Issue #2: September 2012 by Spires Magazine

SPIRES o x f o r d c u l t u r e # 0 0 2 S E P TE M B ER 2 0 1 2

CONTENTS: Issue #2: September 2012

Music 04 art 11

fashion 14

film 16 Food 18 the front cover of this issue was provided by Ruth mansley. ruth enjoys "snipping and sticking and scribbling and splattering" to create her own fantastical worlds. she also has an irrational love of yetis and a totally rational hatred of badgers. we think she's brilliant. Check out her work at

www.remillustration.wordpress.com

www.spiresmagazine.com // @spiresmagazine

hello

Wow, second issue! We made it. We survived. This is cool. Thanks so much to everyone who has read the first issue, liked the Facebook page, followed the Twitter, shared with friends, yadda yadda yadda. It all means a lot. Anyway, it's September now, which means it's basically Autumn, which makes sense because the weather is totally shite. Apart from the odd barbecue here and there (and to be honest, the weather wasn't really that BBQ-worthy), I've spent the last few weeks shivering because there's a rule that you can't turn on the heating in August. At least it pissed it down for Reading Festival. Made it a little bit easier to accept that I wasn't watching The Cure relive some of history's greatest music, or Green Day play a surprise set of pop punk classics, or Dave Grohl scream bloody murder and dedicate every other song to his family/Kurt Cobain... come to think of it, the soggyness probably would have been well worth it. Don't I sound British, moaning about the weather and such? I suppose I needn't be too worried about that, given our insane performance in the Olympics. 'Team GB' (or Great Britain, as I like to call it) totally bloody rocks. Not only did we host one of the great-

est sporting events of all time (yo Sydney, I'mma let you finish...) but we also knocked the stuffing out of every country apart from America and China. And y'know. They're massive and stuff. We're just a little island that drinks tea and forms orderly queues. As well as being patriotic, us Oxford folk should be proud to be from a place with so much going on - see the rest of this issue for a few great examples. Spend your September exploring vintage boutiques, listening to great music, buying delicious local food and generally expanding your cultural palates. Go on, you deserve it. One last note: as of Monday 3rd I'll be jetting off to the US for a great American roadtrip, which means that Spires will be a bit quiet in terms of tweeting, blogging and facebooking. It's not a huge deal really, and you can still expect a new issue in October, although on the slightly-later-than-usual date of the 15th. If you fancy contributing to it, get in touch!

Matt Ayres (Spires Editor)

guille

hey, seasonal indie misfits with a penchant for the peculiar! fancy a chin wag? One thing is certain about Guillemots: they aren't afraid to do things differently, even if that means working themselves to the bone. The band have taken it upon themselves to release four albums this year, the first of which, Hello Land!, has been met with rapturous approval. So far, so good, but there's still three to go... we caught up with frontman Fyfe Dangerfield and bassist Aristazabel Hawkes to discuss what happens next. How's it going, guys? Fyfe: It's going well! We've been busy recording this week for the summer record, some orchestral stuff in Manchester. We're hoping to release it in about a month's time. Can't wait to hear it - will there be any new or different influences on this record compared to the last one? Fyfe: Well there's always a million influences. We're loosely basing this series of albums on

the seasons - in terms of the feel and the spirit of them at least. You're well known for using unconventional instruments in your recordings. Can you tell us about any weird or wonderful instruments that will be featuring on the next album? Aristazabel: There's a lot of birdsong. We've been recording out in Norway and there's all these mad birds singing all over the place. Fyfe: People have always asked us whether we make a conscious effort to use things like saws and typewriters on our records, but to be honest a lot of people use those things. We're just aiming to make music that's fun and colourful. Aristazabel: It's been really exciting the last three days. Fyfe wrote some amazing arrangements for pretty much a whole orchestra. We had strings and a brass section and a woodwind section... it's a really nice feeling to get that many people involved, it just adds so much

emots "People always ask us if we make a conscious effort to use weird things like saws and typewriters, but we just want to make music that's fun and colourful" to the energy of the music. So we've mostly been drawing on all these classic sounds; it takes years to learn an instrument well, so to have all that expertise on our record is pretty amazing. Do you find that it helps the songwriting process to bounce ideas off of other people? Fyfe: Well it wasn't so much bouncing ideas off of the people playing those instruments, we knew what we wanted them to do in this case. However, we have been bouncing ideas a lot off Jonas Raabe who's been producing the record, and he's been amazing. What's it like recording in Norway? Fyfe: It's perfect. Up in the hills, away from everything and we're just completely in the zone there, there's nothing to take us out of the mood. Aristazabel: It's just really focused, because we're

