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Day: 2 March 2017

Lunya Review

There’s a little hotel tucked in the hills above Ronda in Southern Spain that my parents have been going to since before I was even a thought. In fact, my grandparents stayed there the first year Molino del Santo opened. We returned last Easter for some much needed R&R and to enjoy their phenomenal food. It was there that, for the first time, I ate secreto ibérico, a succulent cut of shoulder from acorn fed pigs.

The memory of the taste flitted through my head when I visited a tapas restaurant in Liverpool but I failed to pin it down. The meal was excellent and I was happy to find that another had opened in central Manchester. It was called Lunya. I promptly forgot all about it. Fast forward to my return to Manchester and a chance shortcut through Barton Arcade bought me face-to-face with a sunshine yellow Mini Cooper with Moritz logo decals and a sign that had Lunya swirled across it. Remembering my trip to its sister restaurant, I promptly found a friend, Z, who was willing to visit and off we went.

Left in charge of the menu, I was delighted not only to find, but to recognise, the elusive secreto ibérico. I chose not to mention to my companion that it was served pink (perfectly safe with certain cuts and a chef who knows what they’re doing but can be off-putting) and ordered it. My other choices? Albóndigas (pork and beef meatballs), the classic patatas bravas, calamari, Catalan tomato bread, and my favourite, croquetas.

Despite the comparatively early hour (we arrived at 12:30), we thought a bottle of wine was the best way to start our catch up. I asked the sommelier to base his recommendations on the memory of a full-bodied red drunk at Molino. Peter Kinsella, chef-proprietor and resident wine expert suggested a Catalan wine with a similar flavour profile and after tasting it, we happily took his advice. If you ever want to get the most out of a wine list then make sure you ask for the sommelier, they are generally very approachable and eager to share their knowledge in order for you to chose the perfect bottle.

The tomato bread arrived rapidly, slightly warm and drizzled with an excellent olive oil. It had a fresh, clean taste — just as it should. The albóndigas, patatas bravas, calamari and croquetas followed in quick succession. Speaking as one who dislikes squid, their calamari is a revelation; slightly chewy but not in the least bit rubbery, unlike the horrors of my childhood. The rings of squid have been fried in a light yet crisp beer batter and are served sprinkled with sea salt, a well flavoured mayonnaise on the side.

To my advantage, Z announced he didn’t like allioli so I scooped up the top layer of crisp patatas bravas and enjoyed them alongside the small but perfectly formed albóndigas, the spicy sauces blending well with the cool allioli. The ham and cheese croquetas, normally the tapa I reach for first, were perfectly tasty morsels but could not stand up to the earlier, more punchy dishes.

As we came to the last of the potatoes, I reflected that it was nice to have a well executed meal that left me sated but not unpleasantly full. Then came the pork that, despite my delight in it’s presence on the menu, I had forgotten about. Six little slices, glistening with fat thanks to the diet of acorns, were arranged on top of a smooth beer and shallot purée and a tart red onion marmalade. As I ate the first slice, those wisps of memory became fully formed. This was the pork of my Spanish tinted dreams.

Despite proclaiming myself full, I never could resist a dessert menu, and summoned up even less restraint at the appearance churros on the list. We agreed to share as I dislike the chocolate on its own. Four pretty little churros soon came to the table, stacked next to a mug luxuriant hot chocolate. It was the sweetest full stop to the meal.

Half drunk bottle of wine tucked into my bag, we went downstairs to the deli attached to Lunya, exclaiming over an Aladdin’s cave of Spanish treats. With the bill came a feedback card and that gave 10 per cent off deli items, an impossible thing to resist when faced with so many quality ingredients. Z bought a Great Taste Award winning olive oil and I picked up some wonderful Catalan almonds, a firm favourite and excellent snack.

 

7 Barton Square

Deansgate

Manchester

M3 2BB

Album: The Orwells — Terrible Human Beings

Released 17th February via Canvasback

6/10

What could anybody ask of The Orwells? The Chicago five-piece were never exactly praised for their musical innovation, but rather for their greasy, deep-fried garage rock, a sunburned hybrid of Pavement and FIDLAR woozily tumbling down a hillside in a dustbin. Terrible Human Beings is their third album, and thus if rock cliché is anything to go by, either their ‘grand statement’ or potential entrance into the Last Chance Saloon.

However, despite their cavorting in front of the American flag for previous single ‘Who Needs You’, there is no discernable sense of raised stakes or weightier themes in Terrible Human Beings. From its dryly self-aware title onwards, it’s effectively The Orwells doing what they’ve always done. Awash with skatepark-at-sunset guitar leads, thudding basslines and Mario Cuomo’s (no relation to Rivers) yowling, stray-dog vocals, it is simply loose-limbed, shambolic rock, which in fairness The Orwells write quite well.

‘Black Francis’ (The Orwells are nothing if not subtle with their influences) is an endearingly dog-eared Neanderthal pogo whose verses seem to perpetually teeter on the verge of a melancholic wistfulness but exasperatingly never fully embrace this, distilling the song down to a ten-a-penny bash-and-crash chorus. ‘Hippie Soldier’ is better, a lethargic but catchy falling-down-the-stairs ramble gifted with a guitar bridge vaguely reminiscent of the 1975’s ‘You’, providing a welcome if brief respite from the album’s garagey thrash.

It’s when The Orwells stray from the formula that is rigidly adhered to throughout Terrible Human Beings that they become most interesting. ‘Body Reprise’ is a startling but effective foray into Sonic Youth-esque ambient noise, and the album’s opener ‘They Put a Body in the Bayou’ bursts into a widescreen chorus evoking Australian rockers Midnight Oil or more obscure Desert Rock outfits like Yawning Man.

