The Edge (March 2015)

charli xcx

our review of Sucker

The Edge talks to

The cribs

house of cards

Season 3: our review

Issue Five Welcome to Issue Six of The Edge! Now that term is winding down, I’m sure that your work load is increasing ready for those pre-Easter deadlines, or that you are looking forward to an Easter filled with dissertation fun – we’re here to make sure you keep up with everything in the entertainment world!

It has been an exciting term for us here at The Edge – we worked with SUSU Equality and Diversity Committee, SUSU LGBT and The Wessex Scene to create the LGBT History Month Magazine which I hope you managed to get a copy of! If not, you can read all of the articles online, or find the magazine on our ISSUU page.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, we’ve also been planning our own special issue of The Edge, looking at women in the entertainment industry. Make sure you keep an eye out for it immediately after Easter – it is going to look at inspirational women in the industry, and issues that are currently facing women in entertainment. During Easter we are also cohosting the Student Publication Association National Conference with The Wessex Scene, so have been busy planning that. It’s going to be a really exciting event, so if you are interested in journalism at all, make sure that you grab a ticket!

The cover story for this issue looks at Focus, the latest film staring Will Smith and Margot Robbie. The two have fantastic chemistry, and it is definitely a film that should be on your to watch list. You can read our review of the film on page 17. The Records section includes reviews from a whole range of artists including Charlie XCX and Imagine Dragons, as well as Florence + the Machine’s latest single – you can see all of these from pages 11-15. Our Live section includes preview and reviews, including a look at Jungle’s latest Portsmouth gig on page 27. House of Cards has become mustwatch television for everyone, and we are very excited to be able to include a review of the start of the newest series to come to Netflix. If, like us, you are a big fan of Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood, make sure that you check it out on page 22.

From all of us at The Edge, we wish you a happy and productive Easter break!

Rebecca James Editor

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Editor Rebecca James editor@theedgesusu.co.uk Deputy Editor Caitlin Hobbs deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk records Editor Hannah Mylrea records@theedgesusu.co.uk Features Editor Siân Blewitt features@theedgesusu.co.uk film Editor Virginie Robe film@theedgesusu.co.uk C u lt u r e e d i t o r Natalie Fordham culture@theedgesusu.co.uk live Editor Annabelle Asker live@theedgesusu.co.uk news Editor Lewis Taplin news@theedgesusu.co.uk head of design Joe Buckingham design@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of external relations Jenny Simpson relations@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of publicity Henna Patel publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk Head of events Alex Meehan events@theedgesusu.co.uk online manager Emily Mitchell manager@theedgesusu.co.uk editor in chief Megan Downing vpdci@susu.org

Contents editorial

01 Welcome to Issue Six

NEWS

03 The Newsbox 04 Nostalgic News 05 Notes on News: Sony and Marvel Team Up for Future Spiderman Films

Features

07 Interview: The Cribs 08 Interview: Beartooth 09 Sofar Sounds: A Revolution in Live Music 10 Introducing: Happyness & Theme Park

Records

11 Imagine Dragons - Smoke + Mirrors 13 Charli XCX - Sucker 13 BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah Sour Soul 14 Drake - If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late 14 Purity Ring - Another Eternity 15 Florence + The Machine - What Kind Of Man 15 Axwell Λ Ingrosso - Something New 15 Everything Everything - Distant Past

film

16 Mommy 17 Focus 18 Blu-ray: Attila Marcel 18 Blu-ray: Mockingjay Part 1 19 Blu-ray: Nightcrawler

culture

21 American Horror Story: Freakshow - Season Finale 22 House of Cards Season 3 23 Why I’m Addicted To... Real Housewives 24 Classics: The Count of Monte Christo

live

25 The Cribs @ Wedgewood Rooms 26 War On Drugs @ O2 Guildhall 27 Jungle @ Portsmouth Pyramids 28 Preview: Into It. Over It. & Modern Baseball @ The Joiners 28 Preview: Peace @ The Haunt 29 Listings

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NEWS

THE NEWSBOX THE KEATS OF TWEETS

TOP TOP FIVE FIVE NEWS NEWS STORIES STORIES 1

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Beginning Beginning 9th 9th March, March, Annie Annie Mac Mac will will take take over over the the slot slot of of Monday Monday to to Thursday Thursday from from the the hours hours 7pm 7pm to to 9pm 9pm on on Radio Radio 1,1, replacing replacing Zane Lowe.

Zane Lowe.

The The Theory Theory of of Everything’s Everything’s Felicity Felicity Jones Jones and Life of Pi’s Irrfan Khan are and Life of Pi’s Irrfan Khan are confirmed confirmed to to star star in in Inferno, Inferno, the the latest latest film film to to be be adapted adapted from fromDan DanBrown’s Robert Brown’s RobertLangdon Langdonseries. series.

Ewan Ewan McGregor McGregor will will make make his his directorial directorial debut debut with with the the upcoming upcoming film, film, American American Pastoral, Pastoral, replacing replacing Phillip Phillip Noyce.

Noyce. The The drama drama will will star star Jennifer Jennifer Connelly Connelly and and Dakota Dakota Fanning.

Fanning.

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Sue Sue Perkins Perkins isis to to host Thronecast, host Thronecast, a Game a Game of of Thrones spin-off Thrones spin-offwhich whichwill willair airlive liveafter aftereach each episode episodeof ofthe theHBO HBOseries. series.

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Rae Rae Morris Morris isis confirmed confirmed as as the the support support act act for forTom TomOdell Odellwhen whenhe hetours toursthis thissummer.

Summer.

ENTERTAINMENT PICKS Film Editor:

Still Alice (6th March)

Culture Editor:

How To Get Away With Murder Season 1, Part 2 (22nd March, Universal Channel)

Records Editor:

Madeon - Adventure (30th March, Columbia Records)

Live Editor:

Lucy Rose at The Engine Rooms, Southampton (28th March)

Editor:

Powers Season 1 (10th March. Playstation Network) 3

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ner

@dollyjoy

answered You never rettX eb ri au me @L how is oodyatt? @AdamW e knowitsliv #leastyou #gutted

With Eastenders’ 30 year anniversary celebrations taking place last month, Jo Joyner’s live slip-up set Twitter alight and her reaction was even better.

Got a celeb to nominate for next issue? Let us know:

@theedgesusu THE THE EDGE EDGE IS IS EAGER EAGER FOR...

FOR...

Blur’s album: Late Late last last month, month, Blur Blur unveiled unveiled aa Blur’s new new album. new track entitled ‘Go Out’ , the lead single new track entitled ‘Go Out’, the lead singlefrom fromtheir their upcoming upcomingalbum, album,The TheMagic MagicWhip, Whip,due dueto tobe bereleased released this thisApril, April,their theirfirst firstrelease releasein in12 12years. years.

The It’s been been confirmed The new Alien film: new Alien film, which hasrecently been recently been conthat District 9’s Neill Blomkamp is to firmed. District 9’s Neill Blomkamp is todirect directthe thenew new film film from from 20th 20th Century Century Fox, Fox, as as well well as as Ridley Ridley Scott Scott confirmed confirmedas asthe theproducer. producer.

This This year’s year’s T T in in the the Park: Park. It It has has been been announced announced that that Kasabian, The Libertines and Noel Gallagher Kasabian, The Libertines and Noel Gallagher are are to to headline, headline, with with other other names names like like Sam Sam Smith Smith and and Jessie Jessie JJset setto toappear. appear.

Glastonbury With Foo Glastonbury 2015: 2015. With Foo Fighters Fighters confirmed confirmed as as aa headliner, The headliner, The Edge is Edge is eager eager for for this this Summer’s Summer’s biggest biggest festival. festival.

The upcoming film filmadaptation adaptation of The Psychopath The upcoming of The Psychopath Test, Test: Confirmed to starJohansson.