literally working on the music the whole time, completely in the middle of nowhere. Have you experienced anything new whilst writing new music recently? Fyfe: Well I played a harpsichord the other day. I'd never really had a go on one before, so that was quite good. We used a cor anglas and that's a beautiful instrument, like a big oboe with a bell on the end. Aristazabel: I've never really heard anything quite like the cor anglais... I mean it's not a particularly weird instrument, but it doesn't sound like you'd expect it to. Another thing was when we decided to record some singing out in the woods one day and we thought we should have some percussion. There was literally like just a few sticks and a little rake and a spade, and we started banging them all together and recorded it on a tape! We slowed it down a bit in post-production and it sounds really cool, like some weird African drumming or something. Some people might not know that a Guillemot is also a type of seagull... do you have any other favourite birds? Fyfe: I like the red-throated diver. Aristazabel: Beyonce!

MUSIC 05

A friendly chat with

LUCY ROSE she loves tea and jam. she's also one of this year's most exciting female artists...

2012's been a very busy year for you so far! Yeah, and it's also been exhausting! The other day we played a gig in Norway, and then a gig in Latvia, and now we're here... so yesterday morning we woke up in Norway, and we've been to Latvia since then! It's all been amazing, though. I'd never been to Latvia before so I didn't know what was going to happen, but there were all these people at the front singing along to all my songs, even though I've never released anything over there. It must all just be off YouTube and stuff, it's completely insane that people have found it and are sharing it. Have you found that with any other countries? I played a gig in Mexico City supporting Bombay Bicycle Club. I got there and just assumed I'd go right over their heads, but there was people singing along and shouting out my songs - "play 'Night Bus', play 'Scar'!" It's just insane. Do you think that social networking sites and YouTube are important for new artists and bands to get their names out there and reach audiences that might not otherwise hear their music? Yeah, 100%. It's like the easiest way for people to discover and share music, and that's what it's all about. At the same time, though, I don't think you can control it - there are some people who are like 'please share this, everyone share this, please please share it' and I don't think it works like that, it has to be natural. If you say to people 'post this video to your wall!' it's going to make no difference if every single one of your friends does it, because it's all about other people picking it up.

You've been touring a lot recently and playing a variety of gigs, from intimate, small-capacity venues to larger festival slots. How do you find your sets differ from show to show? I love the small, intimate rooms - you can really get the vibe and feel something when everyone's close and everyone's listening. There's something really special about it. Festivals are a whole different ball game; you can't really compare gigs and festivals because they're just so different. Sometimes I don't know if anyone's gonna turn up to my festival sets - you don't always know what the vibe is like, you have to win people over and get new people to listen to it, where with gigs you know that people have come to see you and you know that if you just put on a good performance and do your thing, it'll be fine. How do you find playing shows as a solo musician compared to playing with Bombay Bicycle Club? It's totally different - with Bombay Bicycle Club I'm on and off the stage between songs so it doesn't ever feel like I've done a full set or a full day's work in a way - if I'm only on for half the set it might just be like seven songs or something. With me, though, I can play from start to finish and really go through the whole set like an emotional rollercoaster and experience it. They're different vibes too - with Bombay I can jump around and be silly and have fun with them, but I'm just as happy when I'm on stage playing my own music as I am when I'm playing their's. Do you have any plans for a full length album soon? We've finished it! It's called Like I Used To and it's up on iTunes for pre-orders, out on September 24th!

MUSIC 07

Album Reviews OWL CITY - THE MIDSUMMER STATION // UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC // Owl City’s Adam Young is one of the most talented electronic music producers around at the moment, but you’d be forgiven for laughing in the face of that statement if based on his latest effort. The Midsummer Station sounds a bit like what an evangelical church might produce in attempt to win over a gaggle of pre-teen chavs. ‘Shout out to the dreams you’ll chase,’ Adam awkwardly spews through layers of auto-tune. Isn’t that the sort of thing that cool rappers and R&B singers write about these days? How about if I make some police siren noises with my mouth? No? Well, then. Chuck in some dancefloor beats, and while you’re at it, give that Carly Rae Jepsen a call. We’ll get another flash-in-the-pan single out of her yet. The aptly named ‘Dementia’ suggests that Owl City can do better, but simply won’t. This is his second album since ‘Fireflies’, and evidently he has decided that quantity > quality. A shame, because it’s almost universally shit.

MINUS THE BEAR - INFINITY OVERHEAD // BIG SCARY MONSTERS // Continuing to earn respect in the underground alt scene, Minus The Bear’s fifth fulllength is an unlikely but infectious ecosystem of pop rock fauna. Opening track ‘Steel and Blood’ sets the tone perfectly with its choppy balance of emotive vocals, fuzzy guitar and vintage synth wailing. The rest of the album follows suit by bouncing between these three cornerstones, whilst also managing fit some clever time signatures and impressive shredding into the melting pot. The overhead is indeed infinite for a collective with such a deep understanding of how to make music both alternative and accessible.

