Issue Five Here we are, back with a brand new semester at University of Southampton. At The Edge we have been slaving away into the the early hours of the morning getting issue five ready for you. The first load of exams and assignments are out of the way and for some of you that dreaded dissertation deadline has come and gone, we hope you can all get back to your normal sleeping pattern now, and that the 2am walks home from Hartley can be postponed until the next panic-filled exam period. For those of you that have a little more time on your hands, speaking for myself my timetable is looking beautiful with only four hours a week, why not try your hand at writing for us? And if you enjoy that you can always run for a position to take over from us! And if you really think you have what it takes, why not run to take over from me, as Editor, in the SUSU Spring Elections. Check out www.susu.org/elections for more details on how to run. Our wonderful cover-man is the star of hit movie The Wolf Of Wall Street, Leonardo DiCaprio. His performance has led to many nominations for the most coveted awards this season, including his Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Will DiCaprio finally win Best Actor? Check out our review of The Wolf Of Wall Street on page 19. We were lucky enough to secure some big name interviews for this issue’s bigger and better Features section. We got to chat with Suren of Bombay Bicycle Club about their brand new album So Long, See You Tomorrow. Also in the Features section is an exclusive interview with We Are Scientists about their comeback after a four year wait for their new album TV En Francais. We Are Scientists will be performing at University of Southampton’s students’ union on March 17th, grab your tickets now so you do not miss out! Our Culture section brings you reviews of some of the most talked about TV series including hit show Girls. Lena Dunham has been the name on everybody’s lips with both acting and directorial commendations. The Live section reviews of events that have happened right on your doorstep, for example, check out the review of The Sea Slugs at The Talking Heads on page 29. Thanks so much for all of you continued support, January has been the best month EVER for The Edge with records being broken again and again. Until next time, enjoy issue five! We’re all very proud of it. Megan Downing Editor.
Editor Megan Downing
editor@theedgesusu.co.uk Deputy Editor Howell Davies deputy-editor@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Film Editor Barnaby Walter film@theedgesusu. co.uk
News Editor Hannah Mylrea news@theedgesusu. co.uk
Head of Relations Kirstie Carter relations@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Records Editor Jan Kobal records@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Culture Editor Rebecca James culture@theedgesusu. co.uk
Online Manager manager@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Head of Publicity Bronwyn Scotland publicity@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Features Editor Cat Olley features@ theedgesusu.co.uk
Live Editor Grace Pattle live@theedgesusu. co.uk
Head of Design Claire Joines design@theedgesusu. co.uk
Editor In Chief David Martin vpcdci@susu.org
02 |Editorial
The Edge | editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
Contents Welcome to Issue Four
p. 2
Records Album Reviews Bombay Bicyle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow p. 4 Burial - River Dealer p. 5 Beyoncé - Beyoncé p. 6 Single Reviews Mac Demarco - Passing Out Pieces p. 7 St. Vincent - Digital Witness p. 7 Wild Beasts - Wanderlust p. 7
Features Introducing: FKA Twigs & Say Lou Lou p. 9 The Alternative Sound of 2014 p. 10 The Unsung Heroes of The Grammy and Brit Awards p. 11 Interview: Bombay Bicycle Club p. 12 Interview: We Are Scientists p. 13 Interview: Royal Blood p. 15
Film Cinema Reviews 12 Years A Slave Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit The Wolf of Wall Street Nymphomanic Part 1 Archive & Comment Archive: The Act of Killing
p. 16 p. 17 p. 19 p. 20 p. 18
Culture
Suits: Season 3, Episode 1 The Following: Season 2, Episode 1 PS4: The next generation arrives Girls: Season 3, Episode 1 Preview: A Number at Nuffield Theatre
p. 21 p. 22 p. 23 p. 24 p. 25
Live Review: Chloe Howl at The Joiners (24/01/2014) p. 26 Preview: Takedown Festival (15/03/2014) p. 27 Newton Faulkner at O2 Academy, Bournemouth (26/02/2014) p. 28 The Sea Slugs at The Talking Heads (16/01/2014) p. 29 Listings p. 31
The Edge | editor@theedgesusu.co.uk
Culture ||01 Editorial 03
Bombay bicycle club So long, see you tomorrow (island records)
A
lmost three years after the release of their widely successful third album, Bombay Bicycle Club make their hotly anticipated return to indie music royalty with their new album So Long, See You Tomorrow. During the three year hiatus, the band have taken a new direction with their sound, following Steadman’s treks around India, Turkey and Japan, creating, according to NME, ‘a widescreen rendering of textured glitch rock’. The album has a sense of experimentation about it, an attempt to steer away from their more classic Flaws sound. Rather than sticking to their chilled roots, making them popular for background music in coffee shops and clothing stores alike, they expand their sound. The band takes various ideas from previous records, taking the rock edge from their first album and combining it with the more ethereal electronic sounds from A Different Kind of Fix, as well as Steadman’s own solo work. This creates a faster and more upbeat sound, which will no doubt be popular at live shows and hopefully make an impression at indie clubs across the UK.
04 | Records
The first three singles released by the band, ‘Carry Me’, ‘It’s Alright Now’, and ‘Luna’, were well received. ‘Carry Me’ included an interactive video, allowing viewers to control the movements of the band members. It was a strong first single, but I feel it lacks the longevity that previous Bombay Bicycle Club songs have exuded. From such classics as ‘Dust On The Ground’ and ‘Shuffle’, this first single didn’t portray the victorious return I had in mind and misled most of the expectations I had for the band. However, the follow up tracks restored my hope completely, with the accompanying music video for ‘Luna’ being one of my favourites by the band. Although not necessarily a negative thing, Steadman definitely had full artistic influence over the new album, foreshadowing the change through their recent concert support from the upcoming Cosmo Sheldrake at their pre-Bestival warm up show this summer. The opening track ‘Overdone’ begins s l o w l y,
easing you into their new sound with Steadman’s travelling taking obvious influence. The musical skill of the band is still evident and it displays a more interesting sound, leaving you wanting more. The album fades effortlessly from track to track, subtly changing the sound throughout each song and encompassing the ethereal vocals of both Lucy Rose and Rae Morris (who appears on their latest single ‘Luna’). My personal favourite tracks from the new album are ‘Feel’ and ‘Home By Now’. The Asian influence is evident in ‘Feel’, a track I personally feel should be released as a single and should have a strong presence when played live. It has a more upbeat and bouncy sound that’ll have you dancing around, regardless of what you’re doing. ‘Home By Now’ has a slower, more experimental sound, exhibiting a heavier bass to what Bombay Bicycle Club have previously used, creating an almost euphoric sound. Whether you like their new sound or not, it cannot be denied that this is a strong, well produced album that the band are evidently proud of. Words by Annabelle Asker
The Edge Edge ||records@theedgesusu.co.uk | records@theedgesusu.co.uk TheThe Edge records@theedgesusu.co.uk
(hyperdub)
Words by Evan Smithson
S
eemingly keen to avoid ‘end of year’ lists, William Bevan aka Burial released the Truant/ Rough Sleeper EP mid-December in 2012. Almost exactly 12 months later he promptly released Rival Dealer, a three-track 12” spanning almost half an hour. The title track opens in familiar Burial territory, with signature vinyl crackle/rain atmospherics and an androgynous RnB vocal snippet. Immediately, Bevan introduces a gently glowing string section and a rapid breakbeat that sounds anything but what we’ve recently come to expect from the producer. Five minutes in, this dissipates into a rumbling bassline and a police siren. Again, the scene is almost instantly silenced and replaced by a Dillinja-esque drum and bass segment, albeit with a more typical shuffling rhythm. Paradoxically, the most rave-y morsel of Burial’s career is accompanied by the brash shout “you know my motherfucking style”. With three minutes remaining, the track opens its final chapter. The music diminishes, and slowly progressing chords and a flute pervade the sparseness. The occasional crackle and hiss remind us who we’re listening to, before
concluding with a monologue involving seeing “an angel come down to us”. Throughout the EP, there is a vocal theme of self-acceptance and sexuality. Phrases crop up amidst the sonic landscapes “…about sexuality. About showing a person who you are” and the prevalent phrase “this is who I am”, leading to some speculation that the recurring sentiment could be Burial’s own. Surrounding the release, he sent Radio 6Music DJ Mary Anne Hobbs a text saying he aimed to create “antibullying tunes that could maybe help someone to believe in themselves… an angel’s spell to protect them against the unkind people, the dark times, and the self-doubts.” Second track, ‘Hiders’ transitions from the jerky, discordant tempo-switches of ‘Rival Dealer’ to a warm, assuring soundscape. ‘Hiders’ is arguably the poppiest material Burial has released. The track begins where ‘Rival Dealer’ left off, and at its halfway point, reaches climax announcing “you don’t have to be alone” over drums that sound like they’ve been borrowed from M83 or Kavinsky, rather than the two-step rhythms of Burial’s own catalogue. The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk
Final track, ‘Come Down To Us’ induces an atmosphere somewhere between the previous two. The opening segment revolves around a slow RnB beat and sitar, producing a cold sense of optimism. Keeping true to the EP, the elements are erased and reintroduced around clicks, hisses and weaving vocals, “come down to us” intertwined with “don’t be afraid”. A record scratch presents the next movement, and a slow garage beat plays around swelling chords for the peak of the track. Again, Burial tells us via samples not to “give up”, that we are “not alone”. The record is concluded by a lengthy sample from transgender film director Lana Wachowski, with one final emphasis on the meaning of the EP. The EP weaves a tale from confusion and discomfort to a much more positive scenario, musically and lyrically. Rival Dealer is the finished picture to the photo negatives of Kindred and Truant/Rough Sleeper, which occasionally felt more like demos than perfected pieces. With this work, Burial has once again thrown the door open creatively, leaving us to wonder what he’ll release next.