Scarlet Johansson. which will star Scarlet

for all the latest entertainment news theedgesusu.co.uk/news

NEWS

nostalgic news

Another round up of things that happened this month in years gone by.

Marley & Me released six years ago owen middleton The classic, heart-warming (yet simultaneously tearinducing) adaptation to John Grogan’s autobiographical book, Marley & Me, hit cinema screens in the UK six years ago this month, when it was released on the 11th March 2009.

The film, directed by David Frankel, follows the life of John (Owen Wilson) and wife Jenny (Jennifer Anniston) during their eventful time with the overly loveable Labrador, Marley, with a talent for mischief.

The story depicts the hardships of starting a family, the ups and downs of life and all the while attempting to train a boisterous dog you cannot help but adore.

Rockferry claims number one spot seven years ago lewis taplin Rockferry, the debut album from singer-songwriter Duffy, topped the UK charts this time seven years ago where it started its five-week run.

Released on 3rd March 2008, Rockferry was the fourth best-selling album of 2008 worldwide, and was nominated for a Grammy as well as picking up three BRIT Awards.

The album spawned hit singles ‘Mercy’, ‘Warwick Avenue’ and ‘Rain on Your Parade’, with ‘Mercy’ reaching the number one spot too.

‘Believe’ reacher number one in the US 16 years ago lewis taplin 16 years ago this month, Cher started a four-week run at number one in the US with her iconic track ‘Believe’.

Reaching the top of the charts back on the 13th March in 1999, the track made Cher the oldest woman to top the Hot 100 at the age of 53. ‘Believe’ also reached number ones in many other places around the globe, including the UK where it spent seven weeks at the top.

The track was also nominated for two Grammys: Record of the Year and Best Dance Recording. It won the latter.

‘I Will Survive’ tops US charts 36 years ago dan linstead 36 years ago this month, Gloria Gaynor topped the charts in the US for three weeks with the classic track, ‘I Will Survive’. The instantly recognisable disco song also topped the charts in the UK. The song won the Grammy award for Best Disco Recording as well as appearing on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.

Since its release in 1979, it has become a club classic, and has re-entered the charts on many occasions through remixes and cover versions, with notable renditions including those by fellow disco artists Sister Sledge and Diana Ross.

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NEWS

Notes on News:

Sony and Marvel team up for future Spiderman films rebecca james

S

ony have recently cancelled the release of The Amazing Spiderman 3, after the announcement that they are joining with Marvel studios to create the future cinematic releases staring the superhero.

Marvel fans have been calling for the return of Spiderman to the studio which has had worldwide success with its ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’, after the not so satisfying results of The Amazing Spiderman 2. However, the announcement of the two film giants seemed to come out of nowhere, with many, including myself, never expecting any kind of agreement - after all, The Amazing Spiderman series only came into existence so that Sony’s rights to Spiderman would not lapse and revert back to Marvel.

The deal states that Marvel will be able to integrate Spiderman into its wider cinematic universe, including a role in one of the already scheduled Marvel films (most bets are on this being Captain America: Civil War), while Sony’s Amy Pascal will work with Marvel’s Kevin Feige on a stand-alone Spiderman film, which has been scheduled for 28th July 2017. Sony will retain “final creative control” over the character, and will continue to have any and all rights to the franchise.

Good news surely? Sony have hardly done their best work with Spiderman, with The Amazing Spiderman 2 falling foul to the same problems which plagued the Toby Maguire film, Spiderman 3: too many villians thrown in all at once. This union with Marvel could bring fresh life to the character. However, as much as I am a fan of Spiderman, and of how Marvel handle their character on screen, I feel trepidation at this news. I can’t help but feel audiences are feeling fatigue with the Spiderman franchise.

The cancelling of The Amazing Spiderman 3 adds to the pile of ever-mounting evidence that the next stand-alone film starring Spiderman will be yet another reboot of the franchise, with the deal including seeking another actor to play Spiderman, which means that Andrew Garfield has been dropped as the webslinging superhero. I don’t think anyone wants to see yet another film where Peter Parker becomes Spiderman; three origin stories in 15 years feels excessive. This deal has meant that Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther and Captain Marvel have all been pushed back to accomodate the new release date for 05

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Spiderman. Consequently, we have to wait even longer to see an African American hero take centre stage in Black Panther and even longer for a female lead superhero film to come from Marvel, in Captain Marvel. I don’t want to see another straight white male superhero take centre stage. I don’t want to see Peter Parker yet again take on the mask of Spiderman. It would be far better for Sony to take a leaf out of Marvel’s comic books and focus on the webslinger in his Ultimate Spiderman series of comics: Miles Morales. Morales is Black Hispanic, and plenty of fans would welcome this change, bringing more diversity to the on-screen superhero world.

Marvel and Sony teaming up to develop this character would be great if they use this opportunity to be brave with him.

Give us Miles Morales as the webslinger, or a homosexual Peter Parker.

Anything else and it will be retreading ground which we have seen far too often on screen. This is a chance for the studios to be bold, but I’m not holding my breath that they will.

FEATURES

LEWIS CATO

In an era of guyliner and Boykillboy, The Cribs always appeared to offer something more potent, ramshackle and crucially, more sincere. Now, as the Jarmans gear up for the release of their sixth album For All My Sisters on March 23rd, The Edge had the chance to catch up with Ryan Jarman before their performance at The Wedgewood Rooms.

This being your sixth album, how do you maintain that each release is a fresh approach?

This is the only time I’ve found myself in a situation where I’m happy because I moved to New York and have a stable life, so I think this record is written from a more optimistic kind of viewpoint for that reason because I think everyone feels in a more comfortable situation. We’re not in the same state of flux that we usually are; there are usually negative reasons for making a record, this is the first time since our debut that we’ve made a record and we don’t have that.

You emerged at a time when rock music was in very rude health. Rock, specifically indie rock, felt very vital and exciting. Do you feel that in contrast we are currently experiencing a malaise and if so, why?

I think that we are. We don’t really notice it because we never really lived and died by the same things that other bands did. When indie was really big a lot 07

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of bands survived on radio play and we never did; we haven’t seen our audience drop off at all, we’re bigger than we ever have been. I think the reason there may be a drop off is because people can’t afford to be in bands any more. When we first started people were like “if you get signed you can shift your job”; it gave you something to aspire to, it solves your problems.

Whereas now I don’t think people have that, the people in bands are people who can already afford to be in a band; their parents will fund their lives so their isn’t that same desperation any more.

Do you agree with Noel Gallagher when he says that there aren’t enough working class people represented in the music industry?

Perhaps on some wavelength; I just don’t think working class people see music as a way out any more and that is kind of sad because I think it’s good for music to have that sort of desperation, that real longing to get out of your situation.

A lot of people have argued that the pulse of culture has shifted to hip-hop with some contending that we are currently living through another golden age. What would you say to that?

It’s probably right but we don’t really have to take any notice and we don’t; we just ignore what’s going on in the mainstream until we’re in the Top 10 and then it’s all good.

FEATURES

Interview:

beartooth will hodgetts

The Edge was fortunate enough to be able to catch up with American rockers Beartooth, who are currently travelling up and down the UK as part of this year’s Kerrang! Tour lineup; supporting joint headliners Don Broco and We Are The In Crowd.

Your debut album came out in June of last year.

How do you feel that was received? Did it do better than you expected?

From what I understand it’s been pretty well received. At least, I hope so. [laughs] Oh man, it did way better than any of us were expecting. It was really cool, actually.

A month later you supported Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce The Veil on the first leg of their world tour. First of all, how was that?

It was cool. We go to play to some different crowds that what we normally do. Plus, everyone on that tour were already good friends of ours, so it was cool to get to hang out for a month!

Secondly, you said upon releasing that news that you would tour with whoever you want, no matter what other people think. Is this because you are all true lovers of music and like everything and anything, or because you love touring?

Absolutely. Good music is good music. Good dudes are good dudes. That tour was chock full of it.