DOG IS DEAD - ALL OUR FAVOURITE STORIES // ATLANTIC // There are a lot of mainstream indie bands around these days with a penchant for twiddly guitar pop and happy-go-lucky party vibes. Then again, not all of them have a saxophone. Dog Is Dead do, and that makes them better. See their big single ‘Glockenspiel Song’ for proof – a massively catchy summer anthem accented with horn tooting and a festival sing-along chorus to die for. Admittedly there are less dancey numbers here too, and they’re not quite as triumphant. This is a band that does it best when they’re acting their age: young, vibrant, full of spark. The important thing is that the foundations of an original and exciting sound have been well laid. A great summer record that hints at even bigger things to come.

BILLY TALENT - DEAD SILENCE // WARNER MUSIC CANADA // It’s a shame that Billy Talent have released four albums and still haven’t really evolved musically. There’s plenty here to suggest that they’re capable of more, and if you’d never heard them you might think that there’s not a lot wrong, save perhaps for their singer’s raven-like vocal delivery (it’s actually a little less abrasive than it used to be). Repeated listening is painful, though. Billy Talent, are, in a word, sharp. Angular guitars, screeching voices, everything performed with robotic precision, not a dull note left to waver. Sharp, then. Like being repeatedly jabbed in the ribs with a sharpened pencil. They might start another song, a moment of relief, but then you realise it’s simply a different coloured pencil. It’s still sharp, and it still hurts. Congrats on the gnarly shredding, dude, but next time could you maybe try wax crayons or something?

circa survive - violent waves // self-released // A band who have learned to swell and crash with greater impact upon every record they release, Circa Survive’s fourth LP is an aptly named one. Violent Waves picks up where Blue Sky Noise left off, including unwieldy time signatures and an impressive vocal range reminiscent other experimental rock giants Thrice and Thursday. On the downside, it’s highly repetitive and lasts nearly an hour, so the impact is lost quickly, beginning to feel a bit like an extended session of dynamic effect pedal jamming. It’ll appeal to hardcore fans, and Anthony Green’s vocal prowess is always gratefully received. Just take it in small doses.

Constellation Guide: = BAD //

= AVERAGE //

= DECENT //

= BRILLIANT //

= MASTERPIECE

TALL SHIPS - EVERYTHING TOUCHING // BIG SCARY MONSTERS // Tall Ships were once ‘the band that uses loop pedals a lot’. It may well be that they still are, given that there’s only three of them and that they can weave a hell of a sonic tapestry when they feel like it. This album, however, shows that they’re capable of far more than an overused live gimmick, expanding exponentially on their last release to include the elephant-crushing weight of leviathan stadium rock in their trademark math-infused sound. Newly refurbished ‘Ode To Ancestors’ is proof, taking a once middle of the road track and turning it into something altogether more memorable. The entire album is a victorious progression for the band, but most memorable are bookends ‘T=0’ and ‘Murmurations.’ The former is the album’s lead single and a deafeningly awesome, perfectly executed album opener, whilst the latter begins inaudible and ends fucking gigantic, growing with every bar to produce a musical mammoth of anthemic proportions.

The xx - coexist // young turks // A widely anticipated album from Mercury Music Prize winning indie-popsters, The xx’s sophomore effort lacks its predecessors initial punch, replacing it with laid-back eurobeat shuffles and low-fi 808 coolness. It’s a chillaxed, succinct and whimsical record (a bit like Lana Del Rey’s debut was), but none of the songs on Coexist really linger with the listener like ‘VCR’ did. Still, the poetic male/female interplay between Oliver Sim and Romy Croft is just about worth a listen.

Frightened Rabbit - state hospital // atlantic // Frightened Rabbit feel like Scotland’s answer to Death Cab For Cutie. Their latest EP sets this notion in concrete; a multi-layered and lyrically prolific effort with plenty of subliminal phrasing that will only catch you on the fifth or fifteenth listen. Just as you’d expect from a band of their beloved stature, not a song disappoints, and these are mostly just the rejects from an upcoming yet-to-be-named album. Holy carrots: prepare yourselves for something truly special.

everyone everywhere - everyone everywhere // Big scary monsters // ‘I wanna smash things’, Brendan McHugh tells us matter-of-factly in Everyone Everywhere’s album opener ‘I Feel Exhausted.’ It’s an honest insight into this Philadelphiabased band’s psyche. On the surface they’re all modestly crunchy guitars, precisely bashed snare drums and dreamily delivered vocals, but simmering beneath their vaguely math-rock brand of indie are flames of destructive emo lyricism. This is a band who use words like ‘dichotomous’ to describe the way they feel. It’s catchy as hell and it’s clever, but they don’t need to slap us around the face with their intelligence for us to get it. American midwest indie rock in its most honest, excellent form.

