Scene Issue 214

POLARSETS

FRANK TURNER

SCENE Tuesday March 15, 2011. Issue 214.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING

MUSIC SPOTLIGHT FILM

TV

BOOKS

TECHNOLOGY

NIGHTLIFE

N O I S I TELEV

e for d a m re g n ei b s te ri u vo fa TV With so many British the Vision TV team wonder what the US small screen, les were reversed... would happen if the ro

I

f there’s one thing our American cousins are good at, it’s remaking our TV shows without ruining them. Sounds like no big feat, right? But it’s something us Brits have failed at time and time again.

Consider the American Office, how we all scoffed at the idea of the Yanks daring to have a go at one of our most beloved sitcoms.

And what happened? They only went and made it just as good.

Hell’s Kitchen, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Three’s Company, all massive hits in the states; all have their origins on the British box.

But when we try and repay the favour, the outcome isn’t always as successful. But it seems our TV producers haven’t conceded defeat just yet. This spring sees the first outing of MTV UK’s Geordie Shore, a British version of American shitfest Jersey Shore. If it’s successful it could be the birth of a British remake boom.

Here at the TV section, we’ve had a go at imagining what could be in store if we Brits try to remake any more of America’s best TV shows.

Glory Daze – York style Follow the trials and tribulations of four fresh-faced teens as they desperately try to leave their mark on the breeze block jungle that is Hes West. There’s Dave, the standard boy-next-door type (whatever that means). He’s funny, popular in a non-Rugy player kind of way, and hopes to find the girl of his dreams somewhere on the Ziggy’s dance floor. Next we have Gloria, the Oxbridge reject who is actually not that posh. Honestly, she even went to Magaluf once on holiday. Well, her daddy’s yacht had to refuel there, but she promises that that counts. Then

there’s Jack, the science geek, who thinks he’s a hit with the ladies, but in reality the only thing he knows about biology is what he’s read in his text books. I’ll let you imagine the fourth member of the gang yourself, or just pretend I wrote another lazy cliché, it’ll save my time and yours.

Watch their fresher’s week unfold; laugh as they pay £30 for the privilege of standing in the queue outside their own Fresher’s ball, marvel at how the offer of free toasties becomes the highlight of their night. Enjoy this insight into ‘wild’ uni life, York style.

Desperate Housewives The five central characters: Barbara, Carol, Karen, Joan and Elaine. Everyone has a neighbour like Barbara. You know what she's like; she comes round offering milk and old magazines, faintly veiling the fact that she wants to gossip about Mr. No.24 and that bloody diesel lawnmower. And then there's Carol. Cardigan Carol, the character that enhances all the other character's beauty by not conforming to the stereotypical 'wife'. But this is Britain. There ain't no wives like that on this street, well, apart from Karen. Karen is the token 'young' wife, the one that moved in two years ago. A divorcee at 30, she remarried Mr. Wealthy and brought along a brat and her pink garden gloves to ruffle some feathers. And she's done that alright. How come her hanging baskets are looking so good? That's Miracle Grow, or if anyone asks her, her loving, flower touch. Joan, well she's the street stalwart. The tough one, that rallies the street into action if the council plan to cut down the tree at the end and put in a roundabout. The one that everyone kind

of avoids at all costs from both fear and the fact that you think no one will ever take your word seriously if your signature appears on yet ANOTHER petition sheet.

So that just leaves Elaine. Lovely Elaine with her perfect, 2.4 family.

They have the Volvo, the dog, and that lovable cat that really is just that little bit evil.

The biggest scandal in this street: the bins haven't been emptied for over 3 weeks. What is going on? Perhaps it's because of Barbara and her constant meddling, like the time the council refused to grit the street. That'll teach them all. Well done Barbara, again.

Lost in Blackpool This isn’t a scene from Castaway where you are on a flight then suddenly an emergency engine failure causes the plane to crash on this remote tropical island, with beautiful white sandy beaches and Hayden Panettiere strolling in the sand. Well if you swap the BA transatlantic flight to Miami for Easyjet, you have Lost in Blackpool. Rather than a bumpy landing on a deserted Caribbean island, the plane crashes on the Blackpool pier complete with a bunch of wingeing passengers who all just want to get to Corfu.

One look at the locals, otherwise known as ‘the others’ forces the passengers to try to escape with a dingy constructed from candied rocks and hardened candy floss. Images of your anticipated Corfu holidays flash through your mind as you sit by the pier freezing and drenched in your short shorts, eating some soggy fish and chips. If there was anywhere in the world where you had to get lost, pray it’s not Blackpool.

LISTINGS

Le Geek?? c i h c t s e ' C Nicola Chapman

Class of 200(

PHWOAR)

D

on’t get me wrong, I am well aware that TV is smothered in sensationalism. It seems that unless a person or a storyline isn’t stretched to the extremes then we wouldn’t believe it.

But when a stereotype is so far on the other side of the personality spectrum than you’d expect, it becomes kinda difficult to take it all seriously.

Exhibit A: Gossip Girl. All those beautiful clothes and ridiculous week-by-week scandals cannot mask the fact that Dan is by no means a Geek. He is scripted as the loveable, hopeless-in-love brain box that cares about his studies and his family. Geek? What a Geek.

If you cast your mind back to school and college, the Geek was probably someone who was bouncing up and down, looking like they were about to have a mental hernia just to answer that question in class that everyone was trying to avoid. The person who was eventually asked the answer after minutes of everybody else staring down at the desk feeling hopeless. The Geek was someone who usually substituted personal hygiene for individual credit. We all suffered that hamsterish sawdust smell all so they could get an A for the homework the rest of us ‘forgot’ to do. So if Dan (Penn Badgley) walked down the corridor, book in hand, he’s not the one you would be throwing that half drunk can of coke at. You would probably stare in sheer disbelief that someone so beautiful actually went to your school.

Exhibit B: Soaps. Well, Hollyoaks, if we’re being really picky.

But it’s the same-old, same-old when a stereotype comes along. It’s either a LAD or total slag that turns good after ‘years and years of being messed around’ (?!) or that ferrety little Geek who ‘after years and years of being the ‘good’ one’ turns into a druggy and sets the pub alight. There can never be just someone normal, someone who enjoys studying and then moves along the standard path of Sixth Form and University. No. It’s clear that the Hollyoaks casting team have chosen someone stunning, found a pair of comedy glasses and dungarees in the costume bin, and asked them to walk around like they’ve suddenly produced a Quasimodo style hump from all those library books they’ve got. What a joke.

Exhibit C: Skins. Quite obviously. Even if this series is so appallingly acted then at least we can sit there and laugh at how casting directors expect us to believe that these people really are who they say they are. And even more so in this series than in the glory days of Tony and the gang. Take for example Rich, the metalhead and rock’n’roll lover. Shave his head and he’s a stand-up gent. Simple.

And all of the kids in it scream stereotype, because that is what we all were in youth right? Running amok in fields and vandalising farms. God we were all terrors. Show me someone who had the Skins adolescence and I’ll be amazed. All I can say is that at least those who created The Inbetweeners knew that, even if you thought so, you weren’t cool at all deep down.

So, pass me the TV salt pot please, I need to take a pinch from it.

Remotes at the ready - our tv picks for the week

Best of 4oD

Th

how e Cleveland S

From the producers of Family Guy, The Cleveland Show is back for its second season and is funnier than ever. Crazy, and full of outlandish fun, The Cleveland Show has upped the ante in tasteless smut - proving that spin-offs are not just second to their parent show.

Mondays, E4,10pm

Oh No You Didn't...

Watch this week

The Vampire Diaries

For all you Vampire lovers, sink your teeth into a high octane drama, that's got a little for everyone - action, romance and of course, beautiful people.

Although you may cringe a lot while watching this teenage vamp-fest, it is still Has Jeremy Kyle gone too far with his day time talkshow? With episodes named 'has my boyfriend a damn sight better than Twilight. been exposing himself to my mum?', I truly believe so...

Tuesdays, ITV2, 9pm

Jeremy Kyle, Weekdays, ITV, 9.25am

MUSIC SPOTLIGHT FILM

TV

BOOKS

TECHNOLOGY

NIGHTLIFE

RED NOSE DAY THE GREATEST MOMENTS

This Friday sees the return of Comic Relief. The one night every two years where TV stars old and new join forces to make us laugh in the name of charity. We've waded through all the Comic Reliefs of the past to bring you our favourite moments. And don't worry, there isn't an 'Is this the way to Amarillo?' in sight.

LISTINGS

oscaRS BEST ACTOR Jeremy Kyle: always remains in character as the pissed off, disciplinarian father who can make any fool get off their backside and do something with their life.

best show ries 2 of Misfits: Se r show may this popula in Decemd de have en t e still can’ ber but w the show of get enough e es who ar about hero r. pe su t anything bu

LET’S DANCE ALI G VS THE BECKHAMS MY FAVOURITE Comic Relief moment has to be when Ali G interviewed the Beckhams back in 2001. Getting an interview with David Beckham at the height of Goldenballs fever was a master stroke for Comic Relief, and the choice of Ali G as interrogator was simply inspired.

Ali G was known at the time as the man with no fear when it came to celebrity interviews, and his 40 minute destruction of the Beckhams all in the name of charity was arguably his finest hour.

Doubts about whether he would go easy on his superstar guests were instantly put to bed with his introduction: ‘Every boy wants to be in his boots and every man wants to be in his missus.’ The interview became an overnight classic, and I don’t think there’s been a Comic Relief moment to match it since.

PRANCING NEWSREADERS REMEMBER those days when news readers actually reported the news?

Nowadays they are moving from behind the desk, pushing the scripts aside and prancing around in their glad rags as if they are the next pop phenomenon. Every year they fail to disappoint in their ever extravagant performances like the Mama Mia tribute of 2008 or last year’s dance off with Diversity.

TV doesn’t get better or worse than seeing conservative newsreader Fiona Bruce booty-shaking like Beyoncé.

Every year we are blessed, or some say cursed, with this spectacle. Whether they go Gaga, Abba or Queen, we cannot forget it's all in the name of charity and has now become one of our many national cringe worthy traditions.

LET’S DANCE is back! Well it’s been on our screens for the past few weeks now making Saturday night TV worth watching. It seems that the great British public can’t get enough of ‘so called’ celebs and professional comedians completely making a spectacle of themselves for charity.

Hoping to be just as memorable as Rufus Hound's ‘Fight For This Love’ performance last year, we have seen some real highlights such as Ade Edmondson twirling around as the Dying Swan. And if the mention of the name Katie Price doesn’t annoy you already, her performance as Freddy Mercury with a wig and moustache will push you off the edge.

But apart from that, I have no complaints. Let’s Dance raised £57 million in 2009, when the event was last aired and let’s hope they beat this record. It will be a relief to see some of these D-listers off our screens for another year.

R WORST ACTOthe Charlie Sheen:

iving star is rece ition gn co re more f the of ys da e es th to his screen thanks haviour car-crash be called and his so antics. ‘winning’ r, I’m “I’m not bipola pure a ”, ng ni bi-win . ce an rm Razzie perfo

Dean Knapper and Rebecca Ojumu

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? B

ullying, drugs, friendship and peer pressure - Saved By The Bell was the first sitcom to encounter these issues and many more, through captivating storylines and characters; making it a world-wide phenomenon way back in the '90s. The show was famed for its slapstick comedy and 'After School Specials'; but what made the show so entertaining was its characters; Zack, A.C., Kelly and the gang. They were all so cool, so smart and they had an amazing sense of style (for the '90s anyways). They were attractive, positive role models, who showed me that you should always aim to achieve, no matter the cost. So, sometimes when I have some quiet time alone I naïvely wonder - what ever happened to those characters who taught me valuable lessons in difficult situations, who said that it was okay to be smart and good looking at the same time?