From This Wild Life, all the way up to Pierce The Veil.

You have played over here in Europe a few times. Do you enjoy coming over here? What keeps bringing you back?

We love it. For some reason we always get a really warm welcome here. So it’s always great to come back and play some sick shows and see the sights.

You had your first headline tour in the US last year. Was that a daunting prospect beforehand, or were you just too excited and wanted to get right out there?

Mostly just excited. We got to pick the lineup, so we just packed it full of our friends’ bands that we wanted to watch every night. Luckily, that turned out pretty well for us. [laughs]

What can people attending, who have not necessarily listened to you before, expect from your set during the Kerrang! Tour?

Some rock n’ roll. Couple riffs here and there. Not much in the way of our normal live show (there’s some rules in place for us on this tour) but we’re still trying to keep it a bit exciting.

Where do you see Beartooth in the future? What’s the vision?

Just to keep playing shows and putting out albums until y’all stop liking us or we die, whichever comes first.

Beartooth are currently touring as part of this year’s Kerrang! Tour.

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FEATURES

a whole new way to enjoy live music from the comfort of someone else’s living room: features editor sian blewitt takes a look at sofar sounds

W

hen I buy tickets to see an artist play live, I brace myself to be leaving the venue sweaty and with the stench of stale Carlsberg, regardless of whether the genre is mellow or raw punk rock. However, recently I discovered a new way to watch live music that left me feeling ethereal afterwards.

to a show just to listen to the music. This allows you to unearth new and up and coming artists, hand picked by the Sofar Sounds team. Of course, you could see someone you know and love, with Sofar Sounds already exhibiting big names such as George Ezra and even celebrity vampire Robert Pattinson.

You might have already heard of Sofar Sounds.

It’s an international community of artists and fans that host intimate gigs in unique spaces across the world. You could have one in your nan’s living room and it would be just as remarkable as watching the Artic Monkeys at Glastonbury. Rafe Offer and his friends started Sofar Sounds in 2009 in his tiny north London flat. Since then the movement has exploded, and now boasts a reputation as one of the most exclusive events in large cities.

In the South of England, our closest Sofar Sounds team is based in Winchester. The team has been expanding into Southampton this year, and their recent show on the 5th of February proved to be a hit. Set in an open plan living room with a twist of 70s décor, the night presented Southampton’s favourite up and coming acoustic artists; Grant Sharkey, Music by Mai, Jack Williams and Josh Savage. Cosying up to strangers and sipping on a beer created a surprisingly relaxing vibe and the intimacy of the space removed everyone’s attention from their smart phones, making sure those playing remained the focus of the night.

The magic about Sofar Sounds is its journey of discovery. The venue and the artists aren’t given away until the very last moment, which creates a beautiful sense of secrecy about the whole event. In addition to this, not knowing who you are going to see seems to attract a whole new crowd of listeners.

Sofar Sounds have removed the popularity contest that you usually find in the live music industry, and forced us to decide whether it’s actually the music we care about. It’s incredibly liberating to turn up 09

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Sofar Sounds holds gigs every month. You can grab a space on the guest list by signing up on their website or, if you think you have a venue you would like to offer, get in touch. http://www.sofarsounds.com

FEATURES

Introducing out for the up and coming acts to look

happyness sian blewitt

The melancholic slacker rock trio, Happyness, made their way onto NME’s Best Newcomers list in 2014 and are crashing into the new year with their first single, ‘A Whole New Shape’, set for release on March 30th. NME describes them as “an ode to adolescence and all the stupid, lust-driven boasts, brags, mistakes and regrets those hideously awkward years entail”, a description that couldn’t be more accurate.

Happyness exude breezy guitar vibes and breathy vocals to create a love affair of chilled indie pop and grunge. The lush feeling their sound brings is juxtaposed by hilariously manic lyrics such as “I’m the motherfucking birthday boy/Don’t steal my thunder, baby Jesus,” on ‘Baby, Jesus (Jelly Boy)’.

Somehow, they manage to couple a humid audio with satirical verses, and make it work. Their selftitled EP, released in 2014, leaves you longing for a long summer afternoon in the park and a fruit cider.

Following a headline slot at Birthdays on February 4th, as part of the NME Awards Shows, Happyness hit the road with Slow Club and Jaws through the rest of February into March. Their future looks bright as they travel to the US to tour this year, and here at The Edge we’ll definitely be keeping our eye on them.

theme park annabelle asker

Theme Park formed in London, receiving instant renown for their Talking Heads-esque tunes and their skillful cover of Jessie Ware’s ‘Wildest Moments’. The three-piece disappeared into the depths of indie music after the 2013 release of their self-titled debut album, which received an overwhelmingly average response from music publications, including NME (which rated their debut a gloomy 3/10). Although the band require little introduction, with a large online fan base and huge support for their music, I still feel their name has slipped off everyone’s radar in their absence.

But now Theme Park are back. The trio have triumphantly returned to our headphones with the release of their feel-good track ‘Something Good’.

A cooler, crisper sound from the group, whose return sounds more professional and polished.

Their time away from the spotlight appears to have developed a finesse in their musical capabilities, making their latest track an enjoyable listen, while still maintaining their unique vocal style and the same upbeat synth. Indeed, the groovy return of Theme Park from the ashes of their previous failures should capture your attention, and your ears. My hope for the future of this synth-pop trio is a long awaited tour, and the success of their second album, if it should ever arrive.

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RECORDS

Imagine Dragons Smoke + Mirrors overproduced but enjoyable: George Seabrook listens to imagine dragons’ second album

T

heir first album, Night Visions may have arrived in the UK several months after its US release, but a large portion of the songs were already known.

‘Radioactive’ and ‘It’s Time’ were in so many game and film trailers; it’s possible another one of their songs was picked up for a dog food advert. That’s not a bad thing, but revisiting that album now, even the Deluxe Edition with an extra seven songs feels past its best already. It’s not that the songs are overplayed but that they’re overproduced.

Even their best song from that album, ‘Selene’ has got a little bit too much going on. For their hyperactive and blissfully ignorant teenage fans, Smoke + Mirrors had to be one of the most anticipated albums of their lifetime. Did it live up to their hype?

Yes - and it actually manages to improve upon their last album, even if it is still dotted with problems. Take the lead single ‘I Bet My Life’, for instance. It’s another foot-stomper, with an actual chorus of the crowd sound in the chorus. It might feel a lot like past songs ‘It’s Time’ mixed with ‘Demons’, but by the closing lines, you are unlikely to care. The guitar’s riffing complemented by the clapping and the in-and-out vocals of The Las Vegas Mass Choir are euphoric in the best way. It’s just enough of a distinction to make it not feel like filler, which unfortunately affects more than a few of the other songs.

Imagine Dragons are most well-known for crafting rock/ pop songs that have energy and optimism to them. When in ‘Dream’ they try to go a bit darker it falls apart. The melody is uninspired, the lyrics full of a slightly laughable anguish, yet it comes packaged with huge drums and tinkly guitar riffs that arrive all at once and then leave without a word. Dan Reynolds’ voice meanwhile does not

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convince on an emotional level. The best thing ‘Dream’ does is prove that he has a good voice; yet throughout Smoke + Mirrors the voice is overladen and pulled slickly through a production machine that removes its power, or reverbs portions behind it. Closing track ‘The Fall’ is a sixminute melodic serenade, but on the high notes, Reynolds sounds heavily edited. In some tracks, it just doesn’t matter what his voice sounds like, because the net result of all the band’s work is something entirely listenable but forgettable, sometimes gratefully so.

‘Gold’ has great lyrics which provide a cynical view on the band’s own sudden success, but the chorus is two lines of repetition. When Imagine Dragons fails to do a good chorus, you’d be forgiven for thinking all was lost.

