wendy and I, the fi rst fi ght of the night erupted. A man intent on crowdsurfing half jumped on a fl oppyhaired 10-year-old, and this got the back of his fl oppy-haired father up. My new best friend, the head of security, who I had spent twenty minutes talking to Hundred Reasons, Exeter Lemon Grove 14/01/08 before the interview, stepped in and dragged the almost-surfer out, pausing only to say hi and to wish me a good night. I turned and looked at Wendy, who looked a little surprised that this type of behaviour seemed to be a usual occurrence. The band played вЂ�Ties that BindвЂ™ to great rapture. At this point I decided to lead by example and scared Wendy with my passionate jumping and head-throwing. Slightly surprised by this вЂ�sideвЂ™ of me, she hesitantly joined in until I pointed out other women doing the same to show her, in case she was in any doubt, just how ridiculous we looked. It was at this stage in the evening that my opinion on female moshers changed. After a particularly scary experience, I now believe it is only acceptable if precautions are taken and sports bras are worn. A few songs later and we hear the opening riffs of вЂ�Blackbird;вЂ™ the title of the current album and a beautifully written song by Myles Kennedy (lead singer,) about a friend whoвЂ™s fight with a long-term illness was coming to an end. The crowd calmed in appreciation to the well-known importance of the song to the band. The few people in the crowd with lighters held them up, a little swaying ensued, and the song sounded just as incredible as I had hoped live. With what was certainly the highlight of the evening over, I decided it was unfair to keep Wendy rammed in amongst a variety of new smells to her for any longer, and we headed towards the back. The band were good and gave an enjoyable performance, but the best part for me was reliving and recapturing the true spirit and atmosphere of my very first gig. Carla Bradman Further Listening... Albums вЂ�BlackbirdвЂ™ - 2007 вЂ�One Day RemainsвЂ™ - 2004 Download вЂ�Stand Here With MeвЂ™ вЂ�Watch Over YouвЂ™ вЂ�BlackbirdвЂ™ вЂ�Ties That BindвЂ™ Hundred Reasons emerged onto the stage and completely dominated the stage, with an imperious, fun, and highly energetic performance, of their modern rock songs which they transfer from the studio to the stage with a vibrant, uplifting party feel. The first few songs in particular are blasted through, with an uplifting, wild energy that the crowd shared, as they sang along as one. They had been waiting for this; the crowd response was much larger than it had been for From Autumn to Ashes; which is a shame, because they delivered a solid set and deserved more. Before FATA were the crowd warmers вЂ�Flood of RedвЂ™, whose act was reasonable, although very few people were there to see the benefit of it, as the room began to fill slowly, a long time after they had departed. From Autumn to Ashes had put a lot into their act, and with a setlist that encompassed most of their best material, could not be said to have done anything wrong, but their style of music differs a lot from the much lighter and more upbeat band they were supporting, perhaps why the audience did not take to them as much as one would have thought. The setlist that Hundred Reasons delivered left few complaints, with a variety of songs from their albums, the most popular ones seemed to be from their third album, вЂ�Kill Your OwnвЂ™, and indeed, one of the songs of the night was the title track for that album. That track followed вЂ�Feed the FireвЂ™; another off of that disc, and it ended a powerful opening segment. The middle segment of the gig interestingly seemed to lose some of its energy; perhaps the crowd had grown tired, but soon enough as the band claimed that вЂ�No Way BackвЂ™ would be their last track, the enthusiasm picked up, and the crowd chanted for an encore, which was duly delivered. вЂ�Broken HandsвЂ™, the opening track on KYO was raucously received, and the crowd loved it. The new material was used sparingly, but not ignored, as the band opened with вЂ�Break the GlassвЂ™, showing they respect their fans in that they wonвЂ™t just tour behind a new album, omitting all the fan favourites. All in all, Hundred Reasons delivered a high tempo, very good performance, their sing-along-able songs and their skill in translating the records to stage with a lighter demeanour definitely one of the many positives this gig had. Hundred Reasons come definitely recommended, next time their around on tour, just be prepared to bring a lot of energy, and leave feeling happy yet tired. Rik Sharma WE NEED YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS! Send your gig reviews to вЂ�[email protected]вЂ™ and see your name (and your article) in print! Records 18th May 2007 The Feeling- I Thought It Was Over By Gareth Brading Year upon year, The Feeling have been consistently growing in popularity. Since they debuted in 2006 with their EP Four Stops and Home, they have continued to churn out some great songs, such as вЂњNever Be LonelyвЂќ and вЂњFill My Little WorldвЂќ last year, the latter of which was nominated for Best British Single at the Brit Awards. вЂњI Thought It Was OverвЂќ is no exception. Already getting high airtime on radio stations across the country, the song The Wombats Moving to New York By Jess Francies When reviewing the latest single from the Liverpool three-piece I do have to admit to a certain amount of bias as my younger sister would like to believe she is an unoп¬ѓcial mascot for the band and if she were to discover any bad mouthing I would no longer be welcome in the family home. However all sibling blackmail aside the song is a huge delicious slice of indie pop with added medical advice, suggesting the only cure for insomnia is a swift relocation to the Big Apple. With previous singles suggesting that one should either dance to Ian CurtisвЂ™ suicide notes or excessively repeat вЂ�this is no Bridget JonesвЂ™ there is clear element of immaturity throughout the groups repertoire. Yet the childlike quality to their music only emphasises the success of their naughty