ISSUE 5 // FEB 2017
That’s...
We were planning on giving our cover to ‘La La Land’ this month but tragically a man with an envelope burst into our office and started shouted “this is not a joke”. Instead we’ve gone with ‘Moonlight’, you can read our full review on that as well as John Wick 2 in our film section this month, if that doesn’t cover both ends of the spectrum we don’t know what will. We’ve got interviews with Homeshake, a man of few words and Mancunian up and comers Mad Winter. Our live reviews include the “fun feminists” Slotface, The Sherlocks headline spot at Manchester’s Albert Hall and ist ist’s date at Sacred Trinity Church in Salford where they were joined by JEKYLL and our old pals Sly Antics. As always there’s album reviews and we’ve covered all the TV you need to be watch, we’ve even let Kieran slate the Brit and NME awards for your reading pleasure. Hope you enjoy folks, as always let us know what you think - Jack Holmes Editor-in-Chief Intertainmentmagazine@hotmail.com
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@IntertainmentM Editor-in-Chief: Jack Holmes Editors: Corey Davies, Jack Holmes, Jayna Patel and Evelyn Sweeney Writers: Aaron Brady, Charlie Jordin, Corey Davies, Evelyn Sweeney, George Haigh, Jack Holmes and Kieran Bowie Design and Page Layout: Jack Holmes and Katina Petrou Photography: Evelyn Sweeney and Georgia Osborn © All Rights Reserved. All Material in Intertainment Magazine may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the magazines ownership. Intertainment Magazine cannot accept any liability for reader discontent arising from our features. Intertainment Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit this material prior to publishing. The opinions expressed or recomendations given in the magazine are the views of the individual author and do not necessarily represent the views of Intertainment Magazine. We accept no liability for any misprints or mistakes and no responsibility can be taken for the content on these pages.
Powerless
John Wick - Chapter 2
Moonlight
Free Fire
Slotface @ The Castle Hotel, Manchester
ist ist @ Sacred Trinity Church, Salford
The Sherlocks @ Albert Hall, Manchester
Homeshake Interview
Mad Winter Interview
Kieran takes on the Brit and NME Awards
Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life
Less Than Jake - Sound the Alarm
Menzingers - After the Party
Why Rebirth was the best thing DC could have done
Director: Chad Stahelski Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi and Alan Tudyk Studio: NBC By Corey Davies The concept for ‘Powerless’ is pretty fantastic, “what about the normal people in comics” isn’t exactly new territory but it has yielded some phenomenal results (most notably Marvel’s Damage Control comics, which apparently had a TV series in development for 2016 which seems must have been stalled, and a comedy series making fun of how ridiculous the comic book world is to ours sound amazing on paper. Then I saw the initial episode of ‘Powerless’ and I wasn’t particularly impressed, so I made the bold choice to put off doing this review until later. I made a similar decision following the second episode, when the series didn’t seem to be doing anything of note. It’s almost like revisiting the first series of Parks and Rec; complete with Vanessa Hudgens filling the Leslie Knope role as peppy leading lady who can get anything done by smiling through her problems, and a boss who really didn’t want to be there or do anything that warranted him keeping his job. It also felt like it was misusing some of its actors; Alan Tudyk is an incredibly versatile actor who was reduced to largely beyond bearable ‘aren’t I incompetent and rich’ jokes. Though some landed, they came too thick and fast and with no juxtaposition leaving them to veer away from funny, and into annoying; Danny Pudi seemed to be playing a watered down Abed Nadir (his fantastic pop culture guru from Community), this even went as far as to have his co-star Ron Funches play a role almost identical to Donald Glover’s role in Community (I can almost hear Glover’s delivery of some of the lines in that second episode). Honestly, for the first two episodes the series seemed to be carried by Christina Kirk’s portrayal of Jackie, and that might have only been because she seemed as fed up with the rest of the series as I was. Most annoyingly it seemed to only make token efforts to lampoon comic tropes in the most toothless ways possible, which is against the entire point of the series. This week’s episode however shows improvements in leaps and bounds.
After Van (Tudyk) messes up and loses Wayne Security a large client, he’s forced to find a new client to win his father’s and Emily’s respect again. Settling on Atlantis he lies his way into getting the contract by boasting about his ‘sinking day’ party after Emily’s presentation; the Atalntians provide great comic foil for the writers allowing Van’s arrogant trust fund baby nonsense to run parallel with Emily’s small town naivety as they bumble their way around Atlantian customs, neither of them having any reference point for dealing with another culture for completely different reasons. Their relationship works really well here and if the writers continue to build on it, it may well be one of the high points of the show. In the sub-plot with the remainder of the core cast they investigate whether a new member of staff is in fact a super hero called ‘The Olympian’ after he continually disappears to the bathroom around the same time a superhero appears. Alex (played by Matthew Atkinson) is a carbon copy of Clarke Kent here, glasses and all, hopefully a sign of much sharper commentary on DC comics, or hopefully comic tropes in general. Pudi, Funches and Jennie Pierson (playing Wendy, the third recurring engineer in the company) don’t exactly give stand out performances here, but they not exactly bad either, and since the episode does such a great job of improving Van and Emily, it’s not enough to drag the episode down by any means, I just find myself hoping that these three get the development they deserve. It might also have helped Jackie’s storyline with the trio, twisting almost every comment about Adam into a sex reference; it probably says more about me than the quality of the writing that this didn’t become stale and one or two less of the same joke might not have hurt. This episode also had some quality comic references, the deal Van ruins is for a product that would cover acid vats in a fantastic nod to Joker’s origins and I love the implication that anyone who falls in acid automatically becomes a clown based villain. The newscaster featured is called Gail Simone in reference to the writer who’s worked on multiple DC series in the past; as mentioned the entire subplot with Adam is a reference to Superman. Overall at the third episode of its ten episode run ‘Powerless’ finally seems to be finding where its strength’s lie and I finally find myself looking forward to next week’s episode: ‘Cold Season’. I’m predicting references to The Flash throughout.