Records | 05
Beyonce (columbia)
Beyonce
O
h Queen Bey, you’ve done it again. Nobody suspected this surprise album; but it really was like Christmas coming early. Beyoncé is Mrs Carter’s fifth album – and first ‘visual album’ as each track has an accompanying music video or short film – and is very different to her other records. Instead of focusing on catchy pop hits like ‘Love on Top’ or ‘Crazy In Love’, or huge, theatrical ballads like ‘Halo’, this album takes a different direction. This is not an album to try and appeal to the masses, this is music Beyoncé wanted to release. It experiments with different genres like trap (in ‘Bow Down) and spoken word (‘Flawless’); the whole record is Beyoncé being brave with her sound, and not worrying about the effect it will have on her sales. The album is a statement; it says ‘this is who I am, take it or leave it’, and especially focuses on the themes of female empowerment and female sexuality. Beyoncé is a whole lot raunchier, yet the record doesn’t force this aspect. ‘Blow’, produced by Pharrell, is about exactly what you think it is. This is one of the few tracks that would work as a commercial single, with it’s discotinged choruses and s i n g - a - l o n g (although they’d
06 | Records
Words by Hannah Mylrea
probably be very innapropriate to belt out in public) verses. It was due to be the lead single but was scrapped, and instead ‘XO’ is rumored to be the lead commercial single. This is the track on the album that sounds most like ‘old Bey’. Co-written by Ryan Tedder, it’s the most radio-friendly song on the album. A huge pop ballad, it acts as a softer break between all the sexually charged tracks on the record. For me, the standout track on the album, for both musical content and the message behind it, is ‘Flawless’. This features the sample Bey put online of ‘Bow Down’, but is so much more than that early track. It now features sections of a speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and is the track on the album that really demonstrates the message of female empowerment that Beyoncé is trying to push. With lines like ‘we say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise you will threaten the man’ and finishing with ‘feminist: the person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes’ it’s obvious the message Beyoncé is trying to put forward, and she does it in her
The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk
typically sassy fashion. Contrasting the hugely empowering tracks are the ballads ‘Heaven’ and ‘Blue’ (which features her daughter Blue Ivy). ‘Heaven’ is gorgeous for different reasons to her previous ballads like ‘Halo’. It’s stripped down, with repeating piano riffs and relaxed drums, allowing Beyoncé’s incredible vocals to shine. ‘Blue’ is just adorable, and another more peaceful track on the album. This is an album that you need to sit down and listen to (or watch) from start to finish. You may not like Beyoncé, or you may not like the change from huge pop hits, but this is undeniably an incredible pop record. Questions about female empowerment and sexuality are put forward, and the record shows Beyoncé as somebody far more human, as opposed to her usual superhuman self. There are some filler tracks, but those are few and far between, and apart from these Beyoncé is a record comprised of the best pop music you’ll have heard this year. But lets be honest, did we expect anything else from Mrs Carter?
Singles
Mac demarco // Passing out pieces
A listless hangover, jittery relaxation, the nicotine-fueled reminisce of a debauched memory, these are all feelings Mac Demarco has consistently managed to evoke through his work. Such feelings permeate this track from forthcoming LP Salad Days as a sun-soaked, Beach Boys-esque, synthesizer allows itself to wash over us. Accompanying Demarco are his now almost trademarked laidback guitar style and fluidly lackadaisical percussion. Demarco isn’t one for a consistent persona, instead opting for one that is mercurial in nature. Having explored goth-rock, pop-punk, and his personally coined genre of “jizzjazz”, ‘Passing Out Pieces’ falls into the the latter category. This song is rather formulaic, a feature that Demarco’s music has managed to avoid thus far. Regardless, the joy it evokes is undeniable Words by Jan Kobal
Wild beasts// wanderlust
‘Wanderlust’ is the latest offering from indie-rock quartet Wild Beasts. From the first haunting synth and trembling choral-style accompaniment, the listener gets drawn into the ethereal song. It’s completely unrelenting; from the first note to the last, the track elegantly pushes forward, sprinting towards the finish line. Hayden Thorpe’s earnest vocals, which effortlessly slip into his falsetto, stand out from the cantering accompaniment that pushes the song forward without sounding hectic and rushed. The track follows a fairly standard song form, until the final minute or so, where most of the instrumentation drops out so that the focus is on Thorpe pronouncing ‘Don’t confuse me with somebody who gives a fuck’.
