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Year: 2017

Claudio Ranieri Sacked: Right or Wrong, a Sad Day

Written by Jack Greeney on . Posted in Sport.

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

Written by Jacob Hopkins on . Posted in Music.

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

Written by Joe Murphy on . Posted in Sport.

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

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

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

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

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

Written by Rhiannon Symonds on . Posted in Theatre.

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

Written by Colm Lock on . Posted in Opinion.

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

Written by Mia Davis on . Posted in Theatre.

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

Written by Ella Kashti on . Posted in Lifestyle.

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

Written by Christian Hurry on . Posted in Music.

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

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

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

Written by Roma Havers on . Posted in Books.

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.

Venture Further: a taste of success

Written by Gemma Sowerby on . Posted in News.

Manchester Enterprise Centre is looking to support the next big start-up from the University of Manchester through Venture Further 2017, inviting students and recent alumni to submit a business proposal to an expert judging panel of enterprise and business professionals.

The competition allows for individuals or groups to receive expert feedback on their business ideas and gives them an opportunity to win a £10,000 cash injection to get their business off the ground.

Previous winners and finalists have included craft beer company Shindigger Brewing Co., baby carrier business Joy and Joe, online payments system MishiPay and social enterprise Social Growth.

While studying for his PhD in Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester student Leopoldo Herrera-Rodríguez noticed that so often students who create their own start-up fail to move the business forward, due to a lack of access to the right skills. Recognising the need to remove this significant barrier to progress, Leopoldo founded Student Talent Pool, a service that matches students with certain skills to internal university start-ups.

Working with his team of Alex Geddes and Eileen Brandenberger, they entered their idea into Manchester Enterprise Centre’s Venture Further competition in 2016, and were announced as runner up in the social category.

“Students often struggle to bridge the gap between having a great idea and transforming that into a viable business that attracts investment, as they do not have access to the broad range of skills necessary to do this,” Leopoldo says. “A classic example is someone who has developed a brilliant concept for an app, but does not know an app developer, so the project falls flat before it has even begun. We knew that there was huge pool of talent at the university, and we wanted to leverage this to ensure more start-ups had the chance to be successful, uniting people with a common entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Today’s job market is incredibly competitive, so the more hands-on business experience you have, the better. A start-up environment is the perfect place to refine and build on your existing skills, but also develop new ones — the collaborative environment means you find yourself doing a bit of everything, which is a really valuable addition to anyone’s CV.

“Venture Further was a fantastic opportunity for us. We benefitted greatly from the interaction with other start-ups, as it allowed us to refine our own ideas by learning about the challenges they face. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the experience to anyone looking to validate their business idea, refine their business plans to make them the best they can be, and receive invaluable feedback and guidance from the experts at Manchester Enterprise Centre.”

Dr. Martin Henery, Venture Competition Director, said: “Venture Further is the perfect platform to put your plans to the test. We are here every step of the way to help you take your idea and turn it into a viable business;  many past entrants — not just the winners — have gone on to launch and sustain successful ventures.

“By the same token, many of our students already have their own businesses, and Venture Further is here to give them a boost and take their enterprise to the next level.”

Venture Further is supported by Jacobs, Manchester Science Partnership and Waters. The deadline for applications is 29th March. For more information visit the website.

Refusing the Israeli Defence Force

Written by Ella Kashti on . Posted in Features.

At the age of eighteen, all Israeli men and women must register to join the Israeli Army, for two or three years respectively, unless they take the option for a year out to volunteer on social grounds before joining the army, or if they declare that they cannot serve for religious reasons.  Most Jewish religious girls don’t serve in the army. Tair Kaminer — now twenty years old — took the social opportunity, and arrived at an Israel-Gaza border town called Sderot in the summer of 2014 to begin one year’s work. Born into a political family, Tair was around those who opposed the occupation and already knew of her cousin, Madat, who had refused conscription in 2001. Because of this, she decided it was necessary for her to experience what she would be participating in, before she agreed to help the Israeli Defence Force. It was on this year out that she witnessed events that would lead to her refusal to serve the IDF, and land her 155 days in prison.