Director: Chad Stahelski Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane and Ruby Rose Studio: Lionsgate By Wes Bowie Released in 2014, ‘John Wick’ introduced us to a secret underworld of organised crime and assassins shown through the eyes of the title character John Wick (Keanu Reeves). As an ex-hitman he comes out of retirement to enact retribution on the people who killed his puppy. Yes, you read that correctly, his puppy. The puppy happens to be the last gift that his wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan), who dies from natural causes, gives to him after her passing. Knowing that John would struggle to cope with her death, Helen in-effect gives John a purpose to live and at the same time remember her by nurturing and caring for the puppy. ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ picks up not long after the first film has ended, tying up the loose ends that were left from the previous chapter. Having found a new canine friend all John wants is to once again disappear into retirement putting his hitman days behind him. However, mob boss Santino D’Anonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) wants to cash in on a blood oath that was formed between himself and John back when John was a hitman. Keanu Reeves has never been known for his Oscar worthy acting ability and the ‘John Wick’ films are not going to change opinion on that. However, what we witness in Chapter 1 is a man so consumed by the love he has for his wife Helen, when her final gift for him is ripped from his life he will stop at nothing to enact revenge on all those involved. Despite neither film featuring a scene with John and Helen together, we accept this strong love they have for one another. The only glimpse we have of them together is from a short clip on a beach that John filmed. John repeatedly watches this on his mobile phone throughout both films. In the clip Helen being camera-shy asks ‘John ,what are you doing?’ This simple sentence when said on the beach was for two people deeply in love, but it takes on a new meaning as John watches it lying in a pool of his own blood. The only other time we see the love between John and Helen conveyed is through
the actions and emotion that Keanu Reeves brings to the character of John Wick. These elements and the drive behind Johns character are to an extent cast aside in Chapter 2 which leaves the film feeling cold and void of human relationships, an essential building block for any film. To give an example of this, even The Fast and the Furious films have a very basic plot that the films story and action are built upon which is family. If Chapter 2 was a standalone film, not linked to ‘John Wick’, and followed the same plot it would be a very average film. It is a long draw out film and has nowhere near the heart or emotional emphasis Chapter 1 conveyed. What we have is a story about an ex-hitmans own self-preservation due to a debt he owes and this contradicts the character of John Wick we were originally introduced to. However, if you want a good “popcorn” movie, when compared to the latest Resident Evil and XXX sequels, then this is the first film this year that has ticked all the boxes. The action is fast paced and well edited. The precision with head shots and capping that ‘John Wick’ displayed in the original and his ability to adapt to fighting in any environment are still present as are stereotypical bad guys and allies. You know what you’re going to get with this type of film and it doesn’t disappoint. What the ‘John Wick’ films have accomplished exceptionally well is the world in which they are set, this is further established in Chapter 2. A world that is heavily influenced by the underworld, where hitmen and assassins are in abundance and businesses cater for all needs. It’s very much like Harry Potters world but for hitmen. It’s this which draws you into the films of ‘John Wick’. The hotels that are known as the Continental, a neutral territory for anyone no matter their differences, are a very intriguing concept. Ian Mcshane as Winston, the hotel owner grabs you and pulls you into the world despite his short presence time on-screen. The tailors that John visits to get measured for his ‘work suit’ and the code words used for how he wants it tailored. The telephone operators who all wear the same retro uniform and display similar tattoos, housed in a building to take calls and post new contracts on hits also add to this. Laurence Fishburne as the Bowery King is another layer and a compelling one (it was also great to see Lawrence and Keanu together again since The Matrix films). All these help establish the world in which John Wick lives. They grab you and pull you right in, because you want to see, you want to know more about what goes on in this world and how it works. The ‘John Wick’ film was a very enjoyable film. Chapter 2 is basically more of the same but where it lacks in plot and character development, it expands and develops the world in which these characters live. With talks of a ‘John Wick’ TV Series in the works and the obvious pending Chapter 3 looming, we can only look forward to more of this coming our way. What Chapter 2 has established is that maybe the character of John Wick is not essential for future stories or plots and perhaps the focus needs to be on characters that can help expand the world created, as further focus on John Wick could hinder, and make a potentially intriguing concept dull and repetitive.
Director: Barry Jenkins Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monae and Trevante Rhodes Studio: A24 By George Haigh By now, you’ve probably heard of the sheer cinematic power that ‘Moonlight’ has, which is true. In fact, ‘Moonlight’ is sensational. If the often overused term ‘masterpiece’ is to be applied here, this film doesn’t stretch far from such a high regard. ‘Moonlight’ comes from Barry Jenkins (Medicine for Melancholy), who directs this coming of age story with such remarkable poignancy that it demands to be seen again. It’s a remarkable achievement for a film whose small scale sensibility doesn’t reflect the gaze of its scope. The film’s screenplay takes inspiration from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s story ‘In ‘Moonlight’ Black Boys Look Blue’, the semi-autobiographical work which Jenkins split’s into three distinct parts over the course of the narrative. Three separate but all completely convincing actors lend their personality to the character of Chiron, who is often identified as ‘Little’ in the first act, and ‘Black’ in the final one. Chiron is a man of few words, but it’s easy to comprehend why. The first time we see Chiron or ‘Little’ (Alex Hibbert) is visually significant; he’s running away from some bullies in the tough Miami neighbourhood in which he grows up. Chiron spends much of the film trying to escape, an understandable yet heartbreaking conflict for someone dealing with repressed sexuality, whilst wrestling with the feelings of self-acceptance. Chiron might be ‘Moonlight’’s protagonist, but it’s Juan (Mahershala Ali) who gives the film soul in the first act. Juan acts a surrogate father figure to the young boy, with his girlfriend Theresa (Janelle Monáe) acting as the caring mother Chiron longs for. The harsh irony of the situation is that Juan sells drugs to Paula (a superb Naomie Harris), Chiron’s real mother who is more interested in getting her fix than caring for her son. Mahershala Ali is magnificent in his casting of Juan. The Oscar nomination is truly deserved and it’s almost a shame that this subtle but powerful role isn’t given more screen-time. The next time we see Chiron (now Ashton Sanders), he’s a skinny, hunched over,
reclusive teen who no longer stands for being called ‘Little’. His protective posture reflects his state of mind, concealing his true self to the world around him. There’s a brilliant shot which depicts Chiron hiding in a cage-like setting, an early example of the textured cinematography that ‘Moonlight’ envisions. The second act is perhaps the film’s most resonant and surely the most intimate. The beach scene with Kevin (Jharrel Jerome) is perfectly framed in the reflection of the moon, an important image in the film that is first introduced in the first act. The ocean and water, in general, provide a sensory, absorbing stimulus that is visually reoccurring throughout the film; at times suggesting a metaphor for Chiron himself, who later declares that he only drinks water. In the final act, Chiron, now known on the streets as ‘Black’ (Trevante Rhodes) lives a life that closely resembles that of Juan’s in the first act. Chiron is bulked up and his physicality masks his inner delicacy. “Who is you, Chiron?” asks Kevin, now played excellently by Andre Holland. There’s an excellent video essay that has recently surfaced online visually comparing ‘Moonlight’ and In the Mood For Love, and it’s easy to acknowledge the ocular influence of Wong Kar-wai, particular in the framing of two characters’s with a deep affection for one another. Like Chiron, and Kevin, most of the characters in the film have their flaws, and perhaps that’s what makes them so authentic. ‘Moonlight’ is dealing with issues that most Hollywood films wouldn’t dare address, and the film retains this sense of verisimilitude through it’s slow but sombre screenplay. It’s quite incredible really, to see still a sophomore director such as Jenkins handle this kind of film with such dexterity. It’s near impossible to overlook how the film looks and sounds too. Lusciously shot by James Laxton in rich colours, the kinetic camera work reflects how the film seems to be constantly moving, at times in a lucid dream like state. Nicholas Britell’s score is both haunting and arresting, ranging from Bernard Herrmann-esque ‘Psycho’ strings that contrast well with the profound piano chords. There’s a scene early on which uses the master sounds of Mozart to depict a young Chiron’s solitude, hiding in plain sight in a crowded football game. It’s scenes such as this that, without notice, slip by poetically in the way that the film flows. ‘Moonlight’ may well be looked back on as a landmark for independent cinema. It’s been compared to Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, a slightly partisan observation in that both films use a similar concept in completely unique circumstances. Having seen the film twice now, it’s fair to assess that the film retains a sense of timelessness that compliments how staggering it truly is. The first time, I was admittedly a little overwhelmed by it, the second time, I was absolutely floored by it.