and cheeky catchiness. As a self-confessed critic of the rerelease, it is my usual code of conduct that a band should only try once yet for The Wombats there is still a great sense of freshness and newness to the track that it is merely a treat for those lucky few that heard it first time round. By Jess Francies Like so many bands in todayвЂ™s indie world it appears to be a necessary requirement that the band name should be utterly ridiculous and diп¬ѓcult to pronounce. Obviously this band has no trouble filling that quota however their music also unfortunately reflects that absurdity. вЂ�Pretty GirlвЂ™ is a standard boy sees girl, boy develops вЂ�I Thought It Was OverвЂ™ is out February 11th on Island. By Danielle Richardson Perhaps best known for their 90вЂ™s club classic вЂ�Born SlippyвЂ™, that is still insanely popular today, the DJ duo, Underworld, are back with a new single. вЂ�Beautiful BurnoutвЂ™ is unfortunately nowhere near as addictive as their former hits, but definitely has itвЂ™s own charm about it. With a much more chilled out - even mature вЂ“ sound, and trademark surreal edge the last three minutes, in particular, of the mammoth eight minute LP is very listenable. The track prior to this point sort of seems like more of an elaborate introduction. All in all, I do like the song, it doesnвЂ™t generate much excitement but it would be perfect for any classy London clubвЂ™s вЂ�chillout roomвЂ™вЂ¦just not so much for the down and dirty raves. Amy MacDonald - Run By Gareth Brading Although Amy MacDonald has only been in the public eye for a short time, she is already taking Britain by storm. Her first album This Is The Life, was released back in July 2007, but only rose to number one in the charts in January 2008. I am therefore slightly disвЂ�Beautiful BurnoutвЂ™ is out now on appointed by AmyвЂ™s latest single, Underworldlive. вЂњRunвЂќ. Her frankly superb voice, which excels on songs such as her previous single вЂњMr. Rock and RollвЂќ, is let down here by a tedious track with his sinister preacherand slightly pretentious tune. You like vocals. Raw, spoken word get the feeling that MacDonald is style verses build to a chant-like press release Cave explains how moving out of her own wonderful chorus, edgily delivered over the story disturbed him as a child, heavy bass. Dig, Lazarus DigвЂ™ brand of folk-pop, into an overly an element incorporated into the majestic and melodramatically is the follow up to 2004s sweeping creation here; somedouble oп¬Ђering Abattoir thing which really doesnвЂ™t suit her. Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus The soft acoustic guitar is often and returns to the heavier lost amongst a plethora of electric side of the split. With the same producer, the new sin- strings, though her singing does gle suggests the new album remain strong throughout. So, while this isnвЂ™t the beginning of will be as good as the last. the end for Amy, it might be the end of the beginning. вЂ�Dig, Lazarus, Dig!вЂ™ is out February 18th on Mute Records. Nick Cave uis touring вЂ�RunвЂ™ is out 18/02/2008 on Vertigo. Amy MacDonald is on tour the UK in May. throughout February. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Dig, Lazarus, Dig! By Holly Kilner After his success with Grinderman last year, Nick Cave returns with the Bad Seeds to release their fourteenth album. The new single - and album title вЂ“ вЂ�Dig Lazarus Dig!вЂ™ sees the return of their melancholic hybrid of blues and rock. вЂ�Dig, Lazarus, DigвЂ™! takes the biblical figure вЂ�Moving To New YorkвЂ™ is out now Lazarus and places him in New York, giving a dark, on 14th Floor. contemporary spin. In the Vincent Vincent and The Villains - is extremely catchy and quite memorable. Dan Gillespie Sells emotionally sung lyrics are mostly the typical love story, but the setting is 1989 and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Whilst the song is grossly lacking in originality, no doubt it will still sell like hotcakes. Featuring 1990вЂ™s synthesisers, good drumming and taught electric guitar mixed over a modern dance beat; it will be played on dance floors for years to come. Underworld Beautiful Burnout girl next door crush kind of tale however put to what only can be described as desert island ska with a dash of alternative guitar noise. The intro conjures images of poor Baby from вЂ�Dirty DancingвЂ™ attending her dreaded Acapulco lessons to the sounds of absolute vomit worthyвЂ¦вЂ¦. However the star-crossed love story between Baby and Johnny is substituted for Vincent Vincent meeting his dream girl in the frozen section of Tescos. The вЂ�This record must be played loudвЂ™ instruction on the front instrumental half way through, I of this single should in fact be recommend this track to no one. changed to вЂ�This record must be put in the binвЂ™. Completely вЂ�Pretty GirlвЂ™ is out now on EMI. pointless with an unnecessary Turin Brakes- Something In My Eye By Phil Reynolds Restyled folk rock duo Turin Brakes unleash the second single this month from their fourth album Dark on Fire. Following the development of their earlier folkpop sound, the duoвЂ™s new single inclines towards smooth, fully fledged indie rock. Sounding both dense and reflective the new Turin Brakes have matured a great deal since the poppy silliness of вЂ�Pain KillerвЂ™ The new single is a tightly constructed piece of shimmering indie guitar work complete with dreamy synthesisers and soaring vocals, that see the band reconfigure themselves as something closer to indie rockers Thirteen Senses, or вЂ�Rush of BloodвЂ™ era Coldplay. One to watch. вЂ� Something in My EyeвЂ™ is out now on EMI (download only) . Turin Brakes are are touring the UK throughout February, and are playing Portsmouth Wedgwood rooms on 19/02/2008. Records Goldfrapp A&E By Heather Steele GoldfrappвЂ™s latest single, A&E, is not the typical electro- beats and pop-infused dance music that youвЂ™d expect from Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp. However, it is a great way of showing oп¬Ђ lead singer Alison GoldfrappвЂ™s huge vocal range, while also demonstrating