Yet there are more than enough reasons to really like (even for some, to love) the end product. ‘Shots’ is a reflective song with a killer bit of 80s throwback, and even if ‘Hopeless Opus’ would sound better without the unintelligible and annoying vocal slice over the opening and bridge, its chorus will sweep you along. Album highlights ‘I’m So Sorry’ and ‘Trouble’ couldn’t be further apart stylistically, but that’s what makes them stand out. The former is a Royal Blood-esque track that will have you shouting along with the refrain – it’s a cheeky and slightly provocative song. The latter has the feel of a gospel troubadour with the lyrics ‘so pray for me brother/I need redemption/I’m just a man/a man on a mission’, the beating drums and a trumpet woven into the mix. Both are fantastically different from everything else on Smoke + Mirrors, or what you will remember of them before. That more individual sound is what we should want from them next, not a song that feels tailored from several pieces of well-hewn cloth.

Smoke + Mirrors was released by Interscope Records on the 16th February.

RECORDS

charli xcx sucker emma harrison beesley

C

harli XCX’s brand new album, Sucker, is a completed Wreck This Journal. For those of you that don’t know, Wreck This Journal is a current, extremely popular, phase amongst teenagers worldwide, where they buy a journal which inside instructs the owner to, for example: “Tear out this page, accept the loss,” or “Draw all over the cover/ contents page,” i.e. any way you could possibly think of to physically ‘wreck’ the journal, despite the instructions. Sucker is therefore a completed journal as Charli XCX has flung her heart and soul into smearing her paintspattered teenage feelings about boys, parents and moving out for the first time, into her slightly aggressive but tongue-in-cheek record.

XCX’s carefree attitude is also mirrored in her songs: title track ‘Sucker’ apparently addresses everyone who doesn’t understand her or what she is trying to achieve and those that frequently refer to her as a “sell-out”; whilst Charli XCX boldly declares she is ‘So Over You’ later on. However, like all teenagers, Charli XCX contradicts herself at every turn, showing a more sensitive and less empowering

side in final track ‘Need Ur Luv’ where she sings in her distinctive, slightly husky Marina-and-the-Diamonds-inspired tone: “I need your love, even when it hurts me”.

Even though Sucker is arguably confined to teenage girls in their bedrooms - anyone can relate to the emotions she throws at the listener through catchy, repetitive lyrics. After all, Taylor Swift has had unprecedented success from a similar vibe, and therefore although Sucker is by no means the best album I’ve ever heard, it will still do well and strike a chord with millions of youths “caught in the middle of love”.

Sucker is out now via Atlantic Records.

badbadnotgood & ghostface killah sour soul evan smithson

C

anadian jazz/hip-hop trio BADBADNOTGOOD are a fantastic match for legendary New York rapper Ghostface Killah. Soulful ‘70s vibes anchor each track, providing the perfect backdrop for the WuTang Clan MC’s storytelling, customarily full of comic book references.

Previously released singles ‘Six Degrees’, ‘Gunshowers’, and ‘Ray Gun’ showcase Sour Soul succinctly. Notably, each of these tracks includes a featured verse that outshines Ghostface Killah, from Danny Brown, Elzhi, and MF DOOM respectively. On ‘Six Degrees’ BBNG switch the beat up flawlessly for Brown to demonstrate once again that there is nothing he can’t rap over, and ‘Ray Gun’ allows the band to prove their worth alongside one of their biggest influences.

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Sour Soul is unfortunately let down by weak link Ghostface, who seems just past his prime. His verses are clumsily cluttered with sub-par pop culture references from “The Matrix” to “Paul Blart”, and the ever-present “Tony Stark” alias is vague and uninteresting. His delivery is unquestionable as always, however the content of the rap itself is lacking.

By penultimate track ‘Food’ the record becomes tiring, just in time for BBNG to salvage it with instrumental outro ‘Experience’. Sour Soul would have been an incredible EP if it were five or six tracks shorter, and had Ghostface Killah been given a less prominent role.

Sour Soul is available now on Lex Records.

RECORDS

drake If you’re reading this it’s too late will scott

D

rake burst back onto the scene unannounced with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, a surprise mixtape, and boy has he delivered.

The mixtape is over an hour long and contains 17 tracks, none of which were written for radio airplay. ‘Legend’ is the lead in, in which Drake proclaims “If I die, all I know is I’m a motherfucking legend/It’s too late for my city, I’m the youngest nigga reppin’.” Straight off the bat we realize that this is going to be a downbeat, self-loving and Toronto-praising set of songs.

There’s no doubt that this was produced solely for Drake’s benefit. Whilst many fans may be disappointed by having to pay for a mixtape, this cohesive group of songs fit together better more than any album most artists could muster.

The final official song ‘Jungle’ finishes the album perfectly with its melancholy feel, although the listener is also treated to the bonus track ‘6PM in New York’. This is far more upbeat, but still firmly summarises the main themes and thoughts throughout the duration of the mixtape. This is an equally perfect ending to the tape, in which we can see Drake can do what he wants, easily fending off any competition.

Showing that he can just vent for over an hour whilst still flowing effortlessly from track to track, Drake has produced another incredible musical offering worthy of being called an album, whilst still only being a “mixtape” in his own words.

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is available digitally on Cash Money Records.

purity ring another eternity hannah mylrea

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nother Eternity, the sophomore record from Canadian electronic duo Purity Ring, marks a change in the way vocalist Megan James and instrumentalist Corin Roddick work together. Their debut, Shrines, was composed remotely between the two, whereas James & Roddick were able to create Another Eternity in the same room, recording and producing the entire record themselves.

The album is full of Roddick’s sumptuous production, with James’ ethereal vocals soaring over the expertly produced beats.

It’s difficult to pigeonhole the record into one genre. Whilst the album is clearly rooted in the duo’s prolific synthpop and electronic sound, there are elements of trap, EDM, witch house and dream pop. Current single ‘Begin Again’ is a thundering slice of synthpop, with a drop borrowed from EDM and dreamy vocals. The

haunting, slow build into the chorus, and dark, crunchy bass line create an opulent texture that ebbs and flows with the curve of the track. In comparison, lead single ‘Push Pull’ is full of baroque-pop influence, with the jittering beats underlying the verse and the syncopated, harp-like accompaniment to the chorus.

Although Another Eternity is a step away from the sound that brought Purity Ring almost universal critical acclaim for their debut, it’s not a step in the wrong direction. It’s an intelligent follow-up record, with interesting, brave choices in instrumentation and sound, yet the duo haven’t lost what made their sound so special to begin with.

Another Eternity is out on March 3rd via 4AD Records.

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RECORDS

Singles Reviews

something new // axwell ingrosso v

what kind of man // florence + the machine Joe BUckingham

marcus bridgland

In the aftermath of the announcement of Welch’s third studio album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful comes the album’s first single, ‘What Kind Of Man’. A heavily-effected introduction sets the track off to an eerie, unsettling start, which builds and builds, leading the way for an explosive first verse... which just doesn’t happen. Instead all that build-up is replaced with a crude and inelegant guitar riff absurdly akin to Fall Out Boy at their absolute worst.

The transition is so immediate, and the two parts so utterly unrelated that you’re left with the impression that you’ve accidentally skipped the rest of the song and found yourself on a different track entirely - one far worse than the intro suggested it would be.

Formally two thirds of the EDM group Swedish House Mafia, Axwell Λ Ingrosso are back with their latest single ‘Something New’. The duo, who are incidentally playing at Alexander Palace for a one-off date just before the summer festivals begin, premiered the song during a television commercial for Beats headphones in late 2014 which was a great platform for the pair to get those SHM vibes back into the music industry.

Likely striving to recapture the raw energy of Welch’s greatest singles, the mark has been well and truly missed on the rest of the track, with a variety of melodramatic instrumentation fighting amongst itself to be loudest and most epic, resulting instead in a cacophonous mess.

‘What Kind Of Man’ is out now, and available as an immediate download when pre-ordering How Big How Blue How Beautiful.