However, most of the time The Orwells just sound like The Orwells, which hardly provides enough musical variation to sustain them over a forty minutes. This musical conservatism spawns uninspired duds like ‘Creatures’, a sleazy Iggy Pop pastiche which I’m struggling to recall even as I listen to it — most of the album’s 13 tracks simply blur into each other as mid-tempo rockers swathed in distortion. The predictably retro and reverberant production, which seems to typify modern garage rock as if the album was recorded in a smoky basement in 1969, is generic and unflattering here. At its worst, there’s barely a hair’s breadth between The Orwells and the countless denim-jacketed, shaggy mayfly bands who seem to come and go with the tides.

Despite all this, it’s difficult to hate The Orwells. They’re just kids thrashing away in the only way they know how to, and thus by some estimates are living the dream™ (at least to patronising critics like myself, who view them as some sort of musical noble savages). Thus, consumed appropriately, Terrible Human Beings is good wholesome fun for all the family. Maybe that’s what we should ask of The Orwells.

Tracks of the Week: 6th March

1. ‘Slide’ — Calvin Harris (feat. Frank Ocean & Migos)

This collab was teased a mere week before the track dropped, and it’s fair to say fans weren’t disappointed. Harris’ production is finally showing some development with less of the heavy drums we’ve been getting just a little bored of. But Frank and Migos totally steal the show in a way that makes it a song we’ll still be listening to in a few months’ time, while sprawled out on the beach.

 

2. ‘Victoria Falls’ —Flyte

If you’re a fan of up-and-coming bands, then Flyte are the ones for you. With a wealthy library of singles released over the past few years, this track has been released in the run-up to their eagerly-awaited new album. The London-based group have found their sound with elusive lyrics, ever-changing styles and their newest stuff is definitely trance-worthy.

 

3. ‘Lookin Exotic’ — Future

Whether you are a fan of Future or not, there’s something for everyone on his recently-released back-to-back albums. ‘Lookin Exotic’ is off HNDRXX, the second of the two releases, and features a new and brighter spin on his heavy trap influences. It’s the epitome of current hype tracks and shows off Future’s talents in the best way. His never-fading passion is so clear in this track that it’ll make you feel stronger after just one listen.

Jose Mourinho XI

Goalkeeper: David De Gea (Manchester United)

Probably the hardest choice of the XI, Mourinho has managed a wealth of world-class goalkeepers. Vitor Baia, Petr Cech, Julio Cesar, Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois have all played for and won trophies with the Portuguese boss, but De Gea trumps them all. He is undoubtedly one of the best in the world in his position, and if he stays at United, he will be a permanent fixture in their goal over the next 10-15 years.

 

Right-back: Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)

Mourinho recently said there was “no better right-back in football” than the Ecuadorian. Like De Gea, Valencia is one of the best in his position right now. Valencia has been at the club for seven and a half years and counting. This speaks volumes for his consistency, and while Mourinho is still the manager, there are many more appearances to come for United’s Mr. Reliable.

 

Centre-back: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Ramos never lets anyone down. He has been the same for every manager he has played for and is perhaps one of the best defenders ever to play the game. Over the last few years, he has written his name firmly into Real Madrid’s illustrious history. Mourinho began Ramos’ transition from marauding right-back into the complete centre-half.

 

Centre-back: John Terry (Chelsea)

Terry was Mourinho’s equivalent of Ramos while he coached at Chelsea during two spells. Terry is referred to by Chelsea fans as ‘Captain. Leader. Legend,’ and it was under Mourinho he became recognised as one of the best centre-backs in the world. Terry was the lynchpin of Chelsea’s defence, as he captained the Blues’ to three league titles under the guidance of Mourinho.

 

Left-back: Javier Zanetti – Captain (Internazionale)

Just as Terry was Mourinho’s captain fantastic at Chelsea, Zanetti lead Internazionale by example. Zanetti spent almost two decades playing for the Nerazzurri, and he racked up 143 caps for Argentina in the process. In his time playing for Argentina, he achieved five silver medals, but at Internazionale he regularly struck gold, including winning the treble under Mourinho in 2009/10.

 

Centre-midfield: Claude Makelele (Chelsea)

Makelele was so good he had a position named after him. Defensive midfielders have become priceless in today’s game, and it is the Frenchman that they all idolise. Makelele is an icon of the role. Costinha, Esteban Cambiasso, Xabi Alsonso and Michael Carrick, all manged by Mourinho, are also exceptional in this role, but Makelele will always be the commander-in-chief of defensive midfielders.

 

Centre-midfield: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

The greatest player in the history of Chelsea football club. Lampard scored 211 goals when he played in his beloved royal blue, making him the clubs all-time top scorer. When Mourinho coached Lampard, his game reached a whole different level, as he played an integral role in Chelsea’s title triumphs of 2005 and 2006, scoring 20+ goals in each season from midfield. Astonishing.

 

Right-wing: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Hazard is a truly sensational footballer. The Belgian wing wizard is a nightmare for any full-back, he can win games single-handedly, at just 26 years of age his prime could still be ahead of him. Mourinho’s star man won PFA Player of the Year in 2015 – Hazard was Mourinho’s shining light when he won his third title with Chelsea.

 

Attacking-midfield: Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale)

Mourinho’s Internazionale were a stubborn, water-tight defensive unit, they always kept the door shut. At the other end, however, they had players capable of making the difference at the crucial time – one of these players was Sneijder. If the Netherlands won the FIFA World Cup in 2010, Sneijder could have picked up the prestigious Ballon D’or in the year he also won a domestic treble, playing under Mourinho in Milan.

 

Left-wing: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Is there anything else left to say about him? Cristiano Ronaldo is any managers dream. The current Ballon D’or holder averages over a goal a game for Los Blancos as he has raced to becoming their all-time top scorer and most decorated player. Mourinho’s white machine in his time in charge of Real was fuelled by the Portuguese megastar, he hit 46 La Liga goals for Mourinho as Real marched to their only title in eight years in 2011/12.