Well to my surprise, these shining beacons of moral superiority are now desperate examples of has-beens, who

WORST ACTRESs

Lucy from Take Me Out: Let’s just say we're not surprised that it took 12 weeks before one desperate fella decided to take this lass out and finally put us out of our misery.

SAVED BY THE BELL

once had Hollywood eating out of the palm of their hands. From washed up actors to amateur porn stars, it's oddly thrilling to see how far the mighty have fallen. A great example is Elizabeth Berkley - renowned for her portrayal of Jessica Spano, an ardent feminist activist who was the epitome of strength and purity. She can now be seen making her money gyrating and jiggling what her momma gave her, in the disreputable film Showgirls. Remember that well-loved virginal geek, Screech aka Dustin Diamond? Well he has now turned his talents towards the smutty world of pornography. He has repulsed the public with his 'erotic' home video and is now a frequent member of the Z-list.

Isn't it such a shame that the actors who influenced a generation couldn't have taken their own advice and stayed current? However, within this story of loose morals and candid sex tapes lies redemption

- Mario Lopez or A.C broke the mould.

He has retained his fame and built a successful career on his rippling six pack abs, hosting a wide selection of TV shows, most notably, America's Best Dance Crew.

Still, I can't help but wonder when reflecting upon the matter - isn't it ironic how all the Saved by the Bell actors have made their mark on the world through the sale of their bodies?

Not e

ell can ven the b

save them

WORST SHOW

Coach Trip: 6 hour trips are generally unpleasant, so watching a bunch of bickering fools on a rundown coach makes the ultimate Turn off TV.

now

Morgan Collins

Razzies

MUSIC

SPOTLIGHT

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TV

BOOKS

Books AN ANONYMOUS author has found an ingenious way of releasing their novel to the public - postering it on various lampposts around New York, page by page!

The book, entitled Holy Crap, appears to be a crime thriller with a whodunit twist, though locals will have to wait until the author finishes postering to find out the conclusion.

The stunt has inevitably torn public opinion between art and vandalism, but the content has nonetheless been well received.

Some of the locals of East Manhattan have even decided to photocopy pages and put them in the place of the originals, no doubt hoping that in years to come they'll own a part of literary history.

NIGHTLIFE

LISTINGS

Want to contribute? Contact us at books@yorkvision.co.uk

GEORGE OSBORNE looks at developments within the publishing industry...

Mystery Writer Keeps New York Guessing

TECHNOLOGY

Bristol Palin to Reveal All

PUBLISHING HOUSE HarperCollins has announced that it is to publish the memoirs of Bristol Palin, daughter of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

The publishing firm promised that the book will be an "intimate, behindthe-scenes" look at the 20 year old's life so far.

Whilst not as action packed as her mother's life (Sarah Palin is cur-

rently advocating the extreme right wing Tea Party movement) there is not exactly a shortage of incidents in Bristol's life. Having become a mother at 18, she then went on to become a spokesperson for teenage abstinence, and in September 2009 set up her own lobbying and public relations firm, BSMP. And she will, of course, be revealing intimate details from the 2008 presidential elections.

Though HarperCollins have not disclosed the fee they are paying Miss Palin, they have revealed that it will be published this summer.

JASMINE TARMEY looks at discovered tales of deceased authors...

Discovering du Maurier's Tales CORNISH bookseller Ann Willmore has discovered five previously lost stories by Daphne du Maurier. Maurier was frequently published in UK and US magazines and consequently Willmore has searched booksellers catalogues for years trying to find some of these lost works.

One of the stories The Doll, mentioned in du Maurier’s autobiography Myself When Young, proves to be quite risqué even for today’s standards, since the short story revolves around a man

discovering his amour is obsessed with a mechanical sex doll. Another story The Happy Valley contains plot elements which later evolved into the bestselling Rebecca. These, and the three other tales And His Letters Grew Colder, East Wind and The Limpit, are to be published by Virago Press on May 5th in a collection entitled The Doll – and all 5 tales prove to be as dark and macabre as fans would expect.

The Hidden Treasure of Blyton's Archive ENID BLYTON may have died over forty years ago, but her literary legacy still lives on and is set to be reinvigorated.

A new, unpublished and unheard of manuscript has been discovered hidden away in an archive of her work at a recent charity auction.

The novel titled Mr Tumpy’s Cara-

van is an almost 200 page fantasy story.

Whilst originally believed to be a mere version of Blyton's comic strip picture book Mr Tumpy and His Caravan the book is actually a completely new and different tale altogether.

Since no one even guessed at the existence of this manuscript, it is a definite treat for Blyton fans everywhere.

Despite writing nearly 800 books in her lifetime this is one author whose vast canon just keeps growing, and whose imagination appears limitless.

Hiding Behind A Mask GEORGE OSBORNE investigates the concept of pseudonyms FOLLOWING Sam Hook's absorbing piece on reclusive authors in the last issue of Vision, I decided to look into the similar, but distinct concept of pseudonymous names, an intriguing phenomenon in the world of literature. So what is a pseudonym? Also known as a pen name, it is a fictitious name created by an author to conceal his/her identity. It is separate from the concept of writing anonymously, where the author is looking to conceal all identity, i.e. to remove the concept of 'authorship' so that attention can only be directed towards the work itself.

An example of a pseudonymous author is Charles Dodgson, an Oxford graduate who, after gaining a first in mathematics, wrote his mathematical theories under his real name and his 'literary nonsense' such as Alice In Wonderland under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.

The most natural question that we, the reader, ask when faced with a pseudonymous author is why do they do it?

Why do they let false names take the credit for their own proud work?

A key reason is the ubiquity of social conventions. For example William Luther Pierce, an American white supremacist,

wrote the disturbing novels The Turner Diaries (which Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh later called "[his] bible") and Hunter under the name Andrew Macdonald. Both novels depict in violent detail the emergence of a race war in a fictional future and were written with the intent to provoke a reaction - which in the case of Oklahoma they clearly did. Therefore it is no wonder that Pierce wanted to conceal his identity.

Of course, pseudonyms can also be used to garner a positive reception - Mary Ann Evans wrote under the name George Eliot to escape the socially perceived

inadequacies of female authors, as did all three of the Brontë sisters. However whilst the Brontë sisters' work is now published under their real names, Evan's continues to be printed under the name George Eliot.

Probably the most tragic and poignant use of a pseudonym was undertaken

by Sylvia Plath with the publication of her only novel The Bell Jar. The novel follows a young woman for a year and charts her descent into depression, attempted suicide and institutionalization.

Published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, it was released one month before Plath killed herself and when her name was eventually put on the cover four years later, the horror of her life was realized by fans and critics alike. Plath had left specific wishes with her husband (Ted Hughes) that her name not be used until a suitable time has passed, so as not to tarnish the book as a literary suicide note.

Pseudonyms are still popular today; horror writer Stephen King regularly writes as Richard Bachman, and children's author Daniel Handler wrote his hugely successful A Series of Unfor-

tunate Events chronology as Lemony Snicket. So with their popularity remaining at a steady level, we can be sure that in the future we'll discover that some of our favourite authors may not actually be who they say they are.

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Rated Reads

f you like your vampires with a little less love and a little more blood try Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, the first novel in her vampire chronicles.

First printed in 1976, this novel has stood the test of time and is still popular amongst readers today. The main protagonist, and narrator of the story, is Louis de Pointe du Lac who is recounting his life to an interviewer he refers to as “the boy”.

When Louis’ brother dies, he is so struck with grief that he seeks death. Louis believes he has found the answer in vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, but Lestat has other plans and instead of killing Louis, he turns him in the hopes that he will become his companion. Rice’s story has it all, from questioning the ethics of making child vampires to having a coven of vampires front as an acting troupe committing real murders on live stages, the reader is taken on a whirlwind adventure from the backwaters of New Orleans to the bright lights of Paris.

Louis tale is meant to be horrifying and offputting to both the reader, and the fictional interviewer, however, the history he relates, and the Lestat that he portrays, instead captivate and appear seductively inviting. Rice’s enthralling prose continues in the second novel of the series – Lestat – which somehow proves even more compelling, and even harder to put down than the first. If you fancy reading vampire fiction as it should be, Rice’s Chronicles are definitely worth putting on the list.

JASMINE TARMEY

T

he title of this book jumps out at you and leaves you thinking "Really?! Did you call your own book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius?"

Combine that with the small army of awards and accolades littering the front and back of the book (Pulitizer Prize Finalist, Time Magazine Best Book of the Year, #1 National Bestseller - I could go on...) and you've got a recipe for dangerously high expectations. But, quite sickeningly, the book does not disappoint - it actually is genius.

Not quite a novel and not quite a memoir, AHWOSG is like real life but more exciting. Anyone who's ever lost someone close to them will find his portrayal of the hidden perks of grief to be refreshingly true, but the dialogue is so witty and the plot so fast-paced that the reader is never allowed to feel bogged down by the drab greyness of the everyday.

It tells the tale of Eggers and his funny and precocious little brother Toph, who are forced to embark on a new life together after the deaths of both their parents in quick succession.

Obviously this doesn't

TECHNOLOGY

spell an easy read, but there are glints of humour and fun to be found in even the most moving and harrowing scenes.

Alongside the human factor there are also some amazing sun-dappled descriptions of San Francisco and the California coast that make AHWOSG a perfect summer holiday read.

I realise this review is about as gushing as the aforementioned difficult title, and yes Eggers has flaws like any writer (if I had to pick one it would be his liberal use of ironic self-awareness, which can really grate at times.) Yet overall I loved it - genius indeed.

KATE TURNER

The Bluffer's Guide to: Franz Kafka

NIGHTLIFE

LISTINGS

Releases

OUT NOW:

Tea Obreht The Tiger’s Wife £12.99 When Natalia's grandfather dies she tries to reconstruct his last days whilst recalling the stories of folklore and mystery that he used to tell …

Sarah Winman When God Was a Rabbit £12.99 The story of a flawed family, concentrating on the bond between a brother and sister, and the ordinary and extraordinary events which construct their everyday lives…

S. J. Parris Prophecy £12.99 Q u e e n Elizabeth's throne is threatened by plots to install Mary Stuart, whilst an astrological phenomenon causes frenzy through predictions of terrible events...

COMING SOON: James Frey The Final Testament of the Holy Bible £16.99 F r e y ' s controversial and somewhat condemned novel caused his exile from America and criticism by the public. His novel charts the life of the Messiah living in today's New York, sleeping with men, impregnating woman, committing euthanasia and healing the sick, those who thought The Da Vinci Code was controversial will be moved to rethink…

Wilbur Smith Those in Peril £18.99 When Hazel's private yacht is hijacked by pirates and her daughter is kidnapped for ransom and tortured she enlists the owner of a security firm Hector Cross to take the law in their own hands and recover her daughter…

JASMINE TARMEY

Literally Literary Art

Sam Hook gives you the lowdown on Kafka.

"Dearest Max, My last request: Everything I leave behind me to be burned unread."

FRANZ KAFKA, one of the twentieth century’s great imaginations, died of tuberculosis at the age of 40 in an Austrian sanatorium after requesting that his unpublished manuscripts (including his three novels; Amerika, The Trial and The Castle) be destroyed. Fortunately, his friend Max Brod chose to ignore this request and allowed Kafka’s work to be published.

Today Kafka is regarded as one of the German language’s greatest writers, and his stylistic legacy has influenced writers of all cultures from Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez to Vaclev Havel and Haruki Murakami.

