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Day: 17 April 2013

A scary business

Rutherford and Son follows the trials and tribulations a family who try, with varying degrees of success, to escape the rule of their tyrannical father who rules both the family and the glass business he owns with an iron fist.

What makes the play so convincing is its presentation of the flaws of each individual character, making it impossible to consider any of them as wholly good, or wholly evil.

The plot follows his loss of power in the family home: his son Dick leaves to join a parish in Southport, his favourite John steals his money and runs away, and most importantly Janet begins a secret relationship with the man whom the governor trusts most in the world, his worker Martin.

Northern Broadside’s adaptation of this stifling family drama focuses solely on one room in the house, the dining room. The play was written by Githa Sowerby in 1912, and there are notably huge points of comparison between her own family life and the Rutherford family.

The lack of scene change heightens the sense of claustrophobia within the domestic sphere, particularly for women, who like the audience, cannot leave. This sense of domesticity is strengthened by moments of silence within the novel, the relationships within this home never feel forced.

Funnily enough, whilst this stagnation made me feel increasingly anxious about what could happen between those four walls, it never left me feeling bored.

A special mention must be made to Barrie Rutter’s performance as John Rutherford: he perfectly conveyed the frustrations and anger of a man who had given his life in toil in the belief that he was creating a life for his children.

Whilst he is truly terrifying in the scenes in which he shouts at, first John, and then later Janet, it is hard not to feel some level of sympathy for this failing father.

Despite the dark nature of this family drama comic respite was given in the scenes in which John is proven to be an absolute fool, and through Wendi Peter’s portrayal of the snivelling Mrs Henderson. These moments of humour are much needed not only to provide some respite, but also to increase the credibility of the family tale.

This is one family drama that perfectly portrays the tensions in a community or home that has no hope for change. The resonance of the play still rings true today; power, and power alone cannot bring happiness.

Five Stars out of Five.

Preview: Grillstock

Manchester is truly embracing the era of the so-filthy-it’s-fashionable junk food of America, evident from the queue snaking its way daily from the doors of Almost Famous. Along with SoLita’s bacon jam and pulled pork Scotch egg, it would appear that all things carnivorous are going nowhere other than the depths of our stomachs. But beyond the overpriced hotdog, there is an art to this meaty fodder.

Welcome Grillstock Festival, a two-day meat feast taking place June 8th-9th in Albert Square (that place where you were chomping on a Bratwurst and sipping mulled wine at the Christmas markets a few months ago), celebrating the smoky pit of the barbeque.

For the barbeque aficionados amongst you, there is the King of the ‘Q’ competition, which is the heart of the festival and invites contestants to showcase their low ‘n’ slow barbequing magic with chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Along with a £1000 cash prize, winners are given the opportunity to compete at the American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City. The only downside is the pretty steep entry cost of £150 per team.

For those whose budgets don’t stretch that far, alongside this are smaller contests of a slightly more light-hearted nature. These include a chilli eating competition and, for those who can’t handle such heat, a rib eating competition.

And for those without a competitive bone in their body, demos and live entertainment provide an easier pace to the weekend, allowing you to stuff your face and soak up the atmosphere.

There will be British and American beers on offer with Brewstock, and Brooklyn Brewery will also commandeering the pumps.  Along with music from headliners Kitty Daisy & Lewis, the line-up features local favourites, Riot Jazz.

There may well be no guarantee of sunshine, but at least we can revel in the Great British tradition of the barbeque without having to struggle with soggy coals on the patio. Put down the tongs and instead let some real meat lovers do it for you.

www.grillstock.co.uk

Preview: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’

To many, the original Star Trek is science fiction epitomised. That’s not because it looks or sounds the prettiest (moderate budget television in the 1960s didn’t get you very far in this regard), it’s because, first and foremost, Star Trek has always been about ideas. The idea of a united Earth working together to explore the unexplored is enough to make you look past the silly sets and polystyrene rocks. Though there have been four subsequent TV series (including one animated one) and 11 films, all with hugely increased production values, none (perhaps with the exception of Wrath Of Khan (1982)) have captured the awe-inspiring simplicity of Gene Roddenberry’s original vision.

Enter now, the 2009 reboot Star Trek which was sorely needed after the bloated and extremely average Nemesis (2002). Star Trek then represented a new start, not only literally but also emotionally: the chance to regain the sense of wonder at what humanity as a species could achieve that made the original series so special. Despite all the film’s faults (Chris Pine’s arboreal performance and the grossest misuse of lens flare in the history of cinema to name but two) it at least succeeded in this regard. Seeing Kirk, Spock et al. rally together in the film’s climax provided, however fleeting, a glimpse of the original series’ emotional punch.

The J.J. Abrams helmed franchise now faces the dreaded sequel. Now that all of the relevant protagonists are on the same page, can their united effort against a common villain, Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison, be as compelling as all their internal squabbling was in the first (or 11th ) time round? Cinema goers as a species love origin stories, hence why so many superhero movies seem to get rebooted every decade or so, so it will be testament to Into Darkness’ greatness, or lack thereof, if it can keep their collective attention held.

Well what does the trailer promise us? One thing that will stick out to most is Cumberbatch’s slimy, emotionless villain. Cumberbatch is one of the most consistent British actors working today so the time feels right, what with him being both Smaug and Sherlock and all, for a star-making role. Tom Hardy had Bane, hopefully now Benedict Cumberbatch will have John Harrison. Certainly his unflappable coolness and hate-filled baritone will make for an emotive performance (I don’t think I will ever get sick of hearing him contemptuously utter, “I will walk over your cold corpses”).