how they can produce both stomping dance tunes and beautifully melodic songs too. A&E is perhaps not as infectious or as much of a club anthem as some of their previous singles, such as 2006вЂ™s Ooh La La, yet its haunting vocals and lyrics, merged with the backing of soft piano and guitars would be the perfect theme tune for a teenage TV show. вЂ�A&EвЂ™ is out 11th February on Mute, with new album вЂ�Seventh TreeвЂ™ out the 26th. Goldfrapp are playing various dates across the U.K. between March and June. The Maccabees - Toothpaste Kisses By Jess Francies Sweet, simplistic and sublime, my positive alliteration for this track is never ending. Totally diп¬Ђerent to the usual warbling voiced guitar Maccabees repertoire, do not let the bandвЂ™s Jack Penate aп¬ѓliations put you oп¬Ђ as вЂ�Toothpaste KissesвЂ™ is a beautiful love song that will cause many a вЂ�heart shaped bruiseвЂ™ on women throughout the country. Literally saving the best till last, the track comes in at number 13 of the 13 tracks included Kat Flint Go Faster Stripes 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 Turncoat Wasted On You on their debut, an undeniable gem that is definitely worth waiting for. If any man that tells me he will win my heart with a вЂ�woohoo wooвЂ™ (cue whistling), I am most certainly theirs. The one and only thing that deeply saddens me about this track is that it has been used for a mobile phone advert. Musically far superior to any endorsement deal, I only hope that no Aquafresh/Colgate aп¬ѓliations follow suit. By Danielle Richardson Those of you who went to Glastonbury 2007 may already be familiar with this Brighton-based band who played the Leftfield Stage there, but they are completely new to me. вЂ�Wasted On YouвЂ™ has a pretty interesting mix going on, with modern sounds reminiscent of the likes of вЂ�Toothpaste KissesвЂ™ is out now on Fiction. MaxГЇmo Park, combined with Paul Weller-esque vocals from The Jam days, and a couple of sudden intense guitar outbursts that sound like The Foo Fighters have just invaded. A perhaps unlikely combination, you may be thinking, but somehow it really works, creating a catchy Indie-Rock hybrid. Definitely worth a listen, and a band to keep an eye out for! вЂ�Wasted on YoyвЂ™ is out February 25th on Regal. Turncoat play Southampton Hamptons on Saturday February 23rd. Jonah Matranga Not About a Girl or a Place precious and hopeful little gem from the optimist declaring that вЂ�the best things grow from the worst disastersвЂ™. A refreshing addition to the By Jess Francies female singer/songwriter faction, By Gareth Brading Flint contains the mystery of Imogen Heap and the quirkiness of Regina Spektor with her own Described as wonky and wonderful, personal touch of fairytale folk. I have never heard of Jonah Matranga before, and based on this song, I canвЂ™t quite detect any imbalance in A far more promising recommendation for 2008 than the IвЂ™m not surprised. The 38-year-old Kat FlintвЂ™s music, however вЂ�wonapparent critics choice Adele, singer-songwriter from MassachuderfulвЂ™ I can. Kat Flint is a whimsiany musician that lists sellotape, setts has been with two little known cal artiste from the North-East of Scotland, and вЂ�Go Faster StripesвЂ™ is a pennywhistle and a Fisher Price bands in the US during the 1990вЂ™s, Happy Apple in their list of Far and New Line Original, and after percussion is a winner the solo project onelinedrawing he with me. is now striking out on his own. Please, please, please вЂњNot About A Girl Or A either buy her music PlaceвЂќ tries to be a Rock вЂ�NвЂ™ Roll or add her to your throwback song incorporating myspace friends as several heavy rock elements, but you will make a dedi- unfortunately fails miserably. As this cated folkie extremely highly irritating song isnвЂ™t about a happy and proud. girl or a place, I donвЂ™t know what it actually is about. The lyrics are just boring and ill-fitting, MatrangaвЂ™s вЂ�Go Faster StripesвЂ™ is vocals are weak, and though the out now on Albino guitar tune isnвЂ™t terrible, none of records. Kat Flint is it is in any way memorable. Please playing various UK avoid. dates throughout February and March. See myspace.com/ вЂ�Not About A Girl or A PlaceвЂ™ is out katflint for more. now on Xtra MIle Recordings. Stephen Fretwell Now By Jess Francies There is an element of pain and rawness to FretwellвЂ™s music that sometimes you feel guilty for listening to it as if you are discovering his innermost deepest secrets. Yet, by allowing the listener to this right of passage to his private emotions, it truly adds to the uniqueness of his work. It just seems such a shame that вЂ�NowвЂ™ doesnвЂ™t quite reflect that like his other tracks have. Slightly monotonous and a like less drunken, less Irish version of Damien Rice the single lacks something yet I still believe there is more and better to come from the melancholic songster. I really do hope he doesnвЂ™t get associated with the like of the James Morrisons and James Blunts (we all now how we would really like to pronounce his surname) of the music world, as not only does he have something of a personality his music is of a much higher calibre than the usual вЂ�singer/songwriterвЂ™ criticisms and he deserves all the praise he receives. вЂ�NowвЂ™ is out now (!) on Fiction. Films 18th May 2007 C L O V E R F I E L D Director: Matt Reeves Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica L u c a s , T. J . M i l l e r, Michael StahlD a v i d , M i k e Vo g e l , O d e t t e Yu s t m a n Easily the most hyped film of last year and the beginning of this one, Cloverfield has finally burst onto cinema screens across the countryвЂ¦ and burst it most certainly does. IвЂ™ll start by saying I donвЂ™t think IвЂ™ve ever seen a film like it, possibly this is due to my own lack of complete filmic omnipotence and other watchers will see a direct correlation with an 1980вЂ™s Korean horror, but I didnвЂ™t. On those merits alone this is worth seeing, if you were at all sat on the fence about making the gut-wrenching decision between a cinema ticket and enough money for two pints then