Words by Hannah Mylrea The Edge | records@theedgesusu.co.uk
thumpers// galore Riding on the success of previous tracks ‘Unkinder’ and ‘Sound of Screams’, ’Galore’ once again demonstrates a penchant for a breezy and bouncy alternative pop song. Full of fluttering synths and exuberantly androgynous vocals, the London pair have found a niche for summertime pop to warm up the winter months. ‘Galore’ revolves around a playfully hedonistic theme – utterly feel good and brimming with care-free charm. The full timbre of percussion and introduction of intermittent guitar riffs sparks recollections of summer 2009 with a finish which sounds a bit like Friendly Fires’ ‘Jump in the Pool’. It may not be the most groundbreaking of tracks, but ‘Galore’ showcases THUMPERS’ ability to make feel-good music to feel happy to: what more could you ask for from a February release? Words by Howell Davies Records | 07
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Introducing as Featured on 'THE LIST'
T
ahliah Barnett, otherwise known as FKA twigs, embodies the sound of 2014. Having received critical claim for her EP, EP2, when it was released earlier this year, she’s also proved a hit with the public, racking up well over a million views since August on YouTube for her ‘Water Me’ video. Not only this, she has been nominated for BBC Sound of 2014 as well as being chosen by Spotify as one of the artists to be featured on their Spotlight on 2014 list. It seems only fair that she should feature on The Edge’s list of ones to watch for the next 12 months. Transcending the genres of dance and hip hop, FKA twigs creates something entirely unique: layering carefully crafted beats underneath breathy ethereal vocals. She subtly
demonstrates her vocal skill through the exploration of her vocal range within the music, and this range is so impressive that she verges into the realms of the operatic. It is not only her music that makes a statement; her videos are visual works of art too. A particularly haunting example is the video for ‘Papi Pacify’ which is dark, disturbing and completely captivating. It is
littered with sexual overtones but is portrayed in a way that does not cheapen her and her music. There is no doubt about it, she is making a statement. Whilst this statement may not be entirely obvious, the point is her music stays with you long after you have listened to it; a sign that she is slowly cementing her status as one to watch. Words by Grace Pattle
S
ay Lou Lou emerged in the spring of 2012, uploading a simple but dazzling slice of ethereal pop with the name ‘Maybe You’ to the internet. Then known as Saint Lou Lou, the scandi-pop sisters have since changed their name following a ‘run-in with trademark law’, yet their music remains as forlornly elegant as promised by their debut track. The alluring twin sister duo – Elektra and Miranda Kilbey – grew up between Australia and Sweden, and have garnered significant support through the few singles they have released. It is perhaps the polarisation of place, from Sweden to Australia, which is most prominent in their music. Their sound is the very essence of dreampop, and their lyrics and melodies epitomise a yearning for somewhere else, both physically and mentally. In ‘Julian’ the lush waves of synth wash through a muted xylophone, and hypnotising vocals exude a desire to
runaway to another place, or perhaps just another mindset. Their new single ‘Better in the Dark’ is equally drenched in despondency but exhibits a more upbeat sound, and this diversity was the bait for Say Lou Lou’s recent record deal with Columbia.
a long time coming, With three singles under their belt and their album due early next year, Say Lou Lou are ready to take 2014 by storm. Words by Howell Davies
It feels like this breakthrough has been The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk
Features | 09
The Alternative Sound of 2014 The Travis Waltons This Bristol-based band aren’t just happy with tugging at your heartstrings but would rather wrench the strings from your ribcage and whip you with them until you wept. Their début album Your Neck Is Bleeding is an unfettered ode to love, loss and self-loathing. It’s worth splitting up with your girlfriend just for The Travis Waltons to ease your torment. Oh, and did I mention that Aaron Paul cameos in their first ever video?
Slaves
Hailing from Kent, Slaves are a ferocious two-piece whose début EP Sugar Coated Bitter Truth tells aggressive tales of girl fights and seedy lifestyles over equally razor-sharp guitar work. After supporting Drenge on their 2013 headline tour and claiming a spot on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds last year, 2014 is going to be their year.
Major Look This London-based electronic act have been bubbling away through ’12 and ’13, however now is the time for the bass outfit to get the success and recognition they deserve and crave. Their sound is unashamedly commercial and high energy, yet never compromising; reaching the perfect balance between pop accessibility and strong club dancability. Watch them storm a chart near you soon.
Baby Godzilla No collection of words would be able to translate just how chaotic Baby Godzilla are live. Although, it isn’t all show; their songs built from the ground up on brutally frantic riffs and macabre singalongs which on their own are bewildering fantastic. However, for the full Baby Godzilla experience, see them live. You won’t regret it and you won’t forget it.
The Orwells Their sound may be heavily influenced by Proto-punk bands such as The Stooges and MC5, but this youthful band from Chicago display an exuberance and sincerity that can never get old. The title track to their second EP Who Needs You is a thumping call-to-arms against the stagnant values and ideology of conservative America. And it also happens to be bloody catchy.
Royal Blood If you have been following any of the ‘tips for 2014’, lists chances are that you have already heard of this Brighton-based duo, but it can’t hurt to mention them again, can it? Generating a devout fan base off the back of a single 7 inch, it’d be impossible to say that these guys are not destined for very big things in 2014. Royal Blood are catchy, impassioned, unique and very, very loud. That’s all the boxes ticked for being a great rock band then. Words by Lewis Cato 10 | Features
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The Unsung Heroes of this year’s
Grammy & Brit Awards The Brit Awards This year’s Brit Awards are coming up on February 19th. Here at The Edge we decided some people were unjustly left out of the nominations.
The 1975
Miley Cyrus & Robin Thicke
The 1975’s single ‘Chocolate’ was voted by BBC listeners as the hottest record of the year, it’s been certified silver and has been stuck in our head since it was released last January. With One Direction’s cover of ‘One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)’ and Olly Murs’ ‘Dear Darlin’’ being nominated, you would have thought the catchy indie-rock anthem to have a nomination as well! James Blake
Foals
Although everyone’s favourite electronic artist James Blake has been nominated, his Mercury winning album Overgrown was not given a nod for the MasterCard British Album of the Year award. Critically acclaimed and reaching a top place in many ‘Album of the Year’ countdowns, Blake has definitely missed out on a deserved nomination.
Record of the Year Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories won this award. But what about Kendrick Lamar’s Good kid, m.A.A.d city? The nominees for Record of the Year were truly bizarre, with Taylor Swift’s Red and Sara Bareilles The Blessed Unrest included. Out of the shoddy list put forward, Lamar probably should have beaten Daft Punk, but there are many albums like Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires of the City that should have been included in the Record of the year nominees. Best Rap Album Another win for Macklemore, but with Yeezus (Kanye West), Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
Miley and Robin were amongst 2013’s most controversial artists, but they also managed to produce some brilliant pop music that did incredibly well in the charts. ‘Blurred Lines’, ‘Wrecking Ball’ and ‘We Can’t Stop’ all topped the UK charts, and sold heaps of copies, so it seems odd these two scandalous musicians didn’t get a Best International Male/Female Artist nomination.
Foals missed out on any Brit nominations, where they could quite happily fit into several of the categories. Their Mercury nominated album, Holy Fire, has spawned several huge singles and with the band about to set out on a huge UK tour, all the signs pointed to nominations for the Oxford lads.
(Kendrick Lamar) and Nothing Was the Same (Drake) being listed in the nominations, it wasn’t Macklemore’s award. Even he agreed, texting Kendrick Lamar after the awards show saying ‘You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have’.
The Grammys
Best Pop Vocal Album Bruno Mars won this award with his second studio album Unorthodox Jukebox. Also up for this award was Lorde’s Pure Heroine and Lana Del Rey’s Paradise which were extraordinary albums; I’m not entirely sure how Bruno managed to win this award, as I think every other album in the nomination list was stronger.
Here is who we believe missed out on the most coveted awards at this year’s Grammys. Disclaimer: We don’t actually hate Macklemore.