However, one of the more promising aspects of the plot is that the majority of the conflict seems to take place on Earth or at least in its orbit. This may not sound like a big deal but it does birth an interesting dynamic: when the USS Enterprise has explored the farthest stretches of the galaxy, what does it mean when their home is under attack? This trope is slightly overused, to the point where one can’t help but think it analogous to how all movies based on sitcoms feel the need to go to a foreign country, but the intrigue is still undeniable. In fact, this sums up my feelings to any new Star Trek movie: even though I’ve seen it all a thousand times before, I will always be back for more.

I’m sorry but…’animal’ films suck

Don’t get me wrong, animals are great. However, if I’m paying to see a film I would choose to see something starring humans as opposed to life on the farm or stories about pets tragically left behind. Understandably most of these films are aimed at children; Babe, Lassie and Black Beauty are all entertaining but only if you have absolutely nothing else to do.

Even as a child, I never fully appreciated films involving dogs or cats, especially when the animals talked and their mouths moved; any child would thereafter expect to be able to have a conversation with their goldfish, only to suffer devastating disappointment. My favourite Disney films were not 101 Dalmatians, Bambi or even, shock horror, The Lion King. We never even owned these on video because I preferred fairy tales which seemed much more believable.

There are more recent animal films which have moved people to tears. Marley & Me was a box office hit thanks to the star cast and the lovable Labrador, Marley, whose life is chronicled in the film, ending very sadly with his [*SPOILERS*] death. I appreciated the sad ending especially as Marley was such an awesome pet, but I haven’t met anyone else who didn’t cry. I must have a heart made of stone.

On the other hand, Happy Feet, Finding Nemo and Stuart Little, I’ll concede, are animated classics which for some reason interest me. Was it the more gripping story lines, exotic locations or the added humour? I’ll never know, but regardless I won’t be queuing up for the next pet saga.

 

Review – NW by Zadie Smith

Zadie Smith’s latest novel NW is not really ‘new’ anymore; it was published September of last year. I was initially put off reading it by two negative responses published in The Guardian when it first came out: the first a ‘digested read’ by John Crace (which is quite funny) and the second a review by Adam Mars-Jones. I didn’t properly read the review, I skipped the parts that I thought were going to give away the story, because I hate it when reviewers do that. If I had read it properly I would have seen that Mars-Jones was the type of man who calls a book ‘chick lit’ because it contains mention of pregnancy, and I would have known to ignore him.

There were also two factors urging me to read the book. The first was that I like the cover, designed by John Gray, a Peter Blake-esque target with heavy black and white lettering filled in with old maps. The second was that it was bought for me as a present, a signed hardback copy that couldn’t be ignored, and put pain to any review-related hesitation.

Mars-Jones (as others have) compared NW’s rambling form to Ulysses, and then complained about lack of stable plot, saying that it is not a successful novel ‘though it contains the makings of three or four.’ I agree that compared to White Teeth – Smith’s first and still most famous novel – NW does not have such a succinct storyline. In that taut debut, everything leads towards a big bang at the end; however this plot is more real. I really felt London in summer: intimations of believable places, situations and dialogue. I myself would compare the novel to Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners, or Pat Barker’s Union Street – novels in which the characters are used foremost to explore and present a specific place and time in history rather than as drivers of a complicated plot.

Smith puts heavy emphasis on the form of the novel, using different sections organised in different ways: one in numbered chapters, another in numbered short paragraphs with appropriate headings. In one of these numbered paragraphs – headed ‘Stage Directions’- Smith briefly turns the character Natalie’s life into a play (a device used also by Joyce). There are also frequent colloquial direct-address comments made by a third-person non-participant narrator such as, “You’re welcome”. At the back of the book there is a photo of Smith, wearing a crimson scarf tied around her hair. Directly underneath are the words “Zadie Smith was born in North-West London in 1975”. These details gave me the impression that she wanted the reader to know that she was part of the story; her beautiful freckled face seemed to be saying, “I wrote all these words”.

Rivers of London, Ben Aaronovitch – review

I have three essays due and so naturally spent Easter catching up on my “To Read” list. I spent a very contented time reading Ben Aaronovitch’s series Rivers of London, which follows Police Constable Peter Grant, a policeman who seems destined for an average career in the Metropolitan police, until he meets a ghost and finds himself recruited by a special division of the Met to help deal with all things supernatural and magical. Of course to deal with the occult, you need a particular skill set, so Peter is also now a wizard in training.

This isn’t a pure fantasy series, although it does delight the wannabe sorceress in me, the books follow a progression more akin to the crime genre. Aaronovitch cleverly interweaves police investigation with magical pursuit, as PC Grant investigates a brutal series of murders which are beyond the understanding of the standard police. This genre overlap means that a cast of classic police characters – the gruff but fair Detective Inspector, the maverick young gun – is mixed with some more mythical types. My particular favourites are the host of deities belonging to the River Thames, including Mama Thames, a Nigerian matriarch, and her tributaries, her headstrong daughters like Tyburn and Fleet.

The series consists of three books so far: Rivers of London, Moon Over Soho and Whispers Under Ground, with the fourth in the series, Broken Homes, due out this July. While it’s unlikely to be described as great literature, the writing style and story are undoubtedly absorbing and fresh. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and Aaronovitch offers a new perspective on magic which fits nicely into the modern setting of London.

Having discovered the back panel and not Narnia in my wardrobe as a child, and subsequently being snubbed by the Hogwarts owl on my 11th birthday, this book leaves me with hope that magic still has time to enter my adult life. I definitely recommend it as a great escape from thoughts of exams or essays, and while of course I’d never condone procrastination, everyone needs a break from it all sometimes.