Director: Ben Wheatley Starring: Brie Larson, Armie Hammer and Cillian Murphy Studio: Film 4 and Studio Canal By George Haigh ‘Free Fire’ is the sixth feature from acclaimed British director Ben Wheatley, best known for his cerebral and, at times, turbulent films, such as Kill List and Sightseers. ‘Free Fire’ is easily Wheatley’s most accessible film yet, and doesn’t feel too distant from his recent J.G Ballard adaptation High Rise. High Rise showcased a stepping stone for the director, allowing him to work with much more mature themes and also a bigger cast, whilst still retaining a strict sense of independence. The film takes place in a decadent warehouse in the 1970s, which contributes a welcoming sense of time and place to the minimal plot. We’re quickly thrown into the midst of a potential arms deal taking place between some unlikely gunrunners and some mouthy IRA. The ordeal feels shaky right from the word go, and it results in an absolute debacle of a deal that couldn’t possibly go more wrong. Wheatley is a filmmaker who has always worn his influences proudly on his sleeve and ‘Free Fire’ is a film that boastfully pays homage to the cult cognizance of the early works of Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. The latter, an executive producer here, would surely have been impressed with the well selected post-Vietnam soundtrack, the use of John Denver’s ‘Annie’s Song’ being a standout. Before you can whisper the words ‘Reservoir Dogs’, Wheatley and co-writer Amy Jump have delivered a story devoid of anybody entirely likeable, as keen to fire snappy dialogue at each other as they are
to grab their weaponry, albeit not always delivered in a consistent Massachusetts accent. We’re not really allowed to become invested in these characters before it’s raining bullets, and despite the accomplishments of the sound design, the scenario becomes repetitive in the film’s clammy second and third act. The characters we meet lack the sharpness and eccentricity to ever be as memorable as those from similar films from Tarantino or Scorsese, which becomes problematic. The film has all the credentials to churn out a new spin on the dated gun movie, but ‘Free Fire’ feels like a slight misfire. The more fleshed out characters such as Justine (Brie Larson) and Vernon (Sharlto Copley) are given their fair share of the script’s finer moments, and in Copley’s case, given a caricature of the film’s jazzy wardrobe of 70s suits and brave haircuts. Unfortunately, the script doesn’t lend enough to some of the other characters, an underused Cillian Murphy for example, and they are admittedly left clinging to the kind of hackneyed dialogue that doesn’t do justice to such a fine cast. There are a few exceptions, however. For example, Frank (a terrific Michael Smiley) immediately takes a hilarious disliking to the all-American muscle of Ord (a surprisingly solid Armie Hammer) as he spouts off about ‘the real Hollywood’ being in Northern Ireland. It’s a well delivered middle finger to the Hollywood studios that Wheatley has so far managed to stay clear of. ‘Free Fire’ certainly isn’t a bad film; it’s arguably just a routine one for someone of Wheatley’s calibre. The audience of the sold out screening at HOME were also welcomed to a Q&A with, not just Wheatley, but also frequent collaborator Michael Smiley too, who were both brilliant in their discussion of the film. Wheatley, who talked about his meeting with “the greatest living filmmaker” Scorsese, showed the intelligence and honesty of one of Britain’s finest filmmakers. There was even a discussion of the possibility of making a Western, which unsurprisingly seemed to stir well with the audience. ‘Free Fire’ took home the People’s Choice award when it was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, and here in Manchester the film was greeted with a warm reception, and will undoubtedly be a success when it plays at HOME from the 31st March.