pick the former (you can just eat less; I donвЂ™t want to be an advocate for sobriety). It is impossible to mention Cloverfield without talking about the marketing. Around the middle of last year images of a decapitated Statue of Liberty started showing up all over the place with nothing but a date attached, not even a title. These threw the Internet film community into speculation chaos with only drips of information coming out here and there. Blurry shots of wrecked vehicles on set, a cavalcade of different possible titles and possible plots, everyone wanted to know where this was all going but only J.J. Abrams (creator of Lost, director of MI:3, writer/ producer of Cloverfield, general king of big and small screen) plus his crew knew. It is incredible to think that a film where the majority of people have no clue what it is about can be so hotly anticipated. This should be a lesson to the Hollywood studios вЂ“ as we unfortunately now have retarded вЂњcelebrity magazinesвЂќ that market themselves to people with half a brain and only enough of an attention span to read the explicit details of what anyone famous (or infamous) did the night before - mystery is a commodity. Perhaps shielding the big stars from the pathetic leeches that work for these magazines like they did in the golden age will bring the magic back to cinema, or perhaps not, who knows, but I thought it was a point worth making. filmmaker for using the current cultural environment to his full advantage. nightmare stalking New York will endure in the same manner as JapanвЂ™s nemesis. So what is Cloverfield? Fortunately it is quite easy for me to sum it up without spoiling anything. It is a big F*&K OFF monster movie, shot on handheld camera (using the вЂњfound footageвЂќ premise), focusing on the little people. We arenвЂ™t dealing with the decisionmakers h e r e , w e вЂ™ r e following the scared civilians, the guys you see running for their lives in Godzilla flicks. The situation our protagonists are in is the same one weвЂ™d be in if a giant beast started tearing Southampton apart (of course that would be nowhere near as impressive as the beating New York takes), powerless. This definitely ratchets up the intensity and as the situation holds a mirror to the current вЂњclimate of fearвЂќ regarding terrorism the effect is even more successful. Would this film be so relevant if 9/11 never happened? Maybe not, but you canвЂ™t blame a There have been criticisms about the acting in Cloverfield with the players being compared to overambitious GAP models. Personally I think this is too easy a line to take and there are definitely some worthwhile performances here. T.J. Miller as HUD, the dull but witty cameraman/narrator of the whole affair is highly amusing. The level of his comedy seems to escalate as the danger of the situation increases and this is probably why I didnвЂ™t think much of his character during the somewhat serene opening party sequence, but this is someone with good comedic timing. As for the rest of them, they definitely do a solid job and I donвЂ™t think they should be degraded just for being easy on the eyes. Even though the running time is a brief 85 minutes no-one wants to spend that long looking at ugly people. Cloverfield lives up to the hype. There IвЂ™ve said it. ItвЂ™s a rollercoaster ride, once things get started they never stop and when it ends you by no means feel short changed by the minimal running time. However, donвЂ™t listen to Empire, who gave it 5/5, because in my opinion this is never a film that set out to get a score like that. There is virtually no character development which is fine for this adrenaline surge of a flick but youвЂ™ll never get a classic without enduring characters and that is what 5/5 impliesвЂ¦ a classic. I am not in the habit of spoiling so donвЂ™t expect to find a description of the monster here, but I can say the visual effects are generally impressive. Due to the more intimate than usual story being told here the lack of constant high-end special effects isnвЂ™t a problem. When we do see the monster and the raging destruction it unleashes, it is not disappointing. The only slight let down is the beasties lack of вЂњiconnessвЂќ. Obviously the parallels with Godzilla are clear but I very much doubt the I couldnвЂ™t help throughout but be reminded of a videogame (possibly the best ever), Half-Life. The handheld camera viewpoint giving a first-person perspective on all the action, which despite what people say is only really a negative at the beginning, before the hurt is brung. Coupling this with the classic obstacle jumping scenes and the beating of monsters with a pipe (if only it were a crowbar my comparison would be perfect) and to me you have a definite overlap of awesomeness. This is definitely a cinema outing, wait for the DVD and unless you have something a bit special setup at home the experience will be greatly reduced. Go to see it and not just because everyone else has. Dean Read 4/5 Films Director: Michel Gondry Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Mia Farrow Release Date: 22nd February Surrealistic director Michel Gondry, it seems, is a man to do things by halves. His latest offering, Be Kind Rewind which hits the multiplexes this February, is an admirably torn film. Half arthouse meditation on the power of narrative, heritage and artistic integrity and half mainstream blockbuster, Be Kind Rewind is nothing less than Michel GondryвЂ™s independent epic; a sweet, wholesome film that punches far above its meagre weight. 