 

Striker: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale/Manchester United)

Mourinho’s Swedish striking sensation said he felt like a “terminator” when he played for him at Internazionale. Now the pair are re-united as Ibrahimovic has become Mourinho’s equivalent of when he coached Ronaldo in Spain. Ibrahimovic has took the Premier league by storm, his prolific goal scoring and all round play combined with his brute strength earns the Scandinavian superstar the right to lead the line for Mourinho’s ultimate XI.

Claudio Ranieri Sacked: Right or Wrong, a Sad Day

On the 23rd of February, Leicester City fired their one and only top flight title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri. The champions of England brought football fans around the world together in awe over their unlikely Premier League victory last year; however, in sacking the veteran Italian coach, the Foxes have produced one of the most divisive and controversial decisions of the season. The club languishing only one point above the relegation zone, the team’s shock summit of the league tables now only a distant memory, chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha chose to remove Ranieri from his managerial post.

A mess of allegations against the club’s players followed after reports of a revolt in the squad cumulating in a supposed meeting with the club’s Thai billionaire owner which sealed the manager’s fate. However, since then players have appeared in multiple media outlets to deny these allegations, striker Jamie Vardy labelling them “untrue” and reiterating his “complete respect” for the genial Ranieri. The exact circumstances leading to the tipping point may never truly be known, but guilty or not of disloyalty, there is one thing that the Leicester players are most certainly guilty of: a direly lacklustre drop in form.

Vardy was the focal point last season, netting 24 goals. This season, the former Fleetwood forward has struggled to get on the scoresheet, suffering a nine game goal drought by mid-February. However central to the style of play, blame does not rest on Vardy’s misfirings alone: His inability to find the back of the net is a symptom of a wider underperformance from the whole team. Not one of Leicester’s title-winning team had reached the heights of last season other than midfielder N’Golo Kanté, since transferred to Chelsea. Perhaps the loss of such an integral defensive player doomed Leicester right from the start.

Ranieri’s dismissal split fans and pundits like the red sea. Irish pundit Niall Quinn remarked the club had “lost their soul”. Presenter Gary Lineker admitted that the sacking, coming just nine months after the 5000/1 title win, made him “shed a tear”, describing the move as premature, disloyal, and gobsmacking; other pundits were less sentimental. Retired manager Graeme Souness “fully understood” the sacking, putting it down to the “harsh reality of modern football”. Even he, however, saw that ultimately the blame lies more on the players than the manager: “They have to hold their hands up,” the Scot said.

What is almost more widely agreed to be curious though is the timing of the decision. Only the day before Leicester had looked on the verge of a turnaround, with Vardy breaking his goalscoring duck and a wonderful second half defensive display against an exceptional Sevilla. A crucial away goal to take back to the King Power Stadium for the reverse fixture kept them in the tie. Former Tottenham player Jermaine Jenas denounced the timing as “ludicrous”, and not without reason: Why remove Ranieri, especially after last season’s triumph, when the team looks to be right on the point of a recovery?

A turnaround so it proved to be. In the biggest opening night for a Shakespeare since Henry VI, the club’s caretaker boss oversaw a superb display, thumping Liverpool. Two more goals from a Vardy reminiscent of last season and a volley of incredible technique from Drinkwater, who lashed home his first goal of the campaign from outside of the box. A run of five top-flight defeats ended in spectacular fashion, and they played like the champions they are. Some used the result as evidence the sacking was premature; others that it worked. Most exasperatingly of all, though: Where had these players been all season?

Ranieri may have been back home in Rome but his presence was felt all over the stadium, which manager José Mourinho said should be named after him. The team that won the title returned to fans bearing messages of “Grazie Claudio”, brought close to tears by Nessun Dorma, stirring memories of the Italian’s celebrations just nine months previously. Whether right or wrong, the loss of Ranieri is a sad one. At the 65th minute of play, the whole ground rose and sung Ranieri’s name in remembrance. However, this was a night just as much about Ranieri as it was the players he left behind.

3-1. Turnaround.

Album: Xiu Xiu — Forget

Released 24th February via Polyvinyl

8/10

It is a truth universally acknowledged that some bands are angstier than others. This isn’t a problem in itself, but to keep things interesting some level of contrast is required and there are several ways in which bands have successfully done this. The Smiths, for example, managed it by injecting a streak of farcical humour into their bleaker lyrics. The Cure managed it by oscillating between upbeat pop tunes and intricately crafted gothic dirge.

Xiu Xiu, an American experimental rock outfit who take their name from a Chinese arthouse film about a destitute woman as a starting point for their usual mood, have also largely managed it on their latest offering Forget by blending band leader Jamie Stewart’s hauntingly frail voice with a compelling mixture of loud electro and traditional instrumentation.

The album opens with ‘The Call’, which blends shouted vocal samples into noisy synthesisers and sets the tone for the rest of the record with a voice repeatedly telling listeners to “clap, bitches”. It’s confrontational yet memorable, and even danceable — lead single ‘Wondering’ sounds uncharacterstically triumphant in contrast to much of the band’s previous overtly bleak work.

This isn’t to say that this is an upbeat record —‘Jenny Gogo’ alternates screams with lyrics such as “you’re too young to be this dumb… Gogo” over a loud sprawl of squealing synths, with subtler melodies buried in the mix. ‘Get Up’ and ‘At Last, At Last’ tread familiar and subdued territory, but are both perfectly placed to act as a counterpoint to the noiser tracks and showcase Stewart’s trademark frail vocals. For a man not yet forty years old, Jamie Stewart sounds incredibly like a latter-day Bowie at points and his vocals are repeatedly the standout feature of this record.

The album’s title track feels suitably climactic – layers of keyboards fall and bounce into what could almost be described as a drop while the vocals shout “forget!” again and again, sounding increasingly desperate as the song builds up, before the band head to the opposite end of the musical spectrum for the reflective ‘Petite’. Only the closing track ‘Faith, Torn Apart’ feels a little self-indulgent, as the already-downbeat eight-minute track ends with a long poem read over a background of dissonant ringing.