Slotface, BLOOMS and La Mode @ The Castle Hotel Manchester Date: 13th February By Evelyn Sweeney Images by Evelyn Sweeney Tucked away in the Manchester’s Northern Quarter, The Castle Hotel was host to La Mode, BLOOMS and Slotface for Beta, a music production company who aim to test the best new bands from around the world, live in intimate venues in Manchester. Manchester’s own local band, La Mode, kicked things off with a lively start. Their track ‘Wicked Mind’ from their recent EP, The La Mode was a clear high point of their set. With their lead singer, Millie’s raw vocals mixed with the band’s mellow and haunting sound, the four piece indie rock were a good warm up band for the night. Next up were BLOOMS, another local band. They describe themselves as a ‘Manchester trio making dreamy gazey noise’, and it’s easy to see where this statement comes from. With a loud start that transferred to the similarly relaxed vibe that La Mode conveyed, they seemed comfortable with the venue and their crowd which was clear in their performance. Although they initially came off as hesitant, they still kept a good relationship with their audience, often making funny remarks and easily overcoming any small mistakes. Their first single, ‘Head is Swimming’ was a clear highlight of the night. Their later single ‘Porcelain’ also provided anticipation for their upcoming EP. With the details of their very first EP on the way, they’re definitely a band that should be watched. Headlining the night were the Norwegian ‘punk’ rock band, Slotface. Despite being a long way from their hometown Stavanger, the crowd were clearly excited for their appearance, with many wearing their merchandise, even from when the band were known as Slutface. And it’s clear the band appreciated the fans the same way, even recognising a few faces from their last Manchester visit. Starting with their energetic feminist track, ‘Take Me Dancing’, the band provided a solid start. Throughout their set they were jumping off the stage into the crowd, knocking over equipment and giving an outstanding performance. And once ‘Empire Records’ was being performed, the audience were dancing and jumping around, even causing the floor to move and were singing their hearts out. Their first single, ‘Angst’ was a great crowd pleaser for their long time fans. The relationship with the band and their fans was clear, even as they spoke in between songs, joking about how they had taught five-year-olds to headbang to their song ‘Sponge State’ at a children’s festival. And once they had ended their set with ‘Shave My Head’, the crowd was left feeling immensely satisfied. Slotface have a long way to go in terms of deciding exactly what feminist statements they want to make and how they want to make them, sometimes losing their Riot Grrrl roots, especially when considering their recent name change from Slutface. Surely if you’re aiming to be provocative, then people being offended is exactly what you want? Whatever their statements, Slotface’s draw tonight demonstrates that they certainly have the ear of an ever growing audience. And it’s certainly not bad for a free gig.
ist ist, Sly Antics and Jekyll @ Sacred Trinity Church Salford Date: 3rd February By Kieran Bowie Images by Georgia Osborn Sacred Trinity Church played host to a night of heavy riffs as JEKYLL, Sly Antics and ist ist played to a sold out crowd at Sacred Trinity Church on the outskirts of Manchester Town Centre. The first band on stage for the night was JEKYLL, a four-piece band from Blackpool whom it is easy to draw a comparison to Muse with. This similarity comes in large part to lead singer Joel’s vocals displaying a vast range and effectively portraying intense emotion through the bands set. This gig at Sacred Trinity Church turned out to be their guitarist Mike’s first gig with the band although without the lead singer, Joel, mentioning this the audience would have been none the wiser. They perform a furiously tight set and if there were any nerves for Mike, he didn’t let them affect his assured performance. With a number of great tracks on offer, JEKYLL have cemented themselves as one to watch in the future. Second on to the stage were Sly Antics, a band who perfectly capture the notion of huge talent in your local music scene. The three-piece have all the necessary characteristics to be an extremely successful band. Lead singer Sam commands the cramped stage expertly, and it often feels like the band are simply waiting to be given a bigger stage to play with to make the most of Sam’s on stage antics if you will. With performances like Sly Antics have been putting on, we doubt it will be long before those kind of gigs start to become the norm for the three-piece. It’s worth noting Chris, the band’s bass player, who adds a vital funk element to the trio’s sound. ‘Light’s Go Down’ is just one of a number of ready-made hits Sly Antics have at their disposal and it reverberates around the hallowed grounds of Sacred Trinity Church. if you’re not already keenly monitoring Sly Antics like we are, you should certainly start. Ist ist rounded off the night with the final set. It was clear that a large section of the crowd had turned up solely for the purpose of seeing this headlining act and the front portion of the crowd immediately embraced every minute of their performance. The demands for the band to play the song Rats from the crowd were incessant, continuing even after the song was actually played! The song ‘Things Will Never Be The Same Again’ taps into a powerful melancholy, with the bass and low vocals merging into a brilliant drone, with the song gradually building to a massive breakdown. The vocals are reminiscent of a combination of Ian Curtis of Joy Division and Harry McVeigh of White Lies, and who wouldn’t want to listen to a band with that kind of merger on offer. It is clear that here we have three bands with enormous potential, showing just how strong the talent in the North West music industry currently is. It makes you wonder how you can justify to yourself spending forty to fifty pounds for a gig in which you are lost in a massive crowd when you can get up close and personal with some brilliant bands from your area for a fraction of the price.
The Sherlocks, Oddity Road and Jordan Allen @ Albert Hall Manchester Date: 3rd February By Kieran Bowie Images by Georgia Osborn The Sherlocks returned to Manchester as part of a tour taking them all across the UK spanning 38 dates. A number of the dates across the tour have sold out including the band’s next show in Liverpool, but Manchester was one of the first to sell out. At a venue the size of the Albert Hall, with only a handful of singles released to date, it is an impressive feat for any band and only bodes well for The Sherlocks going forward. The fact that they have only released six singles does entail a relatively short set list for the band, but this is only noticeable due to the size of the venue The Sherlocks find themselves playing. The type of artist that normally graces the stage at the Albert Hall tend to be more established within the industry, therefore meaning a bigger back catalogue to choose from when creating a set list. The Sherlocks’ set list feels a lot more well-rounded since the last time seeing them at The Ritz last year and this is something that will become stronger over time as the band build up a larger set. One new addition to the set list is the new single, Was It Really Worth It?, which the fans have already lapped up, sounding like a song that had been out for longer than the few weeks it actually has. While this song goes down well, along with older singles such as ‘Live For The Moment’, and a personal favourite, ‘Last Night’, it is in the unreleased songs like ‘Turn The Clock’ and ‘Blue’ which really show how far this band can go. Both of these songs, will probably turn out to be album songs but never released as singles. This shows me that The Sherlocks have a bright future because of these songs, especially Blue, are brilliant songs. In most cases, I find you can learn more about a band from their album tracks than you can from the singles. A good band make brilliant singles. A great band make brilliant album tracks. The two supports on the night were Oddity Road and Jordan Allen. Oddity Road, like The Sherlocks, are a four-piece from Sheffield, have a live presence that suggests they will find themselves a place in this industry. Getting a support slot at a sold-out Albert Hall the year after forming is a good platform to get their name out. Jordan Allen was very popular amongst the crowd but the performance was lacking a level of stage presence. Each of the band seemed very much in their own space on the stage, focused on their own instruments. This is fine and it’s possible with more time spent gigging will come a level of confidence. It is clear this band have potential and they satisfy a demand in the genre as they went down well with the crowd, a commanding stage presence would really push them on a level. The Sherlocks’ gigs will step on another level once their debut album is released, and with the band signing with Infectious Music, it may not be too long before that album is out. Until then, it would be advisable taking a chance to go and see them live before they truly take off.