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 act, bouncing haplessly through the story with an arsenal of silly expressions and ludicrous dialogues that are actually some of the filmвЂ™s strongest moments, surpassing even the masterful parodies, and Michel GondryвЂ™s ever present doses of surrealism. GondryвЂ™s penchant for surreal, shifting realities, lots of cardboard and weird camera trickery would always be difficult for the average Odeon attendee to swallow, but somehow Gondry juggles strangeness and sobriety with aplomb. Gone is the somewhat selfindulgent weirdness of Eternal Sunshine, or the dark, intentionally confusing layered realities of The Science Of Sleep. Instead, all of the pent up peculiarity is leaked out in the films that Jerry and Mike remake (or вЂ�swedeвЂ™ as they call it) - all recognisable blockbuster hits, including Ghostbusters, Robocop and even The Lion King, which are remade with intentionally ropy props and effects. The sight of Black and Def chasing elderly librarians with tinsel covered fishing rods is masterfully strange, as is Jack Black wandering around in a robot suit, and a truly warped edition of Rush Hour 2; but these are moments of charm, rather t h a n Be Kind Rewind tells the story of video store owners Mike and Jerry, who must remake their shopвЂ™s video catalogue using only a handheld camera and props scrounged from the local neighbourhood, after Jerry accidentally wipes the tapes. Phil Reynolds 5/5 trying to sabotage the power plant that he believes is melting his brain and accidentally erases all the tapes in the old-fashioned video store where his best friend Mike (Mos Def) works. To keep the few customers happy, Jerry and Mike decide to remake one of the erased movies in JerryвЂ™s junkyard. To their astonishment, their unique version of the movie is a hit. Mike, Jerry, and soon, friends from the neighbourhood are in full-time production, re-making movies, from Ghostbusters to King Kong, and in the end revitalize not only the business, but the entire community Calling All Film Fans: remake your favourite film in 2 minutes or less and win a trip to Hollywood To celebrate the release of Be Kind Rewind, Pathe is inviting film fans across the UK to remake their favourite films for a chance to win loads of LG entertainment equipment and a trip to Hollywood, the home of moviemaking. Your homemade remake can be a shortened version of any film, just the trailer, or just a scene, but must be under 2 minutes in length. The best films submitted will be judged by a special celebrity judge, who will select the winner based on its creativity and humour. To enter your film, and for full competition details / terms and conditions, please visit www.bekindrewindyourmovie.co.uk In Be Kind Rewind Jerry (Black) becomes magnetized while But Be Kind Rewind is much more than a series of spoofs, or moments of highly creative surrealism. At its core, GondryвЂ™s film is a surprisingly touching homage to the role film stories have in our lives. From the cameos from latter day Hollywood greats Sigourney Weaver, Mia Farrow and Danny Glover, the noticeable absence of DVDs anywhere in the film and GondryвЂ™s marvellously weird, вЂ�home madeвЂ™ visual aesthetics, Be Kind Rewind is a film thatвЂ™s deeply enamoured with the past, a view message touchingly conveyed by the filmвЂ™s surprisingly sweet, but never saccharine climax. Both very simple, but also strangely complex, Be Kind Rewind successfully walks the tightrope of maintaining a coherent, family comedy plot for the popcorn munchers among us, and a wry, satirical swipe at the blockbuster film for the indie fans, and film lovers. A masterpiece. The film is carried admirably by strong performances from Jack Black (Jerry) in full вЂ�charming loserвЂ™ mode, and Mos Def (Mike) as his likeable straight man, together the pair are a kinetic double As well as a trip to Hollywood, Pathe has also lined up a great selection of prizes- a range of goodies from LG, including their 5.1 Home Cinema System; HDD/DVD Recorder, Plasma screens and Viewty camera phones. Also on offer, courtesy of Skillset, is a career advice session with an experienced film professional вЂ“ perfect for any budding film-makers wanting to kickstart their career. unfamiliar strangeness, as everyone is in on the joke. Check out the Be Kind Rewind trailer to see some of HollywoodвЂ™s greatest blockbusters given the D.I.Y treatment: http://www.bekindrewindthemovie.co.uk/ ******* Be Kind Rewind is released in cinemas nationwide on February 22nd 2008, with previews on the 20th and 21st February 2008 and is distributed by Pathe Distribution. For further information please contact Sublime: [email protected] 0207 317 9290 Films 18th May 2007 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street latter segment of that admittedly odd comparison, although thereвЂ™s a fair share of grease and grime on show here. BurtonвЂ™s gothic style is a perfect fit for the cobbled, gas-lit streets of early 19th Century London and helps immediately set the tone for the gruesome events set to unfold. Director: Tim Burton Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman. Approaching a Tim Burton film is like entering a chip shop, you know youвЂ™re going to get chips, but you always run the risk of getting some hideously greasy ones instead of a bag salted to perfection. After fifteen years in forced exile Benjamin Barker returns to the capitol reborn as the psychopathic barber Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp). There he learns of the grave fate of his wife and the kidnapping of their daughter both at the hands of the evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). With the help of the eccentric Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) Sweeney rekindles his passion for his former profession with a malicious twist, imbued with the intent to violently dispose of those who destroyed his life. In film terms Sweeney Todd enters the positive What strikes most about Sweeney Todd is BurtonвЂ™s incredible use No Country For Old Men Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin The Coens return with bloody, brutal vengeance... It has been three long years since the CoensвЂ™ last directed feature. Perhaps a strategic break after the, what can only be described as вЂ�sub-parCoenвЂ™, double-whammy of Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers which were not well received by most critics. But the brothers Coen are back with this unforgiving tale of evil. This tale is based on the book by the Pulitzer-winning novelist, Cormac McCarthy, of the same name, a man who is perfectly at home in constructing violent