When the state of Israel was founded in 1948, Palestinians were pushed out of land they had inhabited for decades. After the Second World War, Jewish refugees emigrated to what they believed was their promised land from God. The West Bank (of the River Jordan) and the Gaza Strip remained the only Palestinian territories where Israelis did not live, but they were occupied by Jordan and Egypt respectively.  After the 1967 war, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip came under Israeli occupation, and Israelis began settling there.

Now the Gaza Strip is home to an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians. Situated on the West coast of Israel and bordering Egypt, a mere one-hour journey from the vibrant Westernised economic capital city of Tel Aviv, Gaza houses a large population of Palestinian refugees. Israel has held Palestinians under blockade since 2005 when Hamas (an extremist Islamic faction whose declared aim is to annihilate the state of Israel) gained control of the Palestinian government, and have since controlled what goes in and out of Gaza, including food, arms, and people.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is responsible for enforcing this regime, and when young people in Israel are drafted, they serve this operation. Tair, keen to open her eyes to the reality of the conflict, therefore chose to spend her year living amongst those affected by the occupation (remaining in Israeli territory), in the impoverished town of Sderot, on the Gaza Strip border. Due to a “combination of what I saw, the war jibes amongst the children there”, and “racism towards the Arabs”, Tair decided when her enlistment date came in January of 2016, she would refuse to serve. Tair was moved by hearing the children she worked with talk of their non-existent summer holidays that year due to war, and joking that whilst they may get one next year, the year after is unlikely.

To finalise her decision, and to make sure she was making the right choice for herself, Tair did further research to find other past ‘refuseniks’, to investigate what the service as a soldier in occupied territories actually means, and what rights the Palestinians had. She described it “hard to enlist” once she had found out the answers. However, she also found that whilst it is the law to serve in the IDF, there are a handful of official reasons that can allow exemption. These include pacifism, health, religion or a lack of financial ability, since soldiers are unpaid. Tair did not fall into any of these categories, because she did not describe herself a pacifist, but simply against the policies of the occupation.

When Tair’s enlistment date arrived, she arrived with her parents and declared refusal on grounds of “conscience”. She would not serve the army, participating in a body whose actions were against her moral values. She was instantly sent to serve 21 days in prison; the standard initial punishment in the IDF. By the time of her release, she had had these 21 days reissued five times.

Near the beginning of her imprisonment, Tair was put in front of the ‘Conscience Committee’, whose job is to evaluate those who refuse service on similar grounds. Should they find her to be a legitimate pacifist, she could have been released immediately on these grounds. However, to be a pacifist is to reject all violence and wars, but Tair’s statement and refusal was against this specific regime. She recalls being asked “if you were in a room, with a gun, and Hitler walked in, would you kill him?”.  This kind of question was clearly chosen to throw people off, and get them back into uniform. But Tair was not willing to be labelled a pacifist as it undermined what she was standing for, and chose to return to jail.

I asked Tair if she was afraid. She replied “yes, I was scared. But what the Israeli government is doing and the consequences of serving are scarier.” She noted that every time someone was imprisoned for these reasons, especially young girls, there’s a lot of media coverage. For Tair and those trying to get a message out to get people rethinking and questioning their participation, this was more than welcomed, and Tair “hoped she had had some impact”.

Once imprisoned, Tair recalls what daily life was like. Since she was not in a prison for criminals, she lived amongst others with offences ranging from taking the same route of refusal as Tair, to rudeness to commanders, or simply not being dressed correctly. Insultingly, she was referred to as “solider” throughout her stay, as well as repeatedly having to announce “yes sergeant” or “present” whenever it was demanded of her. In the army, soldiers are ordered to pay “respect without reason” as Tair put it, to your superiors; something that she was not comfortable with. However, for the majority of enlisted soldiers, it is a reality they accept blindly; it’s just how the system works. Though she described the experience as “humiliating”, she said that in this sense, it was not more so than the humiliation of being a solider in training. However, her liberties were fewer. Though she had no personal phone and limited access to contacting her family, she recalls that the strongest punishment she faced was simply her lack of freedom.