Words by Hannah Mylrea The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk
Features | 11
INTERVIEW: BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB Your new album, So Long See You Tomorrow, is going to be released in around two weeks. It's already been labelled by NME to be 'one of 2014's most exhilarating returns'; how would you describe the sound of this latest album? I think you're always going to be most proud of your latest piece of work as it represents you best at that current moment. This definitely feels like the album that's captured our sound best, and that's probably largely down to the fact that it was self-produced. We've been more cut-throat with this album than any of our previous albums in terms of quality. We ended up leaving some very strong songs off the record - songs that we would have put on previous albums in an instant. We started introducing electronics and sampling on our previous album, and this record develops those further. There are a couple of very blatant Bollywood samples, for example. It's our most dance-influenced album yet but there are also some very intimate moments. How do you think your sound has developed from previous albums,
perhaps from a more acoustic sounding Flaws to your latest work? We've taken quite an unconventional path in terms of the sound of our albums I suppose. We started out as a guitar-driven 'indie' band really, but then made an acoustic album for our second record as you say. For our third album we went back to electric guitars but overall it was more groove-based and less frantic than our first album, and we started experimenting with electronics and sampling. So Long See You Tomorrow takes both the electronics and sampling to the next level. Electronic music is something that Jack has been making on his own, away from the band, for quite a while now and that influence has obviously started to gradually creep into Bombay's music over time. What kind of process do you follow in order to write the lyrics for your songs? The lyric-writing process for this album was actually a lot more open than with previous albums. In the past Jack would just write lyrics on his own and it would be his personal thing. With this album, while it was still Jack writing the lyrics, he would be sharing
them with us throughout the whole process and asking for suggestions. We were conscious of the fact that the lyrics on A Different Kind Of Fix, our previous album, were maybe not the most personal and also sometimes were hard to make out because of the amount of reverb on them, so we placed a bigger emphasis than ever on the lyrics with this album. Any major influences for your new album? Travelling has been a big influence on the sound of this particular record. Towards the end of touring the last album, Jack would often stay on in a country after we'd played there to write new material if we had a break before the next show. He spent time in the Netherlands, Turkey, Japan and India and many of the songs were born in these places. The Indian influence is the most blatant. There are various Bollywood samples on the record, the most obvious being a clip of the song 'Man Dole Mera Tan Dole' from the 1950s film Nagin which features on our song 'Feel'. 'Luna', 'Come To' and 'Overdone' were also born in India which you can definitely tell, although in some cases the Indian influence was watered down a bit as the songwriting process went on. Interview by Annabelle Asker
12 | Features
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INTERVIEW: WE ARE SCIENTISTS T he new album TV En Francais is set for a March 3rd release. What inspired the title for this record?
in really cool places that we’d never played before. So we spent a year just playing awesome shows in Columbia, Russia, Bali and places like that.
When we were in Miami we noticed this strange trend where cheap motels all have signs saying ‘TV En Francais’ and I was a little confused by it. Apparently it’s because French Canadians love to move to South Florida, and it’s such a prevalent demographic over there that offering French TV is a substantial incentive to stay in the motel, like advertising HBO or something.
Once we started writing the record, it went really smoothly. We had a delay for a couple of months where [vocalist] Keith had to have throat surgery. We had basically gotten to the end of the recording process, just recording vocals, and Keith wasn’t really happy with what he was able to do, so he went and got surgery and he needed two months to heal. Overall it probably took about a year longer than it could have, it took about a year longer than it would have to make Barbara, for example.
And from there it sort of evolved into this really interesting metaphor for relationships, and the way two people experience things through this hazy filter. It’s like although each partner will have some idea of what the other one wants, you don’t really know what each other wants, you really only have this basic understanding that’s maybe like watching a TV show in French.
“We just wanted the album to be incredible”
This is the longest break between records the band has taken; what was the process of making this record like?
In the video for the new single ‘Dumb Luck’, just about anything that can go wrong, does go wrong. What’s the worst bit of luck you’ve experienced on stage or in the studio?
It wasn’t a particularly difficult record to make. We did a year of touring on [third album] Barbara and then we kind of had a weird gap year where we weren’t ready to record yet, and we kept getting these weird offers for shows
Well nothing that would have even made the blooper real for the video. I’ve never really had an accident. When we first moved out to New York, we went out to Keith’s grandfather’s cabin in the woods, and after the first night Keith The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk
had this really bad poison ivy all over his body. It turned out that it was an extreme allergic reaction, and he was in hospital for a week, he had these huge blisters all over his arms. The doctor actually made it known to him that unless there was a change pretty soon, and like if the wounds were as deep as they thought, that they might actually have to amputate his arm. But everything was fine, we got a second opinion and the second doctor was like ‘what? No way, we don’t have to amputate your arm’ - so it was fine. Four albums in, how difficult does it become to pick a set list when touring? It’s getting tougher and tougher. We have about forty or fifty songs to choose from now and unlike a lot bands every single one of our songs are awesome. There are no songs that we don’t get occasional requests for or think one night it would be cool to play. It’s borderline excruciating at this point, like you’re rejecting more than half of your songs every night, and I think that process of rejection is becoming tougher than the enjoyment of including the eighteen or so that we play. Interview by Harvey Brunning Check out www.theedgesusu.co.uk for the full interview with We Are Scientists. Features | 13
YourElections
2014
E T A N NOMI F L E S R U O Y Nominations OP EN
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Interview: Royal Blood T
he Edge had the pleasure of chatting to bassist and front man Mike Kerr about success, riffs, their upcoming material and his favourite albums of 2013. You made the Sound of 2014 longlist, have been playlisted by Radio 1 and are supporting Arctic Monkeys at two sold out dates at Finsbury Park. How encouraging does it feel to gain that much traction off the back of one single? Very encouraging. I think it’s still important to us to not let these great opportunities or affirmations get in the way of our work ethic. There is only so long you can pat yourself on the back for. As well as your headline tour you are also playing the aforementioned Arctic Monkeys Finsbury Park shows; what was your reaction when you got the call? I got the news via a voicemail that had been left and ended up nearly dropping my phone in the cup of hot coffee I was drinking at the time. Being a two piece band you obviously get comparisons made between you and other duos like DFA1979, The White Stripes, The
Black Keys, etc. Are you pleased when you get compared positively to those acts? I think its a very natural thing to do, by comparison you can familiarise a new band/sound with yourself and others. As much as we don’t mind being compared to bands of that calibre, we can’t help but feel like the comparison is made based more so on the fact we are a ‘duo’. I’m surprised we haven’t been compared to Ant and Dec yet. As is evident from ‘Out of the Black’ and ‘Come On Over’ you are massive fans of the riff. What would you say is your favourite riff of all time? Wow, this is a difficult one but I guess a significant riff in my life would have to be ‘Millionaire’ by QOTSA. It changed me. Now, we’ve only recently come in to the New Year; what were your albums of the year for 2013?
pipeline yourselves; how are you approaching your first full-length? We’ve spent the whole year writing and recording songs. We’re at a stage now where we are starting to compile what will be our debut record. By no means is it finished but its very clear that we will have it ready for summer 2014. The whole idea for this first record is to capture who we are as a band at this moment in time and define our sound in best songs we have to offer. Being the most exciting new act to emerge for a very long time you must be highly sought after; are you planning a busy summer? The diary is certainly filling up. Lots of touring and work to be done, not to mention a few weddings to attend. If there was one act that you could recommend to someone right now (aside from your good selves) who would it be?
It would have to be AM, Like Clockwork, Random Access Memories, Drenge and Days Are Gone.
I recently saw a great band called Lion Bark in Brighton! You should also check out singer/songwriter Chris Simmons, the song called ‘The Occupant’ is the one.
You have got an album in the
Words by Lewis Cato.
The Edge | features@theedgesusu.co.uk
Features | 15
12 Years a Slave Words by Barnaby Walter Director: Steve McQueen. Studio: Entertainment One. Out now.
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t’s a bit of an odd one, this. Billed by some critics as the greatest thing since oxygen (well, not quite, but opinion is riding pretty high), Steve McQueen’s follow up to his two interesting but strangely opaque films Hunger and Shame is…well, strangely opaque. Maybe it’s just me, but I have to say that, while it’s heart is in the right place and it contains some exceptional performances, I found 12 Years A Slave quite hard work, and not in an entirely good way. The strange thing is, it’s probably McQueen’s most accessible film. The modern artist’s debut work, Hunger, featured an amazing performance by Michael Fassbender (who co-stars here as a slave-owner) but often felt like an art-installation rather than a dramatic feature film. Shame hobbled closer to narrative stability, but it’s extreme and often disturbing depiction of sex addiction may have been hard to swallow by some. In
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some respects, the hard-to-swallow aspect remains here, with depictions of the abuse of slaves at the hands of their sadistic “superiors”. The story structure is closer to a Hollywood movie. However, Steve McQueen’s visual style still shines through, albeit slightly tamed. His photographic poetry has not been stifled and there is a rich, wondrous feel to much of the movie that makes it worth watching. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s performance is excellent – he’s usually superb in whatever he turns his hands too. He was the best thing about the dreary adaptation of Half of a Yellow Sun that showed at the London Film Festival last October. He plays a man (based on a true individual, Solomon Northup) who was kidnapped from his happy, comfortable free life in New York and taken to slave plantations and made to work for no payment. His twelve years in
The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk
slavery feature some varied slave owners, one of them kind but weak (Benedict Cumberbatch), one cruel and vicious (the aforementioned turn by Michael Fassbender). The scenes of violence are unforgiving and repulsive. Some may even argue gratuitous in their depiction, though they are more justifiable here than in Tarantino’s celebration of bloodshed in Django Unchained. Viewers will make their own mind up about 12 Years A Slave. Who knows, maybe it’s just me, but I felt the movie ends up becoming a collection of interesting pieces (one being an understated and brief performance by Brad Pitt) rather than an amazing masterpiece when seen and thought about as a whole.