In a way, the final track demonstrates the traits Xiu Xiu have broadly been successful in avoiding on Forget. The more accessible approach to electronic music has allowed them to deliver their trademark dark lyrics in a much more compelling way; indeed, the impact of the recurring themes of regret are only amplified by the sleek production.

Zlatan’s United defeat the Saints

An inspired Zlatan Ibrahimovic guided Manchester United to their fifth EFL cup in a dramatic encounter with Southampton. There were many talking points from Wembley in a contest which ended 3-2 in favour of the ‘Red Devils’.

In the opening stages, less than ten minutes in, Southampton were denied a clear goal by an incorrect award for offside on Manolo Gabbiadini, after he sneaked behind the United defender to tap past David de Gea. This was yet another example of poor officiating in a season where performances of officials have come under more scrutiny than ever before. It is mistakes such as these which lead to the debate on whether or not technology should be used by referees to check such decisions as important as this. This being a cup final, it is crucial for such decisions to be correct, as highlighted by Southampton’s manager after the game.

To rub more slat in the womb of Southampton, it was mere minutes after this of when United got the opener. Romeu fouled Ander Herrera about 25 yards out, and Ibrahimovic struck the resulting free kick sweetly past a scrambling Forster. There is the argument that the keeper could have done more, but the pace and swerve of the ball makes it a little harsh to criticize the keeper too much.

Not long after United went 1-0 up, Jesse Lingard doubled their lead with a tidy finish after a clever move involving Martial, Mata and Rojo. At this point, Southampton were still playing the better football, it was just that United were more clinical in putting away their chances.

Southampton kept pushing, however, and finally got their deserved reward in first half stoppage time with a goal back. After having the earlier goal disallowed, Gabbiadini once again got behind Eric Bailly to poke through the keepers legs, and go in at half time only 2-1 down. A goal that is often seen in a five a side game where the striker ghosts through the defence, like my mate Rodd may score. The Italian just knew where to be and when to be there for Redmond’s cross.

Despite the introduction of Michael Carrick for Juan Mata, United continued to look vulnerable and it was still Southampton who were dominating possession and creating the chances. Shortly after Romeu hit the post from a corner, Gabbiadini grabbed his and Southampton’s second goal to get a deserved equaliser. The ball was heading back in to the box, Pogba missed it, and the Italian turned Chris Smalling and hit the ball first time to score a brilliant goal. It was with about half an hour to go and Southampton were level and playing the better football.

Having blown a two goal lead, United started to press more, with Jesse Lingard firing over from a great position when he should have done much better. The Saints also forced a couple of decent saves from de Gea before the crucial moment happened. With 3 minutes left, and Jose Mourinho about to introduce Wayne Rooney to the fold, Martial went around two defenders on the edge of the box, picked out Herrera on the corner of the box, who in turn delivered an inch perfect cross to find Ibrahimovic who was never going to miss. He headed straight past the keeper, to send the united fans behind the goal (and in my local pub) into frenzy. Zlatan was the match winner, as United held onto the ball for the final minutes and saw the game out. A truly enthralling game, in which the better team may have lost, two strikers stole the show and a poor officiating decision threatens to overshadow what was great cup final.

Ratings –
·         Southampton – Forster 6, Soares 6, Stephens 6, Yoshida 7, Bertrand 6, Ward-Prowse 7, Romeu 7, Davis 6, Redmond 8, Tadic 6, and Gabbiadini 9.

·         Man Utd – de Gea 7, Valencia 8, Smalling 6, Bailly 6, Rojo 5, Herrera 6, Pogba 5, Mata 4, Lingard 6, Martial 6, and Ibrahimovic 9.

Interview: Frank Iero

In the two and a half years since the release of his first album as a solo artist, Stomachaches, Frank Iero and his band have been through a lot; they’ve toured relentlessly across the world, recorded a new album and brushed shoulders with death. It’s been a pretty tough couple of years, but they’ve stormed their way out of it with a new band name and an album that doesn’t just pack a punch, it stabs you in the chest. Repeatedly. But, like, in a good way.

Parachutes delves into the depths of Frank Iero’s emotions with unflinching brutality. It’s not just an album, it’s an emotional excavation. And the result is uncompromising honesty. Volatile vocals meet flawlessly executed instrumentals and you’re left wondering how something so chaotic can be so perfectly contained, but it is. Frank Iero has perfected the art of encapsulated chaos, and watching him and his band The Patience bring this musical catharsis to the stage of Manchester’s O2 Ritz, this became abundantly clear.

“I feel like when I was making [Stomachaches] I was writing songs because I needed to… I had no intention of writing a record. I was just documenting what was in my head and trying to make myself feel better”,  Frank tells me. We’re sat on a sofa in one of the small rooms on the second floor of the Ritz, just a couple of hours before the band would be taking the stage in support of Taking Back Sunday. Whilst Stomachaches was not intended to be a full album, however, their latest release Parachutes required a different approach; “This time around I knew that I was going to be doing a record and that it was going to be released, so I wanted to be incredibly clear about what it was I was saying. I wanted to dig deeper than I ever had.”

“I don’t feel as connected to [previous band] Leathermouth as I do this project. This is the record that, if people were to ask if I could put my identity onto one disk, what would I show them, I would give them Parachutes.”

This level of honesty and emotional intensity is definitive of Frank Iero as a lyricist, a musician, and a performer. But I can’t help thinking how terrifying it must be, to share your deepest, rawest emotions with a room of strangers. “Oh absolutely.” Frank nods, “Absolutely. That’s the big decision I felt like I had to make going into the writing process; do you want to kind of fail what you’re saying and play it safe, give people what you think they want… or do you just say ‘fuck it’ and do everything you’ve ever wanted to do. That’s what I felt like I had to do.”