Each time Tair was to be released, a warrant was sent out for her to return the same day. Clearly a fearless woman, Tair often prolonged her stays at home from one day to two, and returned late, to be met with further punishments. All these tactics seemed to also contribute towards the army’s efforts to show the heavy price you pay should you refuse service on this ground, discouraging others who may feel they would like to do the same. Refusing to serve the Israeli army for certain reasons is not something you get away with lightly. All the while, there was the option to claim mental instability diagnosed by a psychiatrist who was, frankly, unlikely to claim she was stable. This would have allowed an early release back to comfort.

However, Tair persisted, and her story, which was documented in a weekly journal entry in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, clearly had some impact as there are currently three more girls in the same prison, serving for the same reason. Tamar Zeevi and Tamar Alon are currently serving their fifth batch of twenty day sentences, which by the end of February will have accumulated to one hundred days. Atalya Ben Aba is serving her first twenty days currently, too. Together, they are part of a resistance movement, named MESARVOT, which literally translated is the female word for refuse in Hebrew. It is a support network for those who have refused service, so they are not alone in their fight.

Since her release in July of 2016, Tair now studies Arabic whilst she volunteers in a school and continues her activism. “As a political activist you attend many political events and demonstrations where you need the Arabic language. In addition, it is always important to be able to speak other languages [other than] Hebrew, that everyone [is] forced to know because of the occupation. It is important so you can show that you are a real partner, it is good to have the option to speak it with your friends.” Whilst she feels the ever-present difference in the life of her friends contrasted to hers, she maintains she does not regret her decision not to serve in the Israeli army, but instead to fight for her beliefs.

Just me, being me

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Attempting to describe my own style is own of those things I find strangely daunting, partly it’s the fear of sounding pretentious, equally realising it’s a very personal thing to describe. Do I really want to pigeon hole my own look? Then I remember I don’t wear anything that dramatically exciting in the first place.

Fashion has been my love since I was a child; I used to draw my mum designs of the clothes I wanted her to wear — trust me when I say my mum suffered a fashion blip from 2000-2007 (sorry mum). From there it blossomed; one, accepting I would never  make it as a designer, and two, exploring the clothes that I, me, myself, wanted to wear.

When I reached the age where I no longer looked like a spotty potato, I fell into the lure of wanting to look in some way ‘grown up’ or ‘sexy’: mini skirts, tight tops and skinny jeans were staples. I won’t deny it I still love those pieces now but I have advanced in my wardrobe too.

With age came the understanding that bodycon is not the only option. Slowly but surely I have ventured further into the plethora of fashion silhouettes, midi skirts, culottes, over-sized jumpers (a particular favourite) have merged with my itty-bitty clothes. I definitely always like to keep an element of my outfit fitted, even if that means wearing a giant jumper dress so my legs peak out of the bottom. There’s something in me that refuses to be demure all the time.

Since coming to university the greatest shift in my style has most definitely been colour. I never used to shy away from colour, and then I started working at DKNY — we wear black. Suddenly, my mind was converted to the joys of a neutral palette, minimalism and timelessness. However, the best thing working there has taught me is how clothes should fit; that the size of my clothes has no relation to my size. The number one fashion lesson for anyone — don’t fixate on size!

I would be doing my sense of fashion a dishonour if I did not devote some time to my numero uno fashion bae — the black ankle boot. Preferably pointed. I wear them pretty much every day, have varying heel heights and styles (depending on the occasion), there is no better shoe. Come winter I don my ankle boots with a giant polo neck jumper so I can look as much like Liam Neeson circa Love Actually as possible. In summer I part with my black boots in favour of Birkenstocks, plus, as of last year, the most divine pair of tan brown mules.

I don’t think I would feel comfortable to sum up my sense of fashion with an adjective or a phrase, but there is an inherent me-ness in everything I choose to wear. Much as I may love Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Alexa Chung or Liam Neeson’s clothes (read jumpers), my style is that moment of putting on an outfit and thinking it will make my day just that bit better. But don’t hold me to that when I turn up to lectures in my gym kit!

Advice column 1

Written by Rachel Adams on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Xavi: “I’m worried about exam results coming out really soon! How do I relax myself?”