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The song itself is everything you’d have expected, that catchy hook with those infectious lyrics - a tried and proven combination that worked so well back in the days of Swedish House Mafia.

This familiarity is what’s great about the track - we’re being eased into this ‘new’ DJ collaboration while knowing that there’s obviously a lot more to come from the duo.

distant past // everything everything caitlin hobbs The first glimpse of upcoming third album Get To Heaven, ‘Distant Past’ is the first we’ve heard from the EE boys in almost two years. Littered with Siriesque voice samples and punctuated by a heavy bassline, this new offering seems to be trying a little less hard than the band’s previous work, and is all the better for it.

Die-hard fans might be disappointed by the change (the chorus could have been stolen from Two Door Cinema Club’s figurative reject pile), but Higgs’ distinctive vocals are still a key element of the track – although toned down from their usual frantic manner, and therefore the least enjoyable moments of the song. The result is a more radiofriendly, and more memorable effort than the band’s usual alienating style, and it’s fun.

This track is of the quality that you’ll hear it everywhere, be it radio, television and ultimately nightclubs!

I’m not saying this is an indie classic by any stretch, but I do predict we’ll be hearing plenty of ‘Distant Past’ over the summer.

‘Something New’ is out on the 8th of March via Data Records.

‘Distant Past’ is out now via Sony RCA Records.

FILM

mommy

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t only 25, Canadian directorial prodigy Xavier Dolan has already been in the film circuit for a few years. With five feature films, all of them having made the detour to Cannes’ famous Film Festival, the director is recognizable in terms of cinematographic style. Each time he creates universes in-between autobiography and pure fiction, intensely rooted in the 90s aesthetic without ever falling into to even borderline hipster artistic nonsense. Mommy not only reflects Dolan’s usual signature, it stands out of Dolan’s cinematography as a work showing a maturity that director - auteurs - restlessly try to reach film after film; almost effortlessly, Mommy naturally reaches it frame after frame, creating a trance of claustrophobic images for its characters to develop in and the audience to absorb.

Mommy is all about Steve (Antoine-Olivier Pilon), 16 years old, hyper-violent and suffering from ADHD, and his relationship with his mother, Diaine ‘Die’ Després (Anne Dorval), who decides to regain parental status in her son’s life by taking him out of the juvenile institution he is in. It’s really important that Steve continues his education, but the home-school situation quickly gets out of hand for Die. That’s where Kyla (Suzanne Clément), the shy stammering neighbour, comes in. Previously a teacher in a school, she decides to teach Steve, whilst slowly becoming Die’s only friend.

The film follows the highs and lows of the trio and the evolution of their relationships without stumbling once, reaffirming Dolan’s delicate capacity of depicting feelings and developing strong characters. As is the case in each of his films, there is a mesmerizing dance scene where the music takes over and ineffable problems fade away, just for the time of that song.

In Mommy, Céline Dion’s ‘On ne change pas’ offers the characters this space of expression at the time of a drunk evening in Die’s kitchen.

Director: xavier dolan Studio: metrodome Out: 20th March a trance of claustrophobic images that’s well worth the watch, writes film editor virginie robe

(2009), Dolan’s very first feature. The two films echo one-another in a thoroughly thoughtful manner which adds meaning to the later feature. In the director’s first feature, Anne Dorval’s character poignantly tells her angry teenager son that she would die were she to lose him. Without revealing too much of the plot or spoiling the end of Mommy, it is as if every frame strongly echoes that brutally honest statement of a mother who loves her son despite difficulties, and here lies both the maturity and strength of the film.

Undoubtedly, the film does deserve the four-minute s t a n d i n g ovation at Cannes last year, as it does its Jury Prize from the festival.

Virginie Robe

You can’t talk about Mommy without mentioning I Killed My Mother THE EDGE

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Director: Glen Ficarra and John Requa Studio: Warner Bros.

Out: 27th February

a good film, but not what you’re expecting: George Seabrook reviews Focus

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or more than half its runtime, Focus works brilliantly as an introduction to the world of the con artist, to the little and the big tricks of the trade. Whilst the film refuses to maintain this genre throughout, sometimes to its detriment, it’s still an effective and entertaining movie. Nicky (Will Smith) has been a con artist for most of his life, while Jess (Margot Robbie) is hungry to break into the game. He reluctantly takes her on as his ‘intern’ and shows her the tricks of the trade, but things become more complicated when they become romantically involved.

Both Smith and Robbie are excellent, with the latter continuing to prove herself capable of sharing with, and even stealing the screen from icons. Smith, meanwhile, returns after the very disappointing After Earth to remind us all that he’s still about as charming and funny as it gets – more than a few of the comedic grace notes of Focus are sold on his facial expressions. Barely a scene goes by when they’re both off-screen, and the script conspires to keep them together from start to finish.

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The first half of Focus is all about the tricks of the con, and it’s a very detailed, almost over-laden with exposition, look at that world. The cast around the two leads are all game for a laugh, with Brennan Brown as Smith’s straight-laced partner being a particular highlight. However, in the second half of the film the romance becomes the focus. Although there is a con going on, in all of their interactions Jess and Nicky talk about themselves and their relationship. It’s a frustrating tone for the movie to adopt because it feels so pedestrian. When the con comes back into play at the very end, it doesn’t feel like part of the plan; the big reveal doesn’t work and the suspense is killed.

This would have been the nail in the coffin of a con film, but Focus turns out not to be all about the con in the end. It’s surprisingly funny, charming, and a legitimately gorgeous film. At the centre of it all is the relationship between Jess and Nicky.

If it can’t follow the advice on its own poster (the tagline reads “Never drop the con,”) it still ends on a unique note, one that absolutely fits the film that was shown before it.

FILM Director: sylvain chomet Studio: metrodome Out: 16th March

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irector Sylvain Chomet, known for the bewitching The Triplets of Belleville (2003), developed a very poetical dark style symptomatic of the narration of his films. However, by leaving the animated world to create his first feature length movie, Sylvain Chomet created nothing but empty characters in an insipid world for Attila Marcel.Aesthetically relying on the same feature as an animated film, rather than exploring new narration tools, Sylvain Chomet has created a feature that awkwardly stands between Michel Gondry and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s works, completely losing his own signature.

Attila Marcel follows Paul (Guillaume Gouix), a 33-year-old pianist who aspires to win the young pianist

Blu-ray:

attila marcel virginie robe contest. Mute since the age of two when he lost his parents for obscure reasons, Paul’s life evolves around his aunts and odd companions and the dance classes where he plays piano whilst eating an insane amount of chouquettes until he breaks into Madame Proust’s apartment.

The most clumsy character of the narration is probably Madame Proust herself. It surely should have been enough to name her after the famous French author, but the narration includes Paul eating madeleines during the first sequence at the flat and gives her the full responsibility to make Paul remember the death of his parents, awkwardly underlying the references to Marcel Proust’s work throughout the film.

Blu-ray:

hunger games: mockingjay part 1

Director: Francis Lawrence Studio: Lionsgate Out: 16th March

anneka honeyball

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uzanne Collins’ trilogy and its subsequent movie adaptations continue to enthral and enrapture audiences. The emotional gravitas of the plot and the strong female role model provided by the heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) saves the franchise from ever becoming close to boring. However Mockingjay, the tense third and final book of the series, has been divided into two parts; leaving favourably mixed elements to this first half of the story on-screen.

Following the dramatic events of Catching Fire, scarred, confused and fearful Katniss is unsure who to trust, having lost both her home and her closest ally in Peeta (Josh Hutcherson),

who is being kept prisoner in the Capitol. Because of her defiance in the previous games, Katniss has become something of an icon in the districts, inspiring bravery and hope in the people.

Unfortunately, the film ends rather anti-climactically and does not flow as concisely as its prequels. Some of the slowest, most monotonous moments are mainly in the romance scenes between Katniss and her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth). Though Gale is given a meatier role to play here, his relationship with Katniss lacks poignancy and therefore seems quite awkward and out of place amongst the action.