Kafka was born in 1883 in Prague, which was then part of Austria-Hungary, into a Jewish family. He spoke both German and Czech, but wrote exclusively in German. An only son, he had a troubled relationship with his father who opposed his ambition to become an author. This relationship would then

serve to inform his future writing.

In later life, Kafka formed an intense relationship with Mila Jesenska, a married writer and journalist, who subsequently translated some of his work into Czech. However, she was unable to leave her husband and consequently they communicated by letter until Kafka’s death in 1924, when he left her his diaries.

Kafka's writing was underap-

preciated both by his contemporary audience and by himself. He considered his friend Max to be the better writer, and his chronic insecurities were the reason much of his work remained unfinished. Kafka’s protagonists (particularly K. in The Trial, Gregor in Metamorphosis and Joseph K. in Amerika) are young men struggling to both come to terms with their identities and locate themselves in an inhospitable modern world. Intelligent, thoughtful but often awkward and flawed figures: Kafka’s heroes, as well as often being read as semi-autobiographical, can be found echoed in the works of many modern writers, particularly Murakami.

Kafka’s work anticipates and warns of what would become some of the major and distinctive features of twentieth century society.

His novels expose the alienation of the working man and the terrifying and impersonal power of mindless bureaucracy. They are also infused with the sense of despair and impotence in the face of the hostile structures of society with which we now associate the term 'Kafkaesque'.

Brian Dettmer has taken literary art to a new level, using knives, tweezers and surgical tools he carves and manipulates books pages, covers and spines to create sculptures. Nothing is relocated, only removed.

JASMINE TARMEY

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LISTINGS

Apple have a busy week, and is cheaper tech making photography accessible?

App of the Week IMDb Price: Free Rating: *****

THE BASICS Round-up :

iPad 2: looking beneath the shiny exterior

By Andrew Ryan

iPAD 2 T

- 1 GHz dual-core A5 Processor - 9.7" screen, with 1024 x 768 resolution and "Retina display" tech.

- Front and back facing cameras for Facetime and HD video recording.

- The usual WiFi / WiFi + 3G options, with a choice of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage.

- 10 hour battery life for general usage.

- New "iPad smart cover" accessory- pictured above.

- Now also comes in Apple white...

HE new iPad arrives in the UK on the 25th, and, unsurprisingly, it suffers from many of the same problems as its predecessor.

The price remains at the same ridiculous level, although they have thankfully knocked £100 off the first generation model. Probably the biggest difference is the slimmer, lighter form factor, better screen and the addition of two cameras.

The screen in particular is, as with most Apple products, looking fantastic. It supposedly employs the same ‘retina display’ as the iPhone 4 which essentially attempts to make the pixels invisible. I’d rather opt for the explanation that it’s simply an advertising buzzword dreamt up the marketing division one dreary night before the deadline. Unfortunately if it’s anything like the iPhone 4, this will be a massive lie.

They’ve supposedly upped the battery life and the processor as well; four times faster apparently. I’m not so sure. From rumours I’ve heard the architecture of it is similar to the ARM A8’s which are a genera-

tion old now. I’d steer well clear of it, especially until they provide some benchmarks for it, especially with a comparison to the Tegra 2 chips.

The iPad is still far too easy to poke holes in. It’s too expensive for the kick off, and I don’t think we’ll be seeing the price come down for a long time.

Unsurprisingly it doesn’t support flash, so you can continue to enjoy the distinctly ‘mobile’ surfing experience. In fact, out

"I suppose literally rinsing us for everything we're worth is a sort of industry standard for Apple now" of curiosity, I had a read of the statement Mr. Jobs put out on the interwebs about why he doesn’t use Adobe Flash, pretty unconvincing if you ask me, but have a read of it yourself.

They’ve also included full 1080p output with the new generation tablet; all you have to do is buy their £30 kit. Fantastic. I suppose literally rinsing us for everything we’re worth is a sort

Cheaper technology is changing photography

P

HOTOGRAPHY has always held something of an elitist and exclusive reputation, reserved for those who can afford the expense and have the experience. With lenses often costing more than the actual camera, it’s no wonder so many newcomers turn their backs on it. However, a lurch forward in technology and a drop in price has torn down the barrier and made photography accessible.

Entry-level DSLR cameras have proven to be a key factor in this. DSLRs such as the Pentax K-x (TIPA’s Best Entry-Level DSLR 2010) combine easy-to-understand instructions with the quality of image and features expected from high-end DSLRs. The K-x specifically, simplifies most aspects of DSLRs; the on-screen menu isn’t overcomplicated and explains functions precisely. As a first DSLR cam-

era, the K-x provides a comprehensive introduction to photography and it’s clear to see that these kind of entry-level DSLRs are aimed at those who have neither the money nor patience for something more professional. The K-x with an 18-55mm lens typically retails at around £450, although it's worth shopping around.

Another thing that is making photography so much more obtainable is cheap editing software. We hurl around the criticism of “photoshopping” an image but the reality is that the ability to tweak a photo after capture really benefits the amateur photographer. Thanks to Photoshop, an overexposed photograph can be easily rectified, the composition improved, and flaws cropped out. In a nutshell, Photoshop allows you to turn a fairly bog-standard photo into a masterpiece.

Whilst industry standard, Adobe Pho-

of industry standard for Apple now. They’ve also made the odd choice of not putting in either an SD card slot or USB which would have come in handy with the new cameras. Apple has, in all fairness, listened to the complaints made by their many fans. When I say complaints, I mean the stifled yelps of a few while everyone else leisurely mashes more shit biscuits, courtesy of Apple Labs, into their pale faces.

If you’re really serious about getting a tablet then at least take a look at the Android alternatives, even if it is only a cursory glance. The Motorola Xoom is expensive but, with 4G, pretty future proof, the LG Optimus pad is nice, as is Samsung Tab 2. Alternatively, you can pick up tablets which run full versions of Windows 7 for about £300 off eBay. I’m yet to try them but they don’t look half bad for the price. If, like me, you’re feeling really adventurous, then maybe even take a look at Notion Ink’s ADAM tablet. Whatever you do, don’t just stumble towards the glorious white Apple and give them even more money. Trust me, they have enough.

THIS app brings the ultimate website for any film or television fan into portable form. IMDb stands for the Internet Movie Database, if you were not already aware, and gives you access to any information you want on any film or television programme, including ratings, running times, information on the cast and crew, and even allows you the option to watch a trailer.

The app also includes up to date news from the industry, recent box office results and listings for films at your local cinema. The fact that this app is completely free is beyond belief; with such a vast array of information available at your fingertips on a sleek, easy to navigate menu, this app really is astonishing and a must have for all iPhone users, not just movie fans.

By Edward Gammie

MacBook Pro gets overhaul APPLE'S high end notebook line, the MacBook Pro, recently received its facelift. This high-spec version of the popular MacBook now packs the latest Intel technology; dual-core i-5 and i-7 processors, meaning that "all models are up to twice as fast," Apple claims.

Further changes include the introduction of "Thunderbolt." This new connection tech claims to be able to transfer "a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds."

Prices start from a casual £999.

By Jonathan Frost

By Philippa Grafton

toshop, will set you back a jaw-dropping £600, Adobe also offers a simplified version in Photoshop Elements at far more reasonable £53.79 for students. Elements offers a respectable range of tools needed for photo-editing; enough to help photographers at any level.

Furthermore, the internet has provided aspiring photographers with a platform to share images and seek ad-

vice. Websites such as Flickr and DeviantArt allow users to share images whilst also offering the chance to receive comments and criticism from other members, whether they are more, less or equally experienced. Readily available tutorials and forums have also helped to open up the photography industry. Whether you have the most obscure homemade pinhole camera or simply a compact digital there will be someone online who is willing to help with your dilemmas.

Clearly the age-old idea that photography is a niche hobby is out-dated. Technological advances and drops in price now mean that quality photography is more open to us all, and less impeded by budget.

The widening appeal of photography can only benefit the field as a new influx of talent is born, keeping photography fresh and creative.

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E F I L T NIGH

LET'S SALSA!

Emma Walker on why every student should strut their Latino stuff... of rum from around the world.

Revs also offers lessons at reasonable prices (ÂŁ4 with an NUS card) for anyone wanting to pick up the basics, and the night itself is free, so this makes for a cheap alternative night out.

The only Latin bar and restaurant in York; BoBo Lobo, just off Stonegate is also well worth checking out, and offers some of the best Cuban cocktails and Latin-inspired food to be found in town. BoBo LoBo puts on weekly Salsa, Samba and Reggaeton nights with "York's very own DJ Chris". Although the food is a little pricey, the 2-4-1 cocktail offer on weeknights make it more student-friendly.

Although Salsa isn't the most likely choice for a student night out, it's definitely worth a try and makes a fun and unusual alternative to the standard YUSU nights. Who knows, you may even become a fan!

Confessions of a York Student

I

n our house we routinely run out of toilet paper and we end up holding it in until eventually someone pops to Spar. A few weeks ago I was chatting to my female housemates about the noloo-roll situation and they revealed that, when times were desperate, they had resorted to using make-up remover wipes.

Last week, in the middle of the night, I drunkenly found my way to the toilet only to realise, too late, that we had run out of paper again. I spotted a packet of wipes sitting on the cistern and, remembering the conversation with my housemates, used a few. Unfortunately, in my drunken state I failed to notice that the wipes were not make-up remover, but instead were bleach cloths for cleaning the toilet.

My housemates will never let me forget my mistake. On the plus side, the rash has almost disappeared!

ANONYMOUS Think you have a better story? Email us (anonymously) at scene@yorkvision.co.uk

I

Anna Field on why she's proud to be a York student

have to admit that when I started at York I didn't expect much in the way of nightlife. My friends at other universities find it strange that all the students head to the same clubs on the same nights, and with the DJ in Ziggy's announcing that it would be 'staying open until the later time of 2.30' (wild!) a night out in York clearly does not prevent you from getting your beauty sleep. Unless you're a fan of prawn crackers.

So a few weeks ago I abandoned York, and ventured to what my friend referred to as 'the dodgy end of Manchester' for an event called 'Take the Whole Cake'. Tickets were completely sold out in advance and, despite spending the whole afternoon combing Facebook for a spare, the taxi had already pulled up by the time my Manchester contingent were able to find me one. Spread over three floors 'Take the Whole Cake' is a monthly event that plays a range of music including Bassline, Breaks, Drum n' Bass, Dubstep, Electro, Electronica, Funky House, Garage, Grime, Hard House, Hip

Hop and House. It plays host to many up and coming artists, as well as headliners such as Flux Pavilion, Sigma and Ed Solo. We

danced like crazy people, and finally called it a night at about 4am when the pain in our feet got too much to bear.

But here's my second confession. I actually prefer York.

Soundcontrol was packed, but not in a sweaty, laughable way like Ziggy's. Instead, in the basement room, there wasn't even room to jig about on the spot, and big, scary boys started shoving other people across the dancefloor. The DJ had to stop the music and calm everyone down. The

anonymity was exciting at first but soon I found myself searching for familiar faces and wondering where Derwent was. And people in Manchester are just a little bit too cool. My friends and I were throwing our arms around, but it was slightly intimidating being surrounded by hundreds of people calmly rocking backward and forth to the Drum and Bass beats.

Drinks were expensive and, with funds running low, we were on the tap water for the last couple of hours; And with student housing so far from the city centre, taxis are essential.

Walking home via a takeaway is not really an option, so I had to settle for late night marmite on toast rather than my staple Efes.