There is definitely something comforting about the cathartic nature that lies at the heart of Parachutes. People connect to honesty, and the intensity of the crowd during their set reflected this; people of all ages were able to lose themselves in the unrestricted vocals and the ferocious guitars as the frontman laid his heart out for all to see. “I only connect to honesty and realness”, Frank agrees, “When people are pretending or acting you can smell it from a mile off… How many people are in the world right now? 7 or 8 billion? It’s a lot of people. We have that many people, why would you want to be someone else? We have that already. The only person we don’t have is you.”

On previous tours, I’ve seen Frank and the band, formed of Matt Olsen on the drums, Evan Nestor on lead guitar and Steve Evetts playing bass, performing as Frnk Iero and The Cellabration, however this time they were Frank Iero and The Patience. I was intrigued to know about the reasons behind this name change, and whether there was a deliberate departure from Stomachaches and The Cellabration in forming the new material.

“I feel like you go into the studio and you put everything you have into this record and you come out a different person, a different band, yet you have to call yourselves the same name… so it’s sort of a way to get around that. If you’re gonna be different people, you might as well be called something else.”

“It was always gonna be my name because it’s a solo venture, but I had the ability to call the band whatever I wanted. The first time around I wanted to name it something I needed to bring with me; this kind of celebratory idea that would detract from my deficiency as a front man, because it wasn’t something I ever imagined I would do… But this time around I didn’t need that anymore. Now what I feel I need help with is patience, to live in the now and be happy, so that’s what that is about.”

It is clear that Frank has become a lot more comfortable in his role as a front man, but that doesn’t mean touring doesn’t still remain a daunting experience for him. “I think I work well when I’m scared shitless”, he confesses.

But while touring may scare him, he also describes it as one of his ‘parachutes’; the concept behind the album title being the idea that a parachute is one of the enjoyable elements of life that make the inevitable fall that bit easier. “I think parachutes can be anything in this context… anything that brings you joy, shows you what love is, makes your mouth open up in awe. I think those things are what allow us to see the beauty in the ugly. The beauty in the world.”

It also helps that this time around they’re touring with Taking Back Sunday, a band Frank has toured with as part of several of his projects, going way back to Skatefest in 2002. “It’s always fun to be able to play with bands that you respect as musicians and as artists, but also are great people that I kind of grew up with. It’s a good time always.”

And as for being in Manchester? “I fucking love Manchester. But I’m a little upset I’m not closer to Curry Mile.” He laughs. I had no idea Curry Mile was so renowned.

While Frank Iero and The Patience’s tour is coming to a close now, Parachutes is only just coming into its own. “2017 is gonna be a big year. It’s the year we finally get to see Parachutes grow and be a real boy.”

I, personally, cannot wait. But I had just one more question I wanted to ask, something that, as a fan, I really wanted to know Frank’s opinion on. While 2017 is set to be an exciting year for the band, it is also set to be a difficult year politically for many. As increasingly, music is being used as a tool to express political opinions and stances, I was interested in knowing what Frank’s feelings on this were.

“I feel like now is a very important time for artists. We are living in a world that is incredibly fear-based and that fear stems a lot from ignorance and then manifests itself into hate. I think artists have a big responsibility to show people what it is to be human again and to promote unconditional love.  I think that it is the most important message that music and art can put out there. There is a lot to be said about resistance and picking up signs, but we can’t forget that the only thing that’s going to save all this fucking atrocity and scariness and ignorance, is love. It really is, it’s the only thing that’s gonna save humanity.”

Top 5: Songs from Disney Movies

Three words. I know them. You know them. You probably spent the majority of the past three years trying to escape them. And no, it’s not ‘I love you’.

‘Let It Go’ not only saw Frozen take over pretty much the entire Western world, but it completely changed the game for animated movie soundtracks. It dominated the charts, it won several prestigious awards and it has captivated children and adults alike with the magic of Disney. But while ‘Let It Go’ is fantastically catchy, here are five other songs from animated Disney movies that deserve just as much recognition.

 

1.’I’ll Make A Man Out of You’ —  Donny Osmond

I am a firm believer that there is no problem that will not be made easier by listening to this song. One line in of this powerful track and there is nothing to stop you defeating the Japanese Huns, or indeed, that essay you’ve been putting off for three weeks.

2.’How Far I’ll Go’ — Auli’i Cravalho

If you’ve seen Disney’s latest, Moana, you will know how contagiously feel-good this song is. Auli’i’s beautiful vocals combined with the empowering lyrics result in a song that makes you feel like even you could pick up an oar and sail off on a world-saving adventure across the Pacific.

3.’Hakuna Matata’ — Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Joseph Williams

The Swahili phrase became internationally popular through this song, written by Elton John and Tim Rice, who found it in a Swahili phrasebook. The song remains one of the most well-known and iconic Disney songs, which can easily have you singing and dancing all your own worries away.

4.’Zero to Hero’ — The Muses

The Hercules soundtrack was done dirty. The female chorus, The Muses, bring the Greek mythology behind this film to live with their celebratory Gospel style and sharp, witty lyrics, and deserves so much more recognition.

5.’You’re Welcome’ — Dwayne Johnson

The second song from Moana on this list, Dwayne Johnson’s portrayal of demi-God Maui in this track captures everything needed for a Disney hit. This is the perfect song to get you revitalised and re-motivated during those long hours of the study period.

Review: Killing Curtis Drake

Advertised as a “dark, psychological, non-linear epic”, Killing Curtis Drake was, to be frank, underwhelming. With a run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, the show was indeed physically and emotionally exhausting, however for the wrong reasons.

The Wonder Inn is a fabulous venue, and something about the inconvenience of the place gives it an exclusive feel, but for this production everything fell on the side of overkill. The bare bones set, the fold up chairs and lighting crew sat in the corner came across as unprofessional rather than intimate, and the frequency of long, relatively impassioned monologues bemoaning the human psyche was simply frustrating. What was an original and curious plot-line was swamped by waves of conceited pseudo-intelligent text, which is a terrible shame considering the potential of the plot.