Homeshake Interview By Charlie Jordin
Homeshake’s latest album, Fresh Air, is as refreshing as the title suggests. An eclectic mix of RnB and smooth guitar, from one of the most unique sounds around. The man behind Homeshake is Peter Sagar, who used to play with Mac Demarco’s touring band but left on good terms to focus on his own music. We caught up with him to talk about his new album, he tour and the future of music. Hi Peter, your new album, Fresh Air, features some distinctive artwork. Can you tell us about it? Does it symbolise anything? All my artwork is done by my partner Salina Ladha. She’s my favorite artist in the world, but you’d have to ask her if there’s any symbolism in it. What was the biggest challenge you faced in making Fresh Air? Sketchy tape machine, we weren’t sure it would survive the tracking. Still works somehow. You’ve used some pretty unusual samples in your music, like Dragon Ball Z and a Louis Theroux documentary about aliens. Do you have any specific reasoning behind the samples or do you just like them? Some of them just sound good, a couple have particular meaning though. Your tracks are on streaming sites like Spotify and Soundcloud - do you think streaming has helped or hindered your career as an artist? Both. I’m thankful for people listening to my music regardless of what media or platform they hear it on, but I feel like streaming devalues the work a bit, you’ve got an unlimited supply but don’t own any of it, and the artist doesn’t get a fair cut. Not to mention having ads slipped in there. More and more people are choosing vinyl over cheaper options like digital downloads or CDs, especially in the UK. How do you feel about vinyl re-emerging as a music platform? It’s nice, records are beautiful. Do you ever find that the audience response changes depending on the venue or location? Yeah, mostly depending on age restrictions. Teenagers pay closer attention. Finally, who are some of your favourite British musicians? Babyfather, Andy Stott, Sade, Nadia Rose.
Interview with Mad Winter By Kieran Bowie We had a chance to sit down with James and Callum of Mad Winter ahead of their gig supporting Awkward Agenda at Club Academy. Mad Winter played a short set featuring a few of their older songs alongside a few that got their first performance live. A highlight of the set was the song ‘Get Away’, which was released as part of their EP ‘Emergence’ last year. This song is a catchy indie number, showcasing the talents of each member of the Mancunian fourpiece. Callum’s drumming was strong throughout, driving each song forward confidently. James’s showed he’s a confident front man, interacting with the crowd with confidence. All in all, this was a strong performance from a band that have a good setlist to choose from with a few very good tunes in particular. For a band that has only been going for two years, Mad Winter are blessed with being in a city with such a strong music scene, especially for young bands. Expect Mad Winter to take full advantage of that music scene over the next few year. This is your gig since a few weeks ago at Dulcimer, how did that go? James: Yeah that went really well, it was packed. It was our first gig back for a while and we had a couple of hundred come down for it and it was our guitarist Jack’s first gig so it was a good one for him. Callum: It was a more local one for me, with me being from Chorlton and it was good, people enjoyed it and it was packed. Definitely a different type of gig tonight? James: Yeah, it’s a lot bigger tonight. I think Academy is a bit more prestigious, it’s a well known venue and to play here second gig back is something I’m proud of because there was a lot of stuff to sort out. We’ve thrown Jack in at the deep end but he did brilliantly.
You’re supporting Awkward Agenda tonight, how did that come about? James: Well we first played a gig with them at Academy in December 2015 and Adam (Awkward Agenda) was a mate of Scott’s and we got on so they supported us there and they’ve done pretty well off the back of that and now we’re back here supporting with their EP launch tonight. Speaking of EP launches, you released Emergence last year, how did that go? Callum: Well we recorded it at Blueprint Studios so that was really good, it’s a great place, where Elbow have done a lot of their work so that was good, we even bumped into Guy Garvey while we were there. James: He even asked me for an autograph. (laughs) For people who aren’t familiar with you and maybe haven’t heard you before how would you describe your sound? James: What I like is that you can tell who we’re inspired by, say Callum and Jack are mad into Foals, Me and Scott are into Stereophonics, we like Catfish and the Bottlemen, people like them. We’ve all got different influences so it makes it into a different sound, especially compared to what is coming out of Manchester now like Cabbage, I think they’re the next ones to do it and we’re a lot different to them, Blossoms as well, they had a good year last year. We’re a new sound to come out Callum: You mention them bands, but we come off stage and people come up to us and say, ‘oh you sound a bit like The Killers, or U2’ even when it isn’t a conscious choice to sound like them so I think there’s a lot of different influences for us. So after tonight, what’s the plan for the next year or so? James: Funnily enough we’re back at Academy next month, but we’ve got a lot of gigs lined up
and we’re in the making of doing our first album because we’ve got all that sorted now. We’re going to try and grow our fanbase and play a few festivals. Is there a plan to branch out away from Manchester now? James: Yeah that’s the thing, we’ve been in Manchester for about two years now, we’ll technically 20 years now because that’s where we’re from, but we’ve been doing this for two years now and we’re doing all right but it’s like getting those sort of crowds in somewhere else would be mint. We’re not here to say well we’re going to be bigger than the Rolling Stones, we’re just going to be here, we’re best mates, we’re making good music, as far as I’m concerned. You have to think what you’re doing is good, I don’t like it when people are like ‘It’s all right, I don’t know, I hope you like it’. We did a gig last year and one of the support bands we’re like ‘well we don’t really like this one but I hope you like it’ and you think well who the fucks going to like that then. James to Callum: What’s the sort of thing you’d be happy with. Callum: Well I think as we were saying we definitely want to branch out outside of Manchester, play a few more places around the UK, like Leeds, Liverpool, I think we should go and play at Universities and obviously social media is massive. James: Well I love the Beatles, Jack’s mad into the Rolling Stones and B.B. King and it’s like we’re listening to 60s music trying to reach out to 21 year olds, so I think we can find our niche. I don’t think we’re mainstream but I think if you listened to us on the radio you’d think alright they have good catchy tunes but I don’t think you’d be like ‘oh wow what’s this new take on music. Yeah it seem a lot of people make a big deal out of staying away from mainstream sounds, but you could say it’s mainstream for a reason James: People I know are in bands who are doing the pop thing and it’s great for them because if you like that kind of music then you have a pretty good chance of making something out of it.