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FILM

Ashleigh millman reviews the blu-ray release of the thriller starring jake gyllenhaal

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n Dan Gilroy’s directional debut, Jake Gyllenhaal steals the screen as the deeply sociopathic Lou Bloom, taking us to the darker side of human nature and through a whirlwind of intense and bloody encounters along the way. Nominated for seemingly endless awards for acting and directing, Nightcrawler is a mind-blowing package of brilliant storytelling, enrapturing character exploration and beautiful, if not morbid, visuals to boot.

Gilroy’s piece is predominantly character-driven, with a heavy focus on Gyllenhaal that offers a stark insight into the lonesome, and arguably ‘particular’ life of Lou Bloom. Set in the midnight hours of downtown LA, we begin the film in a privatised industrial zone; the nature of Bloom’s character is

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Director: Dan Gilroy Studio: Entertainment One Out: 2nd March introduced through a cunning and disarmingly pleasant confrontation with a security official that snaps suddenly into an attack. It’s soon clear that Bloom is struggling to find his place and a working wage in a world that has consistently spurned him - but rather than giving up, he has retained a strange indifference to the rejection that has surrounded him, and gets by through finding his own means of making money, whether socially accepted or not.

The director leaves us on the edge of our seat as we’re forced to sit through multiple visions of brutality throughout the film. Gyllenhaal expertly walks the fine line of black humour against the unsettling feeling that comes with a character that is so strangely detached from societal norms. As a thief and a social misfit, he is in no means a likeable character for us to follow, though a morbid curiosity begins to emerge as the film progresses and a strange attachment can hardly be denied to him. Whilst we don’t want to watch, Gilroy has crafted a narrative and driving character that demand to be engaged with - he tests the very limits of our own comfort and morality in the process.

Outside of Gyllenhaal’s captivating portrayal of Bloom, Rene Russo as the direct yet vulnerable Nina Romina and Riz Ahmed as everyman Rick contribute to a selection of characters rarely seen and explored in such detail their interactions with each other sparking complex and intriguing plot points within the narrative. This combined with Gilroy’s use of poignant cinematography creates a thoroughly gripping movie. Watching a screen on-screen has a startlingly postmodern effect, raising questions of the media-based society we live in alongside the underlying oppression of the working man that is clear from each character we encounter; they’re all struggling in some way. Simultaneously fast-paced in nature and achingly slow in gruesome camera work, this is an outstanding piece of cinema that grips you from the very beginning to the very end in a magnitude of ways.

CULTURE

Review:

American Horror Story: Freakshow Finale four seasons in, has american horror story lost its shock factor? danielle topaz reviews the finale

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was so excited when I first heard about Freak Show. The introduction promised all manner of sins - sex, lust, death - and the ‘carny’ image indicates people with an insouciant disregard for social etiquette and a lavishly sinful lifestyle. After the disturbing yet compelling darkness of Season 2 and the gruesome history/kick-ass girl power of Season 3, I had high expectations for this show - but found myself largely disappointed.

Dandy decides to buy the freak show from Elsa, who screws off to Hollywood. They don’t like him , so he kills them. All of them. Except Jimmy, who apparently has been hiding in the barn for a week for no reason. The episode redeemed itself slightly when Bette w a s totally

badass and married Dandy so she and Dot could drug him at dinner and shoot him with his own pistol, and with the help of Jimmy and Desiree, cart him off to the freak show for his execution. What followed was, in my opinion, the best scene of the entire series: the old escape artist’s water tank stands alone in the spotlight with Dandy shackled inside it. He finally gets the audience and headline show he’d always wanted, with Desiree, Jimmy and the twins raptly watching him die. The popcorn was a great touch.

But everything gets ruined again by Elsa’s stint in Hollywood. For some reason, depsite the fact she’s been booed off stage, she has now become a TV star for... singing bad anachronistic David Bowie songs? I don’t get it. She then decides to kill herself by performing on Halloween so that Mordrake would come for her. Don’t even get me started on the travesty that was Mordrake - firstly, green smoke? What is this, Wicked? And how fake did that second face look? They did a bang-up job of transforming Naomi Grossman into Pepper, so you’d think they could invest in something that didn’t look so obviously like a plastic mask…I could go on, but needless to say I wasn’t overenthusiastic about his reappearance. It was a fitting death for Elsa but I’m not sure how I felt about her being sent to carny heaven after all her crimes. Although Elsa was such a self-serving and cruel character, Jessica Lange brings that irresistible charm to all her characters so it was hard to truly hate her. ‘Heaven’ just seemed like a cheap apology from the writers. Well, no, not really, we still had to sit through an entire season of hazy plot lines and pointless killing - and it was just a rip-off of Season 1’s ending.

The whole series was, overall, a story of normal people being mean to abnormal people and getting away with it.

Although Spencer and Dandy were punished, we still had to watch all of the characters die first, and the the normal people lived. While it was nice to see Jimmy, Bette and Dot find happiness with each other, it didn’t really serve to make up for a series where so many people that died you stopped caring about any of them. I just hope that whatever they make next will bring back that provocative shock factor that Falchuck and Murphy usually pull off so brilliantly.

American Horror Story: Freak Show aired on FOX UK.

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CULTURE

editor-in-chief megan downing reviews the third season of wildly popular netflix original, house of cards

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House of Cards. Megan’s review goes here. Here is Megan’s review of House of Cards.

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CULTURE

WHY I’M ADDICTED TO:

REAL HOUSEWIVES Culture editor natalie fordham defends her guilty pleasure, the real housewives franchise

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know what you’re thinking. As Culture Editor I am meant to be know what makes good and bad television.

There’s just one problem with that theory: I know that my addiction is bad and I know that admitting to not only being a fan of reality TV but watching multiple versions of the same formula in different cities makes it worse - but it still doesn’t stop me from loving The Real Housewives franchise.

Originally created by Bravo in America with Real Housewives of Orange County, the franchise has had multiple spin-offs with every slightly rich state you can imagine and has even been imported across borders by Vancouver, Melbourne, and most recently our very own Cheshire.

In terms of reality, of course, these shows are always a little far-fetched, but with an American franchise of reality show that’s always to be expected. Though obviously, this is part of the lure to this crazy addictive substance. The women and their husbands on these shows are completely bonkers. Fights get started over nothing and it seems by the end of the season for t h e

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reunion everybody swaps allegiances or falls out with everyone all over again. Though who wouldn’t love that?

If anything this type of reality TV is essentially a soap opera with better funding, better parties and, of course, better outfits. I’m not shallow but for once it’s nice to have something to look at to go along with my drama.

The favourites of the shows will always be the loud brash characters like famous NeNe Leakes from Real Housewives of Atlanta or Ramona Singer from Real Housewives of New York. However, sometimes there is that one woman who stands out as the only one who seems logical and the only one who actually makes any sense. Enter centre stage Lisa Vanderpump from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Tanya Bardsley from our very own Real Housewives of Cheshire. Of course these two are both British - who would have thought?

At the end of the day, my addiction is all about needing a release and that is what this sometimes ‘car crash’ TV does for me. I’m not ashamed and frankly I’d still choose to watch Real Housewives over certain critically acclaimed shows anyway. Purely because I don’t want to have to think sometimes - and that’s okay.

Real Housewives of Cheshire airs on ITVBe on Mondays at 10pm.

CULTURE

THE EDGE REVIEWS

THE CLASSICS

THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO ALEXANDRE DUMAS MATT CARLSON

W

hen you think of 19th Century novels, what probably comes to mind is a group of stuffy rich people sat around doing nothing in particular; long, dense passages of prose; ladies swooning and fainting over the slightest thing; and everything ending in a predictable, happy marriage. What doesn’t come to mind is: bandits, duals, betrayals, false imprisonments, a female serial poisoner, torture and execution, a stabbing, multiple suicides, drug-induced hallucinations, or lesbianism.