Manchester vs. Food: an unhealthy marketing ploy?

Adam Richman is a living legend. Man v. Food was a brilliant show, a view into the gluttonous and testosterone fuelled world of American competitive eating, replete with raucous handle-bar moustached rednecks, raunchy cheerleaders and rotund rapacious cooks.

Richman, a magnetic food-stuffing maestro, was also appreciative of good American food, which he canvassed with trips to secret little eateries from Rhode Island to Reno, Montana to Miami. Bizarrely, Richman was also an athlete, working out before challenges to get his metabolism and his appetite stoked. Afterwards he would then ‘cleanse’ with a session on the treadmill.

Despite such athleticism, Richman was ultimately a fat git. This is because he attempted to eat excessive amounts of food in short spaces of time. As much as I love food (I am a carb addict), I would never seek to enter into one of these ridiculous challenges.

One would have thought that sensible minded Brits would avoid bigger portions and indeed eating challenges. Instead we seem to be embracing them. Indeed, in our very own Manchester, where an intriguing ‘redneck revolution’ of American food has taken place, there are several eateries pushing out puke-precipitating amounts of food.

There is much to be said for this famed American grub, with great burgers, beef brisket and pulled pork. There is a danger however, in encouraging eating challenges in a country with already bulging waist sizes. Several years ago, such challenges were non-existent in the UK, now they are cropping up everywhere.

For example at Southern Eleven they have the £25.99 ‘Chicken & Waffle Tower’ of fried chicken, waffles and creamy white gravy served with extra spicy battered chicken, home-made ‘slaw’, parmesan truffle fries, BBQ beans and bourbon mayo. If you neck it in 45 minutes, you get the meal for free.

One guzzler remarked however that the whole challenge was weighted in favour of the establishment since the chicken was seasoned with excessive amounts of salt, whilst the waffles had more sugar than a Jamaican plantation. Great, real healthy. Am I also the only one that finds the combination of chicken and waffle a bit screwed up?

Secondly, at Manchester’s new and mouth-watering Luck Lust Liquor & Burn, you can order the £30 ‘Tapout Burrito’. The burrito is packed full with crispy beef, BBQ pulled pork and shredded beer-can chicken, with accompaniments including fries, cheese, spicy rice, grilled onions & peppers, and salad ‘lubed’ with secret taco sauce, sour cream and ‘guac’.

Even corporate chains are having a stab at stuffing you with saturated fat, as Revolution in Fallowfield has launched ‘The Fallowfield Challenge’, the MANchester v Food epic burger.

Beyond Manchester and more foolish Brits are embarking on this foolish course of action. Take the ‘Kidz Breakfast’ at Jesters Diner in Great Yarmouth, which includes an 8-egg cheese and potato omelette, 12 rashers of bacon, 12 sausages, 6 fried eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, 4 hash-browns, 4 bits of black pudding, sautéed spuds, 4 slices of toast, 4 of bread and butter, and 4 of fried bread. That’s 14 eggs. Each egg contains 210mg of dietary cholesterol. Recommended intake is 300mg a day. Jesters thus provides you with a whopping 2940mg of dietary cholesterol, which is 10 times the daily intake. In other words, you’re likely to have a heart attack whilst heaving on the toilet to get over crippling constipation. Interestingly, the meal also weighs about the same as a healthy newborn baby

Further examples include a 3ft long hotdog served in Walsall, containing enough calories to feed a grown man for a week, the ‘Judgement Burger’ in Argyll, the ‘Munchy Box’ of Indian food in Glasgow, and lastly ‘Ray’s Pizza’ (26″) in London. Brits are that buzzing about the whole affair, they are even mapping the mammoth eating challenges around the country.

The trouble is that these food challenges set a very dangerous and unfunny precedent. They are contributing to a negative alteration in attitude towards food quantity. Restaurants need to ignore such profiteering in the interests of our nation’s health. I’m not saying 90% white plate, 10% food: just decent portion sizes for meals like fry-ups and burgers, which are already indulgent.

Lounge 10

Lounge 10 is a recently re-opened speakeasy bar with all the persona of a breasty, silk-adorned cabaret singer blowing you a sultry, cigarette kiss. Upon arriving, we knocked on the door and gave our password to the lady behind the sliding panel. It took me more than a few minutes to adjust to the incandescent lighting, the opulent folds of velvet drapes and luxury plastering every inch of space not to mention the suave, swaggering staff. I was enjoying it an awful lot.

Upstairs we were shown the equally resplendent toilets, where the suited toilet attendant proudly introduced us to Vivienne Westwood (he was pointing at a portrait) and explained that she helped Lounge 10 design the aforementioned drapes, don’t you know.

Once we had also glimpsed the white baby grand, the dimly lit restaurant and the door handle to the back stairs which of course was the shape of a large, veiny penis, we went to the bar and ordered cocktails. On offer was the lofty ‘The Best Gin And Tonic In The World’, a drink made using Sloane’s gin and 1724 tonic. Sloane’s gin is produced using a more laborious method than other gins, separately mixing the infused ingredients to create a perfect blend. The 1724 tonic is made using quinine found at 1724 metres above sea level, which means the taste is mellow compared to other tonics. This actually was the best gin and tonic I’ve ever had – so smooth and dangerously drinkable. I ordered another.