Trey songz - Chapter V // atlantic // Chris Brown haters of the world unite! Perhaps this will reaffirm your faith in male R&B singers a bit. The lead single from Trey Songz’s album is called ‘Simply Amazing’, and it’s an ode to how great women are. ‘She ain’t perfect, but she’s worth it.’ How about that? R Kelly would be proud, right? Trey is essentially Drake, Usher and Ne-Yo all rolled up into one, but he’s lovable and his songs are catchy. And track three is called 'Panty Wetter', which is fun. Even if it does undo all that feminist stuff from before. Take it at surface level, and Chapter V is about as much as you could ask for from this particular school of urban beatz.

MUSIC 09

Local Releases reviewing oxford's latest musical offerings...

ALPHABET BACKWARDS - LITTLE VICTORIES // HIGHLINE // Alphabet Backwards have become one of Oxfordshire's most beloved local bands, with bags of potential to become more than just another backshelf support act. Their knack of writing songs that combine mellow acoustic strumming and synthpop bite has finally culminated in a debut album chock full of infectious dance-along gems, perfectly encapsulating the band's hop-happy live performance in twelve tracks. Beginning with 'Sunday Best', we're treated to a slightly different approach to the band's usual major key smile

the yarns - chase me to the hills ep // beard museum // The Yarns like to tell stories. That's probably why they're called The Yarns. The title track on this EP is lyrically brilliant; listening to it feels a bit like travelling back in time and hearing your grandfather sing about his younger days in a wistful, poetic manner. The music itself, though, whilst folky and sufficiently Conor Oberst-y in manner, isn't quite pulled off with the precision or idiomatic glee that made bands like Stornoway such a hit when they first surfaced. Second track 'The Engagement' similarly packs a punch as poetry, but the male vs female vocals feel a little pushed and a little gimmicky - it's only when we get to the third and final track 'Property of Michael Docherty' that the instrumentation does justice to the lyrical depth on offer, all plucked guitars and subtle backing vocals that make for an excellent soundtrack when you feel like looking out of a train window and feeling melancholy.

anthems - it's upbeat but uncertain, ebbing and flowing with thrilling unpredicatability, all wondering basslines and reverberating piano with a steadfast beat holding it all together. All the more thrilling, then, when a victorious return to AB's usual sunny day sound in the form of 'Pockets' reminds us that this is a band who, although vastly capable, still haven't run out of ways to make our hearts flutter with a simple pop song. Little Victories contains a veritable mix of old and new - the double headed assault of 'Big Top' and 'Taller' showcases the band's brilliant back catalogue of twee-pop shiners from previous EPs, whilst the likes of 'Lipshakes' and new single 'Ladybird' expand on a classic sound with new angles - sometimes orchestral instrumentation, sometimes an unexpected switch of tempo, but always married together with expertise and loveable singalong vibes. This feature of the album, and of the band's sound in general, is perhaps best accredited to the boy-girl duets of vocalists James Hitchman and Steph Ward. Every hook is also sharpened by a bank of gorgeously retro synth warbles, particularly evident in the newly refined version of live favourite 'Elton John' and its funky house intro 'Maisonette.' Little Victories, then, is aptly named - every track here is indeed a victory, whilst each one remains perfectly succinct at an average length of under three minutes (little, perhaps, but massive in terms of contagious replay value). The jetpack-wearing birdie gracing its cover art is a suitable metaphor for an adorable, chirpy band, destined for incredible heights.

Little Victories is released on October 1st, and will be celebrated with a massive headline show at O2 Academy Oxford on September 8th - tickets are still available from o2academyoxford.co.uk

The Dreaming Spires - brothers in brooklyn // clubhouse // Robin and Joe Bennett of The Dreaming Spires are more or less the definition of 'local heroes', having formerly played with two renowned Oxfordian bands (Goldrush and Danny & The Champions of the World), not mention co-founding two brilliant festivals: Truck and it's younger sibling, Wood. Their latest project draws not on the spires that they (and, ahem, we) are named after but from the classic sounds one might encounter on a roadtrip across the US - call it British Americana, if you will. Low-fi guitar indie reminiscent of The Byrds, it's simply a celebration of the music that the Bennett's like, and it doesn't try to be anything more than that. OK, so it might not be quite as authentic as what purists might call 'the real thing', but it seems like they've got plenty to sing about on this eleven song belter of retro tunage, and it's pulled off with enough lyrical gusto and self-reflexive composition to be considered a decent listen.