Jack ryan: shadow recruit Words by Ben Robins
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Director: Kenneth Branagh. Studio: Paramount. Out: January 24.
he late Tom Clancy’s most beloved creation finds another new face as the gutsy American operative Jack Ryan bursts back onto our screens with a lively new demeanor. Following the success of high-octane actioners from Bond to Bourne, it’s no surprise that Hollywood has decided to reignite another spy franchise, but in a post9/11 world with the threat now coming from a very different place, can Ryan, a veteran of Cold War antics, still deliver the goods? Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit finds America’s favourite CIA operative energetically reborn as the freshfaced Chris Pine, tackling his very first mission: a global economic crisis with hints of terrorism and those dastardly Russians at the head of it all once again. What ensues is a hugely enjoyable, yet oddly paced thriller with one foot pointed towards intense action and the other grounded firmly in Ryan’s roots in espionage. This often involves a muddled dance between hasty gun fights and intelligent bickering that forms an
understandable and (to some extent) believable plot, but also one built on clichés. Under the finely tuned direction of Kenneth Branagh, Pine finds a new and different level for his incarnation of Ryan. He’s spritely, yet still tied to the gravity of his actions providing a healthy dose of reality every now and then in amongst the spy-game silliness that dominates the story. Pine himself handles the role with enthusiasm but at times it almost feels like the Jack Ryan we’re seeing is, by Hollywood standards, nothing particularly special. Director Branagh installs himself as the film’s lead villain and suffers a similar fate. As the trademark Russian of the piece, there’s plenty of cold looks and violent outbursts to be seen but again, nothing extraordinary or vengeful about his character. The only refrain from such monotony comes from of an on-form Keira Knightley (sporting a surprisingly tight American accent) as Ryan’s punchy fiancée. The Edge | film@theedgesusu.co.uk
Whereas the muted leads don’t cause any major problems, what does is the film’s undeniably dated morals. Even with the Cold War dead and buried, Shadow Recruit still holds tightly to America’s aging paranoia towards Russia, gifting key focus to something most audiences feel little-to-nothing about. The film tries to flog the old Jack Ryan-formula nearly 25 years after its inception and unsurprisingly stumbles. Without a threat that’s logical, there’s no reason for the audience to get behind Ryan as the hero, we only do so because we’re told to. Shadow Recruit is by no means a failure: it’s an entertaining and often rather thrilling ride with plenty of clever turns, but one that’s very basic in its approach. With the talent involved and a fresher script, this could’ve been an exciting new beginning for the Jack Ryan character, but instead what exists is simply a fun but hollow installment in a dying franchise that does little wrong, but covers no new ground either. Film | 17
Archive Review
the act of killing (2012)
Joseph Cooper reviews the acclaimed Oscar nominated documentary.
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nwar Congo, the central figure of The Act of Killing, performs a little jig on a small roof somewhere in Medan, North Sumatra. He smiles while he dances, humming a tune remembered from one of the many nights in his youth where he would go out drinking and dancing til the morning. Earlier in the documentary Anwars tells of how back in the Indonesia Killings of 1965-66 he and his fellow paramilitary members had beaten so many people to death on this very roof that the reek of blood had forced them to stop. This was what allowed Anwars to perfect the method of killing for which he is famous in his homeland, strangulation. Mr Congo killed over 1,000 people in the space of a year, but
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this is just a small fraction of the anywhere between 500,000 and 2 million people murdered in an attempt to purge Indonesia of Communism. Perhaps hardest to accept is the culture that has arisen around these killers. Rather than being hunted or reviled they are lauded as local heroes and political icons, they shake hands with mugging and sickeningly corrupt politicians and appear on daytime talk shows where the host calls for a round of applause after Anwar describes his method of choking the life from ‘communists’. And Oppenheimer catches all of it, he doesn’t need hidden cameras because these men feel they have nothing to hide. This is the old adage “History is written by the victors” writ large in blood, with the victors live and not only unashamed of their acts but proud of them.
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This film is truly chilling, but also enormously profound. There is a good chance that it will leave you shaken and will resonate with you for at least the entire day. It is a film to watch with others so that you don’t have to deal with it alone afterwards, a film which will leave you speechless. Anwar Congo, a man who dances on the site where he took part in genocidal activities, is the most human of all the death squad members interviewed. That alone should tell you just how despicable the ‘characters’ of this piece are. I wholeheartedly recommend this film for anyone interested in the events that took place, anyone who loves good film making and anybody wishing to explore the dark side of human nature. Director: Joshua Oppenheimer. On Blu-ray & DVD.
the wolf of wall street Words by Virginie Robe Director: Martin Scorsese. Studio: Universal. Out: Now
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he fifth collaboration between Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street, cleverly offers what it promises: an actor at his best, and a director twisting around the conventional ‘money, sex, and drugs’ credo entailed when depicting the decadence of the wealthiest. Based on Jordan Belfort’s memoirs, the film relates the ascension of the man within the world of finance, and his unquenchable thirst for money. Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is 22 when he first enters Wall Street as a stockbroker. Discovering the earning potential of penny stocks, Belfort hires a few friends and creates Stratton Oakmont. The film deals with the other side of the American Dreamcoin, where a fortune is made on – nearly – legal theft, money
laundering and, mostly, ignorance Rhythmically organized around these talks to the camera, the overall pace of the film is, by far, one of his strength. The three hours running time are shrewdly crafted, alternating between Belfort’s delirious way of life, and his next-day struggles with both legal forces and hangovers. The film counts 506 occurrences of the Fword, a scene of public masturbation and a constant careless use of money. It is obscene, but also deeply enjoyable to watch. Scorsese also scatters DiCaprio’s previous work across the film: from using the same font as Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar for one of J. Belfort’s presentation, to re-enacting a famous shipwreck, the references are numerous. On the downside, Scorsese’s infamous jump cuts are still present
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within The Wolf of Wall Street, sometimes slightly degrading the quality of a scene. Having watched DiCaprio shining as a Wolf, whose crazy behaviour, to some degrees, echoes Django Unchained’s Calvin Candie (Quentin Tarantino, 2012), we might also hope that the actor will be able to keep renewing his acting throughout his future films in order to avoid getting stuck within certain roles. Already nominated in major Oscar categories, this film is flirting with both the blockbuster and cinephile audience, whilst managing to convey the delightfully outrageous biography without being moralistic. We shall just hope that its director, aged 71, will refrain from the near retirement he announced and gives us more of this fun than the mere two films he declared he had left to do.
Film | 19
nymphomaniac part 1
Words by Virginie Robe Director: Lars von Trier. Studio: Artificial Eye. Out: February 22.