I had an amazing night in Manchester, and with the big city only a short train ride away, I definitely recommend exploring nightlife outside YO1. But at the end of the day, I'm growing more appreciative of what York has to offer. I might be heading home at two in the morning, but I'm doing so with a box of cheesy chips in hand.

'Take the Whole Cake' is next at Soundcontrol Manchester on 18th March

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK Espresso Martini

Photo: Jam esTphoto.co .uk

E

very self-respecting gap yah student who went anywhere near South America will be familiar with at least the basics of Salsa. For seven weeks of last summer in the clubs and bars of Cusco I developed a real love of this exciting, vibrant and exotic dance form, which so epitomises the colour and exuberance of Latin culture.

York, therefore, with its notoriously cheesy music scene seems a world apart. But as I've been discovering recently, if you look beyond the usual student favourites, there is a surprisingly vibrant Salsa scene.

The newly re-launched Revs seems an unusual champion of all things Latin, but its 'Revolucion De Cuba' room upstairs now offers the "best Salsa party in York". 'LoveLatino' on a Thursday night is definitely the pick of the bunch when it comes to Salsa nights, and its Cuban inspired bar offers fifty different varieties

YORK IS BEST

FANC y DRESS OF THE W E

EK

FANCY SEEING Y OURSELF HERE? Send your fancy dr ess phot to nightlife@yo rkvision.co.uok

Pour vodka and Kahlua, creme de cacao and espresso into a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

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20 QUESTIONS

Polarsets

Interview by Jaime Riley What advice would you give to students about making it in the music industry?

Work on your songs. Write more songs. Find your sound and take it to extremes. Nothing is ever finished.

Manage yourself. Use short sentences.

Do you think where you’ve come from has influenced your music?

Lyrically yeah. Musically no. Newcastle has a really diverse sound at the moment and everyone is just doing their own thing.

Being from Newcastle, are you associated with other Newcastle bands?

Not really no. There are loads of bands from the North that we’re all big fans of but no real ‘associations’. There aren’t many other bands around here making music like us, maybe that’s why. Outcasts.

How would you describe your style?

Floating melodies. Dirty Synths. Imported Rhythms.

What do you think of the music

scene in Newcastle?

It’s stronger now than it’s ever been.

Hopefully some bands from the current crop will break through to the national scene.

Do you think it’s growing?

The talent is there. There are loads of venues and studios now. It’s been a long underrated area musically. The world’s loss.

What’s your best festival story?

Last year we played the Wickerman festival up in Scotland. Tony Christie twoc’d our keyboard stand. Clepto.

Also, Mickey [guitarist] got chatting to the lead singer of The Charlatans (not knowing who he was) and asked him why he was there.

Where do you seek your inspiration?

Just anything that hits a nerve really.

Films, books, songs. Everyday experiences, out of the ordinary experiences. Moving around.

You seem to enjoy using cow bells in your music… where did that come from?

NIGHTLIFE

LISTINGS

Polarsets are a three piece from Whitley Bay, a seaside town just outside of Newcastle. Taking influences from synth riffs, electronic beats and tight guitar hooks, Polarsets are very good at getting songs into your head.

Their singles ‘Leave Argentina’ and ‘Just Don’t Open Your Eyes Yet‘ are available online. www.polarsets.com We love Latin music so a lot of the percussive arrangements are derived from that. Got to have cow bell.

Can bands make it without a label today?

It’s nigh on impossible to achieve chart success sans label.

So, do you think it's necessary to have one?

The shift in music consumption has taken control away from the majors and given independent labels a bigger foot hold. Even still it’s the bigger independents that chart.

Is it all about chart position, though?

No, it's not all about charting. If you can build a fan base who love your music and play killer live shows then you can do it professionally. You don’t need a label for that anymore.

What's your opinion of Spotify?

None of us use it so no great opinions.

Generally positive.

Will your EPs be going up on Spotify?

Yeah they probably will, people are

welcome to listen to our music on it.

Why should students buy your EP over others?

It will make you feel happy and better about yourself.

What’s the best lyric you’ve ever heard?

"She told me she was going back into using again, I said wait first try this hallucinogen", or "Richard you haven’t really changed I said, it’s just that now you’re romanticising some pain that’s in your head".

Which new artists are really doing it for you right now?

The Naked and Famous. Unicorn Kid. Local Natives. Is Tropical.

When are you next on tour?

April and May. We’re in York at The Duchess on May 1st.

Where’s the most special place you’ve played?

York. Obvs.

Vision or Nouse?

Vision!

PICKS OF THE WEEK Scenesters Scene Editor Jaime Riley Music Editors Edward Francis Stephen Barbagiannis Deputy Music Amy Beecher Josh Brill Film Editors Will Haydon Rachel Pronger Deputy Film Alysia Judge Thomas Martin TV Editors Nicola Chapman Dean Knapper Deputy TV Morgan Collins Rebecca Ojumu Books Editors George Osborne Jasmine Tarmey Technology Editor Jonathan Frost Nightlife Editors Emma Walker Ellie Wallis Deputy Nightlife Anna Field

WEDNESDAY 16

ONGOING

TUESDAY 19

THE HEARTBREAKS

DAVID HOCKNEY

SHAPPI KHORSANDI & JON RICHARDSON

FIBBERS, 7.30pm £6

YORK ART GALLERY

Through romanticism, boredom and fun, Manchester via Morecambe brilliant fizzy-poppers The Heartbreaks are producing elegant British seven-inch pop, full of lovelorn bluster and jilted hopes. There are obvious influences , The Smiths and Orange Juice for example, but a musical glow around their rosy cheeks combined with the knack for a great story will keep them relevant for some time to come.

David Hockney's painting Bigger Trees Near Warter, on loan from Tate, is the largest painting the artist has ever produced and measures 40 x 15 feet (12 x 4 metres).

Featuring two copses, a huge sycamore tree, buildings and early flowering daffodils, the painting comprises of 50 individual canvas panels and takes inspiration from a site at Warter in the Yorkshire Wolds.

Painted en plein air (outside) in six weeks, the artist used digital technology to help him complete the painting, creating a computer mosaic of the picture which enabled him to 'step back' and see it as a whole.

York Theatre Royal, 7.30pm £7 NUS

One of the hottest comedy prospects in the country, Shappi is feisty, flirty and effortlessly funny handling every subject with a razor sharp wit.

Meanwhile, 'It’s Not Me, It’s You' sees everyone’s favourite young grumpy man, Jon Richardson, return to the stage. Embracing his misanthropy, the show features the best bits from his sold out, critically acclaimed Edinburgh show Don’t Happy Be Worry as well as some brand new material.

If you'd like to see your event in Listings, email scene@ yorkvision. co.uk Want to advertise here?

Contact us at vision@yusu. org

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MUSIC

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News...

Getting his teeth into it HAVING STAMPED his mark on films such as Se7en and The Social Network through his soundtrack work, Oscar-winning Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor is looking to further his involvement in the film industry with a role in the upcoming schlockbuster Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Directed by Wanted helmer Timur Bekmambetov, Reznor will take on the role of the vampire that spurs the President into vampireslaying by killing his mother, a project which will surface shortly after he finishes work on soundtracking David Fincher’s Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake.

Though representing an intriguing new direction for Reznor, acting will remain very much a second priority for the industrial altrocker, who recently claimed to be focusing on his revived career with Nine Inch Nails. Here's hoping he can tuck into some more roles when he has time.

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Music

EDWARD FRANCIS reveals all the latest news and gossip from the music industry

BEADY "AYE"!

STEPPING OUT of the formidable shadow cast by brother Noel and under a more focused, perhaps harsher spotlight, Liam Gallagher lead his new band Beady Eye through their first ever live gig last week in Glasgow.

Comprising of the remaining core members of Oasis and formed in the aftermath of the elder Gallagher’s departure, the band have worked up an arsenal of tracks such as The Roller and The Morning Stone to deploy on the live circuit and used them to win over the raucous crowd. Ahead of his

THIS live success, Vision applauds the cryptic nature of Liam’s lyrics - we’re particularly struggling to figure out who “he’s in my soul/ he’s even in my rock and roll” is referencing.

(We’re not).

MURPHY CALLS OUT TOUTS EUPHORIC RECEPTION of the news of a farewell gig planned for LCD Soundsystem on the 2nd of April at New York’s Madison Square Garden venue has been overshadowed by the revelation that the show’s rapid sellout had been the result of the activities of touts, who are now permitted to use the website StubHub to resell the tickets at inflated prices of up to $35,000.

Reacting to the complaints of thousands of disappointed fans, frontman James Murphy invited the website’s hosts to “eat sh*t”, adding that “I pretty much guarantee that ‘fans’ are pricing these tickets”. As a means of recompensating fans, the dance-punk

band have added a number of extra dates running up to their final ever performance; in light of Murphy’s reaction to the problems with the April gig, touts are presumably advised for the sake of their own safety to keep away from tickets to these shows.

TOWERING ACHEIVEMENT BIT OF A curio, this one. Track down the video for N-Trance's club classic Set You Free, skip to around 50 seconds in and... yep, that's Clifford's Tower she's excitedly jigging about in front of. The Tower, a swift Wiki search tells us, was first built in 1068 and was used as a prison as late as 1929. Since N-Trance graced it with their presence, however, nothing more exciting than a few drunk freshers rolling down the hill seems to have transpired...

"IT WAS LIKE A CRIMSON MASK..."

EDWARD FRANCIS TALKS TO YORK POST-HARDCORE OUTFIT TOMORROW WE RADIO ABOUT THEIR EXCITING, OCCASIONALLY BLOODY PATH TO FAME...

I

f a band’s eligibility to find success was judged solely on the way they give interviews, then York-based post-hardcore band Tomorrow We Radio should have really conquered the UK already. Throughout the hour I spent talking to bassist Michael Robson and guitarist Lee Raisbeck, formal questioning was almost immediately abandoned in favour of relaxed conversation which gave me more insight into the band’s plans than my prepared list of questions could have ever got me.

This is not to say, however, that by the more official criteria of quality of music, Tomorrow We Radio should be seen as any less deserving of popularity. Formed close to home in the members’ local Darlington, the band’s polished and melodic, yet raw and aggressive sound draws upon left-field influences such as such as Hell Is For Heroes and Hundred Reasons and has already won them support slots with punk up-and-comers Failsafe as well as with InMe’s Dave McPherson.

Despite these considerable early breakthroughs the band remain realistic in their intentions. Despite the fact that, as Raisbeck claims, “if we wanted to put out an album, we could probably put out two or three” purely with the material the band already have prepared, the band have decided to hold off from releasing anything more lengthy than singles or EPs until their their emerging fanbase has fully developed.

Taking into account recent gig experiences, it appears that Tomorrow We Radio are already beginning to win over their target market. In slots such as their recent

support gig for The Proxies, the band have been exposed to younger listeners who, as Robson points out “can’t buy beer, so that’s it - they’re there to see the band. This is what I love”. The energy of these audiences have gifted the band with their most successful gigs so far, although, as both note, the intensity of these performances has occasionally become problematic. Robson reflects on the time when “during the Proxies gig one of the kids was leaning on the barrier, reached out, grabbed a string and snapped it clean off.”

On-stage mishaps haven't been limited just to unwanted interventions from fans, anecdotes involving the cameramen filming Tomorrow We Radio's gigs receiving head wounds from guitar swings ("There was blood everywhere. It was like a crimson mask. I did forgive him in the end for cracking my guitar though.") and an incident involving eight pints of water getting spilled across the stage ("it basically turned into an ice rink") are picked out one by one from the band's more eventful live performances. These experiences only seem to exist as fond memories however for a group who seem to be loving every minute of sounding out the art of performing at bigger and bigger venues.