character studies. And thus, this is what No Country For Old Men is. The film involves a hunter and Vietnam war veteran, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who stumbles across a Mexican drug deal gone wrong in the Texan desert, and from it takes $2 million. Moss lives with his wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) in a trailer park, and so one thinks he will use the money to give them both a better life. However, a man chasing up the missing money has different plans. This man is Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a man who is so unfeeling and set in his ways, he is pure evil. A character later in the film will remark upon Chigurh as not having a sense of humour, and having his own set of principles. These are the understatements of the century. Chigurh lives by one specific principle; if you see him, you die. Or if you prove yourself to be sufficiently deserving of your life, he will grant you the courtesy of a coin toss to decide your fate. вЂњCall it.вЂќ The story revolves around three main characters; Moss, Chigurh and Sherriff Ed Tom Bell, played by a brilliantly cynical Tommy Lee Jones. It is odd though t o of colour. The most obvious of which is red, which comes almost entirely from the endless gallons of blood on display. Claret (as well as the odd pie) is the order of the day in SweeneyвЂ™s world and my oh my does it flow. This is a gory adventure from the off as our anti-hero sets off on his implacable quest. Even during a longingly poignant ballad the sight of throats being slit is unashamedly explicit. Which of course, brings us to the songs. If you hadnвЂ™t heard (and itвЂ™s pretty hard to tell from the trailer) Sweeney Todd is a musical. An adaptation of Steven SondheimвЂ™s darkly comic 1979 Broadway production no less. Each song is truly magical, with each noticeably different from the last, but while Sondheim can take the writerвЂ™s credit for this it is the entrancing performances that make them so utterly entertaining. Depp blows away doubters with a style that brilliantly fuses the lulling croon of David Bowie with the angsty growl of Iggy Pop. Carter also holds her own adding a zany charm to her quirky ditties. And it is these two that hold our attention for the majority of the film, not least because their story is the most interesting. The young lovers Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Johanna (Jayne Wisner) get shoved aside in order to make way for the more intriguing pairing of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. A surprisingly memorable musical harmony simply adds to their warped relationship as Mrs. Lovett yearns after Sweeney only to find his affections have already been stolen, by his razors no less (the subject of the musical highlight вЂ�My FriendsвЂ™). Despite notable performances elsewhere, especially from the hilariously pompous Sasha Baron Cohen, Depp and Carter are the bleached soul of the film. A fantastical sequence with Mrs. Lovett imagining a future with Todd stands out thanks to BurtonвЂ™s inspired placement of two washed-out fruitcakes on some idyllic but somehow garish seaside backdrops. Filmed almost in total black and white BurtonвЂ™s noirish reimagining of the popular story of the maniacal barber of Fleet Street is a bleak production where scarlet is the only escape from the gothic world he creates. Sweeney Todd is an unflinchingly gory melodrama with elements of black comedy that have gone oddly unnoticed by many a critic, but most poignantly this is a Tim Burton film to the very core and showcases him at his stylishly dark best. A savage success. Oliver Cragg 5/5 consider that these three almost never share a scene with one another. It is a chase movie without much chasing. It can be more accurately described as a stalk movie; for every step Moss takes away from his pursuer, his pursuer always seems to be two steps ahead. images, and his mix of Spanish and American accents almost make him seem otherworldly. It is enough to induce perspiration to the palms of even the most hardened cinema-goer, and whenever he is on screen, there is a tangible uneasiness as to what he will do next. One of the most attractive elements of No Country is its dialogue. It is so darkly humorous, and poignant it will leave you wishing you could hear more. Sound seems to be a key part to the filmвЂ™s ingredients of greatness (and great is indeed what it is), or lack of as the case may be. The score consists largely of atonal drones and the haunting sounds of wind on the plains that does not distract your attention from the all round good performances of the cast. Bardem is the man that steals the show however. The glimpses you see of Chigurh in reflective surfaces are truly iconic The conclusion to the film is necessary, if not totally satisfying given the neo-western genre of the film and it ends a truly violent, unstoppable, poetic Coens Brothers movie which should surely be a big 2008 Oscar contender. Verdict: It is ironic how a film with quite limited dialogue and music can render you speechless, but that is what No Country does. This is violent, unforgiving cinema. The Coens are back... itвЂ™s like theyвЂ™ve never been away. Adam Vaughan 5/5 Films National Treasure 2: The Book of Secrets Director: Jon Turteltaub Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Justin Bartha Towards the latter end of December last year, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a press screening and conference of DisneyвЂ™s National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. вЂ�A free movieвЂ™, I thought, вЂ�why not?!