That being said, Catherine Snow does deserve credit for her consistent and clinical portrayal of Doctor Knight. In a cast of unfortunately stereotyped characters and stereotypical performances, Snow stands out as giving depth to the character and handling the reveal of a somewhat weak plot so well that it does not induce a groan. Whether it is writing or performance is unclear, but sadly George John is very one-dimensional as our protagonist Sam, although his line delivery is slightly more consistent than other performers. One very well written — or just performed — character is Philip, portrayed by Lucio Gray. A sweet-natured, honest man, he aids our protagonist Sam despite the fact that he bullied him at school. The doe-eyed Gray is beautifully innocent, delivers lines with ease and is all-round a wonderfully sympathetic character. Unfortunately, the dark, brooding antagonist he is faced with, Joseph, played by Sid Sinha, induces laughter as opposed to fear, and the clunky physical violence somewhat spoils Philip’s demise.

Although they were rather obvious, the lighting and music deserves praise for elevating a bland script with a smooth run and technically excellent lighting design. The original music, also by Lucio Gray, adds to the show immensely, and is at times the saving grace.

Overall, this should have been an excellent show that was let down by some rather key moments of weakness through acting and writing. Whilst it is of course a student show, and so standards must differ, the elements which one could forgive for being lower in a student production are excellently executed, namely the lighting and music. Sadly, this seemed more like an A-Level student performance than a university one.

Great British matriarchs

On this island, as in most of the world, our politics and ruling elite have been dominated by men. The less enlightened will quickly knee jerk to blame our Judeo-Christian heritage for this. That would would not only be wrong, but the kind of person who believes such a thing probably also believes that air conditioning is sexist and vows to smash the patriarchy every day before breakfast. Instead, blame the Romans; their society has shaped ours in many ways that we don’t know. But, compared to our continental friends, Britain is much more matriarchal than you might think. It must be remembered that our island is personified in the female form of Britannia. And before anyone says that it was the English who burned Joan of Arc, that was excusable because, above all, she was French.

The Roman province of Britain was troublesome for the empire; we required more than the average number of legions to keep us from rising up and kicking out our continental masters. Rebellions were tried and rebellions failed. But a great annoyance for Romans and the most well-known rebel leader of this time was Boudica, the woman who led the Iceni in rebellion against the empire and gave them hell until her eventual suicide as the prospect of capture became a reality. Her statue, complete with chariot, currently stands proudly on Westminster Bridge outside parliament, emanating a strength and defiance that has so often been the characteristic of our national spirit.

It must also not be forgotten that our three most successful and pivotal rulers have all been in the possession of two X chromosomes. Both of the Elizabeths and Victoria are, I would argue, the greatest monarchs this country has ever enjoyed. George III, while he did reign for a long time, lost Britain’s colonies in America and was a famous loony who would burry joints of beef in the palace gardens, believing that they would eventually sprout into ‘beef trees’. George V’s reign was also famously stuck in the mud. His drudging rule left us sluggish and unprepared for the latter half of the 20th century, and it was under his watch that the empire weakly gave up its control of Ireland.

Elizabeth I, however, is a very different kettle of fish. She came to the throne after succeeding her sister, whose rule was admittedly a complete disaster. Elizabeth’s rule is the time that I view as the foundation of the British Empire. It was her provocation of the Spanish and the complete defeat and humiliation of the Armada that left a gap in the market for Britain to stake its claim on the new world. After all, the state of Virginia is named after her. We stole the gold of the Spanish empire, at the time the global superpower, and ceased to be just a provincial backwater on the edge of Europe. She also firmly safeguarded the place of Protestantism in Britain and finished her father’s work in freeing us from the tyranny and zealotry of Rome, eradicating the possibility of an inquisition on this island.

Then we come to Victoria, a woman whose reign saw the empire rise to meteoric heights, a queen in an age that immensely shaped modern Britain. Were it not for her and her husband Albert’s patronage of causes that advanced the cause of modernism and struck the careful balance between sovereign and parliament, we would not be where we are today. Instead, we would probably have faced a much stronger republican menace than we have faced. While this opinion is currently shared between pitiful and unpatriotic weirdoes, back then it was a serious issue. Because of the misrule by monarchs of the 19th century, within the first 22 some years of the 20th century, the Emperors of Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire had all fallen. But it was Queen Victoria’s pragmatic rule and embrace of technology and science that not only allowed us to become a super power, but also saved us from the barbarity of republicanism and communist revolution. She is our second longest reigning monarch who, amongst other things, made the modern Christmas tree fashionable in Britain.

Finally, we come to our current monarch, Elizabeth II. Many do not think she is great; when I mention this to people, they usually laugh at the notion of her greatness as our queen. But, we must remember that she has been queen through possibly the most tumultuous period across the globe since the Napoleonic wars. In the wake of the Second World War, our empire, like many others, was in the process of collapse. Some countries dealt with this well. France certainly did not. Like Ziggy from Lazytown, they continued the mantra of pointing at their colonies and saying “this is mine”. As the queen of what was still the biggest empire in the world, she was pivotal in our decolonisation. She could have become involved by arguing for British resistance and entrenchment, which proved so disastrous for Portugal and France, but instead she saw the signs. She has led us out of empire and into the age of the commonwealth, and for that we should be grateful.

So next time you give a thought to Britain’s rulers, remember that our Queens have proved able captains of the ship of state that our kings rarely were.

Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats

Buddy Holly. Chuck Berry. Billy Fury. If these names are met with confusion, then perhaps look elsewhere. If, however, like the three and a half million fans who rushed to buy the Dreamboats and Petticoats compilation albums, you are a fan of these names  then look no further. Be it the toe-tapping tunes or simply the nostalgia, Dreamboats and Petticoats is a thoroughly feel-good musical displaying some of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll songs from the 50’s and 60’s. With songs like ‘Let’s Twist Again’, ‘Runaround Sue’ and countless other favourites it is hard to imagine a rock ‘n’ roll fan not finding a few of their favourites amongst the hits.