We sampled the speakeasy menu which was a variety of amuse bouches served on a three-tier stand. The quality of the food was admirable – the brie lollipop with cranberry foam was anyone’s idea of deep-fried cheese heaven, and the smoked duck roulade with raspberry and a date puree and the curried rainbow trout with avocado and salmon were well balanced texturally and intense in flavour. The chocolate brownie, however, required a Mary Berry side-crunch to attack its exterior. That is not anyone’s idea of a brownie. The whole selection is offered at £18 for two people. While I thoroughly enjoyed most of it, as a student, I would much rather spend money on food that constituted a whole meal, rather than a few bites. Of course, there is a restaurant upstairs, with a moderately-priced menu that combines French and British cuisine in a modern way.

But one of my favourite things about Lounge 10 is the absinthe lady whose sole job, it seems, is to guards bottles of the aniseed spirit alongside an absinthe fountain. The fountain slowly drips cold water into the drink, giving it a milky, cloudy appearance which apparently is the proper way to drink it. So much for those nights out in Eastern Europe.

And just in case one tires of one’s own company, there is a magician who will astonish with astonishing card and coin tricks as well as his politeness.

Of course I can’t forget the music, a set mixing jazz and cabaret style songs, provided by very competent musicians – a saxophonist, double bassist, male pianist and singer and an extremely attractive female vocalist who held nothing back in her performances. I think there was something going on between her and the magician. The only thing that let us down as music students was the occasional resort to backing tracks which spoiled the authentic vibe.

All in all, Lounge 10 has hooked onto something good. All the staff were passionate about their jobs and we were very well attended. I was very impressed to learn that the bar stays open till 4 in the morning. But I am slightly wary of is the difficulty that some establishments have in cultivating a members’ style club. Becoming a member at Lounge 10 is free though, which brightens its chance of success – and you don’t have to be a member to just go in for a drink, if you book ahead. Lounge 10 is in the city centre next to Albert Square, open from Wednesday to Sunday. I would heartily recommend a visit, if you’re in the mood for a world of velvet extravagance and mellow gin.

Dog Bowl

Recently, Manchester has seen the emergence of a new breed of hipster nighttime activity, a revamp of everyone’s favourite childhood party pastime, bowling – but with a twist. Manchester now offers two boutique bowling venues, the latest of which to open being Dog Bowl, located in the up-and-coming Southern Quarter, home to the popular Gorilla and Underdog. We got the chance to check out this new venture of the renowned Black Dog chain at its opening night.

On entering Dog Bowl, you instantly recognise the distinct modern New York speakeasy vibe typical of the Black Dog venues, with its industrial interior complete with exposed pipes and corrugated iron walls, as well as its urban, underground feel, being tucked away in a bridge archway on Whitworth Street West. It may seem like an impossible task to cram a bowling alley, a bar and a restaurant into such a small venue but Dog Bowl combines them seamlessly and effectively, creating a lively yet cool atmosphere in which all three elements can be enjoyed. From the bar and restaurant area you can hear the falling of pins and strike celebrations so whether you’re bowling or not, you’ll still share in the quirky experience.

The bowling itself is what you’d expect but, realistically, how do you improve on bowling? Dog Bowl does give it a go, though, with the addition of quirks such as the balls resembling billiard balls which, when returned to you, pop out of a dog’s bum, naturally.

Despite bowling being the obvious focus of the venture, the food is far from that of your average fast food joint attached to most bowling alleys. With a clear American and Mexican influence, Dog Bowl serves up a range of currently fashionable small plates for sharing, including pork crackling, spiced popcorn and smoked nuts, along with the mandatory Mexican dishes, nachos, fajitas and tacos, and classic American bites such as burgers and chicken wings, which were all finger-licking and filling. Stand-outs include the tender beef brisket served with tangy ‘Mad Dog’ hot sauce and the moreish smoky pulled pork dished up with a confusing yet oddly successful combination of mashed potatoes and coleslaw. While we’re not championing Dog Bowl as a sophisticated foodie hotspot, it serves the sort of unpretentious, hearty grub needed to sustain bowling energy levels.

If bowling isn’t your thing and it’s just a few bevvies you’re after then don’t dismiss Dog Bowl as a good place to drink. The bar offers a wide range of cocktails – we recommend the White Russian, a classic bowling tipple, and the Passionfruit Tequila Mojito, which married fruitiness with a powerful Mexican liquor kick. Beers, wines and house spirits were the standard Black Dog offerings, which are all reasonably priced.

One of the best things about Dog Bowl is its student-friendly pricing. With student discount offered on the bowling, reducing a game to only £5 each, and a generous meal averaging a tenner, a good night out here won’t break the bank. So if you fancy some good old-fashioned fun but with a drink in hand then hit up the Southern Quarter and get bowled over (sorry, couldn’t resist).

Album: Vondelpark – Seabed

Released: 1st April 2013

R&S Records

7/10

Music fans currently suffering from post-dubstep/alt R&B ennui brought on by the popularity of James Blake and his countless imitators will probably find a lot to dislike in this debut from the London trio, but those who can stomach another forty-five minutes of auto-tuned vocals and guitar lines that sound like they were found at the bottom of the Marianas trench should stick around.

Named after the Amsterdam park beloved by stoners and shroom-heads, the band are one of part of a growing roster of bands on R&S who combine the euphoria and bittersweet melancholy associated with all the best dance music with a distinctly indie sensibility that owes far more to 4AD stalwarts such as Cocteau Twins and Efterklang than the label’s usual line up of forward thinking techno and bass producers.