Kieran Bowie on the NME and Brit Awards It’s that time of year again when the Brits and NME awards roll around, looking at the best of the music scene over the past year. 2016 was a good year for a number of bands, old and new, so we thought it would be worthwhile taking a look at the awards show’s to see whether they reflected the last year of music in the UK. On the whole, the results of both these awards shows give a rather depressing look at the way the music industry is viewed. I’ll start by looking at the positives because, despite the largely disappointing results, there are still some in the mix. First of all, one award that surprised me but feels deserved was Skepta taking home ‘Best British Male’ at the NME awards. Although it’s fair to say Skepta is an artist of a genre that many NME readers wouldn’t typically listen to in Grime, the fact that Skepta has been able to help bring a genre as divisive as Grime to the forefront of British music without altering his style to make it more suitable for a ‘mainstream’ audience showcases that he is certainly deserving of the award. NME’s praise of the artist might show a sliver of individuality still exists behind the steadily declining magazine’s walls. His music may not be to my taste, but I cannot deny what he has achieved. Another award from NME that didn’t depress me was ‘Music Moment of the Year’. This award was given to Coldplay. Yes, I have just said that Coldplay winning an award at the NME awards was a good thing. But hear me out. This award was given for the tribute the band paid to Viola Beach during their Glastonbury set. The tragic accident that resulted in the death of Warrington band Viola Beach and their manager was terrible, but the outpouring of support for the band following the tragic events has been heart-warming to see and giving this award to Coldplay for their poignant Glastonbury tribute felt like a fitting way to recognise the show of sympathy and support fans, artists and the industry gave the band. I’m not normally one to compliment Coldplay on anything they do, but fair play to them. But that’s the fun bits over, the rest us far less inspiring. NME’s ‘Hero of the Year’ was one award that was not only irritating, but came across as distasteful. David Bowie was nominated for this award in a year where he released Blackstar, an album that went on to be one of his most successful, reaching number one in the charts in a number of countries and it was his only ever album to top the Billboard 200 in the United States. Not only this, but Bowie also lost his battle with cancer. For Bowie to not win this award, whilst some of the other nominees were the likes of Gary Lineker, for hosting Match of the Day in his underwear, frankly seemed distasteful towards his memory. Beyonce went on to win the award. In fairness, Beyonce made a powerful protest at the Superbowl in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. My issue isn’t with Beyonce winning this award, it is the fact that other nominees were Gary Lineker, for not wearing any clothes while presenting a TV show, and Liam Gallagher for calling his brother Noel a potato, as funny as that is. However, David Bowie did go on to win ‘Best British Male’ and ‘Best British Album’ for the hauntingly brilliant Blackstar at the Brit Awards. The 1975 are a band that split opinion, many love them, but I find myself falling firmly on the side of dislike. The 1975 went on to win ‘Best Live Band’ at the NME awards and the ‘British Group Award’ at the Brits. Their performance of The Sound at the Brit Awards confirmed for me why they shouldn’t have won ‘Best Live Band’ at the NME awards. The band reduced their performance to a gimmick and a tired one at that. The band flashed criticism that have been put against them in the past on to the screen whilst they performed, similar to the music video for the same song. Fair enough to them ‘proving the critics wrong’, however for a band that is supposed to be the best live band around, for their performance to be reduced to this gimmick makes me think that they
acknowledge that their performances leave much to be desired. The best live band shouldn’t need a gimmick to be talked about, they should excel not just in single shows, but as a whole. Also, the band ‘sneaking’ under their table (followed by multiple cameras, I might add) in order to smoke weed seemed like a pathetic attempt to come across as controversial and rebellious. When you would see an outburst from the Gallagher’s, that would be funny because they genuinely don’t care what anyone thinks of them and they do it because that’s how they naturally are. This from The 1975 feels planned and forced, very much like their live shows. One artist that undeservingly came away with no awards from either award shows despite being nominated for ‘British Breakthrough Act’, were Blossoms. Having had what most would describe as the definition of a breakout year in 2016, with their debut album spending two weeks at the top of the UK charts and that’s for an indie band from the North West. This was through pure hard work, without mass media backing, and they have worked extensively touring around the country and overseas. No disrespect to Rag’n’Bone Man or Dua Lipa, with Rag N’ Bone having also spent two weeks at number one and Dua Lipa charting at number two in UK top ten singles chart, proving both to be talented artists. However, Rag’n’Bone man had a lot more radio and TV coverage than Blossoms, he’s being played by everyone right now, and rightly so, yet Blossoms could have made use of increased media attention. Also, Dua Lipa has a sound that is more appealing to a general audience. Blossoms winning with such an individual style of music and virtually no media coverage would have been a true success story for rising stars, sadly it wasn’t meant to be. Another band similar to The 1975 in the way they split opinion, are Bastille, who won NME’s ‘Album of the Year’. It makes me wonder how they can be considered to display the best indie and alternative music, that NME supposedly covers. In a year which Blossoms released their debut, Jamie T returned to top form, Catfish and the Bottlemen successfully followed up their debut amongst others, how can Bastille’s Wild World be considered the best of such a strong bunch of albums? The final gripe I will raise is with the NME awards was for ‘Best Festival Headliner’. First of all it is worth mentioning some of the nominees. The Stone Roses, who topped off their summer return with T in the Park. Biffy Clyro who headlined Reading and Leeds again, after headlining only three years earlier. Foals who also headlined Reading and Leeds, who are one of the best live bands out there and Radiohead, another fantastic live band. Even Coldplay are “apparently” meant to be a
good live experience. The winner was Adele, who headlined Glastonbury. She doesn’t seem the type of artist who would appeal to a festival crowd, especially with her having only performed on three tours so far since 2011. For someone who’s debut album came out almost a decade ago, it leads me to believe that Adele herself doesn’t particularly merit her touring ability, or perhaps doesn’t enjoy it at all. Maybe this is a problem I have with the pop industry as a whole rather than just Adele, but I prefer an artist to go out and earn a living for themselves on the road, to hone their craft at tiny venues before being rewarded with the festival headline circuit. For someone who plays live so rarely to headline arguably the most famous festival in the world bemuses me, let alone for them to be given an award for said performance. Overall, this awards season disappoints me as I feel it sends out the wrong message to emerging artists, that working hard on tour and engaging with your fans in venues across the country won’t be recognised and that you need a commercial aspect, mass media support or a gimmick in order to be successful. I find myself surprised then that the only individual whose managed to stand against the tide is Sketpa, who has managed to win an award in spite of this. If more proof of grime’s significance in British music was needed I’m sure we’ll see it at next years awards season as well.
Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life Genre: Alt Rock and Punk By Jack Holmes Oh to be a Japandroids fan. After releasing their second album Celebration Rock the band toured relentlessly – we’re talking 500 shows between 2009 and 2013 across 44 countries. Naturally with Celebration Rock being a brilliant album, this earned the band a rapid expansion of their fan base; they went from first supports to headliners about as quickly as any band could hope for. Yet, when it seemed Japandroids were destined to break onto every magazine cover and launch a headline tour the likes of which punk bands across the world would right to envy, they announced their farewell to their fans through a message conveyed through their Facebook. There were no public appearances in the next three years, but as the band themselves rested, Celebration Rock continued to circulate. Now in 2017 there’s a new Japandroids album, titled Near to the Wild Heart of Life (NTTWHOL – because that’s one hell of a title) and Japandroids now have the grand task of matching, and trying to exceed Celebration Rock, what many view as their career highlight. With a revitalised fan base emerging from their slumber alongside Japandroids, Near to the Wild Heart of Life delivers an album that many fans probably believed they wanted to hear, a more refined, more produced Japandroids sound. The problem is that with every well rounded, catchy and clear track on NTTWHOL, the essence of the Japandroids sound becomes a little more lost. Celebration Rock was by no means a messy album, but it featured reverberations that were left to sound natural, instead of cleaned up in a post edit, vocal tracks where singer Brian King sounded like he might burst. It felt real, and that’s what made it special.
‘I’m Sorry (For Not Finding You Sooner)’ doesn’t come near the emotional slow jam of the previous album, ‘Continuous Thunder’. The self-titled single from the album doesn’t come near the emotion of ‘Younger Us’ or a number of other tracks from the previous album, and so on. The only times when NTTWHOL stands out is when it moves in new directions. ‘Arc of Bar’ features an interesting electronic riff running straight through the centre of the track. It’s not a particularly amazing track alone, but this could have been the basis for an album that stood out from previous Japandroids tracks. Also no one needs it to be seven and a half minutes long, us average joe’s *ahem* aint got time fo dat. If the duo aren’t able to reach the heights of Celebration Rock by emulating the same sounds that created that album all those years ago, I’d suggest they keep moving with their sound. NTTWHOL shows hints of something new down the road for Japandroids, and only a fool would write them off as potential music pioneers once again in the future.
Less Than Jake - Sound the Alarm Genre: Ska Punk By Wes Bowie
It scares me to think about just how long Less Than Jake has been around. I vaguely remember the name of the band being battered about by all the cool kids in high school way back when in 1995. Sadly, I wasn’t and never have been one of the cool kids and the debut album Pezcore passed me by. As did the second and third albums. Skip to 2003 and all I can say is thank God for Jilly’s Rockworld (RIP) in Manchester. Jilly’s introduced me to a world of music, bands, wind-milling and mosh-pits that I had never encountered before. Gainesville Rock City and Look What Happened from the 2000 album Boarders and Boundaries were regulars on the playlist and I remember thinking who the hell would dream of putting trumpets in a punk song? Less Than Jake, that’s who. I had to check these guys out. Skip to 2017 and we have Less Than Jake’s new EP Sound the Alarm which features seven (yes seven!) new songs. Why the band haven’t held off with the release of Sound the Alarm to write a few more songs and then release it as a full album I have no idea. Seven songs is a lot for an EP. The problem with EPs is that most contain songs that are not quite good enough for an album release and are used as a tool to raise awareness of the band or artist, reminding the fans that they are still around. Less Than Jake clearly don’t want to disappoint and what we’re treated to over the course of the EP are seven delicious treats of everything that Less Than Jake are great at. Fast tempo, ska rifts, slapping bass and joyous brass!
Opening track ‘Call to Arms’ is probably the weakest song on the EP. That’s not to say that the song isn’t great, but when compared to other tracks ‘Bomb Drop’ and ‘Good Sign’, it doesn’t grab your attention in the same way. ‘Whatever the Weather’ and ‘Welcome to My Life’ bring down the tempo slightly and break up the EP really well. On some previous EPs/Albums by the band, the track orders almost feel like an assault on the senses after the third song. The band may have made a conscious effort to rectify this or not but either way it strengthens the enjoyment of the EP. Again, keeping with a slower tempo ‘Years of Living Dangerously’ opens with an absolute mesmerising guitar riff and is the standout track on the EP. The EP ends with ‘Things Change’ and acts as a good closing track. On reflection things do change but thankfully Less Than Jake hasn’t changed too much. The band has evolved musically since their debut album but not to the extent that they are unrecognisable from all those years ago. Instead of becoming stagnant it’s clear they are still pushing themselves to write fun and enjoyable songs despite all the band members being in their early forties. For Less Than Jake, this has never been more evident than when listening to Sound the Alarm, an EP with seven fun songs full of brass!