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et’s get it out of the way: Nymphomaniac contains some very graphic scenes. Relating the story of Joe, a self-diagnosed sex-addict, the film is divided in two parts. The first release (the one we have here)focuses on her young years discovering and exploring her sexuality and, although censored, the two-hour version which will be available in mainstream cinemas still offers a wide range of male genitals and sexual encounters framed in close shot. Controversial director Lars von Trier had been longing to make an erotic film for years. Having slowly gained the reputation of an auteur terrible, his Nazi comment at the Cannes Festival in 2011 finalised his international image of a bad boy, and somehow opened the door t o this ultimate provocation. As most of von Trier’s films, Nymphomaniac is hard to swallow and conventional reactions are either to hate it or love it.
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What Nymphomaniac really has to offer is a journey through the deepest intimacy of its main character, and a story which slowly denudes admittedly her body but mainly her soul. Whilst the adult version of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), is determined to demonstrate her monstrosity by exposing her obsession for sex, the film itself is a sober illustration of various sexual behaviours which do not render their supposedly abnormality. The sex depicted in the film is based on c u r i o s i t y,
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games, and sometimes fantasies. It is at the opposite of the Hollywood dramatisation of intimate relationships which only seem to exist in the polarities of meaningless sex and sickening romantic demonstration of love: in this film, people frequently have sex, often cheat, rarely fall in love and repeatedly have to face their illusions. Unusually built around the conversation between Joe and Seligman (Stellan SkarsgĂĽrd), the crudest aspect of the film lies in its aesthetics. As the director is exposing one of our most primal conducts, he stripped his work of the vivid colours and contrasts that were present in both Antichrist (2009) and Melancholia (2011), and came back to a simplest photography more characteristics of his earlier films. On the other hand, there is absolutely no doubt that the first part of Nymphomaniac is preparing the audience for what is coming next. Knowing the climax of Antichrist, it is only legitimate to wonder: Is the worst yet to come?
Suits Season three, Episode one
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he sharply dressed lawyers are back for a third season, as Suits returns to Dave on Thursday 30th January at 9:00pm. Season two ended with a merging of law-firms, creating what is now ‘Pearson-Darby’, much to Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) disgust. Episode one made it clear that much of the new season will focus on Harvey’s struggle to come to terms with the firm’s new management. As well as introducing the developing relationships between new colleagues, the new episode presented a new case for Harvey and co. to tackle, namely Hessington Oil. Rather than giving viewers an idea of what exactly Eva Hessington’s (Michelle Fairley) company has allegedly done, the show’s writer (Aaron Korsh) chose to focus on Pearson-Darby’s opposition and the return of Cameron Dennis (Gary Cole). Although this is initially slightly confusing, it brought some intrigue to the events that unfolded. Also, newly introduced character, Eva Hessington, injected more ‘Britishness’ into the show and it was interesting to see how she dealt with Harvey’s signature persuasiveness. Mike (Patrick J. Adams) and Rachel’s (Meghan Markle) blossoming relationship was also at the forefront of the episode and it was interesting to see how Meghan Markle’s character would react to Mike admitting that he is not a qualified lawyer in the final scene of season two. Although Rachel seemed to forgive him relatively quickly, it is good to have Mike forming a relationship with someone outside of the world of work, especially after the death of his grandmother. It will be interesting to see
how they deal with work and homelife clashing as the season progresses. The vengeful plotting between Louis (Rick Hoffman) and Nigel (Adam Godley), that carried over from season two, was enjoyable and contrasted with the serious elements of the episode. Their childish behaviour added comedy to the episode and showed what Louis treasures about his job and conveyed a different side of his personality. It will be amusing to see Louis interact with someone so similar throughout the season, but the new episode did not make it clear how much of a role Nigel will have throughout the coming weeks. However, this episode lacked something that has made the show and characters so appealing. The playful interactions between Mike and Harvey, that have been a key element of the show over the past couple of years, were missing. There were no film related anecdotes, and no jokes at each others expense. Although this is probably the only logical way the writers could continue the fallout from the previous season, it certainly felt like something important was missing in this episode. However, it will surely return in the coming episodes as the show wouldn’t be the same without it. In short, although the first episode was enjoyable, it felt like it was only setting up the plot lines for the remainder of the season. Also, Harvey and Mike’s faltering friendship meant an element of the show’s charm was missing. Words by Lewis Taplin
The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
Culture | 21
The Following T
Joe and his cult, and Ryan is attending AA, and teaching criminology.
The episode starts a few moments before the last left off, and predictably, Ryan survives his wounds. Claire, however, does not. One year later, and a book is being released about
It may start off a little slowly, but this is a welcome reprieve considering the fact that the show very rarely lets up on the momentum. We see Ryan living his very normal life, with family around him. This serenity doesn’t last long, as people wearing Joe Carroll masks attack passengers of a subway car, ruthlessly and without mercy. Two new characters with a penchant for murdering women then playing house with their corpses are introduced, and it is clear that they will be players as the series continues. The blonde is found posed as a character in Joe’s book in the park, which raises the question
o say that season one of The Following ended on unsteady ground would be rather an understatement - with FBI’s most wanted, Joe Carroll (played to chilling effect by James Purefoy) apparently killed in a fire, and his long standing enemy, FBI’s Agent Ryan Hardy (played by everyone’s favourite six degrees, Kevin Bacon) lying bleeding out in his own kitchen after being stabbed, alongside Joe’s ex wife and Ryan’s current lover, the new season could not start soon enough.
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The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
Season two, Episode one of how these men are connected to Joe. The episode ends with creepy music, and more questions, as we get a glimpse of a very bearded James Purefoy watching Ryan on TV. At times the show can cross the line from the extreme to the ridiculous, which can pull you out of the elaborate game of cat and mouse that Joe and Ryan are playing, but this episode toed the line well, keeping us engaged, whilst still using the element of the macabre and dramatic which were so successful in the first season. Overall, a solid opening episode which set the ground for an interesting season. Words by Rebecca James
PS4 : The Next Generation arrives
Words by Joe Gibson
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s someone who adopted the PS4 on release day, it is now coming up to two months since it was launched in Europe. I have therefore had more than enough time to explore SONY’s next generation offering in full and pass judgement on its successes and failures. With Sony’s long and successful history in attractive consumer electronics, it should be to nobody’s surprise that the PS4 is sleek looking, which is simple but modern, and the number of buttons is minimal, with only small power and disc eject buttons found along the front face. The controller of the PS4 has also been given a revamp over that of the PS3. The imaginatively named DualShock 4 is a much more comfortable controller than the DS3 and is certainly a huge improvement. It does not only sport newly designed triggers and analogue sticks; it also makes use of a touch-pad. The controller sports a lightbar on the back, as well as a useful inbuilt speaker and microphone jack, and a share button for uploading screenshots and videos of gameplay to Facebook. However, all of these new features have the unfortunate impact of a decreased battery life; charges tend to last only about 3-4 hours at most. The User Interface of the PS4 is a striking contrast to that of the PS3. Accessibility has clearly been
the main focus with the square tile style adopted by Windows 8 being used primarily to make it easier to navigate games and maps. Apps such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer are available to compliment the experience. This makes the home screen of the PS4 much more aesthetically pleasing than the PS3 and more like a central hub rather than the XMB which felt quite boring in its predecessor. Whilst it would be a lie to say that the launch line-up of the PS4 was extensive, there is still plenty there to satisfy most gamers. Killzone: Shadow Fall is probably the most popular and attractuve console exclusive. Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and FIFA 14 are all good ports of last gen games but I suspect they do not stretch the limits of the console as much as Killzone and the like. For those that are subscribed to Playstation Plus (now essential for online gaming), free games given out so far in the Instant Game Collection include the outstanding arcade-style game Resogun, as well as Contrast and Don’t Starve. With the horror game Outlast coming in February to subscribers, it is clear that SONY are focussed on giving away a varied and wide selection of games. Over the next year, expect the games available for the console to increase exponentially, with Infamous: Second Son, Thief and Driveclub all
The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
likely releasing in the next few months. SONY has also built remote play into the architecture of the system; anyone with a Playstation Vita is able to play PS4 games through the handheld console. With the launch of the PS4, SONY has achieved an extremely smooth transition to next-gen. Whilst it is unlikely that this console cycle will be anywhere near the 6-8 years seen with the XBOX 360 and the PS3, for now the PS4, and its competitor, the XBOX One, are here to stay.