All that's needed now is for even bigger bands to take heed and give Tomorrow We Radio the break they've really earned.

Tomorrow We Radio's debut release 'Sunlight EP' is out now and available at tomorrowweradio.bandcamp.com.

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WHAT THE WHISPERERS SAY ABOUT HER...

JOSH BRILL finds out what's making 'Pack Up' starlet Eliza Doolittle tick at the moment....

E

liza Doolittle seems like a very happy girl.

Having conquered the airwaves last year with mega-singles 'Pack Up' and 'Skinny Genes', the Camden-based starlet has seen her career progress from early gigs playing at secondary schools on the "Playground Unplugged" tour to world tours that have recently taken her as far as Amsterdam (described as her "best gigs ever"), it's not really hard to imagine why that could be.

Behind all this, she's been even more fortunate in getting herself signed to a record label that allows her a serious degree of creative control; as she herself claims, "they know that people don't buy into fake manufactured shit any more. I've never had any trouble creatively, I've been able to express myself".

Even though she's spent much of last year playing at festivals throughout the UK, she's not let the chance to play in front of huge crowds let her

lose sight of where she prefers to be when it comes to performing. "Nothing beats an intimate setting for a gig", she claims, as "the atmosphere will al-

ways be better when you can reach out and touch your audience. I like to play with mine!" Indeed, being sure that her fans are having a good time seems to be the most important element of any

live show for Eliza: "The audience is definitely a huge factor. You're feeding off each other's energy. If the energy is great from me, then they give me back energy and vice versa... Gosh, reading that back I sound like a hippy!" Given that Eliza is the daughter of two veteran thespians, it's not a stretch to guess why exactly she still takes the reactions of the punters seriously.

After last year's success, Eliza seems to be happy just cruising through tours and getting the most out of the material she's already released. When pressed for details on her future plans, she claims: "always got ideas bubbling! I don't know exactly what its going to be yet but hopefully you'll hear something soon!" Seeing how satisfied and carefree she seems at the moment, however, it's not hard to imagine that upbeat, summery tracks will remain the lynchpin of her sound for the foreseeable future.

Picks of the Week...

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so easy to find footage of a skateboarding dog, a surprised cat, or a man attempting to jump his motorbike over a hedge. But it would be a misservice to the site if we didn't pay some respect to the incredible music videos and live

LISTINGS

SINGLES Edward Francis and stephen barbagiannis review the latest releases...

LADYTRON - Ace of HZ

L

adytron are back with this latest offering which you may be already accustomed with from FIFA 11. It is what you would expect from the Liverpool outfit - heavy synth and bass-lines between two part female vocals that lack somewhat in spark. The singles lyrics are overly repetitive and are accompanied by a rather uninspiring, recurring melody that unfortunately will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Tinie tempah feat. ellie goulding wonderman

T

Vision 's Youtube ere at Vision, there's nothing we like more than procrastinating our way through seminar reading, an essay, or production weekend, by browsing the best and the beautiful of Youtube. Never before has it been

NIGHTLIFE

performance footage that is also kicking around in its massive archive. So next time you just can't take another six minute clip of Family Guy, take a peak at some of these; Vision's guide to the best of Youtube's musical clips.

inie Tempah offers us another insight into his tough rise to stardom, with the subtly named 'Wonderman'. He teams up with Ellie Goulding on this latest offering, using her fragile vocals to describe how the 'chosen one' calls his name. Tinie blends elements of rap, rock, electronica and dance to produce a sound that will surely be a popular hit with his fans. A particular highlight of the single is when he tells us "my uncle used to drink a can of kestrel when life got stressful".

patrick wolf the city Eddie Vedder & Johnny Depp Keywords: Society Live

Ludovico Einaudi Keywords: Divenire Einaudi

This video teams one of the most famous rock voices with a world famous actor to great effect. The song is taken from the soundtrack of 'Into the Wild' which Vedder worked on. Depp's role in the performance is talisman as much as anything, however he is more than capable of playing the guitar.

Ludovico Einaudi is a contemporary composer and pianist, and this performance shows exactly what is good about his music. The layers of strings accompanying his intricate melody are exceptional and how the song works to a crescendo with several changes of tempo.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Keywords: Maybe Slane Castle This shows John Frusciante's explosive dynamism as a performer, with this cover of the Chantels' song. Although his guitar playing is kept relatively simple, his spell-binding and unique voice carries off the performance very well.

The Janice Graham Band Keywords: Janice Graham Robbery The Janice Graham Band are a ska group with a great sound, and this performance demonstrates just that.

Their playing is tight and energetic led by a charismatic frontman, and helped along by interesting rhythms and a few burst from the trumpet.

C

arefully timed just as Winter turns into Spring and sunny, feel good tracks start coming back into demand, Patrick Wolf's second single off new album Lupercalia is a breezy, upbeat pop single reflecting the brighter nature of the London-born singersongwriter's output in recent years. Encompassing the diverse range of instruments that characterizes Wolf's back catalogue, including a brass section, 'The City' tumbles unintrusively out of the radio and straight into your brain, growing more and more addictive with every listen. Put another way, the track is perfect diet-pop- satisfying, organic and certainly better for you than a lot of what's in the charts at the moment for you. Speaking of which...

alexis jordan good girl

A Arcade Fire Keywords: Neon Bible Elevator A brilliantly creative take on one of the band's quieter and more introspective baroque pop tracks, magazineripping percussion is the highlight of this performance which sees all of the members of Arcade Fire crammed into an elevator battling each other for armroom.

fter the unrelenting mess of brown, featureless noise that was Alexis Jordan's ironically depressing debut antisong 'Happiness', I expected that things could only get better with her next few releases. Such naivety was duly punished upon first listen of this equally drab, equally uninspired, equally repetitive slab of pseudo-90s rubbish, which sees nearly 4 minutes of buildup and absolutely no sort of resolution or climax,with lyrics that could have been copy-pasted from any single ever released by any female pop artist at any point in the past two decades. Good girl perhaps, but abysmal songwriter, certainly.

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Albums...

Elbow

build a rocket boys!

A

s much as I hate to admit it, poetry isn’t really my thing. It is rare that I appreciate stanzas as more than black ink on white paper, or manage to look beyond contrived literary imagery.

But Guy Garvey’s poetic illustrations of the everyday never fail to evoke memories, images and emotion somewhere within me that I didn’t quite know existed.

After the success of Mercury awarded album The Seldom Seen Kid, some worried that Elbow would follow other award winning artists and end up with nothing more to sing about but popularity, paparazzi, and the trouble of new-found fame. Luckily the

five piece have remained as grounded as ever, continuing to tell blushingly intimate stories of their past from their understated corner of Manchester.

Build A Rocket Boys! turns away from the sorrow and darkness of The Seldom Seen Kid, moving instead towards fond recollections of adolescence and tales of “stealing booze and hour long hungry kisses.” Garvey’s lyrics still strike a resounding chord with the everyday experiences of the common man; ‘Jesus is a Rochdale Girl’ beautifully narrates moving in with a significant other, as ‘The Night Will Always Win’ gives an honest recount of the silliness and trivialities of early romance. The lively ‘With Love’ shimmers with amusing drunken lamentations such as "I’d give my liver to see you," whilst in ‘Lippy Kids’, Garvey elucidates the lives of hoodies on street corners.

Elbow’s charm lies in painting the mundaneness of everyday into a portrait of beauty and wonder, transforming small details into striking nostalgia and Build a Rocket Boys! remains testament to this skill. It’s a less hungry album, more contemplative and reflective. The five piece have, yet again, made an album able to soothe yet swell the soul; their contagious melancholy conjuring a sense of euphoria amongst listeners, as they are drawn by Garvey into reminiscing on times gone by.

JAIME RILEY

Noah and the Whale Last Night on Earth

N

oah and the Whale are one of those rare bands who seem to be able to evolve constantly. Dodging the difficult second album curse, their 2009 offering was a heart-wrenchingly melancholy, orchestral ode to the breakdown of lead singer Charlie Fink’s relationship with fellow new folk artist Laura Marling. Their new release, Last Night on Earth, which combines this with a new electronic, synth-based sound, is further proof of their ability to take a new direction whilst retaining all their best features.

Fink has described the new album as being “about the unlimited possibilities of the night-time, and the excitement and freedom within that” and this certainly shows: it’s absolutely saturated with an overwhelming sense of optimism. 'Give It All Back', with its lyrics about dreams of playing rock’n’roll, shows the band’s youthful idealism still firmly intact three albums later, whilst the opening track 'Life is Life' combines this with its new darker, more mature sound.

The first single released from the album, 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.', makes use of Fink’s conversational lyricism, recalling Jamie T’s 'Sheila' in its urban story-telling style. Tracks such as 'Just Before We Met' most

resemble previous albums, capturing the band’s warm sound with big multi-textured choruses and intimate lyrics. 'Old Joy', the beautiful finale, is slow, melancholy and largely based on its huge choral backingechoes of much older influences mixed with bittersweet synths.

At the risk of sounding sycophantic, this is a truly striking album, that immediately made me smile and impressed me on further listens. With their so far inexhaustible capacity for reinvention, the only question is where Noah and the Whale will go next.

AMY BEECHER

Claire Maguire Last Dance

O

dds are, you will already have been exposed to Clare Maguire’s 'The Last Dance'. The singer-songwriter from Birmingham, who left school at 17 to pursue her musical aspirations, has been occupying the dreaded advert spot on Spotify for a while now.

Just 22, she has been subject to more than her fair share of hype recently after gaining the fifth spot on the BBC’s Sound of 2011.

I have done my utmost to listen to leading single ''The Last Dance' without prejudice; however, unfortunately, it still fails to impress.

Though Maguire undoubtedly has a powerful voice, overall the impression the track leaves is unoriginal and tired, as are the lyrics. Her impressive set of lungs are not used to their best effect, the unsuitable electronic production forcing the vocals to alternate the unremarkable with harsh unvarying high notes in which the effort sounds evident. A similar effect is present in 'You’re Electric'.

However, another burgeoning sound present in the album seems much more appropriate. Tracks

such as 'Ain’t Nobody' are much better, delivering a modern update on an older sound. Here her raw emotional voice is given the leading role, and similarities to Hurts, whom she has previously supported, are evident in the way in which the darker electronic backing used to good effect without drowning her undeniable talent in anonymous beats. 'Freedom' is another winner, with a softer piano-based feel again allowing her voice to shine, as is the strings-based 'This Is Not The End', in which Maguire’s vocal tone seems somewhat reminiscent of Enya.

Overall as a debut, this album is promising but mixed– perhaps the effort of a young artist who is yet to find her niche.

AMY BEECHER

Mogwai

Hardcore Will never die, but you will

Before you've even slipped a Mogwai album into your CD tray for the first listen, you know that you can depend on two things to feature- witty titles, and fuzzy guitars that are overdriven to a point where they sound both raw and lush all at once. Both of these two constants from the band's catalogue are carried over for Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Willwitness the shredded majesty of 'You're Lionel Ritchie' and the titular hilarity of 'George Square Thatcher Death Party'.

Features that were less anticipatable, however, are the piano and synth that form the pure heart of the album around which the dirty, shoegazey distortion coils like a cobra. On tracks such as 'Letters To The Metro' and 'How To Be A Werewolf',soothing chords set to undulating jazz drums break up an album otherwise characterized by hissing guitars and rumbling bass. On other songs, including 'Mexian Gran Prix', a nice balance is struck which matches shimmering organ with a growling low-end sound, an approach which fuses beauty with bloodstirring excitement.