PHILLIP JONES & RACHEL russell THE JAM FACTORY, 20th august - 15th october

Art 11

Phillip j Jones An Oxford-based illustrator with a keen eye for detail, Phillip's work is rendered in striking black and white, with flashes of colour in some pieces playfully accenting the natural imagery that he draws. Particularly alluring are a series of illustrations that depict retro 20th century gadgets banged together from clumsily cut woodplanks, and a majestic looking gorilla donning a party hat whilst looking down at the ocean from a spectacular mountainous landscape. On display at the Jam Factory you can see some of Phillip's breathtaking work up close, and really appreciate the care and attention that has been taken with each scratch of his pencil. Prints are also on sale.

Selected images from www.phillipjjones.com

Rachel Russell As well as putting the right side of her brain to work on some gorgeously composed graphic design work, the talented Rachel Russell is known for her aesthetically eccentric illustratrations. Her brightly coloured prints feature elaborately patterned herpetofauna and sealife, along with whatever else takes her fancy. Think Urban Outfitters meets David Attenborough. A special selection of Rachel's work is available for your perusing at the Jam Factory until October 15, with prints of her work also available at excellent prices.

Selected images from www.hellowilson.co.uk

Art 13

Vintage O x f o rd Second hand doesn't have to mean second rate...

Oxford homes a whole family of delectable vintage shops, dotted around the city. The first of which you should meet, Reign. Reign, located on the Cowley road, is like a fun mum from the sixties. She’s organised, she knows what’s best and she’s got style! The moment you walk through Reign’s doors you can’t help but notice how all the clothing is arranged by colour. The rainbow layout is not only bound to put you in a cheery mood, but it makes vintage shopping less overwhelming as you can actually focus on the clothes and not be bowled over by the vast amounts of vintage pieces that all sprawl and fight for your attention. Not only aesthetically pleasing, Reign’s collection of vintage clothing is impressive. Unlike a lot of vintage shops, there is little to no space wasted on items which really belong more at a car boot sale than in a retail shop. But beware, the quality of their selection could mean that you find yourself laden with bags on your way out, with a much lighter purse! On the roundabout at the end of the Cowley Road is The Ballroom. True to its name and its past, this shop boasts a selection of ball gowns peeking out from the back room, but The Ballroom has recently grown up into something far cooler. Offering a small but appealing collection of vintage goods, The Ballroom is definitely worth perusing on a regular basis. The shop invites you in, having some of its clothes and bric-a-brac spilling out onto the street, giving it more of a market feel on first meeting. The Ballroom always has a collection of Barbour/Barbour look-a-like jackets, the perfect finish for that Old English farmer look we’ve all fancied donning every now and then, and I’ve found they always have a lovely collection of leather handbags and briefcases. Not only selling clothes, The Ballroom also proffers a small offering of household goods which are perfect for quirky gifts or sprucing up your own home. It has to be said, The Ballroom is definitely one to drop by time-totime. She is the younger sister who used to want to be just

like you, but is now considerably cooler. Damn it. Take a ramble towards Jericho and you’ll bump into Uncle Sam's on Little Clarendon Street. Uncle Sam’s is the cool uncle who’s life used to be a little disarrayed but he’s tried his hardest to get his act together as he’s getting on a bit now. Not as ordered as Reign, Uncle Sam’s still has a lot to offer the vintage shopper. There’s a particularly impressive amount of men’s clothing, so if you’re on the look out for a suit jacket get on down to Uncle Sam’s! And for those seeking some classic jeans you can grab a pair of Levi's for a tenner from Sam’s! Leave them as they are or cut them into shorts for when the sun decides to show his face. Cheers Uncle Sam! Lastly is Unicorn, the eccentric great aunt of the vintage family. Tucked away in the centre of town, on Ship Street just off Cornmarket, Unicorn is easy to miss. From the outside it looks like someone’s extremely disheveled front room, and the sign above the shop is so faded that it’s forgivable if you hadn't noticed it before. Though Unicorn is tiny and an absolute mess, it is a vintage shopper's cave of wonders! You will need an open mind when stepping through Unicorn’s tiny doorway, as clothes are piled high and stuffed onto rails; it’s almost impossible to see everything! But if you’re not looking for anything in particular, you may find a rare gem! To add to the chaotic ambience of the tiny room, Unicorn is run by a slightly batty old lady, who tends to make up the prices for things as she goes along. This is what vintage shopping should all be about - rummaging through mountains of clothes to find that one special item. So there you have it, each great giant of Oxford’s vintage shopping exposed. Now excuse me, whilst I go grab all the good stuff before you all get there first!

WORDS: JOSIE LISTER // PHOTOS: MATT AYRES

Fashion 15

Film Reviews hey, A film from Oxford! Flippin' great, right?