Dreamboats and Petticoats flows from hit to hit to tell the story of a collection of aspiring musicians from St Mungos Youth Club as they aim to write a hit song to enter into a national song-writing competition. Swept up with the usual emotions found in a sixteen-year-old, and infatuated by the beautiful Sue, Bobby fails to notice both the admirations, and the unique song-writing talent of Laura. In fact it is not until she joins forces with the oh-so-popular Norman that her talents and her feelings come to his attention. Will Bobby realise in time that his best shot of writing a hit song, and perhaps of finding love, lie with the somewhat more shy and retiring Laura? To find out you’ll have to visit!

One criticism of the musical may be that there are simply too many songs in a short space of time. The songs are all performed live, and exceptionally so it must be said, however on more than one occasion a song moves into another song without any linking dialogue making following the story a touch more difficult than perhaps it needs to be. That said, the quality of music on show is stunning — so much that at times it was hard to believe that it could be entirely live. Not one vocal performance let down any one of the others and, with the exception of a couple of jokes that fell a little short of the mark, the general quality on show from the relatively small cast was exemplary. A particular mention to the vocal performance of Norman, the perfectly coiffured dreamboat himself, must be made. Bearing a striking resemblance to one Billy Fury, both the vocals and the dance moves to accompany them were quite something to behold.

Featuring a ten minute “audience participation” section at the end of the musical which saw numerous members of the audience take to the aisles to dance, Dreamboats and Petticoats is the epitome of “feel-good”. While I can’t decide if this final section was a thoroughly enjoyable chance to witness couples nostalgically reliving their teens or a somewhat bizarre moment observing some questionable dance moves which surely only come out after one too many wines, there is no denying that it was enjoyable. In fact, the word enjoyable goes a long way to describing this musical entirely. Some very impressive individual displays, coupled with music that I happen to thoroughly enjoy, an immersive live performance and the almost-tangible sheer joy with which the audience met the majority of songs means that this musical is one, so long as you like rock ‘n’ roll, that is not to be missed.

Learn to forgive yourself

As we get older, life presents situations of more weight and importance, more opportunities seem to arise, which consequently gives us all have a bank of regrets. Some of us only regret a few, significant things of weight. We might regret not going to the gym, or making a nasty comment whilst in a bad mood, but either way, everybody has a few memories in their mind, which make them feel a little uncomfortable.

Recently, my dad sent me a link to a radio podcast he suggested would help with my work (I study Philosophy). It didn’t at all, but it did help me heal a little more in terms of guilt.

In this podcast, Bishop Richard Holloway gave his insight into forgiveness and looking back. Obviously, I’m 20 and (hopefully) far from the end of my life, however the podcast was relevant. It can be understood by anyone who’s lived at all, unless you literally don’t care at all how you treat others or yourself, you’re unlikely to not have one regret.

The first idea Holloway introduces is the idea of free will. We all seem to think we get to choose our actions and, consequently, be and become the person we want to be. We can decide ahead of time how we will act and therefore generate the outcome according to our idea of who we are. But perhaps this isn’t the case, and we don’t get to always decide how we act. If we did, and if we had always contemplated our actions to be perfect each time, surely we would regret nothing. Instead, it’s suggested time is the weaver of our lives. All the times I can remember saying or doing something less than ideal, and of which I have suffered consequences, I never meant to do. I have never intended to perform an action that would make me anything less than a perfect person. But moments are so fast and unique and decisions can be thoughtless, and before you know it you’ve done it, and before you know it you’re pacing your room at 4am wondering if sleep is something you’ll ever know again. But this is the thing — we don’t always have control! Yet we tell ourselves we are fully responsible. For some reason it must always be a person that takes responsibility for an action; they executed it, they are to blame.

But what if we stopped looking at it like this? What if we realised we didn’t mean to do the ‘bad’ thing we did? It wasn’t a conscious decision made with our desired character at heart. We cannot be exactly who we want to be all of the time. We don’t have the control. To illustrate this point, Holloway uses the betrayal of Jesus by Peter. I’m not religious but this story really helped me consider my own forgiveness. Peter was a passionate man, he loved Jesus, and after hearing the police were coming for Jesus, assured him of his support and protection. He had every intention of behaving that way, as it was who he was, and he wanted to. But, when he was faced with the reality, he failed himself and refused any connection to Jesus, letting him be taken. The point Holloway makes is that Peter really didn’t want to do this. He really was amazed and filled with anguish over what he had done. The conclusion Holloway draws from this story is that Jesus understood human nature; ironically, that we do not know our own nature. But when it is revealed to us, in the moment, we must accept however we react. Until it happens, we cannot know ourselves. Peter has the chance to repent, and announces with the same amount of passion the love he has for Jesus, as he did deny his love for Jesus. In doing this, the act has not been forgiven, as perhaps it was (as some of our actions are) inherently wrong, but rather the actor, who has had the chance, upon reflection, to understand what they really mean and want.

One philosopher, says “our tragedy is, that though we did not know what we were doing when we acted, our actions were irreversible.” This, I think, forgives one’s actions in a situation of which one has never found themselves before, because how could we expect them to know how to act? One’s actions in response to being put in such a situation is who they were in that moment. It is not who they are full stop. And, as a favourite quote of mine says: “Part of being human is that we can’t go back, we can only hope that if we come across that moment again, we’ll do it the right way.”

Album: Thundercat — Drunk

Released 24th February via Brainfeeder

8/10

Bass guitar virtuoso Thundercat has released his first full-length album since collaborating with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp A Butterfly. The undeniable funk he brought to Pimp is fleshed out and explored on this new record. However, Kendrick fans looking for more TPAB should be warned: this album would fit more comfortably on a shelf of jazz-fusion records than with most melodic hip-hop.