Opener ‘Quest’ is a perfect example of the band’s intriguing take on a style that has often felt tired and unimaginative since its inception, blending a gorgeous, chiming chord progression with lead singer Lewis Rainsburys’ unintelligible vocals against a shuddering backbeat. On first listen the effect is almost like hearing elevator muzak, a problem which is exemplified by second track ‘Blue again’, which rides a groove caught somewhere between a Sade B-side and a Hed Kandi chill-out comp. But where those records trade in polished, calculated simplicity designed to soothe the listener into forgetting whatever it is they’re actually hearing, the repetition of ideas on this record is deceptive; each song gradually reveals layers of lush instrumentation under its electronic sheen, and striking hooks come to those who wait.

While none of the tracks deviate much from this Caribou Djing sunset-at-Ibiza mood, the time invested by the band in refining their subtle, atmospheric approach over the past two years becomes apparent over the course of the album in which they effortlessly switch from electronic and live sounds, from the blissful Balearic house of ‘Bananas (On my biceps)’ to the elegant tropical blues of ‘California Analog Dream’. On this latter track the trio eschew the dense synthlines found elsewhere on the album in favour of a near-acoustic approach, affording Rainsbury’s mournful lyrics a much greater role in the mix, interspersed only with gorgeous strains of harmonica and steel drums. The results are stunning and I’d be surprised if it doesn’t top most people’s track of the year lists. It also points to the best logical step forward for the band, offering a rare moment of clarity on an album which swoons a few too many times under the heady fog of its own stoned logic.

For now, Vondelpark is unlikely to conquer more than the Youtube surfing, Majestic Casual crowd, but if they can synthesize the mature songwriting of this track with the house and R&B elements which they sample so effectively elsewhere, they could offer an exciting and genuinely original vision of what a band can be in 2013, one that the current musical landscape (and the Mercury Prize) is crying out for.

Album: Bring Me the Horizon – Sempiternal

Released: 1st April 2013

9/10

RCA Records

Bring Me The Horizon started their career as a “marmite” band, you either loved them or hated them. But after the release of 2010’s There Is A Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It, There Is A Heaven, Let’s Keep It A Secret, critics began to see the Sheffield metallers in a new light. With the success of that album, RCA Records saw Bring Me as the future of British metal claiming that signing them was like signing Metallica.

The new album’s direction brought line-up changes. Guitarist Jona Weinhofen was kicked out due to personal differences and Jordan Fish was recruited for keys. Single ‘Shadow Moses’ was release just after that news and as a sampler for the new album and definitely showed BMTH mean business on this release.

In the past, many people criticised vocalist Oli Sykes for his vocal and screaming style but this album, ‘Sleepwalking’ and ‘And the snakes…’ in particular, show the progression of his vocal style for the better, mixing clean vocals and screams well.

‘Sleepwalking’ is the best song on the album with a perfect blend of synth and metalcore with a similar style to ‘Crucify Me’ from their previous release; both of which utilised synth breakdowns. Though the album shows a real progression, the immaturity that Bring Me have been known for still remains. ‘Anti-vist’ shows this with immature, yet catchy, lyrics but it really doesn’t gel well with the rest of the album.

Much like Bring Me’s back-catalogue every album has a different sound. Somehow with the electronic and ambient influences, they manage to pull it off with this one as well. The album is a great album though it may take numerous plays to really draw you in and at this stage, likening them to Metallica is a bit premature.

Album: The Strokes – Comedown Machine

Released: 25th March 2013

RCA Records

By all accounts, the recording of Comedown Machine, the fifth album from New York City’s The Strokes, was an altogether more good-natured affair than that of its predecessor, Angles. For a start, frontman Julian Casablancas was actually there, electing this time round to record his parts in person with the band rather than submit them via email. The effect this had on the end product is difficult to say.  Like Angles, most of this record’s charm is injected by the influence of ‘80s pop, also evident on Casablancas’ solo album; his and his band’s embracing of the cheesier side of things is uncharacteristically un-self-conscious, and a pleasant surprise which has characterized their recent musical evolution. The decision to herald the arrival of their new record with something which echoes A-ha’s ‘Take on Me’ quite so unashamedly as ‘One Way Trigger’ does is reflective of this – but this is joyous homage, not sneaky plagiarism, and even Casbalancas’ worst Morten Harket impression can’t help but draw a smile.

In fact, from the first, this record gives us a band sounding as joyous as they have since 2003’s Room on Fire. Opener ‘Tap Out’ slinks along atop eminently danceable guitar patterns, unexpectedly disco-y in a way which rears its head again on the endearingly tacky ‘Welcome to Japan’, but always bound together by Fabrizio Moretti’s ever-present, airlock-tight percussion. Casablancas’ vocals are not quite as low in the mix as on past albums, and, on ‘One Way Trigger’ as on the whole album, are remarkably less restrained than ever before – carefree in a way which, by the time you get to music hall-esque closer ‘Call it Fate, Call it Karma’, it becomes clear has grabbed the whole band.

In short, Comedown Machine might just be the sound of The Strokes – whisper it – enjoying themselves. There are those who, probably unfairly, have never forgiven them for failing to chase the dizzying dragon that was their 2001 debut Is This It. And, predictably, Comedown Machine probably won’t be thought of as scaling those heights. Pessimistic fans might like to note that, having lain dormant for five years following their third album in 2006, the band have made quick work of releasing their latest two – which represent their final commitments to their record deal. But if this were to be their last record, The Strokes have proven themselves more than worthy holders of the flag passed down by the likes of fellow New Yorkers the Velvet Underground and the Cars, and remain the sole purveyors of a certain dysfunctional charm which rock music is otherwise severely lacking – even if they have to try a little harder for it these days.

Feature: The Black Parade Is Dead!