All of these additions represent a huge leap forward for the band and pro-

vides a great deal of depth to the album.

This is not to say, however, that Mogwai have lost sight of their influences at all'San Pedro' is a thrilling three-and-a-half minute Sonic Youth-style instrumental workout with sprawling guitar soundscapes fitting loosely around a pounding beat. The tendency of the album to take the simplest of chords and work them over for long periods of time from softer, measured passages into hysterical frenzies also strongly recalls a Disintegration-era the Cure.

Despite the echoes of other music the band remain totally original across the album and sound like little else you'll hear at the moment. For an almost entirely lyric-free work, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is surprisingly easy to pick up and listen to over and over again, perfect as a complete piece and as a collection of solid, tight tracks, and thus can be held up as essential listening for this month.

ED FRANCIS

MUSIC

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A TALE WORTH TELLING

LISTINGS

Ed Francis'

RACHEL PRONGER enters the fantastical, uplifting and tragic world of The Mummers

W

hen listening to Mink Hollow Road, the latest release from The Mummers, melancholy is probably the last word that comes to mind. It is a sumptuous, sensual swoon of an album, all swirling strings and ebbing woodwind, with the sort of fantastical lyrics that have rendered comparisons with Lewis Carroll an occupational hazard. Yet, despite initial impressions, this is the work of a band still recovering from tragedy. In September 2009, only months after the release of the band's début album Tale To Tell, band member and arranger Mark Horwood committed suicide.

It was, understandably a devastating blow from which the band are still recovering, but, as singer/songwriter Raissa Khan-Panni explains, continuing their signature sound was part of keeping his memory alive. "After Mark died I did write a lot of direct lyrics and very simple angsty songs as a kind of therapy. But after a while I thought this isn't what The

Mummers is about. We started the band as a way to make people - us - happy, and take them out of ordinary life. So that is how we used music again, to cheer us up."

Instead of moody piano ballads or electro dissonance, Mink Hollow Road offers us a sound that is in many ways more fanciful than its predecessor. As Kahn-Panni explains, "we wanted it to be more uplifting and joyous than before and were influenced by MGM musicals of the 40s and 50s, Nelson Riddle's string arrangements for the Rat Pack, John Barry's film music." With such a rich array of cited influences and the others that instantly spring to mind - Bjork in Raissa's delicate vocals, Guillemots and Arcade Fire in the sheer orchestral ambition - it is unsurprising that Kahn-Panni herself describes their unabashed polyphony as "a motor pile-up of melody".

The story of the Mummers begins long before their acclaimed début. KhanPanni was raised in south London and spent her childhood studying classical music, playing the piano and the oboe.

In her early teens she was bunking off school to busk, and from these precocious beginnings she went on to busk around Europe before studying Music at Bristol University. By 2000 she appeared to have arrived; she was signed to Polydor, her first album Believer was widely acclaimed and her single 'How Long Do I Get' received extensive airplay.

Yet by 2001 this promise appeared to collapse and Khan-Panni found herself waitressing full time in a Brixton restaurant. Such a fall from grace must have been difficult, but when I ask whether she ever considered giving up on music Khan-Panni is upbeat: "I've had amazing times and hard times... but I've never thought of giving up. When I was dropped from my label all those years ago, it inspired me to go and collaborate with underground beats and sounds which was

an exciting challenge at the time, plus I knew something better was to come..."

Khan-Panni's instinct was proved right when her former collaborator Paul Sandrone passed one of her recordings to orchestral composer Mark Horwood. He gave it an orchestral arrangement and, although it took more than a year for Khan-Panni and Horwood to meet, the seed for The Mummers was planted. The trio collaborated to create Tale to Tell, the band's name inspired by their everchanging line up of musicians. The resulting recording is opulent and escapist in the best possible way, like an evening on the waltzers or an MGM spectacular.

Even in the years of limbo KhanPanni never stopped writing, composing lyrics in her head whilst waiting tables.

Unsurprisingly she cites "big orchestral music, such as Mahler, my favourite composer, the weather, certain movies and musicals, Rickie Lee Jones..." as inspiration, but she admits she has to block out reality to write, an interesting reflection on the groups famously escapist quality. I wonder if she dislikes the labels of "fantasy" and childlike" that are so often applied, but she remains sanguine. "I don't really see myself as childlike... I don't think I could have written this stuff when I was younger. It is escapist, yes, but we still have dreams as adults, they are just more complex".

This last point seems especially valid. Although fantasy is often perceived as childish, nostalgia is a peculiarly adult concept. When I ask Kahn-Panni what she thinks of the current scene she is tactful but admits "I do think British music needs to be shaken up... for someone to do something really big and daring."

Listening to The Mummers on a rainy afternoon I can't help if Khan-Panni and her ensemble might just provide that breath of fresh air we so desperately need.

DIVIDED THEY STAND? ED FRANCIS examines whether parting with members and changing lineups can be the best step forward for bands

A

t the end of last month, Interpol bassist Dave Pajo (formerly of Slint, Zwan and Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame) announced that he would be parting with the group after just five months of touring. Pajo himself was originally hired as a replacement for former bassist Carlos Dengler, who himself departed last September - from a casual observer’s point of view, one can only imagine that the band are currently struggling to settle into a comfortable mould and get a consistent creative process going. Is it fair to assume, however, that the band’s ability to put out good music will suffer?

Arguably, the most obvious answer would be 'yes'. Looking back at the history of music, all of the bands widely considered to be the most influential and consistently, seminally brilliant from The Beatles to Blink-182 all held down a consistent hardcore lineup of members who grew so tight together that the quality of the music never seemed to really flag.

Even more significantly, it could be argued that by contrast, bands directed by one or two key members who simply adopt the ‘revolving door’ approach to

supporting musicians are often associated with a drying up of ideas and a steady loss of credibility. With the departure of Slash from Guns ‘N' Roses and the taking on of a bizarrely eclectic group of members to fill the gap, the band has, in the eyes of most, descended from the pedestal of one of the most important generations to the unenviable position of a laughingstock outfit fronted by a ruddy-faced, washed-up egomaniac. Similarly, the ‘reformation’ of Smashing Pumpkins by frontman Billy Corgan in 2007 which saw only he and the band’s former drummer coming back together was widely seen as a cash-in move for an artist unwilling to leave the limelight while he had a few years of touring left in him.

Look a little more closely, however, and this impulsive point of view can be dismissed with closer attention to the bands that have actually benefitted from the occasional refreshment of their lineup. During the middle stage of their career, Red Hot Chili Pepper’s substitution of John Frusciante for Dave Navarro and back produced some differences in sound between albums that broadened

the band’s appeal and helped to firm their reputation for being one of the most diverse bands still touring today. Similarly, the constant chopping and changing in the makeup of Nick Cave’s band The Bad Seeds can only be considered to have been it’s greatest strength. In giving a number of incredible musicians from Mick Harvey to Blixa Bargeld to Warren Ellis a chance to bring something new to the band, Cave has managed to retain a sound that is at once consistently brilliant and yet fresh and unique from album to album. The same regenerative power in working with new collaborators can be seen in David Byrne's more recent interpretations of Talking Heads songs live, which have contributed to his being labelled a 'musician's musician'.

It is thus arguably a complete fallacy to imagine that the occasional tinkering with a band’s lineup should implicitly be seen as a negative move. As long as the very essence of any group’s sound remains intact, a little change would arguably never hurt anyone- just as long as no attempts are made to find the new Kurt.

BITCH W

hy, why, why oh why won’t McFly just die now? Every time over the past few years the jackboot of demographic change hovers over them ready to stamp them out once and for all, they’ve displayed a pathogen-like ability to mutate and adapt into new, ever-more repugnant guises in order to stay just about relevant enough to sell records.

The first thing I want to use this unstructured rant to do is to dispel, once and for all, the myth that McFly emerged in the early 2000s simply as the new Busted, neatly filling the void left by the splitting up of That One That’s Now In Fightstar’s first project. Though far be it from me to defend the work of quiffed, mantanned boybands as some kind of high art form, I do still feel that everything Busted did they did with a keen sense of wit and irony- the lyrics to ‘Year 3000’, when analysed carefully (ahem…) are a surprisingly thought-through mishmash of pop culture and 80s film references.

No such subtlety would ever be found in a McFly song, the usual template for which involves sets of horrifying clichés slathered in whingeing tones over chords.

From the outset of their career, it appears to me that the band set out to see how close to the musical equivalent of the colour beige they could get in peddling the most generic, aimless output I’ve ever heard.

Five or six years ago, you could justifiably have called me up on these points by crying: “but they’re a kids band, it’s not meant to be deep!” This defence, however, no longer holds up- as mentioned at the start, rather than doing the decent thing and got started on their barista training as their fans hit puberty, McFly have simply evolved over and over, going from The Pop Phase into The Guitar Phase and now into The Synth Phase in order to match the demands of their fans.

The rather awkward result is that now a bunch of adult men have to marry ‘edgy’ Taio Cruz-abetted dance music with their older output when playing live- and in a world in which a thousand Usher–alikes have sprung up to sell boring dance pop, what room could there possibly be for one who can do dodgy ballads for kids too?

MUSIC

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Lives...

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Jamie Woon Cockpit, Leeds

The Naked and Famous

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TECHNOLOGY

Fibbers, York

y the time The Naked and Famous get around to pounding their way through a rendition of mega-single ‘Punching In a Dream’ two songs into their set at Fibbers, two things are already abundantly clear to me- firstly, Alisa Xayalith’s strong, soaring voice, which gives all the hooks on the New Zealand up-and-comers new album their bite, sounds exactly like it does on the record. Secondly, I’m not going to be able to hear very much of it without straining my ears through layers of very, very loud keyboards.

Once again, a classic Fibbers sound tech

01/03/11 mix-up slightly short sold the band performing, leaving the vocal melodies and harmonies between Xayalith and other singer Thom Powers integral to the band’s sound slightly thin sounding under the instrumentation. Ignoring this, however, there was still much to find exciting in The Naked and Famous’ brand of shoegaze-y electro popwith MGMT and Passion Pit currently serving as the main comparisons in the press at the moment, the band actually came across as a more thoughtful The Big Pink, marrying leather-clad machismo and crunching, fuzzy guitars with the delicate keyboards and catchy hooks of indie electro pop.

All of this made addictive material for a crowd who chanted, clapped and danced along to every track. Though on-stage banter was kept to a bare minimum and Powers appeared to come close to a sense of humour failure when a gobby fan requested the closing song again for the encore, The Naked and Famous seemed content to get their audience eating out of their hand with their music, an approach which seems to work just fine for now.

T

he night begins with Ghostpoet, a more than competent support artist. Thoughtful, sometimes witty rhymes are backed with a sampler as well as a live guitarist and drummer, who creates some very interesting rhythms to drive the songs on.

The night has almost sold out by the time Jamie Woon is due to perform despite him not having yet released an album and there is an atmosphere of anticipation. He begins the show with an acapella rendition of 'Wayfaring Stranger' using a loop pedal to mix beats with different melodies to create a full bodied sound; a bold statement that he pulls off well.

The song sets a precedent for the rest of the gig, and Woon is joined by

03/03/11 the rest of the band which his voice fronts just as effortlessly. Woon seems far more comfortable performing his material than interacting with the crowd, his stage presence being understated and at times between songs almost awkward.

The set is fluid with little time wasted between songs, most of which are new from his upcoming record Mirrorwriting. After the opening tracks, the audience's attention drifts slightly as some of the mid-set songs lack hooks for a live show environment as the focus lies in the vocal melodies and some songs get a little lost. The show soon got back on track with a strong finish before an encore of his new single Lady Luck and Spirits which he leaves his band to play out while he leaves the stage.