The Menzingers - After the Party Genre: -Punk The Menzingers After the Party Genre: Punk By Jack Holmes
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It was an album that became known Menzingers case, GregofBarnett and punk Tom bands May’s slowing vocals. down just a tad to help forThe exhibiting the potential loud angry them show off more complex songwriting skills, and in The Menzingers case, Greg They may have May’s failed vocals. to match up to fan expectations with their 2014 album Barnett and Tom Rented World, but after taking three years off they now return with something far more refined andtomuch was expected of a follow up to Rented On They may have failed matchcloser up totofanwhat expectations with their 2014 album the Impossible World, but after Past. taking three years off they now return with something far more refined and much closer to what was expected of a follow up to On the Impossible This fifth album, titled After the Party, feels larger and grander than its Past. predecessor. Though not quite managing to make the impact of On the Impossible Past, thealbum, lyric complexities made feels that album returnedthan in force. Catchy This fifth titled After that the Party, larger have and grander its predecessor. choruses what The Menzingers alwaysofdone bestImpossible and After Past, the Party Though notare quite managing to make have the impact On the the lyric makes that known from the start. “Oh yeah everything is terrible/ when buying complexities that made that album have returned in force. Catchy choruses are what marijuana makes feel like criminal/When yourParty new makes friendsthat takeknown a jokefrom The Menzingers haveyoualways donea best and After the toostart. literal/ feel likeis the bad guy” the return of lyrics the “OhMaking yeah you everything terrible/ when announces buying marijuana makes you feel that flow like silk over gritty, fast and oh so catchy riffs. It’s a track like a criminal/When your new friends take a joke too literal/ Making you feel that like the wouldn’t have felt entirely outofoflyrics placethat on flow their like debut Lesson the and Abuse bad guy” announces the return silk Aover gritty,in fast oh so of Information Technology. If that’s not a punk band staying true to their roots catchy riffs on opening track ‘Tellin Lies’. It’s a track that wouldn’t have felt entirely then I don’tonknow out of place their what debutis.A Lesson in the Abuse of Information Technology. If that’s not a punk band staying true to their roots then I don’t know what is. As a punk band that formed in 2007 in the height of the credit crunch/ banking never inreally had to ofgrow of crunch/ the kindbanking of Ascollapse, a punk The bandMenzingers that formedhave in 2007 the height the out credit optimistic skate punk that came before them. There’s always been a certain collapse, The Menzingers have never really had to grow out of the kind of optimistic aspect melancholia to their and always tracks,been whether that aspect leant of towards a skate punkofthat came before them.lyrics There’s a certain melancholia tonetracks, such aswhether their debut struck more anarchic of a chord withsuch tomore theiranarchic lyrics and that album leant which towards a more tone bands like Against Me!, or their more bleak albums that find themselves among as their debut album which struck more of a chord with bands like Against Me!, or the more likes bleak of Joyce Manor. World was criticised for moving far into their albums thatRented find themselves among the likes of Joycetoo Manor. Rented bleak territory for a band that had been writing fun upbeat songs for years. World was criticised for moving too far into bleak territory for a band that had been Anyone remember of “I’ve tried running/ I’ve tried hiding/ writing funelse upbeat songs Rodent‘s for years. lyrics Anyone else remember ‘Rodent‘s’ lyrics of “I’ve I’ve running/ tried everything dying” “I everything have only bad wasonly just bad tried I’ve triedbut hiding/ I’veand tried but news” dying” and and that “I have on one track. After the Party see’s the band taking a more optimistic look news” and that was just on one track. After the Party see’s the band taking a atmore life as they back at their “Where we gonna go we optimistic looklook at life as they lookyears back as at 20-somethings. their years as 20-somethings. “Where now our 20’s are over” is actually a drastically more up beat tone for the band gonna go now our 20’s are over” is actually a drastically more up beat tone for the in comparison to some of Rented World‘s lyrics. band in comparison to some of Rented World‘s lyrics. Thislets letsthetheband band return what they best, shouty choruses This return to to what they do do best, big,big, loud,loud, shouty choruses overover dancey dancey yetwhile all the while maintaining that of notion anger the situations riffs, yet riffs, all the maintaining that notion angerof at the atsituations both the bothand the you band, you the Life that doesdoesn’t suck, that band, theand listener find listener yourself.find Lifeyourself. does suck, meandoesn’t you have mean you have to lie down and let life kick you while you’re there, put on some to lie down and let life kick you while you’re there, put on some classic Menzingers like After the Party and sing untilthat everything that Iflittle likeclassic AfterMenzingers the Party and sing until everything seems little bitseems less shit. you’re bit less shit. If you’re really lucky, you’ll go buy live tickets and experience some really lucky, you’ll go buy live tickets and experience some real emotional therapy… real emotional therapy…
Why DC: Rebirth is simply the best thing DC could have done By Aaron Brady For the past few years, all eyes have been on Marvel. With ‘The Avengers’ reaching the third highest grossing movie ever upon release, DC movies haven’t been doing so well: Man of Steel faced a lot of criticism; ‘Batman v Superman’ was publicly regarded as a huge disappointment, and ‘Suicide Squad’ was just a mess. Only TV shows ‘Arrow’ and ‘The Flash’ seemed to be getting any praise. DC weren’t doing so well on the Comic side of things either, as the New 52 wasn’t perceived well by fans. In 2011, following the ‘Flashpoint’ series, DC revamped and mostly-retconned their universe. Characters were redesigned and changed, often with different backstories. Already things didn’t make sense, DC seemed to pick and choose which stories remained canon. For example, we had a Batman who went through everything from ‘Knightfall’ to ‘Death in the Family’ in just five years, but at the same time a Superman who wasn’t killed by Doomsday. Enter DC: Rebirth. Contrary to what many might think, DC Rebirth isn’t a retcon or a reboot, it still exists in the same continuity as the New 52. The difference between the two is that DC are simply going back to how their characters were before the retcon. Green Arrow has his beard and relationship with Black Canary again, Superman is your inspirational symbol while also being a full-time dad, and even the Flash is back to his simple fun self. On 25th May 2016, DC released an 80 page special entitled “DC Universe: Rebirth” written by Geoff Johns, focusing on the return of the old Wally West, the one with the Ginger hair, who took up the mantle of The Flash following Barry Allen’s death in 1986 ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ up until his revival in 2009. Following from the death of Darkseid in ‘The Darkseid War’, Wally West is able to return to the current reality through Barry Allen, and explains that a powerful being, alluded to being ‘Watchmen’’s Dr. Manhattan, distorted the universe, leading to the New 52. This one-shot also sets up numerous plot lines for multiple DC: Rebirth titles, including ‘Batman’, ‘The Green Lanterns’, ‘The Atom’, ‘Blue Beetle’, ‘Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corp’, ‘Green Arrow’, ‘Aquaman’, ‘Constantine’, ‘The Flash’, and ‘Superman’. Every one of these Rebirth titles, as well as others not alluded to in the one-shot, including ‘Suicide Squad’, ‘Deathstroke’, ‘Teen Titans’, ‘Trinity’, and ‘The Titans’, have all been highly successful. Almost every title has met with positive reception, and sales numbers are still fairly high for many of the rebirth titles. Even Rebirth’s most recent event, ‘Suicide Squad vs Justice League’, has generally met with positive reviews, as well as setting up a new Justice League team. In Contrast, Marvel’s ‘Civil War 2’ started off looking good, but by the half way point was generally lacklustre, and ended with disappointment. Even the most recent story of Action Comics, ‘Men of Steel’, has a storyline following the idea of Preventing Crimes before they happen, as in ‘Civil War 2’, but generally plays out much quicker and to a more satisfying end. It’s pretty clear that Marvel and Disney are the stars of the show when it comes to Superhero movies, but DC have made a great come back in Comic Books. With ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Justice League’ scheduled for release this year, and with Geoff Johns currently at the helm of the DCEU, we can only hope that DC know what they did right with DC: Rebirth, and translate that to the big screen.
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