They would soon figure that out for themselves. Album openers ‘Rabbot Ho’ and ‘Captain Stupido’ offer common jazz-fusion tropes. The dissonant chords, wandering keys, drunk-feel rhythm quickly prepare the listener for music which some may find a little alien. After just a few words sung in delicate falsetto by Thundercat himself, and the album opens up into a colourful sonic palette. Exciting and fast-paced, it’s a great introduction for the new fans he has no doubt picked up since TPAB.

As is often the case with fusion, the album is a display of sheer ability. There is no better example than the track ‘Uh Uh’. I’m sure I could find some clever musical choice he’s made on this track, but it would be beside the point. This track is just so fast. Bass guitars are, for all intents and purposes, a large slab of wood with thick metal rods nailed in at either end. The speed at which Thundercat can pluck those thick metal rods with one hand whilst the other explores the entire length of the neck is dazzling. I’m sure Formula One cars have been intricately designed, and that each curve in the chassis delivers optimum aerodynamic performance, but when I see them go by, all I’m thinking is: how on earth did anyone make that do this?! The same logic applies here.

Moments of calm keep this album from becoming unfocussed. ‘Show You The Way’ featuring Kenny Loggins is smoother than silk. Listening to the vocals on ‘Lava Lamp’ is hypnotic. The fast-paced transitions between bass-driven funk and soulful song writing really make this album pop. Thundercat will spend thirty seconds impressing you, stop, and then spend three minutes moving you.

Great albums have their flaws, and as is so often the case with fusion, here it is the lyrics. Corny sci-fi themes, half-hearted criticisms of the smart phone era, cats… They appear on the more technical songs and feel like an afterthought. However, on more soulful tracks, for example ‘Walk On By’, the confessional diary style lyrics suit the music and give more reason to sway than just the underlying groove. Kendrick even provides a verse and it’s clear the influence has flowed both ways since TPAB. ‘Jameel’s Space Ride’ turns what could be another corny sci-fi track into a cautious response to police violence in the US. ‘Friend Zone’ features a bassline that may remind listeners of TPAB opener ‘Wesley’s Theory’; a token “b*tch don’t kill my vibe” from Thundercat confirms that.

Drunk is a fully-formed album, displaying Thundercat’s technique and soul. It will surely make it’s way on to a few best of the year lists.

Case study: theBalm cosmetics

TheBalm are an up and coming makeup brand based in the US. They have a full range of beauty products, from highlighters to foundation; mascaras, eyeliners, and even a collection of lip products. But it is their eye shadow pallets which have proved to be most popular.

Currently, their eye shadow pallets come in two ranges: Nude Tude/ Dude collection and Meet Matt(e). The play on words the brand has adds to their unique quality. The great thing about Meet Matt(e) is that it’s exactly what it says on the tin: they are all matte shades, meaning that you get a good range of one style. Matte eyeshadows, along with the liquid matte lipstick craze, are currently a huge trend. It is also particularly good for everyday wear as it can be subtler than a more shimmery eye look. However, although matte is on trend for the moment and trends are temporary, don’t let this put you off. Matte eye shadows are timeless. Plus, the range of brown shades in each of theBalm’s eye pallets can also double up for your brows.

Meet Matt(e): Nude pallet has some lovely muted purple, pink, and brown tones: perfect for smoking into the crease of your lid. Their darker colours like ‘Matt Johnson’ and ‘Matt Wood’ have a subtle, more muted undertone, so they don’t appear too striking. If you want some colour tones which are a bit more distinct, Meet Matt(e) Trimony has some richer shades, giving the tone of their colour more depth. The shades ‘Matt Lin’ and ‘Matt Lopez’ break up the pallet, giving you a few good possible options for the base colour. They also work well as transition shades with the stronger shades. ‘Matt Kumar’, ‘Matt Moskowitz’, and, ‘Matt Reed’ are all nice warm tones that can be dulled down for day wear, or used more heavily for the evening. These colours all work nicely when smoked along your lower lash line.

If glitter is more your look, theBalm has Nude Tude and Nude Dude pallets. These come at a lower price; RRP at only £32.00 for the 12 shades. The good thing with this collection is that the pallet comes with a brush; very similar in style and usage as the brush in Urban Decay’s Naked range. Nude Tude offers more ‘feminine’ shades you could say, with some shimmery coppers, silvers, and golds; as well as a few lighter tones, which serve well for highlighting the brow bone and inner corner of the eye. They also have ‘Sexy’, ‘Serious’, and ‘Sleek’, three shades which have more depth to them. Nude Dude, however, offers a range of pink, red, and purple tones.

One major plus about this brand is that they claim to not test on animals, stating on their website: ‘Our line of cosmetics is not considered a vegan line as some of our ingredients may have animal by-products (such as bees wax or carmine) but do not contain any ruminant extracts or derivatives. Distributors of theBalm Cosmetics from all over the world do not test our products on animals.’ Recently they have released a new vegan matte pallet to add to their range Meet Matt(e) Ador.

You can purchase theBalm products at Superdrug, Look fantastic, and ASOS.

 

the balm.com

 

One Mic Stand

On Friday the 3rd of March, 7pm at the Contact Theatre, Young Identity — a poetry collective that run workshops for free with young people all across Manchester — will be putting on their now infamous One Mic Stand. With the brightest young poetry talent from across the city competing, it looks to be a fantastic night, featuring guest artists Misha B and Tolu Agbelusi and special guest DJ Chris Jam. Poets are given 3 minutes each to impress the audience with their masterful use of language and performance, to battle it out to gain the top spot and with the grand prize of £50.

Reece Williams, who helps run Young Identity, said: “One Mic Stand has established itself as one of the premiere spoken word nights in Manchester. The poetry punches, soothes and informs and the music always plays to the soul. If you don’t know, come on down and get to know.”

This is one of the most atmospherically exciting nights in Manchester at the moment, and taking place just down the road at the Contact Theatre, it is easily accessible. Tickets are priced at £5 for students with the event taking place between 7pm and 10pm.