STEPHEN BARBAGIANNIS

ED FRANCIS

Fibbers, York

Wild Palms

W

ild Palms are very much undiscovered. Rocking up to Fibbers with a few friends on a Wednesday night we were confronted by the odd sight of an almost deserted room - and at the front, giving their all, Wild Palms.

This north London five-piece fare set to play the Camden Crawl along with rising talents such as Japanese Voyeurs and Johnny Foreigner later this year, and it’s this scene that they fit neatly into, with gigs lined up at venues such as KOKO and their debut album launch shortly to take place at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen.

Showcasing a varied mix of musical influences, Wild Palms moved from songs such as Deep Dive, the spiky guitars and jaunty upbeat choruses of which recalled bands such as Bombay

'S

N vISIO

KUNT AND THE GANG 02/03/11

Bicycle Club, whilst many other tracks made use of atmospheric melodies providing the backdrop for the beautiful soaring vocals of lead singer Lou Hill having previously toured with Florence & The Machine, it’s easy to see where the similarities lie. Despite having to perform to an almost empty room, the band performed with intensity and idiosyncratic style, the attractively eccentric dance moves of Hill being a case in point.

The last track Calvacade was adapted to live performance with the addition of two extra drums, turning it into a powerful crescendo of a closer.

Though signs of discouragement may have begun to creep into the demeanour of some band members, we still didn’t want Wild Palms' set to end - although being thanked personally by one of the band members for coming was some consolation!

All in all, Wild Palms’ big sound deserved a better response, and with an upcoming tour supporting Cold War Kids in addition to the Camden Crawl slot, exposure should be just around the corner.

E

SE MUST

AMY BEECHER

Stereo, York

I

f you’d been looking for some kind of stimulus to sing gloriously childish and foul lyrics at the top of your voice in public and generally make like you’re 15 again, then Kunt and the Gang at Stereo was the place to be last month, where a casually offensive and compelling show provided probably the best entertainment some of the audience had had in a very, very long time.

An Essex-based comedy musician who smashes a hole in the bottom of barrel and scrapes underneath for material, Kunt's music is so filthy you can't help but feel disgusting yourself just for putting it on.

Rattling through some of the classics of his back catalogue, including ‘Let’s Have a W*** For England’, ‘Arranged Bride’ and ‘Men With Beards’, Kunt and his ‘gang’ (which consists of a hand puppet with his face on) was on his usual mission to alienate and upset absolutely everyone and have a ton of fun doing it. From this point of view the gig was unmissable- the chance to see a grown man defecate all over taste with lyrics like “it’s like a shower but over the sink, the only thing that gets a wash is shiny and pink” comes along once in a lifetime.

How I wanted to give

27/02/11 this event the 'Vision Must See' tag for this month. Sadly, considering that the gig can only just be considered on the right side of the line between music and novelty/comedy, and because it wasn't by any sort of conventional standards very good, I just can't bring myself to give Kunt the recognition ahead of the proper musicians in this section.

All this considered, however, you can’t not admire a man who managed to write a song so horrendously titled that the name can’t really even be printed in censored form here and somehow get it reviewed as best of the week in NME. That about sums up everything about Kunt as well as his live performances- world-class filth.

ED FRANCIS

J

MUSIC

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EVERYTHING EVERYTHING JAIME RILEY talks to the electronica foursome taking the music scene by storm... onathan Higgs, frontman of Everything Everything, considers his music “magical”, asserting that their debut album sounds like a release by “Harry Potter’s favourite band”. The eclectic Man Alive was released last year and received critical acclaim from a whole range of sources, which is unsurprising considering its stylistic make-up. When asked if the band ever have to tone down their musical amalgamations, Higgs explains: “We simplify some crazy sh*t! We feel it’d be a bit too much of a meal to watch us play the whole album live. We’re trying to make the next one full of dazzling moments alongside moments of real maturity… be a bit more laid back and not worry about filling every second with a new idea.

Letting things breathe a bit more.”

And there’s no doubt that the foursome will take relief in this new found respite after their successes during 2010. After making it onto the BBC Sound Poll 2010, Everything Everything were snapped up

by Geffen Records and released their first track, ‘Schoolin’, which has been described as sounding like “an iPod on shuffle”.

Make of that what you will.

“Being on the poll didn’t really mean anything at first, but in hindsight we owe a lot to the BBC. We just thought 'Oh, that’s nice, it’s a list', but as the year went on, we found it coming up again and again and again. Particularly when we went abroad and they didn’t know anything about us, but they’d still say ‘the BBC list!’ We thought, what’s going on? This is huge around the whole world.”

Things continued to progress for the band as they were nominated for an NME award earlier this year.

“The ceremony wasn’t really what I

expected. It wasn’t like it looks on TV, it was just a succession of people wandering up to the stage and saying stuff and then wandering off again. It wasn’t very magical really, I don’t know what I expected. But when Dave Grohl, the teenage hero of pretty much everyone our age, was just wandering through the crowd with his guitar and playing in front of us, we just thought, what the hell’s going on? This doesn’t feel real at all!”

Higgs is also the director of the group’s surreal music videos, explaining: “I made a couple of films at uni, then when I left, we started the band and I thought ‘we’ll need some videos’. So I gave it a shot myself and somehow it worked. When we got signed and had a budget, we thought we’d try using professional people, but to be honest, I think we much prefer the ones we did ourselves. We make them ourselves again, now.”

He also expresses his slight quibbles with their promo photos: “We kind of look like trannies on those pictures, we have so much make up on and there’s so much Photoshop!”

‘Photoshop Handsome’ is often cited as the band’s best single, after its release in 2009. The lyrics talk of inorganic photoshopping and almost attacks the photographic industry with lyrics such as “Airbrush! What have you done with my landscape? Flooding the fields with this clone shape?” and “my teeth dazzle like an igloo wall”.

However, Everything Everything’s attitude towards the mainstream is much the same as many other bands’ and music fans’, who delight in the somewhat sexy glimmer in the lack of commercialism.

“I don’t care about commercialism

much anymore, if you’d asked me when I was 17 and I’d have been like, “f*ck major labels, f*ck radio!” I don’t feel the opposite to that anymore but I don’t care where we’re placed within mainstream or otherwise, as long as we stick to our own music and our own beliefs then I don’t really care where we are or what people think of us.

To be false is the worst thing you can be.”

"If you’re making music and you put it online, then you’re a band, and you don’t make any money. We make music, it goes online, we don’t really make any money!"

Similar is Higgs’ belief of the big four.

“To try to make it without a label is more possible than ever, but there are so many bands around nowadays. The line between being in a band and being in a professional band is pretty hazy - if you’re making music and you put it online, then you’re a band and you don’t make any money. We make music, it goes online, we don’t really make any money! It’s much more in the hands of the people now, like it used to be before the invention of record labels.”

The Northumberland-born singer is also in favour of consumers paying for downloads, despite their liberty to listen to music for free.

“Spotify is great to use, but sucks if

you’re a band. I can’t complain because I was a prolific downloader in my teens and it’s great to have free music at your fingertips. The money that the bands aren’t getting, they probably wouldn’t get anyway now, so overall, it’s probably good for music. Lots of bands are staying alive now due to exposure. But my opinion is, pay for it!

Though if you don’t, listen to the adverts.”

It’s a fair claim, though the singer makes it clear that he doesn’t expect music consumption to remain the way it is. After a brief discussion of Radiohead’s method of releasing EPs, he soon moves on to talk about his idols.

“I guess I realised that particularly Radiohead and Muse were using falsetto a lot and I liked the sound of it. I tried to do it early on and it slowly developed into this weird thing of moving between falsetto and not falsetto, sort of due to my inability more than anything. I got better at that until it turned into a new style for us and now we can’t do anything else, it’s our style.”

Though sure of the band’s style, Higgs depicts his willingness to move towards spontaneity during the recording process after the slightly more rigid approach during Man Alive.

“We’re in the middle of writing at the moment and we’re trying to be a bit more free with stuff. There is the still usual mixture of laptop demos and riffs but we’re trying to be a bit more collaborative as, rather than The Demon Headmaster just bringing in something that we must play!

That’s me of course. Yeah, we are getting better at being more spontaneous. We went through our latest single in the studio and we ended up writing something really successful there and then.”

‘Final Form’ is out April 4.

MUSIC

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FILM WILL HAYDON GETS MEDIEVAL L ast week saw the release of Ironclad, a thirteenth-century epic set during King John's reign, depicting the monarch's two-month siege of Rochester Castle (I've seen Rochester Castle - not worth the effort). It's a good watch, if you're into that sort of thing - people being sliced in half, Paul Giamatti shouting, lots of people on fire - but it's not exactly an original theme. The film is part of a long line of medieval romps, a genre that became popular in the '50s with the big-screen adaption of Ivanhoe, but has really been around since the beginning of cinema.

Setting a film in the Dark Ages must be an alluring prospect for any director - no other era can combine the bloodiest of battles with heart-wrenching romance, all the while accompanied by healthy dollops of blokeish humour and staunchly rebellious attitudes. Having your film in any other time period will undoubtedly mess with this winning formula. Beowulf, released in 2007, did not translate to film - its AngloSaxon setting lent itself a little too much to the noisy battle scenes and not so much to the chivalry of the medieval ages (two wives? Why not?). The Early Modern era was, on the other hand, quite enlightened and civilised - hardly fruitful ground for gruesome battle-scenes.

Braveheart is the prime specimen of medieval films. As well as being a staple Man Film, it was a critical success, winning five Oscars. It's easy to see its appeal - it has battle scenes in spades, two love-interests (occurring at respectably separate time periods, take note Beowulf), and plenty of medieval-style lad antics (although the male nudity may deter some of the more manly viewers). It's also technically brilliant - two of those Oscars were for Cinematography and Sound Editing.

It's safe to say that any sort of film representation of the Middle Ages made since Braveheart will be a direct descendant of the film, and because of this, it's never really been bettered within its genre. Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, released last year, was a clever, well-made film - but its lack of a strong, clearly formed anti-establishment undertone meant it just didn't pack the same punch as Braveheart. The only way film-makers can get out from under Mel Gibson's shadow is to move the goalposts: the closest any film has come to matching his representation of medieval irreverence is the 2001 romcom A Knight's Tale, a film loose with historical accuracy but with a clear, well-executed purpose.

So how does Ironclad fit in with this canon? It's actually quite experimental.

Rather than attempt an imitation of the classics of its genre, it underplays the romance and focuses instead on the battle elements. The film is a much-needed step away from the typical cinematic representation of the Dark Ages, towards something more uncompromisingly realistic.

SHOW ME THE MONEY

SARAH GREEN explores how budget pictures hold their own against Hollywood heavyweights

T

he recession has not hampered our passion for cinema. Box office takings in 2009/2010 remained buoyant despite the collective belt-tightening. Despite the cutbacks, recent blockbusters Inception and Avatar are rumoured to have had production costs of $180million and $500million respectively. While big-budget films are clearly of value, what can we learn from low budget successes? What do films such as Cloverfield, The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity have to teach us about film-making in cash-strapped times?