On March 22nd, New Jersey quartet My Chemical Romance decided to call it a day after 12 years together. The news came as a shock to many including Gerard Way’s wife and Mindless Self Indulgence bassist Lyn-Z, Jared Leto from 30 Seconds to Mars and Mark Hoppus from Blink 182. Actually, Hoppus tweeted he was the one responsible for the break up. Joking aside, the only member who replied regarding the split was guitarist Frank Iero. Iero claimed “Things that should be simple and easy rarely ever are.”

Within hours of the announcement some of the top trends on Twitter were regarding MyChemRo. I can understand why people want these bands to last forever because they have spent much of their lives listening and following these bands. For instance, MCR were my first gig. While I am one for nostalgia, I still believe this is best for the band and its members. Why carry on to the point where the current resentment is too fierce to even consider the idea of reuniting? At least this way, a few years down the line, maybe they will change their minds.

But why did they break up? 2013 was shaping up to be a good year for them having released Conventional Weapons last month and a new album due to come out later this year. Personally, I believe the band had struggled to cope with the fame that 2006’s The Black Parade brought them. Their newer releases never managed to surpass The Black Parade because, although they again chose to write a concept album, they took a different, less theatrical musical direction. In addition, it took almost four years for Danger Days to be released, by which time MCR had almost dropped off the mainstream radar.

Before Danger Days was released, drummer of six years, Bob Bryar, left the band. No reason was ever given for his departure. In hindsight, this may have marked the end for MCR. After Bryar departed, Michael Pedicone replaced him. Pedicone’s tenure was notable for some major controversies, mainly his claims that he was being bullied by roadies and the band. He attempted to frame the person who he felt was responsible (or so he claimed in a later interview). The reason the band gave for his firing was that he was stealing merchandise. The relationship of the band and its crew seemed even more strained after this incident.

The media also added to the strain within the band with constant accusations of their “emo” music and The Black Parade was linked to one girl’s suicide by The Sun and NME. 100 members of the MCRmy congregated in London to protest against the Daily Mail’s coverage of the story and its biased view against the band.

The band grew distant with members becoming involved in other projects; Iero founded Leathermouth with MCR keyboardist James Dewees and Gerard contributed vocals to deadmau5’s ‘Professional Griefers’ in 2012.

The media put so much pressure on them through both hype and controversy, that it was eventually the straw that broke the camel’s back. But fear not, I don’t believe this is the end of My Chemical Romance in the long run (after all reunions are all the rage at the moment).

Live: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

24th March 2013

The Ritz

8/10

A decade on since their inception, distilling seven albums worth of eclectic influences, BRMC appear to have settled as they churn out their most satisfying album to date, Specter at the Feast. These Californian sluggers of heavy rock ‘n’ roll are often quoted as being a ‘garage rock band’ or other dreary synonyms, but tonight they played at a venue a far cry from any garage, one that needs no introduction – The Ritz.

The atmosphere was one heavy with a contagious expectation. From behind a smokescreen of frosted mist and glaring strobe lighting the band emerged prompting rapturous applause from the audience. BRMC are named after a motorcycle gang in Marlon Brando’s 1953 cult-classic The Wild One. None of this rebellious persona is spared as the band is seamless in their selections of leather and black denim clothing – a style emulated by the more avid followers among the crowd.

Characteristically, BRMC prefer not to announce their presence too energetically, instead they opt for one of the more tender slow-burning numbers, ‘Fire Walker’ from the latest album. The fast paced ‘Rival’ evokes frenzied scenes as the audience is literally bouncing on the dance floor as over-priced lager issues from plastic cups, exploding onto the crowd like a Carlsberg firework. Effortlessly, frontman Been teases out the challenging punk-inspired rifts of ‘Red Eyes and Tears’ and ‘Whatever Happened to My Rock ‘n’ Roll’, before easing into the country blues/neo psychedelic melodies of ‘Ain’t No Easy Way Out’ with his co-frontman Heyes, who all the while is playing the harmonica. Multi-instrumentalist Heyes is later handed the floor to soak up the limelight with his own distinct brand of melancholic acoustic blues-rock with time for two songs, ‘Fault Line’ and ‘Complicated Situation’.

As the band whittled through their two-hour long set, encompassing 24 tracks, ‘666 Conducer’ and ‘Love Burns’ produced enthusiastic chanting of “BRMC! BRMC!” from the Mancunian quarters of the audience who appreciated the Britpop inspired influences it contained. Aside from Britpop, the bands’ religious doctrine also influences their music, typified by ‘White Palm’ that was laden with Christian motifs.  Perhaps a stifling set to sit through for the less-than-avid fan, but when it comes to moody riff-driven rock ‘n’ roll, BRMC corner the market.

60 seconds with… journalist Laura Jane MacBeth

Hi Laura Jane. First thing first, is the world of women’s magazine journalism really as glamorous as it’s made out to be?

Ha! I don’t think it’s quite as glamorous as the movies suggest; I don’t have access to a wardrobe of designer clothes and it is hard work. It’s also an exciting, fun and rewarding career, however. Plus I’ve been to some amazing events like the MTV Awards, Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards and Elle Style Awards. Perks of the job!

 

You write for a mix of monthly and weekly women’s magazines, from ELLE and COSMO to Women’s Health. How do you think these publications influence women’s lives?

Although each of the magazines I write for have different focuses and content, they are all very positive. They aim to make women feel good about themselves and achieve what they want to in life. It’s nice feeling like you might help someone with your writing or what you share.

 

Journalism is a notoriously difficult field to break into, how did you do it?

I started out by writing free film and club reviews for independent magazines, then got some freelance work with The Independent and The List. I actually started out subbing, but always wrote freelance, and eventually got my first writing job at the now defunct Sugar magazine (RIP!)

