• Drenge – Drenge

    September 9, 2013 - By 

    As introductions to the national consciousness go, it was truly surreal. Amid alleged underhand shenanigans over candidate selection, Labour election co-ordinator Tom Watson publicly fell on his sword via an open letter to his party leader, Ed Miliband; a missive which suggested that public servants would be much improved by attending Glastonbury and specifically recommending that those reading listen to Drenge. Quite how young brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless felt about their role in this political suicide is moot; no publicity is bad publicity, it’s said, and any band capable of bringing about spontaneous abdication in our beloved leaders is…

  • The Way Way Back

    September 8, 2013 - By 

    I shouldn’t like The Way Way Back as much as I do. On the surface, it seems like such a typical Sundance movie. It’s a coming of age story based around an awkward adolescent male who goes on a slightly quirky trip with his dysfunctional family. Along the way, the family will undergo stress that might break them up, the boy will meet a “too cool for school” mentor figure who brings this young boy out of his shell and eventually the boy shall become a man and the film will end on an optimistic, if somewhat bittersweet, note. Wash,…

  • God Is An Astronaut – Origins

    September 8, 2013 - By 

    As God Is An Astronaut pull from one of Irish rock’s best-kept secrets to an institution in their own right, like many bands in their situation, they run the risk of depending on more of the same to retain the attentions of an ever-more unfocused audience, usually in search of the next shiny thing. With seventh album Origins, it’s heartening to see that this is far from the case with the Glen of the Downs-based outfit, expanding their sound and artistic horizons as a five-piece, and dialing back on a lot of the now much-imitated post-rock tropes that have defined…

  • Rush

    September 6, 2013 - By 

    Everyone needs a nemesis. It’s undeniable; a nemesis inspires, keeps one’s internal momentum constant and forces a person to think of new and interesting ways to screw over their rival. The importance of nemeses and the depths to which we sink to spoil our adversaries is the central conflict that exists at the heart of Ron Howard’s latest film, Rush. The film focuses on the rivalry between two Formula 1 drivers during the 1976 season: the English James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). Beginning in the Formula 3 division in 1970, the film follows their rise…

  • The Fall – 5 Albums

    September 4, 2013 - By 

    A story less visited than the personnel changes of The Fall is that of the myriad labels they have called home over the years. Despite Mark E Smith’s aversion to nostalgia, many fans would no doubt look back at the 5 years they spent in the care of Beggars Banquet with fond regard. Coinciding with (Smith’s first wife) Brix’s tenure in the group, 1984-89 marked (amongst other things) their unlikely flirtation with mainstream success – with a few proper singles actually making the actual proper charts. This 5 CD box set is perhaps optimum illustration of why that success was…

  • Clark – Feast/Beast

    September 2, 2013 - By 

    The success or failure of a remix compilation can be entirely down to the approach of the label and artist responsible for the output. One approach, which favours commercial acclaim over artistic integrity, can fairly easily culminate in a product that ultimately brings on the same harrowing feeling as finding the biscuit tin devoid of all deliciousness and filled with fig-rolls instead; a dark hour in the lives of many. Think Sasha’s latest Involv3r monstrosity. Actually, don’t do it to yourself. You deserve better. Thankfully though, Clark (Chris Clark) has taken the more fruitful direction with his latest effort Feast/Beast,…

  • White Lies – Big TV

    September 2, 2013 - By 

    “All this eighties indie/it sounds like shit to me/because I don’t like Joy Division/I don’t like Morrissey” – ‘Crushed Under The Weight of The Enormous Bullshit’, Reuben For several years, that line summed up my feelings towards contemporary music. In recent years though, my views have mellowed. While I still hold Morrissey with the same contempt that G. G. Allin held for showers and human decency, Joy Division eventually clicked with me, due in no small part to Anton Corbijn’s Control. With this thawing of my icy relationship, I was able to listen to bands like Interpol and Editors with new ears. I still hate them, but now it’s because I think…

  • Kick Ass 2

    August 30, 2013 - By 

    The long awaited sequel hit the screens to mixed reviews and with one of its stars Jim Carrey boycotting the film, it begs the question; where does Kick Ass 2 falter? It’s been said that Kick Ass 2 is a sequel with nowhere to go, perhaps a slightly unfair statement. The premise of what a superhero might be like in the real world holds weight, and is still a thoroughly enjoyable aspect of the film. What would one do? It’s almost like starting a band; you build a persona set up a Facebook page, Twitter and get blogging. These are…

  • Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

    August 30, 2013 - By 

    Franz Ferdinand have kept a deliberately low profile ahead of their latest release, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, with lead singer Alex Kapranos having being quoted as saying that he felt “misinformation” had been forthcoming about their last album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. Being cut from a literary sort of cloth, there is – you’ve guessed it – a concept of sorts linking the songs, apparently based around the cynic’s search for optimism and the sceptic’s search for a manual ‘crop up’ here and there. Don’t follow Alex’s words? No, I don’t either, and if your listening pleasure is enhanced…

  • Festival Diary: Way Out West 2013

    August 29, 2013 - By 

    In its seventh year, Way Out West has grown to one of the biggest music events in the Swedish calendar. Held every year in the city of Gothenburg since 2007, it is only the second time it has been run over three days. The festival is divided into two parts Way Out West (WOW) and Stay Out West. The former is held in the west side of the city in Slottskogen the city’s biggest park, the latter at selected venues around the city throughout the day and night. Being Swedish it is also environmentally friendly. Serving only vegetarian food to…