With the UK Film Council in the cutback firing line, a level of uncertainty regarding funding for low- to mid-budget films in the UK is a persistent issue. The biggest obstacle low-budget films face is that, irrespective of any critical acclaim or accolades, they tend to slip under the radar due to a smaller marketing budget. Andrea Arnold's 2009 drama Fish Tank is a clear example of

If you liked

T

he Adjustment Bureau is a flimsy but entertaining piece of sci-fi. It's harmless, stylish and boasts at its centre a warm love story. However, if it's science fiction with a touch of romance that you're after, then you'd be much wiser to save your cinema admission and track down a cult classic. Brazil is, in my humble opinion, Terry Gilliam's masterpiece. Featuring the director's trademark wit and visual inventiveness, the film is set in a totalitarian dystopia, largely run by unreliable machines. Just as The Adjustment Bureau is about a man fighting against the establishment, Brazil is a slapstick 1984, following the struggles of a bumbling everyman at the mercy of the system.

Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is a low-level government employee who distracts himself from his monotonous job by losing himself in daydreams about a beautiful woman (Kim Greist). When a printing error leads to the imprisonment

how marketing can be everything. The film received a warm critical reception which was topped off when it won the Jury Prize at Cannes and Best British Film at the BAFTAs - yet it made just under ÂŁ600,000 at the UK box-office. So, is it possible to utilise a small marketing budget and still compete with the big boys?

There have been clear examples in recent years of low-budget pictures that have managed to employ effective marketing techniques within meagre means.

Some low-budget films gain momentum by using the internet to go viral. The 2008 American disaster-movie Cloverfield famously utilised a fictional Japanese drink, "Slusho" (previously seen in TV series Alias and the latest Star Trek film) and created a fake website to tie in with the brand. Various sources have debated whether this was or wasn't official policy, but it was nevertheless effective in generating online awareness and a buzz that clearly helped the film at the box office.

However, the most obvious example of how clever marketing doesn't necessarily need a big budget is from more than a decade ago. The Blair Witch Project, released in 1999, grossed just under $250 million world-wide, despite only costing approximately $25,000 to produce. As a result, this low-key, semi-improvised American horror is considered one of the most successful films ever, based on cost and profitable return. Primarily marketed on the internet, the studio used trailers and narratives

Dir. George Nolfi Co

to encourage the illusion that the film was based on a real event. This influenced unofficial websites to do likewise, consequently causing an online buzz and blurring the boundaries between a real and artificial event. Despite online marketing being seen as surplus at the time and secondary to more established outlets, it is now widely utilised by modern day lowbudget films such as Paranormal Activity.

Following the trail blazed by The Blair Witch Project was 2007 horror Paranormal Activity, similarly shot with camcorders, and constructed to look like real life. In Italy there were numerous reports and ambulance call-outs due to the raw, believable nature of this supernatural film. Costing $11,000 to make, it made over $193 million world-wide at the box-office. The film's success was helped

by Paramount, who gave film-goers the opportunity to request that Paranormal Activity be played in their local cinema.

All three of these low-budget movies employed effective marketing ploys, but most importantly remembered that a movie does not need A-List actors/ cameos, expansive special effects and a huge marketing budget. Sometimes, a stripped-down, raw and 'real' movie is what audiences really want. Patronising a low budget flick is hugely satisfying for many cinema fans, involving them in a modern-day David and Goliath story, and frankly sticking two fingers up at indulgent and bloated Hollywood blockbusters.

, you should watch

and death of Mr. Buttle, an innocent man wrongly confused with a terrorist, Lowry is sent to meet Buttle's widow. In Buttle's flat, Lowry meets Jill, a neighbour, who is coincidentally the same woman that he has been dreaming about. When Jill herself becomes a terrorist suspect, Sam realises he must use his government connections to save her from the authorities.

The plot is surreal, with the bewildered protagonist serving as a foil to the grotesques he encounters, from Robert De Niro's dashing terrorist Tuttle, to Sam's monstrous, surgery addicted mother Ida (Katherine Helmond) and her sinister surgeon Dr. Jaffe (Jim Broadbent). What really makes Brazil work, however, is Gilliam's trademark imagery. The whizzing, whirring machines that underlie this cruel regime could be straight out of a more surreal Monty Python sketch. In fact, Michael Palin himself makes a surprising appearance as Lowry's torturer friend, genial in his free time but a manic

Dir. Terry Gilliam

psychopath at work. This dark portrayal of a world in which people mindlessly serve their own pointless machinery is contrasted with the bright and airy fantasy sequences in which Lowry dreams he is a futuristic Icarus, sprouting wings to rescue a damsel in distress.

This contrast gives what could have been a funny but cold film, a humane warmth. For all Lowry's daydreams, his attempts at heroics only end in disaster.

As much as he wishes otherwise, Lowry is not especially unique or brave, but instead has become part of the unthinking majority, enabling the very bureaucracy that he despises. While The Adjustment Bureau seems to conclude that it is possible for one man to defeat the system, Gilliam's conclusion is much bleaker. For all its playfulness, it is the film's unsettling final scenes and twist ending that linger long after the closing credits.

RACHEL PRONGER

MUSIC

SPOTLIGHT

FILM

TV

BOOKS

RANGO

F

rom the opening sequence, in which a quartet of singing Mexican owls advised me to enjoy my "low-calorie popcorn" (a little rich considering I could feel my arteries clogging already), I realised Johnny Depp's latest film Rango was going to be an altogether different experience to the generic threedimensional family fare that has been churned out by the Hollywood machine in recent months.

For a start, Gore Verbinski's film is not even in 3D and, in all honesty, I did not mourn the absence of the headacheinducing glasses. The colour, detail and rich texture of the desert speak for themselves, without having to draw in the audience by slapping on glasses that would not look out of place in Gok Wan's garish Specsaver range.

The story follows domesticated lizard Rango (Johnny Depp) who, after his tank falls off the back of the truck on the desert highway, swaps his Hawaiian shirt for spurs, as he unwittingly becomes sheriff of the backwater western town Dirt. However, in this town, oddly reminiscent of the eponymous one in the classic Chinatown, water is currency and with drought scorching its ram-

The Adjustment Bureau Dir. George Nolfi

B

ased on a short story by Philip K. Dick, The Adjustment Bureau, written and directed by George Nolfi, is an intriguing blend of romance, sci-fi and thriller, combining to create a modern take on the typical love story.

David Norris (Matt Damon) is a spirited politician heading towards the White House until pictures of his wild side are revealed. His popularity drops and as he prepares his defeat speech, he meets Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), a fiery British ballet dancer, in the bathroom. Damon and Elise's chemistry is as electric as the chase scenes, and a powerful relationship is formed.

Yet it is the Adjustment Bureau, the fedora-clad controllers of fate who have different plans. Having already planned a future in which Elise and David are not together, these master manipulators tell Norris that if he remains with Elise, he will risk their dreams of rising to the top of their careers. Norris is left to fight fate itself and prove that free will and love can conquer all.

Sometimes, moments of potentially gripping suspense become a little flat and predictable, yet the romance is the main feature that shines through and a highly optimistic conclusion is drawn as Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie) claims, "one day we won't write the plan, you will."

ARJUN KHARPAL

Animal Kingdom

West Is West

est Is West is Andy De Emmony's follow up to the 1998 comedy-drama East is East, and, as is so often the case, this lacklustre sequel fails to live up to the original.

The story follows imposing father George Khan (Om Puri) and his youngest son Sajid (Aqib Khan) on a trip to Pakistan, where George hopes his son will learn to embrace his roots, which were so angrily rejected by his elder sons in the previous film.

East Is East worked by focusing on the tension between a father desperately determined to raise his children in a traditional Islamic manner, and his children rebelling against him. Unfortunately this sequel lacks such focus as it introduces too many storylines and plot-twists. Authenticity is swapped for sentimentality and as a result the film fails to pack the same emotional punch as its predecessor. Even the wit that characterised the first film is curiously missing; instead the jokes feel forced, and disjointed from the drama.

To its credit, West Is West is an aesthetically pleasing picture, thanks to beautiful scenery and music throughout which allows the audience to become immersed in Pakistani culture.

But ultimately the film fails to replicate the humour, drama and charm that made East Is East such a hit.

LISTINGS

Dir. Gore Verbinski

(think along the lines of the crawling rocks/crabs in the third movie).

Despite this, what makes Rango so successful is its ability to mix childish fun with darker undertones such as the struggle to assert one's own identity and the corruption of authority. One minute we are laughing as Rango struggles to camouflage himself in a sweet wrapper as a hawk inserts coins into a vending machine, the next we are moved as our chief protagonist questions his position in society. It allows the story of a lizard lost in the desert to transcend 'family film' and become something much more special.

All in all, Rango is a roaring success.

The acting is sharp, the effects sharper; the only let-down is Verbinski's tendency to drag out the plot one reel too far. The pacing occasionally lags, and if you're not a natural Wild West fan, this film may not be your cup of cactus juice. Saying that, the brilliance of Rango's presentation, from the stunning score to the breathtaking animation, makes this a must-see, and well worth the clogging of my arteries with Vue's infamous "low-calorie" popcorn.

Dir. Andy De Emmony

STEPHEN PUDDICOMBE

NIGHTLIFE

Johnny Depp's wild west animation may not be in "eyepopping 3D" but ALYSIA JUDGE is still impressed.

shackle saloon bars, Dirt's inhabitants resort to desperate measures to get their claws and paws on "agua".

Filmed using "emotion capture" rather than the clinical motion capture that most animated movies utilise nowadays, Rango presents vibrant and believable performances from the cast, based around scenes the actors physically enacted. The result is a larger-than-life extravaganza packed with genuinely compelling characters, narrative suspense and some of the best animation seen on the big screen to date.

Verbinski's creation boasts a cast as studded with stars as Rango's sheriff's badge, alongside the vocal talents of Bill Nighy (as gun slinging Rattlesnake Jake) and Isla Fisher (as lizard love-interest Beans). Indeed, with the reunion of Pirates of the Carribean trio Verbinski, Depp and Nighy, at times I felt like I was sitting in a remake of the Disney classic, though with Captain Sparrow looking distinctly more scaly. As a result, Rango presents characters as endearing as Will Turner but like Verbinski's trilogy, has the tendency to baffle the audience with scenes that are visually stunning, but can stretch the limit of strangeness

W

TECHNOLOGY

Dir. David Michôd

I

t’s three hours since the credits rolled on David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom and I’m beginning to think my nerves will never recover. It’s been a long time since I last saw a film so tense that I had to remind myself to breathe.

Set in '80s Melbourne, Animal Kingdom opens with the impassive Joshua calmly watching a game show next to his mother who, it soon transpires, has just died from a heroin overdose. After the paramedics remove the body, Joshua calls his estranged grandmother Janine Cody, a reptilian matriarch with a penchant for uncomfortably long kisses with her ‘boys’. Janine brings Joshua into her household where he plays an integral role in the crime family's nail-biting destruction.

The film is beautifully shot, with hand-held cameras immersing the audience into the gripping narrative.

Such cinematography, combined with a haunting soundtrack, often creates unbearable tension.

Michôd’s Australian cast deliver brilliant, intensely natural performances. There are some standouts, however, such as the deservedly Oscarnominated Jackie Weaver (Janine) and Ben Mendelsohn as the psychopathic ‘Pope’, whose glassy stare and strange delivery leave the viewer seriously unnerved.

A story of revenge, betrayal and family, the stunning twists of Animal Kingdom will leave you breathless.

A must-see.

Casablanca VISITED RE

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine" - Rick Blaine Casablanca, released in 1942, is one of the most famous romances of all time. The tale of two former lovers (played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman), who find themselves reunited by chance in sleazy Second World War Casablanca but are torn apart by a greater duty, is a heart breaking and infinitely quotable classic.

But - did you know...?

•

TEJA PISK • •

The character of Sam was originally intended to be female. At one point, Ella Fitzgerald was considered for the role.

Many of the shadows seen in the film were actually painted onto the set.

Bogart's famous line "here's looking at you, kid" was actually an adlib.