If you’re worried about exam results, I’d recommend trying to take your mind off them. I know that’s easier said than done, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing you can do to change them now! Go out with your friends, ring a family member, or just go for a walk. Getting fresh air will help you feel better, and will reduce your anxiety. Hope it all goes well!

Anna: “I struggle a lot with anxiety, what help is available and how do I find it?”

The university has a really good Counselling Service which can help you out if you’re struggling with any kind of mental health issue. I would also recommend talking to someone; a friend, a member of your family, or even your Academic Advisor. One of the worst things for anxiety is to suffer in silence, so make sure you find someone you can talk to. There are loads of online resources available for you as well, like Nightline where you can anonymously talk to someone.

Jake: “I’m worried about not knowing what I want to do after university. Where can I get help and advice with this?”

First of all, it’s perfectly normal to feel worried and scared about not knowing what you want to do after university. Hardly anyone knows, so you’re not alone! If it’s making you worry a lot, then I would suggesting using the Careers Service and read some of the material they have on offer there, or make an appointment with a Careers Advisor who can give you more information and advice. Apart from that, just sitting down and having a think about what you would enjoy as a job might give you an idea of what sector or section of employment you would want to go into.

Are cocktails giving you brain damage?

Written by Sophie Manley on . Posted in Lifestyle.

One quick comment before I bombard you with scary facts about alcohol: it can be really hard in life to get it all right and be healthy all the time, and I’m not saying you should be all at once. We’re all under so much pressure in this world already, without feeling like we can’t enjoy simple pleasures and let loose every so often. It’s important to not feel deprived and to make fulfilling choices that feel good. I personally am working towards a mental state where I feel great about making the healthiest choice, and it’s a really exciting journey.

Alcohol is, unfortunately, one of the biggest killers in the world. Alcohol abuse is embedded into our society to such an extent that most people wouldn’t go to social occasions or music events if they weren’t going to drink. Decreased inhibitions, questionable decisions and ‘hilarious’ displays of clumsiness (AKA your brain shutting down) seem to be the only way that we can go out, enjoy ourselves, and fit in.

I am by no means tee-total or have any desire to become so while I’m still at university, but it’s something I’d really like to be by the time I’m 30 – I hope that most of the damage can be undone (or at least slightly repaired) while I’m still young. And yes, 30 is still young.

I’m writing a lab report on the “Effects of Ethanol on Performance” and subsequently have done a lot of research to find out what exactly ethanol does when it enters our body. The first thing that shocked me was the amount of evidence proving how bad alcohol is for you, and the fact that it’s a misconception that a little bit is good for you. No alcohol is good for you. Period. What’s good for you is the other nutrients in the drink e.g. antioxidants in wine, yeast in beer etc.

When the mainstream attitude to smoking changed around 2005 or 2006, the government ruled that all smoking products must have visual and written warnings of its harmful effects, but alcohol kills more people than cigarettes do! Where are the pictures showing brain damage and rotting livers on alcoholic drinks? The list of potential poor decisions, and the consequences of emotional and psychological trauma?

Alcohol is a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant. Your CNS is made up of your brain and spinal cord and controls most functions in your body and mind. Ethanol (the alcoholic component of drinks) depresses the CNS; in other words, slows it down and stops it from working. Ethanol acts on various receptors in the brain: this results in decreased motor (movement) functions, confused thoughts, decreased awareness and poor coordination.

It also interferes with your ability to lay down memories and to learn by blocking specific signalling pathways. You’re all thinking, “well yes we know all that!”, “I frequently wake up with no recollection of the night before.” “My friend was throwing up all night last week, it was hilarious.” Why? Why is it funny to see people poison themselves, to the point where their body has to reject everything in their stomach so their organs don’t shut down?

Prolonged drinking causes irreparable damage in the brain, destroys your liver and diminishes your immune system. Short-term drinking decreases the effects of your immune system, making you much more likely to contract a virus or bacterial infection after a night out; and long-term drinking increases the immune system, causing inflammatory diseases and internal damage. Alcohol is commonly known to be bad for people with digestive disorders including IBS and interferes with a lot of medications.