 

How should aspiring journalists go about finding work experience?

I would obviously advise applying to the national magazines, newspapers and websites you want to work for, but also to smaller local magazines or newspapers which might be more likely to give you writing work. Make sure you tailor your application to each magazine and don’t be afraid to do something different to stand out. I read about a guy in America who put his CV on the wrapper of a chocolate bar and I thought that was a brilliant idea!

 

Thanks for chatting to Lifestyle Laura!

Follow Laura on Twitter: @LauraJaneCosmo

WE ASK: What are the worst chat up lines you have ever received?

‘If I buy you a Big Mac will you have sex with me?’ Unsurprisingly this was said to me in the most romantic destination on the planet, Magaluf.

Rebecca

 

‘Your phone won’t work without my number in it’ was a bit of a corker!

Chloe

 

‘I play for first team rugby and I’ve just tripped over falling for you’ warned me off rugby guys forever.

Georgina

 

A guy once asked me if I could psychoanalyse him with a wink when I said that I studied Psychology. Original.

Sarah

 

‘I like your dress. It would look better on my bedroom floor though.’ Yes, somebody actually said this to me. I cringed a lot!

Annie

 

My friends and I recently had ‘I want to put my willy in you’ chanted at us by a group of guys in the swimming pool. Its safe to say that it didn’t work, although it did make us laugh.

Dana (editor)

 

A guy was staring at me for ages recently on a night out and I started to feel uncomfortable. When I eventually asked him (as politely as possible) if he could stop staring at me, he said, ‘Sorry. I just find you really sexually attractive.’ I just ended up thinking he was a creep. ‘Hi, what’s your name?’ would probably have been a better conversation starter!

Fiona

 

‘Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk past you again?’ was definitely the worst I’ve had!

Jess

How to become the ultimate awkward situation dodger

Awkward situations are an integral part of university life; they occur every day for students, whether it be in lectures, at the supermarket or in the middle of a club. Frankly though, who knows what to do in these terrible, unavoidable circumstances?  Lifestyle provides some simple steps to help you emerge from your most embarrassing moments unscathed.

The Morning-After Lecture: So last night you had an extremely cringe-worthy, drunken conversation with someone on your course who you’ve barely spoken two words to since Freshers. Now, squinting through your jäger-induced headache, you see your NBF (New Best Friend) scurrying over in the hope that you really meant that you could be lecture buddies for the rest of the year. The moral thing to do is to smile, move your bag and gesture to the empty seat next to you. The way to escape awkwardness for the remainder of the semester, however, is to suddenly jump up, ‘dash to the toilet’, return to the other side of the lecture theatre and ensure you’re out of there and on a Magic Bus quicker than the lecturer can say, ‘Any questions?’.  A little Mean Girls-esque, but it could save you hours of awkward situations sat side by side in Samuel Alexander.

The Supermarket Struggle: You’re taking an innocent stroll through Sainsbury’s, contemplating what to have for dinner and bam! – your flat mate’s annoying friend hones in on you from the other end of the cereal aisle. Whilst the person with a conscience would force themselves to endure 120 seconds worth of painful conversation, the awkwardness avoider will take this advice: create a distraction. It is vital that you always carry something in your hand, such as a bag of carrots or a shopping list. Then, you can pretend that you’ve picked up the wrong item/forgot something on your list, sigh to yourself, then bolt out of the aisle as fast as your hungover legs can handle. Fool-proof.

The Conquest Come-Again:  It was a bad night in Sankey’s last week, and you ended up going home with someone who evidently looked a lot more attractive after seven double vodkas. Now you’re enjoying your night in Tiger and who appears? Well, your ‘previous’ of course. This really is a crap situation because you don’t actually want to come into contact with them again, but simultaneously want to look calm, collected and pretty damn hot. The only thing to do is work it: turn to your friend and engage in what looks like the most witty, interesting conversation known to man, do your best catwalk strut* into White Room, and then breathe a sigh of relief.

(*NB: if you trip up, skip the White Room and head straight for the exit, as this awkward situation can only be avoided by hibernating at home for the rest of the night).

Album: Tyler, the Creator – Wolf

Two years ago, relative unknowns Odd Future carried on a grand lineage dating back to The Who blowing up drums and Elvis gyrating – shocking people via television performance. Donned in balaclavas, Tyler Okonma (the Creator) and Gerard Long (Hodgy Beats) performed ‘Sandwitches’, a claustrophobic composition of stuttering drums and lurching synthesisers, its lyrics of sexual violence and paranoia delivered in Okonma’s deep, stern tones. It was an incendiary few minutes. Okonma baited listeners, the press, fellow musicians – with a fresh blend of rapper braggadocio, frat boy flippancy and punk antagonism, his effectively managed image, coupled with impressive debut album Bastard, gave him major label deals, international touring and his own TV show.

Recently, the group’s status quo has shifted. Okonma’s latest Kimmel performance was a deeper affair; he showcased his piano talent and eclectic taste on ‘Treehome’, alongside the more conventionally ripping ‘Domo23’. We’ve witnessed the rise of Grammy Award-winner Frank Ocean and the formerly-missing Earl Sweatshirt, whilst newfound competition has arisen in the likes of Pro Era, A$AP Mob and Raider Klan. After the blistering debut of Bastard and the lukewarm reception to Goblin, Wolf may be the last opportunity Okonma has to stay ahead of the pack.