вЂ™ Of course I was understandably a little keener when I discovered the likes of Nicholas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, director Jon Turteltaub, and the producer with the Midas touch, Jerry Bruckheimer would be attending the conference afterwards. As you can imagine I spent most of the time during the press conference in some sort of starstruck comatose. Indeed having one of the worldвЂ™s biggest producerвЂ™s alongside one of HollywoodвЂ™s most famous of sons a mere ten feet away from you is an enticing prospect for any would-be reporter, especially since it was only his second outing for The Edge. ItвЂ™s hard work, but somebodyвЂ™s got to do it. Grossing over $347 million In the Valley of Elah Director: Paul Haggis Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric, Susan Sarandon вЂњFind me a script that nobody wants to makeвЂќ. Such is the controversial nature of writer and director Paul Haggis. In the Valley of Elah marks his directorial return to the big screen, having been on leave since 2005, a wellearned break after the multi-Oscar-winning Crash. But donвЂ™t get me wrong, heвЂ™s kept busy. With screenplay and producer credits for the likes of Million Dollar Baby, and Letters from Iwo Jima, not to mention churning out scripts for Casino Royale and Flags of our Fathers, itвЂ™s clear Mr Haggis hasnвЂ™t simply been at home attempting to become biologically similar to a pork scratching whilst mindlessly flicking through reruns of QVC. Not that IвЂ™d care if he had, because quite frankly what heвЂ™s created with his lat- worldwide and inspiring kids to once again retrieve their history books from under the short leg of the couch, I had high hopes for the second instalment of DisneyвЂ™s up and coming franchise National Treasure. The first was a surprisingly entertaining outing for both parents and kids alike. Why I remember it as one of the few occasions when my dad actually remained awake for the whole film, an admirable promo for any picture looking for the respect of its fellow piers. But the question remains: will National Treasure 2 live up to expectations or simply be another in a long line of film sequels that failed to impress? T h i s t i m e round the treasure-hunting history buff, Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage), is on a mission to clear his familyвЂ™s name, potentially tarnished by an accusation of coconspiracy in the assassination of beloved American President, Abraham Lincoln. Along with usual suspects, Abigail, Riley, and his father, Patrick Gates, Ben must travel the globe in search of a supposedly mythological treasure, one that can prove his ancestorвЂ™s innocence. However est outing would forgive a lifetime of obesity and idle play. Based on a true story, In the Valley of Elah sees retired military police officer Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) team up with local police detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) in the hunt for his son (Mike, played by Jonathan Tucker), who, having freshly returned from Iraq, has been reported AWOL from his base in New Mexico. What begins as a missing personвЂ™s case soon turns into a murder investigation as the body of HankвЂ™s son is found charred and dismembered in a nearby field. Although on the surface Haggis appears to have given us yet another example of the of the вЂ�who-done-itвЂ™ genre, what we get is the story of, as Haggis puts it, вЂњa blind man opening his eyesвЂќ. From the start we see that the soldier in Deerfield is still very much alive, from the way he makes his beds to the way he shines his shoes. However by the end of his investigation we see a 11TH fEBRUARY 2008 their efforts are hampered by the ever-villainous Ed Harris, who plays the part of Mitch Wilkinson, a descendent of John Wilkes Booth and the one who originally made the accusation. Now the integrity of The Edge is pinnacle to our widely regarded reputation so I have to be uncompromisingly honest: not brutal, just honest. This is a shame in a sense because it means, for me and any trusting readers at least, the National Treasure franchise will be forever ruined (only to be redeemed by what I hope to be a stunning third instalment). National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, is, IвЂ™m sad to say, a horrific disappointment. Normally if you put enough wellscripted action on screen IвЂ™ll be quite content to sit in a cinema for up to, but not exceeding, three hours. However here I find an exception: too much action. remarkable change in his character: the patriot inside him damaged and sickened by the onslaught of incomprehensible, yet undeniable, savagery committed by the armed forces in Iraq. And yet this is exactly the point you feel Haggis is trying to alert us too, or at least his fellow Americans: the truth behind the lies. In the film HankвЂ™s heroic image of his son is destroyed through the short, distorted glimpses of the very real, very horrific military life in Iraq that we see through MikeвЂ™s mobile phone. Although over here the media at least appears to be far more liberal, in America, where youвЂ™d hope this kind of film would have an impact, you get the impression this may be the first time the вЂ�movie-goingвЂ™ audience would be awakened to the horrors of Iraq. As Haggis was quick to acknowledge in the press conference afterwards, the majority of Americans are only recently recognising the mistake that is George Bush. Although born in The film itself darts from city to city, fleeting between Paris, London, and the U.S. Its locations are diverse and impressive, ranging from Buckingham Palace to the Library of Congress. When asked how difficult it is to attain permission to film on all these locations, director Jon Turteltaub replied frankly: вЂњthe key is to have sex with all the right peopleвЂќ. An honest answer and one youвЂ™d rather not dwell on too long, especially when you consider the various scenes that were shot at Buckingham Palace. However therein lies the problem: thereвЂ™s simply too much going on. One minute youвЂ™re in Paris admiring a scaled-down replica of the famous Statue of Liberty, and the next youвЂ™ve shot off to London to raid Buckingham Palace. ThereвЂ™s very little time for plot development. for parents with young kids, or couples who fancy seeing some mindless fun then itвЂ™s certainly right up your street. Although some of the plot seems a tad far-fetched at times, the comicrelief from Riley (Justin Bartha) and that generated by the on-screen chemistry between Gates senior (Jon Voight) and ex-wife Emily (Helen Mirren) is endearing, often compensating for any slack writing. So yes, we may see how relatively easy it is to race through central London shooting guns whilst completely avoiding any contact with the police. And sure, once you put your mind to it a team of historians can - with little difficulty - kidnap the President of the United States at his own party. But when you look past the corny, low-brow, scripted-action, you do get an entertaining two hours, and as producer Jerry Bruckheimer says, вЂњWeвЂ™re in the entertainment business, we like to entertain people.