Quick fact: the reason people with less body fat get drunk quicker is because alcohol is very soluble in water but not soluble in fat. So if you have more fat cells in your body, alcohol is less likely to pass out of your blood, and will head straight to the liver to get broken down. It also makes sense that if you’re a bigger, or a taller person, there’s more blood for alcohol to get absorbed into, thus the concentration of ethanol at any one point in your body will be less.

I understand that it is very important for people to belong in their society and to fit in with cultural norms, and social drinking is a part of that. I’m not writing this to try and convince everybody to stop drinking and boycott all bars and nightclubs, I’m writing this just to draw your attention to it. The next time your friend chooses not to drink on a night out, respect that decision.

If you see your friend about to cross the line between drunk and smashed, give them a glass of water. Value yourself sober. Your sober self is good enough, fun enough, and happy enough. And if you turn to drink to escape life, have a good look at what you’re escaping from and try and fix that instead, rather than just forgetting it for a night.

This article is taken from Sophie’s blog, Holistic Health and Relatable Science. Read more here.

Album: Jens Lekman – Life Will See You Now

Written by Calum Pinder on . Posted in Music.

Released 17th February via Secretly Canadian

8/10

Jens Lekman’s last album I Know What Love Isn’t was a more subdued affair than his first two: Jens’ inventive lyricism was present but musically the album was more reigned-in. Despite being a solid record, it lacked some of the experimental flair of Night Falls Over Kortedala. This unfortunately resulted in lower turnout at his live performances, which did not go unnoticed by Lekman.

In response the Swedish musician imposed restrictions on the subjects of his next album, aiming to make drastic changes to his style. However, finding this to be stifling and painful, Lekman went through a series of musical projects for inspiration. Five years later, the result is Life Will See You Now, an album that showcases a more mature and developed artist ready to dazzle once again.

As with previous albums, Life Will See You Now is composed largely of self contained quirky tales. Generally set to typical baroque-pop strings and pianos, Lekman litters tracks with synths and samples. Album opener ‘To Know Your Purpose’ sets the tone for the album, with a more full-bodied orchestral arrangement. Lekman deals with ageing in an unusual way, looking back on his teenage self through the eyes of an older person.

This peculiar, detached self-awareness is a continued theme throughout the album. ‘Postcard #17’, one of two remnants from his aforementioned experimental writing processes, addresses his insecurities following the release of his last album. It seems appropriate given the song comes from the postcard series, a collection of songs written and released on a weekly basis whilst Jens was trying to start writing his new album.

‘Wedding In Finistere’ mirrors ‘If You Ever Need A Stranger’ from Lekman’s first album, and again Lekman illustrates the changes in his attitude. Instead of his previous melancholic “matrimonial obsession,” he now exhibits a cynical glee at the the mixture of hope and regret he sees in the practice.

Perhaps due to this self awareness, Lekman gently experiments with his established style, to generally positive results. ‘How We Met, The Long Version’ is set to a traditional disco beat, while on ‘What’s That Perfume’ Jens reminiscences about a lost love over calypso steel drums and claves.

The previously mentioned ‘Wedding in Finistere’ combines warm brass and Caribbean drum lines to transport the listener effortlessly to the beach. Lekman’s lyricism and joyful composition on this track make it a definite peak of the album. Despite the experimentation, however, Lekman doesn’t stray too far from what he knows.

The variation in style through the album leads to some minor downfalls. Acoustic ballad ‘How Can I Tell Him’ lacks some of the flair found in the rest of the album, although Lekman compensates for this with his beautifully bittersweet lyrics. Closing track ‘Dandelion Seed’ also starts off with Lekman appearing to play it safe with a simple acoustic guitar line. But, as the organ comes in on the final verse and Lekman begins name-dropping places from his home town in a manner similar to his old albums it begins to feel less like he’s playing it safe.

Rather, he’s comfortable in the music he makes. Lekman realises he doesn’t need to overhaul his style, but simply expand it. With Life Will See You Now he adds another fantastic album to his collection.

Ashley Graham: fashion’s game-changer

Written by Shannon Winterbone on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Fashion can sometimes make us feel like we have to fit a certain size or be a certain weight. This, coupled with what the music and film industries label as ‘ideal’, can become extremely harmful. For example, think of the proliferation of articles telling us why juice cleanses are so beneficial, which celebrities are openly advocating the use of waist trainers on their social media, and how the sales of diet pills continue to increase. Are these fashionable slimming techniques really that healthy?