Tortoise In Love Director: Guy Browning Cast: Tom mitchelson, alice zawadzi, tom yates, Mike Kemp, Steven elder Actually, no. Not great at all, not if you value quality filmmaking at least. It’s bloody diabolical. The acting is pure horrible, and the scripting isn’t much better. Imagine Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, but set against the backdrop of the sleepy, nothing-happens-here countryside commune of Kingston Bagpuize, and you’re not far off. Director Guy Browning appears to have aimed for a Notting Hill-esque rom com, even casting a lead actor called Tom Mitchelson who seems to have been hired purely on the basis that he looks like a young Hugh Grant. The one key difference is that Hugh Grant can act. Sort of. He’s better than this bloke by a long shot, anyway.

Another atrocity of this film, and admittedly a common pitfall of shoestring budget cinema in general, is the annoyingly repetetive score. Evidently composer Geoff Cotrell wasn't being paid quite enough, because there only seems to be about thirty seconds of orchestral whimsy to match the country manor setting before the entire musical phrase starts again, like some irritating built-in slideshow theme music. It'll be stuck in your head as you leave the cinema for sure, but much in the same way as the hum of an incessant housefly that refuses to buzz out of an open window (or be swatted). Perhaps we’re being a little harsh – after all, this is a homegrown flick that was made possible by hiring members of the village community, and actually it’s quite cool that an Oxford-based film of this ilk has even managed to reach the silver screen. It is bad though. Really, really bad. Just so you know.

The verdict: Funny, if you're old. Old and from a small, upper-class village in the Oxfordshire countryside. To everyone else, it's horse piss.

Fret not, Oxfordian friends! Better cinema from our city does exist. For proof, see: Oxford Blues (1984) An eighties teen treasure, featuring Rob Lowe in the Oxford vs. Cambridge boat race.

an education (2009)

Carey Mulligan's character wants to be in Oxford so badly, she pretends to be friends with C.S. Lewis.

harry potter (2001-11) Loads of Hogwarts is taken from bits of Oxford. Does that make us wizards? Dibs on Hermione, then.

ted // director: Seth MacFarlane // starring: seth macfarlane, mark wahlberg, mila kunis // Everyone seems to know the premise of Ted by now from its notoriously sweary trailer: voice-acting genius and all-round funny guy Seth MacFarlane lends his pipes to a crass, weed-smoking, lager-chugging cuddly toy. What the preview doesn’t reveal in quite as much detail, however, is the primary focus of the film – Mark Wahlberg’s struggle to be a man and leave the securities of his childhood (personified in the titular bear) in pursuit of a grown-up relationship with Mila Kunis. This is where the film lets itself down – as a whacky, off-kilter adult comedy it would have slain, but rom com elements slow it down and prevent it from becoming a cult classic. Still, if you can get over Ted’s vocal resemblance to Peter Griffin, the film contains just enough abstract hilarity and charming grossness to satiate expectations.

shadow dancer // director: james marsh // starring: gillian anderson, clive owen, andrea riseborough, aidan gillen // A gritty realist thriller set against the backdrop of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, 1993. Andrea Riseborough plays Colette, a guilt-ridden mother from a notorious family of IRA terrorists in Belfast. Unable to spend enough time with her son, Colette's position in the front lines of political anguish (particularly beneath the quietly menacing IRA internal investigator played by David Wilmot) means that her domestic life has become a microcosm for the state of her nation - tense, endlessly on the brink, ready to erupt. After being caught in the act of planting a bomb on the London Underground, she faces the offer of becoming an informant for MI5 or spending 25 years in jail. Choosing the latter, the rest of the film becomes a tug of war between the two sides and is epitomised in Riseborough's subtle, stellar performance. Serious stuff, then, and not by any means a casual or particularly fun watch, but it's executed excellently, largely thanks to performances from a cast of lesser known talent and a gut-wrenching script adaptation by Tom Bradbury.

the watch // director: akiva schaffer // starring: ben stiller, vince vaughn, jonah hill, richard ayoade// Another of those hybrid comedies that seem to go down so well with the kids these days, The Watch is an American Shaun of the Dead with aliens instead of zombies. Ben Stiller joins his old frat pack buddy Vince Vaughn along with Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade in starting a neighborhood watch committee. What the mishmash group of suburban outcasts don’t realise is that they’re about to become the first and last line of defence in an invasion of bloodthirsty, skin-stealing extraterrestrials. The plot, as usual with this breed of Hollywood comedians, is secondary to impromptu, improvised banter; Stiller, Vaughn and Hill exchange vulgarities, whilst Ayoade's awkward, pseudo-polite contributions stick out like a big, British sore thumb. In fact, this all makes for hilarious viewing. Even if the laughs are cheap (the alien’s vital organ is its penis, for example), the hapless protagonists are so casual in their roles that it really feels like watching four of your less intelligent buddies deal with an apocalyptic scenario. Highly quotable bro comedy at its very stupidest; thus, best.