And yet, all this and more can be found in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo.

The book tells the story of Edmund Dantés, who is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. While locked away he learns of an enormous fortune hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo, and determines to escape prison, unearth this treasure, and use it to plot the downfall of the three men who had him jailed. What follows is an epic tale of revenge and lost love, of forbidden romance and murderous plots, of mysterious characters and charming ones, of foul villains and misunderstood bad-guys, all wrapped up in the intrigues of Parisian society.

The Count of Monte Cristo’s plot is insane (fantastic, but entirely bonkers), and the only thing you can

do is let it sweep you up and carry you at breakneck speed to its end. The actual writing of the book is the same. Dumas is a master of the unputdownable novel (he also wrote The Three Musketeers, basically the adventure novel), and in The Count of Monte Cristo he shows why. At the same time Dumas hurls plot at you like some kind of demented tennis-ball machine, ramping tensions up to breath-taking levels, and dropping one-liners that, for an old book, are still pretty funny. Dumas’ writing is elegant, sublime, and quite beautiful. It’s a long book (over a thousand pages), but while you are reading you don’t notice the length, it absorbs you, and chunks of pages can vanish in a single sitting.

There really is something for everyone here, from strong female characters to big, thematic messages (in short, revenge isn’t necessarily the best thing). If you like romance, but can’t sit through page after page of Jane Austen, read this book. If you like mysteries, but can’t wait for the next season of Sherlock, read this book. If you like excitement, but don’t have the money to go jump off a mountain, read this book. The Count of Monte Cristo has everything: it’s a thriller, it’s an adventure story, it’s a love story, and it is, undoubtedly, a classic.

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LIVE

Review:

The Cribs

Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth 14/02/2015 lewis cato

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hen The Cribs exploded on to the scene during the mid-noughties indie boom they seemed like the sort of band that were either going to implode or age disgracefully.

Instead, the Jarmans proved themselves to be able and dynamic songwriters, validating their rather confrontational no-pretence, no-fucks-given attitude that has remained with them throughout their career. Initial offerings from their sixth album showcase the group at their most pop-friendly and perhaps indicate signs of mellowing, a direction which left in less capable hands could easily be a death knell.

Support came from Menace Beach; with a spitetinged pun on Venice Beach for a name it was of little surprise to discover their penchant for American college rock. The sprinkles of Mercury Rev were complimented by smatterings of Pavement, and a slathering of Dinosaur Jr.-type fuzz; however unfortunately the resulting mixture was less than the sum of its parts. The confused sound could be typified by the shirt worn by their geisha-looking keyboardist; a Modern Loverspastiche Hookworms tee. Lost in the vortex of their own desperate attempts at being referential, they became muddled and impenetrable.

However, although they may have been too-coolfor-choruses at least they remembered to have fun on stage; it was a mess but an excitable mess nonetheless.

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While Menace Beach delivered a performance that was unsure of itself, The Cribs knew exactly what the people wanted, opening with ‘Mirror Kissers’.

This forceful launch was a catalyst for continued energy; new tracks were greeted with an adulation that one would usually expect from a greatest hit or a biblical resurrection. This vivacity was a mutual affair; Ryan existed in a state of constant pogoing, Gary screamed as if he was in perpetual agony, and Ross spent nearly as much time on top of his drumkit as he spent drumming on it.

Despite playing a sizeable chunk of their new record there was still equal opportunities for their myriad of singles with ‘Come On, Be a No-One’, ‘We Share the Same Skies’ and ‘I’m a Realist’ all receiving outings. Yet, it was lesser-knowns such as ‘Another Number’ that were rewarded with the grandest audience response; the timid and restrained riff transformed in to a beery football chant by the crowd. Once described as “the biggest cult band in the UK”, they are still well within their right to retain that tag.

Finishing with a triple-whammy of ‘Hey Scenesters!’, ‘Men’s Needs’ and ‘City of Bugs’, Ryan hurls his guitar in to an unsuspecting amp stack.

No encore. No pretence. No fucks given. Yes, The Cribs are exactly the way that they have always been. And that’s a pretty fantastic way to stay.

LIVE

Review:

war on drugs o2 guildhall 21/02/2015 mollie cohen

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ne word that I’d use to describe War on Drugs live (and probably their music on a whole) is reverb.

Glancing around at the crowd, the majority of people were smiling, cradling their drinks and as soon as the band members strutted out on stage the atmosphere was infectious and the clapping and whistling began.

The six members and their instruments merged in and out of each other seamlessly, and the whiney (in a nice way) vocals resonated throughout the whole venue all night long. On the subject of venue, I found the O2 Guildhall to be kind of weird, it gave off the vibe of a massive church hall, albeit in a cosy and cute way. There was carpet down which was slightly odd, but wasn’t detrimental to my evening or the music on a whole. And on a nice note frontman Adam Granduciel even commented that it was one of the prettiest venues that they had had the pleasure of playing in on their UK tour so far.

I am used to going to gigs where you’re pushed and shoved, squashed and generally not very comfortable, but War on Drugs was the complete opposite, despite it being a sell out. The average person at this gig was either middle aged, with their boyfriend / girlfriend (anyone else find overly couple-y couples at gigs extremely annoying?), or a civilised granny and granddad duo. The variety in the audience does however reflect the large appeal of War on Drugs, with their music obviously ticking a lot of boxes for a wide range of people and ages. From the constant clapping and whooping it was obvious fans were appreciative and were clearly

enjoying the indie-rock group’s solid performance. About halfway through the set they landed their most popular track from the new album Lost in the Dream, ‘Red Eyes’, which injected the audience with life and thus began the both charming and embarrassing dad dancing. I’d say a few tracks after ‘Red Eyes’ the songs seemed to all merge into one to me, and although considering their released music it should have been expected. I did find on a whole the music to be fairly one-dimensional and of one tone which got slightly boring and monotonous towards the end.

I could say the actual playing was faultless but this would be a lie… during the encore lead vocalist forgot his words which received a unanimous chuckle from the audience.

Granduciel wore a bemused expression and declared “nah nah sorry I’ve fucked up… my mind was in other places…

I was thinking about how blind I am and then started thinking about my glasses that my dog ate… and then I forgot to sing”. This outburst, alongside the pared back stage and set design, simple lighting, and relaxed fashion choices from band members (including an incredible attempt at the double denim trend from Granduciel) added to the laid back and amiability that War on Drugs as a whole seemed to emanate.

I wouldn’t recommend going to see War on Drugs if you’re after a raw or flawless performance, or a rowdy night in general. I would however, recommend if you’re into a great few live toe tappers, an amazing atmosphere, and charming anecdotes in-between tracks from the magnificent six piece.

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LIVE

Angelo Bridger

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t’s been roughly a year since they emerged from out of nowhere, but Jungle have already had an undeniable impact on the music scene with an appearance at Glastonbury Festival and a Mercury Prize nomination already under their belts. Now they embark on the UK leg of their world tour, after an explosive opening night at the Portsmouth Pyramids.

Support for the evening came from Clarence Clarity, who seems to be following the example set by Jungle by building hype through being mysterious and vague.

Try going to his website, where all you will find is the word “Confused?” in what looks like a freeze frame of a 90’s VHS. One of his more bizarre music videos is a side scrolling stream of Justin Timberlake and NSYNC magazine covers, where their eyes and mouths are all scratched out. This unsettling and confusing aesthetic is an effective counterpart to his sound, which is primarily electro-pop, but with an underlying creepiness to it.

Glitchy vocal samples are combined with fuzzy bass lines and synth arpeggios; vocal pitch shifts in tracks like ‘The Gospel Truth’ and ‘Those Who Can’t, Cheat’ are almost reminiscent of a Marilyn Manson hook. Clarence Clarity is deliberately unclear, but his overall artistic motive becomes secondary in his live shows, where the music stands up on its own trippy and unsettling merits.