However it’s worth also considering the rising profiles of plus-size models who are not only changing the way fashion is exhibited on the runway and in glossy magazines, but are also re-imagining the world’s perspective on how we define health and beauty.

Vogue US made a recent breakthrough on inclusivity with its choice to make Ashley Graham the first plus-size model to be on its cover. However, the decision was met with much controversy when Graham was seen to be the only one seemingly covering her body while the other six models were not. Along with Gigi Hadid’s scarily photo-shopped wrist which hid much of Graham’s waist-line, many people took to social media to question why the only plus-size model in the line-up was the one directed to cover her body.

Graham hit back at these comments, however, and stated, “I chose to pose like that.. [sic] no one told me to do anything.” Graham’s assertion that Vogue US did not insist on her posing differently to the other models advocates her stance on how the fashion world is beginning to give a wider variety of women greater visibility. By actively promoting her healthy eating and exercise regime, Graham is an example of how it’s possible to live a healthy lifestyle without being ‘sample size’.

By tackling body positivity issues in TED talks and through various fashion campaigns, Graham has been fighting to break the barriers between ‘sample size’ and sizes which go beyond. Most recently, Graham made history during New York Fashion Week by being the first plus-size model to walk for Michael Kors, which has catapulted the need for the inclusion of plus-size women in the world of high-fashion.

These moves by Michael Kors and Vogue US show how the fashion world is beginning to acknowledge that women come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and that fashion has to be accommodating for everyone.

By promoting ideas of inclusivity, designer fashion has the ability to make so many women feel good about themselves, and hopefully more brands will follow on from Michael Kors’ excellent example: “I have always waved the flag for a wide range of customers. It’s my job. My job is to make everyone feel great.”

Style on stilts

Written by Sophie Soar on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

When I started university almost three years ago now, I arrived with a uniform I adopted several years before. Black jeans, black top, black coat, black shoes… you probably get the picture. I took solace in the shade; there’s no difficulty in styling plus it’s flattering and easy to wear (although sometimes impossible when searching for that one particular black top amongst fifteen identical others). I resolutely believed I had found my chosen style of monochrome monotony, with an occasional guest star role of red lipstick or a pink top on nights out.

Following the indiscernible occurrence of an unexpected plot twist, my wardrobe converted to a cacophony of colour and material. Every item has a story to tell and, best of all, I can now tell my t-shirts apart (not that this makes dressing for the day any easier or quicker).

In true Carrie Bradshaw fashion, I keep my money exactly where I can see it: hanging in my wardrobe. My parents and the loan repayment system probably have a different opinion as to where my money should be but we can’t agree on everything. Instead I argue my wardrobe to be more an investment towards my career goals as a fashion journalist: a walking résumé perhaps?

It only goes to show that our personal style continually evolves and adapts to our environment and new chapters in our lives. For instance, my wardrobe possibly contains a good half of all vintage products that circulated the Northern Quarter in 2015 or the Didsbury charity shops in 2016 (don’t knock ‘em til you try ‘em).

I hold the belief that our style and clothes strongly reflect who we are, which is in turn is strongly influenced by where we are. I often wonder how I would differ had I studied at a different university, lived in a different city, or denied the presence of any other colour in my wardrobe.

My friend once noted the striking contrast between our close group’s clothing choices. Each and every one reflects their wearer’s characteristics, presenting a group of very different personalities and personal style. But then, whilst the wardrobes clearly change enormously from person to person, they all complement one another — (insert any cliché “friends forever” quotation). As anyone who’s lived in halls or shared a house will know, it makes for one fabulously enormous communal wardrobe.

So in first year, I was black Nikes, khaki coat, and black body con dresses all over. Now, I am multi-coloured jeans, six-inch boots and vintage jackets. And whilst I like to think I’ve found my style, what suits me and what makes me feel good, it’s interesting to think how this might change in another three years… Hopefully when I don’t have to sacrifice a few meals to justify a new pair of heels.