Culture | 23
GIRLS Season three, Episode one
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ena Dunham’s fantastic show Girls, continues to capture what it is to be a hapless twentysomething. When we left Hannah and the other girls, their lives, minus Jessa’s disappearance, seemed relatively resolved after a season of heartbreak and misery. Hannah, after the q-tip in ear incident and ‘boy on fancy cookie-box’ hair-do, was rescued by Adam running to her aid whilst face-timing her in the fairy-tale finale, but it is good to see they are all just as self-obsessed, delusional and hilarious as ever. Hannah and Adam are now in a loving relationship, yet even before the title credits run, they face an awkward and hilarious stand-off with Adam’s ex-girlfriend Natalia who he abandoned. It is the quietest we’ve ever seen Hannah as she awkwardly stands behind Adam. The scene is simultaneously painful and wonderful, instantly reminding us why we love the foul-mouthed honesty of the Girls experience so much.
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Marnie, left by Charlie on the day they were supposed to make grilled pizzas together, is now wallowing in self-pity and living at home with her less than sympathetic mother. She has a breakdown at Hannah and Adam’s first joint taco and icecream dinner party in which Adam reluctantly provides a moving speech about life and love which captures everything you’ve ever wanted to hear about forgetting an ex. Shoshanna has done a complete 180 and is balancing work and sex to become a well-rounded woman for when she graduates, somehow managing to turn sex into a productive extra-curricular activity. Shoshanna is easily the most underrated character of the show, with her quirky and bewildering questions such as ‘What’s your favourite utensil?’. Despite her odd tendencies, she is the most perceptive of all the characters, pointing out the only people who say college was the best time of their lives are the ‘people who don’t make any money’ providing a refreshing, if naive, astutenesswhen compared to Hannah’s self-delusional antics. The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
Jessa meanwhile, has become a slight caricature of a previously well-developed character. Stranded in rehab and causing havoc, outing closet lesbians and befriending a worldly Richard. E Grant, she demands that Hannah come and rescue her after being kicked out for ‘fraternizing’ with the other patients. A lot of the criticism surrounding Girls including issues of white privilege, nudity and race, seem a little unfair, as critics tend to pick apart the show and expect it to be universally representative of the younger generation, but much like Hannah, Lena can’t be expected to get everything perfect. A 20-something who writes and directs her own show based on her personal experiences shouldn’t necessarily have to be the flawless poster child for all liberal and feminist values, and the show does perfectly well at exploring what it sets out to do. Words by Ella Goel
Preview:
A Number At Nuffield Theatre Photography by www.richardbudd.co.uk (C) 2014
C
aryl Churchill’s acclaimed play, A Number, is coming to the Nuffield theatre as the start of Nuffield’s season of celebrating Science and Art. The play focuses around Bernard, who finds out at age 35 that he is not an only child, but is, in fact, one of a number of clones. Chaos ensues as he confronts his father, Salter, about the scientific experiment that caused this, and as the clones reveal themselves, Bernard’s identity is challenged. A Number was written at a time when cloning was highly prolific in the news, but it remains just as relevant today as when it was first performed. It is a play that questions the morality behind cloning and explores complex family relationships such as guilt and rivalry. Churchill pushes boundaries
with her writing, and it’s a play that is sure to leave you thinking. A Number is to be directed by Michael Longhurst, who has previously directed Jake Gyllenhaal’s American stage debut, and whose Royal Court production of Constellations was nominated for four Olivier awards and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play 2012. This production marks Longhurst’s first collaboration with Tom Scutt (set design) and Lee Curran (lighting) since their award winning production of Constellations. This production of A Number is made particularly exciting as the two lead roles, Bernard (and his clones) and his father, Salter, are to be played by father-son combo John and Lex Shrapnel. Jon Shrapnel has appeared
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extensively in film, television, theatre and radio, including the films Troy and Gladiator, and his most recent performance was as part of the company in Kenneth Branagh’s production of Macbeth. Lex Shrapnel has appeared in the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Thunderbirds, as well as playing Jamie Cartwright in the 2009 reboot of television series Minder. A Number will appear at the Nuffield theatre from the 6th to the 22nd of February 2014. Tickets are £15 available from the Nuffield website. Words by Hannah Mylrea
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C
hlöe Howl is the girl of the moment. Nominated for the prestigious Brit Critics choice award, in the BBC Sound of 2014 longlist and about to embark on Ellie Goulding’s arena tour as support, she’s doing well for somebody who only played their first gig last April. After a few awkward support acts, Chlöe strutted on stage and instantly captivated everybody in the legendary venue that is The Joiners. Opening with ‘Bad Dream’ the show just went from strength to strength. Her new live band gelled well, and performed her up beat, feisty pop in an energetic manner that won over the audience. Chlöe really is a show woman.
Sashaying around the stage, engaging in amusing banter with the slightly more intoxicated members of the crowd and seamlessly belting out sassy pop songs: you can see why she’s been tipped in whole host of hot for 2014 lists. She’s got it all, the charisma, talent and flair, and she doesn’t look to be going out of style any time soon. Tracks like ‘Drop In The Ocean’ and ‘Girls and Boys’ were up-beat, fun pop gems, which got the crowd going and singing along by the second chorus even if they’d never heard the song before. It was nice to hear a slightly more stripped down song, with ‘It Takes Me a Long Time’, and allowed Chlöe to show of her impressive vocals. Singles ‘Paper Heart’ and ‘No Strings’ were eagerly
received by the crowd, and work just as well live as recorded. ‘No Strings’ was particularly impressive, with the addition of a live band giving an extra kick to the straight talking, unashamedly honest lyrics. Finishing her short set with current single ‘Rumour’, Howl went out with a bang. The teenage pop star managed to sustain her high energy level of performance throughout her entire set, and ‘Rumour’, with is candid, humorous lyrics (which are based on real life rumours Howl has encountered), was no exception. I had had high hopes for the hyped starlet, and I wasn’t disappointed. Howl is truly one to be watched. Words By Hannah Mylrea
CHLOE HOWL AT THE JOINERS 24/01/2014 26 | Live
The Edge | culture@theedgesusu.co.uk
Preview:
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aunched in 2012 and now in its third year, Takedown festival is one of the smallest festivals of its kind, and always has a fantastic atmosphere, where you can really interact with your favourite bands, especially at the legendary Uprawr after-party. However, despite its size, Takedown consistently manages to secure fantastic line-ups and this year is no exception. If you have even a passing interest in any form of rock or metal music, there’ll be at least one band on this year’s line-up for you. You like traditional, no-frills, hard-rock? Try Jettblack or Heaven’s Basement.