the imposter // director: bart layton // When a Texan family learn about the disappearance of their thirteen-year-old son, their domestic home becomes a doleful nest of worry, uncertainty and grief. But when Nicholas supposedly shows up in Spain three years later, they’re too overcome with naïve joy to question how. The truth is far from simple, as the identity stealing conman Frédéric Bourdin explains in a series of powerful reconstructions and interviews. In The Imposter, director Bart Layton has managed to channel the seatgrabbing suspense of feature films into a documentary, telling a true story with unnerving style and melancholic, self-realised shock. Through spine-tingling ambiguity, it subtly questions the relationship between truth and cinema whilst evoking the most human of responses in its audience – love, dread, regret. An absolute essential for documentary buffs and thrill seekers alike.

Coming Soon: A night in the woods (Fri 9), that's my boy (fri 9), the sweeney (wed 12), paranorman (Fri 14), Premium rush (Fri 14), Now is good (wed 19), Hysteria (Fri 21), Savages (Fri 21), holy motors (FRI 28), the campaign (fri 28) Film 17

The People's Supermarket BUY YOUR GROCERIES GUILT FREE FROM cowley road's newest, fairest food retailer... From ‘blank word documents’ and ‘talks down the pub’, The People’s Supermarket on Cowley Road is now up and running. Before meeting with TPS founder Chris Waites, I was unsure how to refer to him, since all members are, effectively, owners. I could only gather that he was the man with the plan who set the wheels in motion. The Supermarket is not motivated by money. It is about bringing people together and investing in the community. £12 will buy you membership for a year with a 20% discount on all your shopping at the store. On paying this small fee you become an ‘owner’ obliged to volunteer just 4 hours of your time every month to the functioning of the store. At the end of the year all profits are intended to be invested into the growth and maintenance of the shop, or into local community projects. ‘I’d like to develop a “toolkit” for other communities to establish their own,’ Chris told me. Inspired by the People’s Supermarket founded in London in 2009 and motivated by the opportunity of challenging the manipulated prices and sawdust bulked products of the likes of Tesco, TPS supplies the majority of its produce from the local area. This means supporting local farmers and providing higher quality produce at lower prices than the ‘Big Four’ supermarkets. The particularly appetising and varied choice of fruit and vegetables compliments a store that stocks deliciously different products such as ‘bacon jam’ and wild smoked garlic (which is

amazing). In this vein it is much like a market, except that it is open every day at convenient times in the same location and stocks all of the staple items you’d expect, such as milk, bread, pasta, tinned tomatoes, toiletries and washing up liquid. ‘I’ve ripped up my Clubcard,’ Chris jovially informed me after I explained my guilt when I step into Tesco to do my shopping – it feels like I’m helping them take over the world. ‘Well, Tesco has more people working for it than the army,' he replied. ‘Obviously, they’re doing something right.’ But for people with a similarly guilty conscious to mine, TPS's provision of ethically sourced food at low prices is a very welcome addition to Oxford. ‘I’ve tasted the stuff at farmers markets – it’s so much better.’ Indeed, it isn’t all about the moral conscious: it’s about good food. The vegetables here look alive and full possibilities, and they're just as delicious as they look; as I write, I scrape with a spoon the remaining moreishly moist flesh of a TPS avocado from its speckled green shell. ‘It’s about sharing knowledge.’ Chris told me of his plans to construct a kitchen at the back of the shop, which will cook up ready meals out of misshapen and close-to-date produce. People of all different nationalities have been into the shop with ideas: ‘French, Japanese, Italian,’ he reeled off. ‘Now I can make paella, no problem!’ One of TPS’ visions involves tackling waste. Not only does the shop endeavor to throw

out as little as possible, it also aims to provide customers with the tools and confidence to reduce their own waste by showing them how to create delicious and exciting meals from ingredients they might otherwise overlook. ‘Food and music brings people together,’ Chris reckons. I agree. We all have to eat, so why don’t we enjoy it together? With changes in family structures and increasingly inflexible working hours, supermarkets and fast food chains have been encouraging a culture of convenience and ready