Jungle walk onto the stage shortly after, and their name is suddenly lit up behind them, each letter is a neon sign on a pillar of light bulbs. The band obviously prefer to be primarily backlit, and their silhouettes add to the sense that they are a faceless collective rather than distinctly identifiable personalities. Opening with ‘Platoon’ seems like a strange choice at first, but the instrumental section is drawn out to prolong the groove and increase the anticipation, before it then moves on to the song’s conclusion. This is one of the merits of their live show: Jungle know when to keep a groove going, occasionally repeating whole sections of a song just to keep their audience in the moment. As the song ends, the lights all cut out to a sample of smashing glass - it’s a nice touch and suggests that they are about to blow shit up.

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Throughout their set, Jungle demonstrate that they aren’t dependent on pre-recorded samples to bring the multifaceted sound of their album to the stage. The samples are reduced to the aspects of their sound that can’t be replicated with instruments, such as the iconic siren wail in ‘The Heat’. Other than that, it all appears to be live.

With a seven piece band backing the creative duo, their performance is organic and rich with detail, and despite the interweaving layers of sound, not one element is lost or undersold. For a band that has been around for such a short time, their performance goes off without a hitch.

The distorted guitar licks are sharp and precise which acts as a counterpart to the warmth of the bass grooves, and the synths and samples all fall neatly into place throughout the songs. The drum sections are shared between two percussionists and the hand played bongos and abundance of shakers and maracas make tracks like ‘Busy Earnin” sound almost tropical, a far cry from the urban sound of the London based collective.

One of the trademarks of Jungle’s self titled LP is that there is not one single or distinct voice. The vocals are shared between at least four voices on stage and the two backing singers lift the harmonies and counter melodies to the forefront. With an emphasis on group vocals, it’s a shame that the audience weren’t encouraged to sing along at all.

More crowd interaction probably would have encouraged more singing and dancing, and though the crowd at the Pyramids weren’t exactly static, they weren’t nearly active enough for such an infectiously groovy act such as Jungle.

At just over an hour long, their set felt a little short for a headline act, but they did well to extend their 40 minute album without it feeling forced (though the second appearance of the whistle motif from ‘Smoking Pixels’ was unnecessary). Fans of the record will not be disappointed with the live show and with an appearance at Bestival already confirmed, festivalgoers should definitely keep an eye out for Jungle over the summer.

LIVE

previews

live editor annabelle asker gives the lowdown on what not to miss in southampton this month

into it. over it. & modern baseball @ The joiners 24/03/2015

P

op punk fans and emo worshipers alike have rejoiced at the announcement that the one and only Evan Weiss will be gracing The Joiners with his indie rock solo project Into It. Over It. The now sold out show promises an awesome night of music, with the likes of Philadephia’s own Modern Baseball co-headlining, and support from Tiny Moving Parts.

Into It. Over It. began in 2008, after the breakup of Weiss’ teenage band The Progress. In 2011, Weiss released his debut studio album, Proper, followed by his sophmore album in 2013, Intersections. As a well known name on the acoustic music scene,

Weiss is known for his talented live performances.

Described as American Emo, Modern Baseball are also well known faces both on the pop punk music scene and at The Joiners. Their live shows are something not to be missed, filled with infectious dirtbag energy and stage diving galore. The 2014 release of their sophmore album, You’re Gonna Miss It All, received rave reviews from all corners of the music scene.

Compared to the likes of The Front Bottoms and American Football, this four piece possess an infectious teenage spirit, and on stage their banter and jokes with the audience is as genuine as it is hilarious.

Peace @ The Haunt 26/03/2015

I

ndie rockers, Peace, have had quite a year so far.

2015 has spelled the release of their second album, Happy People, which was met with critical acclaim and praise from many publications.2015 also means intense touring from the four-piece, who never seem to slow down.

After the announcement of this tour, they released more shows after the wild sell-out of Brighton and London.

The band formed in Worcester in 2009, releasing their debut single ‘Follow Baby’ in early 2012, and since then it has been non-stop. Comprised of Harrison Koisser (vocals/guitar), Samuel Koisser (bass), Douglas Castle (lead guitar), and Dominic

Boyce (drums), the four-piece are known for their psychadelic tunes and endless groove. Their first album, In Love, debuted at number 16 in the UK Album Chart. They have supported the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, The Libertines and Django Django. Overall, a faultless band, with faultless live capabilities.

Every show of theirs demonstrates their ever increasing ease onstage, and this tour will be no different. Their In Love era spelled the growth of the bands confidence and identity, but the Happy People era will spell professional anarchy and 90’s indie rock tunes that will get you moving.

THE EDGE

28

Listings 9th March

»» The Script @ BIC Windsor Hall »» We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Joiners »» The Cadillac Three @ Talking Heads

17th March

»» Squarepusher @ Old Fire Station »» To Kill A Mockingbird @ Mayflower Theatre (until 21st) »» Jon Gomm @ Joiners

10th March

»» Kodaline @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» The Imitation Game @ Union Films »» On The Way to Common People @ Joiners »» Sinacola @ Talking Heads

11th March

»» Lilting @ Union Films »» Papa Roach @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» SUSU Showstoppers: The Drowsy Chaperone @ Annex Theatre (until 14th)

12th March

»» Halestorm @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» Sleaford Mods @ Joiners

13th March

»» Shappi Khorsandi: Because I’m Shappi @ Nuffield Theatre »» #ShareTheSoundFest @ Talking Heads (until 14th) »» To Kill A King @ Joiners

14th March

»» Morrissey @ BIC Windsor Hall »» Southampton Philharmonic Choir @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» Jazzmanix @ Winchester Science Park »» SUSO @ Winchester Guildhall

15th March

»» Paloma Faith @ BIC Windsor Hall »» Foxcatcher @ Union Films »» SUSO @ St Mary’s Church

16th March

»» Sorry I Haven’t A Clue @ Mayflower Theatre

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THE EDGE

»» »» »» »»

18th March

Ida @ Union Films SUJO @ The Bridge River Becomes Ocean @ Talking Heads SUSU Theatre Group: 1984 @ Annex Theatre (until 21st)

19th March

»» The Dark Knight Rises @ Union Films »» Eleanor McEvoy @ Joiners »» Ben Poole @ Talking Heads

20th March

»» Roy Chubby Brown: Don’t Get Fit, Get Fat @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» Skyharbour @ Joiners »» Hardcore Superstar @ Talking Heads

21st March

»» Jimmy Carr: Funny Business @ BIC Windsor Hall »» Placebo @ O2 Academy Bournemouth »» SUSUPA Dance: Pure Dance @ O2 Guildhall Southampton

22nd March

»» On The Way to Common People @ Joiners »» A.R.K. @ Talking Heads

24th March

»» Into It, Over It & Modern Baseball @ Joiners »» Hat Fitz & Cara @ Talking Heads

25th March

»» Blue Is The Warmest Colour @ Union Films »» Chorus! @ Mayflower Theatre »» Rag N Bone Man @ Joiners

26th March

»» The Magic Flue @ Mayflower Theatre (until 27th) »» Of Mice & Men @ O2 Guildhall Southampton »» Raglans @ Joiners

27th March

»» Blue @ BIC Windsor Hall »» Lucy Rose @ Old Fire Station »» Frank Nicolay @ Joiners

28th March

»» Dylan Moran: Wandering @ Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth »» Hansel and Gretel @ Mayflower Theatre »» March of the Mods @ Joiners

29th March

»» Ian Siegal @ Talking Heads

30th March

»» Anything Goes @ Mayflower Theatre (until 4th April)

31st March

»» Axis Of @ Joiners

2nd April

»» Zen Juddhism @ Joiners

3rd April

»» The Vaccines @ Pyramids Plaza Bournemouth

4th April

»» Rival Sons @ O2 Guildhall Southampton

5th April

»» The Toasters @ Talking Heads