Opening on the title track, it soon becomes apparent where the album is flawed. The instrumental is triumphant; buoyant piano-work, well contrasted with machine gun samples and lush backing vocals. Instead of the Frank Ocean croon it deserves, the listener is treated to Okonma’s usual ‘ism’ rhetoric. However, what was passion is now perfunctory. In Okonma’s desire to craft nice beats, he’s subdued the self-aware humour which lurked beneath his words. This track ends on a ‘therapist meeting’, the concept which has connected Okonma’s past albums. Whereas it was an innovation of ‘Bastard’, it became a crutch for his second. Thankfully, it’s reduced here. ‘Jamba’ is a cut which wouldn’t be out of place on Goblin, or indeed an N.E.R.D b-side; popping drums, sexy vocal samples and funk-driven bass. ‘Domo23’ is almost identical to the charmingly titled Goblin track ‘Bitch Suck Dick’; pounding drums, fast rapping from Okonma and a processed-vocal hook. Indeed, what becomes unfortunately apparent is just how stylistically close Wolf comes to Goblin, as opposed to Bastard. These range from the calm and sparseness of ‘Slater’ and ‘Her’, the melancholy of ‘Lone’ and ‘Window’ and the Diplo copying of ‘Tamale’ and ‘Radicals’.

The album only succeeds when Okonma almost entirely departs from hip-hop. For instance, the upbeat and charming ‘Treehome95’ sparkles with the singing of Erykah Badu and Coco Owino; it proves to be the best track of the album. Furthermore, the three-headed ‘Partyisntover/Campfire feat Laetitia Sadier/Bimmer feat Frank Ocean’ proves other great ideas, sadly stunted by the lack of length. The yearning of Okonma on the first part is complemented well by sugary synthesisers and echoed vocals. The second’s tripped out sound, calm guitar riffing and children singing, could’ve been stolen from Tame Impala. The third, ‘Bimmer’, has all the sheen of a pop hit; fitting, considering it was allegedly written for Justin Bieber. Funnily enough, the track where Okonma most involves Odd Future,’Trashwang’, is abysmal. There’s a simple reason why the lesser heard Jasper Dolphin, L-Boy and Taco have stayed lesser heard- they just aren’t much good at rapping.

Overall, Wolf is an album documenting indecision. On tracks such as ‘Treehome95’, ‘Awkward’, ‘Cowboy’ and ‘Partyisntover…’, the growth of Okonma as a musician is audible. However, his personality proves to be his own worst enemy, as he just can’t quit being the character he’s spent so long building. With Frank Ocean finding success with his soul-bearing R&B, Earl Sweatshirt with his heart-wrenching return to form on Chum, perhaps it’s time for Okonma to show the world who he really is.

5/10

Interview: The Script

“I’m more of the rock side of the band, I’m into guys like U2, Simple Minds, Genesis, the rock kind of pop side of things I guess you could say” Glen Power reveals who drives the harder side of The Script’s music. “The boys are more into their R&B and hip hop, bands like A Tribe Called Quest. If you took all our iPods you wouldn’t think we were in a band together at all.” Despite their differences the they produced #3 in 2012, and yes you’ve guessed it – it’s the bands third studio album.

“I think we dip our toes in rock, pop and R&B; we’re a mix of all those things. We’re more for the iPod generation I guess, who just get individual songs they like on their iPod; we’re moving towards that we don’t necessarily stay true to one particular style. If I had to pin it down I would say pop rock.” Hailing from Dublin, the path to music stardom isn’t as well defined, although being Irish has its own advantages. “It was a small pond but there was a lot of big fish in it, I think when U2 started off here a lot of A&R guys came here looking for new bands. I think it was more of a singer-songwriter sort of scene In Ireland at the time though.”

Glen allures to being a bit more rock than perhaps The Script give out, but he’s is no rush to change the current style to anything heavier. “I think we’ll do that when we have our houses paid off” he laughs. “When it works for the first time you think if it isn’t broke don’t fix it, once we get a bigger and more loyal fan base one could start to take a few more risks. We’ll try and do that within reason, we don’t want to turn around and be a punk band, we still gravitate towards producing good songs and songs people can sing along with.”

Scoring their first number one collaborating with Will.i.am, the band aren’t afraid to call in their showbiz friends if needs be “He’s a real proper eccentric genius, just to have him down because he’s got so much going on was great. I wonder if he ever sits down and just reads a book because he’s always doing some sort of project. So when he came in we already had the song ready and he liked it, we didn’t write it together.”

The Script have undoubtedly seen their popularity rise with frontman Danny O’Donoghue appearing on the not-at-all-X-factor-ish show, The Voice. “It’s great; it bridges the gap between fan and band. A lot people knew our songs but didn’t know who the band was, and haven’t for years. Because of what he’s done it’s created an awareness of who he is and who we are as a band. Out of that came the collaboration with Will.i.am, all across the board it’s just helped us become better known. As we moved on with our career we realised we were going have to get our faces out there.”

Glen also has some interesting ideas on why the Irish are so loyal to their bands “I think we’re lucky in a way that Ireland had the potato famine” he laughs “because there’s so many Irish around the world, there’s a real sense of national pride, like it’s a clan or a tribe. We couldn’t be a better nationality going out into the world; it makes us feel close to home wherever we go. Any nationality has that; everyone wants to feel connected with something. The only advantage I think being Irish is because there are so many, particularly in America, every city you go to has an Irish bar. In that respect we kind of have the upper hand being a traveling nationality. Plus you’ve got paddy’s day, we’re having it in Manchester this year and we’re going to have a serious party, where else in the world do they celebrate someone else’s day like that. I love Manchester, it’s got a great energy, it reminds me of Dublin, and there are a lot of great looking women – there are some serious crackers here.”