"Every little helps!" tps red/yellow pepper 49p cherry punnet £2.50 250ml smoothie 59p tin chopped tomatoes x4 £1.47 free range eggs x6 £1.00

tesco 78p £3.49 99p £2.39 £1.48

meals. We have steadily become disconnected from where our food is derived, to the point where many children aren't even aware of which animal pork comes from. The conveniently located and attractively planned shop will attract many customers who are beginning to think about their own food culture as well as being tempting to the prudent shopper. It also appeals to those who feel unsatisfied with chain su-

permarkets and who have thought about the value of food, whilst providing a laid back and culturally engaging atmosphere. Rather than having to listen to uncomfortable staff announcements as they shop, customers of TPS get to hear music by local bands under the creative commons license (saving the establishment from paying royalties, as well as soundtracking everyone's mundane weekly shopping trip with a variety of Oxford-based talent). ‘I’d be surprised if this was smaller in ten years.’ The People’s Supermarket is an ambitious project that aims to re-engage people with food and bring the community spirit back to Cowley Road; there’s plenty of hope for the future in it. More and more people are growing tired of a basic human need being exploited and are having to resign themselves to soulless supermarket convenience. And with large chain supermarkets commonly popping up to replace struggling local businesses, within our city and others like ours, the monopolising of the food market has simply gone too far. Consumers have lost the freedom of choice, and independent suppliers are losing business. Projects like TPS are needed now more than ever. It’s new, it’s testing the water. But the time is ripe for such an endeavor to flourish in Oxford. Chris would like to invest profits into developing the means for others to create their own People’s Supermarkets, in Oxford and across the country. But it’s not just up to him to decide; there is a growing list of ‘owners.’ ‘I just have one vote,’ he said. Likewise, I’m only ‘one,’ but The People’s Supermarket has my vote.

WORDS: MARIANNA MASSA // PHOTOS: MATT AYRES

Food 19

The Night I Ate With My Hands Ethiopian eating at the Magic Cafe takes 'hands on' dining to a whole new level... The Cowley Road is well known for its wide variety of weird yet wonderful restaurants. One particular ‘outside of the box’ eatery is the Ethiopian pop-up in the Magic Cafe, down Magdalen Road, somewhere totally new and unheard of. My friend booked a table for a group of us for his birthday and everyone was very intrigued by what we would encounter. I must confess, I was apprehensive about it all after hearing horror stories about Ethiopian food from a friend; regardless of this I entered the restaurant with an open mind and an empty stomach. The Atmosphere First impressions were good. A friendly face welcomed us at the door, took our £10 for the meal, coffee and dancing and showed us to our table. Straight away we got talking to the people around us and it felt as though everyone was eating together rather than in just groups, which is a very

refreshing thing to experience! Overall the atmosphere was very laid back and relaxed. The hosts came around to everyone and said hello which made the evening feel like a dinner party rather than a restaurant. The place was buzzing with excitement from those who were looking forward to eating Ethiopian cuisine again as well as from those who, like me, were eagerly anticipating their first bite. The Food Prior to eating there was an announcement of what the dishes would be - as well as instructions on how to eat them! The food is served as a self service buffet with a selection of eleven dishes. Eight were vegan-friendly and all were called something I couldn't pronounce (for example, Key Dorowe and Tekel Gomen en a Denech). Injera is the staple piece of the meal. Not only does it act as a sponge to absorb all the sauce but it is also

used as the equivalent of a knife and fork. You tear a piece of injera and use that to scoop up a bit of each dish so you can eat it. Injera is an acquired taste; it is very, very sour. It wasn’t quite to my taste, but it was practical and did work well with the richness and saltiness of the other dishes. To accompany the food there was a bar serving a variety of drinks including beer, wine and juice. We decided to try the Ethiopian wine called Axumite (£12), a red wine served cool that was very sweet with a distinctive aftertaste that none of the group could quite put their finger on. For those less adventurous, the other drinks were all well known and recognisable brands. The Entertainment What was really great about this particular pop-up restaurant was the experience of being dropped into an entirely new culture. After dinner, traditional Ethiopian coffee was served, quickly followed by traditional dancing and music. Everyone joined in one way or another; there were no wallflowers or sad faces to be seen! There was also a moment to wish Happy Birthday to certain guests, who were given a small gift as well as being sung Happy Birthday. This

was such a lovely, unexpected gesture that made it an extra special evening for a member of our party. Final thoughts The little things were what this particular evening of Ethiopian dining memorable. Although the food was nice, it was not quite to my taste and not something I would choose to have again, but the warm, welcoming and friendly atmosphere of the place still made it fantastic. I really felt as though I got to experience a slice of Ethiopia and Ethiopian hospitality in Oxford. Despite previously hearing grisly stories about Ethiopian food, I liked the experience of trying it in its intended, exotic manner, and didn’t even mind eating without the aid of a knife and fork! If you enjoy ‘outside of the box’ eateries with a weird and wonderful streak then get yourself down to Magdalen Road and try a slice of Ethiopia - even if it’s just once!

'Like' this restaurant on Facebook to find out about future events: www.facebook. com/mulu.oxford

WORDS & PHOTOS: HANNAH BELZ

Food 21

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