вЂќ Well Jerry, mission accomplished. But does this mean I wouldnвЂ™t recommend it? God no! When dealing with a film like National Treasure 2 we have to be aware of the target audience. IвЂ™m not saying it would necessarily be a great night out for students, but Alex Jenkins Canada, Haggis is an American citizen and maintains that he is still a patriot. However at the moment he refuses to recognise his country because of the вЂњheinous actsвЂќ theyвЂ™re committing in his name, and you really feel this is the kind of message heвЂ™s trying to alert others to. with solid performances from Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon make for an enticing moral quest, at the heart of which lies the truth behind the Iraq war. This is a film that truly all should see, especially those of the American persuasion. Against the torrent of American propaganda, Haggis has produced a film that cries of truth. It was clear at the press conference that this was a film inspired and largely made out of pure passion. Indeed many of the actors (such the characters of Bonner and Long) are former Iraq veterans who were eager for the story to be told. Tommy Lee JonesвЂ™ performance as Hank is nothing short of awe-inspiring; no doubt the best of his career, and anything less than an Oscar-nomination would be a crime. This coupled Rating 3/5 Alex Jenkins 4/5 ENCORE Arts & Societies Guide 14th February to 6th March Investment Society JP Morgan Networking African Caribbean Christian Fellowship Meet with top executives of JP Morgan Tuesday 19th February, starts 18.30, Bridge Bar Contact: www.usis.co.uk / [email protected] The Cultural Night 2008 вЂ�The Rise of Private EquityвЂ™ Saturday 1st March, doors open 6.30pm Turner Sims Concert Hall (B0: 02380 595151) Please buy your tickets in advance! Tickets ВЈ10, concessions ВЈ8 Christian Union Guest Speaker from Nova Capital Management Tuesday 26th February, starts at 6pm Management Building (2) foyer, Free drinks Good News? What about other religions? вЂ�Foreign Exchange MarketsвЂ™ African Carribean Society Thursday 14th Feburary, 1pm to 2pm Marquee on Highп¬Ѓeld Green Strawberry & Chocolate Good News? Jesus and Love Actually Saturday 6th February, 8pm til 1 am, Bridge Bar Contact: [email protected] AlphaSoc Thursday 14th Feburary, 6.30 - 7:30 Marquee on Highп¬Ѓeld Green Jazzmanix Encounter Jazzmanix Spring Concert Good News? How can we trust the Bible? IsnвЂ™t it full of contradictions? Light Operatic Society - LOpSoc Thursday 14th February, 3.30pm - 4.30pm Marquee on Highп¬Ѓeld Green New Alpha Course Tuesday Evenings starting 19th Feb at 7pm 41 Roselands Gardens Contact: Pieter & Suzanne (023 8055 8192) New Christianity Explored Course Wednesday afternoons starting 20th Feb at 2pm 53 Hareп¬Ѓeld Road Contact: Steve & Debs McClure (023 8067 7557) Website: www.soton.ac.uk/~alphasoc Conservation Volunteers Brownsea Residential Weekend Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th February, 8am-5pm ВЈ15 including transport, food, and accomodation. All levels of expertise welcome Contact: [email protected] Geog Soc Noahs Ark Fancy Dress Tickets available 11th February from StagвЂ™s Head Stags 9pm, then onto Fat Poppadaddys 10pm Contact: Sarah-Louise, [email protected] Hellenic Society Greek Dancing Class Thursday 14th & 21st February, 6-7pm Beginners, 7-8pm Advanced Small Meetings Room, SUSU Building, Level 1 Contact: [email protected] Greek Dancing Club Dinner Thursday 28th February, 7.30pm Fat Fig Restaurant, Bedford Place Event Contact: [email protected] Guest Speaker Mike Fawcett from HSBC Tuesday 4th March, 6pm Management Building (2) Foyer, Free Drinks Friday 15th Feburary, 1pm - 2pm Marquee on Highп¬Ѓeld Green Unite - вЂњGood News?вЂќ Friday 15th February, 7.30pm, B32 EEE LT1 CU Does Church Sunday 17th February, 2pm - 3.15pm Marquee on Highп¬Ѓeld Green Unite at the Cube Monday 18th February, 9pm - 1am, The Cube Contact: [email protected] Sunday 2nd March, 7pm Weymouth Baptist Church The BeggarвЂ™s Opera Wed 13th to Sat 16th February, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm Saturday matinГ©e. The Nufп¬Ѓeld Theatre, Tickets from ВЈ7 Available: The Nufп¬Ѓeld Theatre Box Off in person, (02380 671 771) or www.nufп¬Ѓeldtheatre.co.uk. Conatct: [email protected] SUJO (SU Jazz Orchestra) SUJO with Byron Wallen International Cafe - Origami Friday 22nd Feburary, 7.30pm Turner Sims Concert Hall Contact: [email protected] Afternoon Tea With JC Southampton University Sinfonietta Monday 18th February, 8 - 10pm, The Chaplaincy Contact: [email protected] Thursday 21st February, 3pm - 5pm Clubs & Socs Room Unite - What are you living for? Friday 22nd February, 7.30pm, B32 EEE LT1 International Cafe - Shakespeare Evening Sinfonietta Concert Friday 29th February, 7.30pm Turner Sims Concert Hall Contact: п¬‚[email protected] Monday 25th February, 8 - 10pm, The Chaplaincy Contact: [email protected] Theatre Group Afternoon Tea With JC Wed 5th March to Sat 8th March, 7.30pm The Annex Theatre (Arts H, next to Nufп¬Ѓeld Theatre) Tickets available: Nufп¬Ѓeld Theatre Box Ofп¬Ѓce Thursday 28th February, 3pm - 5pm Clubs & Socs Room Unite - What are your priorities? Friday 29th February, 7.30, B32 EEE LT1 International Cafe - Welsh Night Monday 3rd March, 8 - 10pm, The Chaplaincy Contact: [email protected] Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Symphonic Wind Orchestra Spring Concert Sunday 2nd March, 7.30pm, St. MaryвЂ™s Church Contact: [email protected] WANT TO HAVE YOUR SOCIETY LISTED? ITвЂ™S FREE!!! Email: [email protected]