more hidden gems on the Takedown line-up. One of these is Ashestoangels, a band who were included on the line-up through the determination of their dedicated fanbase. Catch their performance to see exactly why they inspire such devotion. Elsewhere, sleazy trash-punks Ugly Love are a consistently enjoyable live band that you won’t regret seeing. For those of you who fancy something completely different, try southern inspired rockers
Western Sand. Close your eyes while listening to these guys and you’re immediately transported to sunny Alabama, and who wouldn’t want that? Takedown festival takes place at Southampton University on Saturday 15th March, and you can currently buy tickets at the early bird price of £20. Words By Elinor Day
Maybe you’re a fan of metalcore, in that case, check out Yashin and Glamour of the Kill, who sound like Bullet for My Valentine on steroids and write the catchiest songs this side of the top 40. Lovers of theatrical rock should look out for Lostalone and Fearless Vampire Killers. Lostalone takes the epic anthemic style of Muse and injects it with a healthy dose of insanity, whereas FVK prefer to blend their more operatic tendencies with the fast furious punk of a young My Chemical Romance. Headlining the whole shebang are Welsh emo titans Funeral for a Friend. If you fancy venturing away from the bigger stages during the day you’ll discover yet
The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk
Live | 27
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ewton Faulkner’s appearance at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth will be the 14th date of his 24 tour dates in January-March UK 2014 tour. Starting in Orkney and finishing in Exeter, this headline tour will see the doublechart topping Newton, complete with support act Sam Brookes, perform an array of songs from his latest album Studio Zoo. This is as well as many well-loved favourites from his previous three albums, all of which have achieved critical acclaim. This tour is, in some ways, even more exciting than his previous offerings; Faulkner’s production of Studio Zoo made history. The production of the record was streamed live online, 24/7, for five weeks with the whole album recorded in Faulkner’s South East London home. Judging by his Glastonbury 2013 show, there’s a lot to get excited about. Flawless vocals, an extreme amount of skill on the guitar as well as a whole lot of passion; Newton Faulkner is one of the best performers around. Words by Amy Sandys
28 | Live
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The Sea Slugs At The Talking HEads (16/01/2014)
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t’s not every day that you get to see an afrobeat band on your doorstep, which is why The Sea Slugs are a complete breath of fresh air. They certainly stand out from the crowd. For a start there are absolutely millions of them, and the band seems to just keep on getting bigger. The line up contains no less than 15 members, playing all manner of instruments ranging from tenor sax to the congas. You could say that there is something for everyone – but I have personally always been a fan of the congas. The Sea Slugs began back in January 2013 and since then have gone on to play a string of local gigs, resulting in them ending the year by recording their debut album What’s Not Reflected (release date is yet to be confirmed). For those of you unfamiliar with The Sea Slugs and their sound, they are heavily influenced by the pioneer and creator of afrobeat, Fela Kuti.
There was a palpable sense of excitement before The Sea Slugs began their set. Band members were dotted across the room, simultaneously warming up their instruments and keeping people on their toes, as they have been known to begin their set from the back of a venue and stride through the crowds onto the stage. From the moment the first few opening notes of their original track ‘Ignorance of Altruism’ were played the audience knew this was going to be an explosive set: there was no doubt in anyone’s mind. ‘Ignorance of Altruism’ is a punchy and energetic track that perfectly recreates the authentic sounds of Africa. The track contained solo after solo, showcasing the collective musical prowess of the band. These were accompanied by Pedro D G Correia’s powerfully delivered vocal interludes. The Sea Slugs had well and truly commanded the attention of the crowd. Each
track they delivered was evocative and genuinely quite exciting to watch. Despite the sheer size of the band, there was a real chemistry between the members that was obvious from the offset. They managed to be both visually and audibly stimulating (never in my life have I seen such a brilliant example of outrageous shirts in one place). It was obvious that each and every member were thoroughly enjoying themselves on stage. Despite the rain and the grey cloud of exams hanging over all of our shoulders, The Sea Slugs managed to bring a little bit of African sun to a dreary Southampton. I for one cannot wait for the release of their debut album What’s Not Reflected. If their set at The Talking Heads is anything to go by, it certainly will not disappoint. Words By Grace Pattle
The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk
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Broaden your horizons. Volunteering and Third Sector Fair Thursday 20 February 2014 | 11am – 3pm Garden Court, Building 40, Highfield Campus A Career Destinations Fair offering local & international volunteering opportunities, gap years abroad, graduate recruitment schemes and summer placements.
www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/students/events/fairs/vats.html
Listings 10th February Coffee House Sessions @ The Bridge A Number @ Nuffield Theatre (Until 22/02) The Walking Dead (FOX) Under The Bridge @ The Bridge 11th February Piotr Anderszewski @ Turner Sims Happy Days @ Mayflower Theatre (Until 15/02) Closed Circuit @ Union Films 12th February Club Criminal DJ night @ Talking Heads Zaytoun @ Union Films 13th February Penguin Cafe @ Turner Sims Yearbook + Swim Good @ Joiners Royal Blood @ The Cellar Frank Turner @ Portsmouth Guildhall Laughter Lounge @ The Bridge 14th February The 1975 @ O2 Academy Bournemouth Live music @ The Stag’s Head The Twang @ Talking Heads House of Cards (Netflix) The LEGO Movie Videogame 15th February Heaven 17 @ The Brook Care of Henry @ Nuffield Theatre Mr Scruff @ RoXX London Grammar @ O2 Academy Bournemouth The Defiled @ Talking Heads 16th February Ben Marwood @ Joiners The Selfish Giant @ Union
Films Don Jon @ Union Films 17th February Coffee House Sessions @ The Bridge Under The Bridge @ The Bridge Little Comets + Catfish and the Bottlemen @ Wedgewood Rooms 18th February Smallholding @ Nuffield Theatre (Until 09/03) Fretwork with Ian Bostridge @ Turner Sims Elvis Tribute Night @ Mayflower Theatre Carrie @ Union Films 19th February SUSU Theatre Group presents Henry V @ Annex Theatre (Until 22/02) Fènix 11-23 @ Union Films 20th February The Wardrobe @ Nuffield Theatre (Until 22/02) The Kerrang! Tour 2014 @ O2 Guildhall Southampton War Horse @ Mayflower Theatre (Until 15/03) TOY @ Talking Heads Arrow (Sky1) 21st February Dead Rabbits @ The Cellar Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Breeze (Wii U) Jukebox @ The Bridge
Turner Sims Pharoahe Monch @ RoXX The Butler @ Union Films Gravity @ Union Films 24th February Coffee House Sessions @ The Bridge Under The Bridge @ The Bridge Rizzle Kicks @ O2 Academy Bournemouth 25th February The Diary of Anne Frank @ Nuffield Theatre (Until 01/03) Blue Touch Paper @ Turner Sims Saving Mr. Banks @ Union Films 26th February SUSU Showstoppers presents Guys and Dolls @ Annex Theatre (Until 01/03) Martin Harley Band @ The Brook Anthony Green + The Dear Hunter @ Joiners Russell Kane @ Portsmouth Guildhall Newton Faulkner @ O2 Academy Bournemouth Twenty One Pilots @ Wedgewood Rooms Night of Silence @ Union Films
22nd February Turisas @ Talking Heads True Detective (Sky Atlantic) Gravity @ Union Films Sinfonietta Spring Term Concert @ Avenue St. Andrew’s Church
27th February Will Millard - Downstream @ Turner Sims Laughter Lounge @ The Bridge Young Rebel Set @ Joiners James Bay @ The Cellar Sonic Boom Six + Rat Attack @ Wedgewood Rooms Brother & Bones @ Talking Heads
23rd February Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart Violin masterpieces @
28th February Elections Night Live @ SUSU
The Edge | live@theedgesusu.co.uk
Bondax + Kidnap Kid @ Warehouse Southampton Jack Whitehall: Work in Progress @ O2 Guildhall Southampton Russell Brand: Messiah Complex @ Portsmouth Guildhall 1st March Julio Bashmore Presents @ Warehouse Southampton Frozen @ Union Films 2nd March Syjo and Kairos 4tet @ Turner Sims Newton Faulkner @ Portsmouth Guildhall Homefront @ Union Films Frozen @ Union Films 3rd March Coffee House Sessions @ The Bridge Under The Bridge @ The Bridge Soulfly @ Talking Heads 4th March Imogen Cooper @ Turner Sims Old Man Markley @ Joiners The Family @ Union Films 5th March Return to the Forbidden Planet @ Nuffield Theatre (Until 08/03) Crowbar @ Wedgewood Rooms The Big City @ Union Films 6th March Skaters @ Joiners 7th March Birdpen @ Joiners South Park - The Stick of Truth (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) Jukebox @ The Bridge
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