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Month: March 2013

Live: Johnny Marr

The Ritz, Manchester

Friday 22nd March

For an artist with such experience and legendary status amongst guitarists, it comes as somewhat of a surprise that Johnny Marr has only just released his first ‘proper’ solo album. He’s practically performed in as many bands as he’s influenced (hint: a lot), but only now has Ardwick’s finest taken centre stage. On this bitterly cold night in the heart of Manchester, the warmth of his reception is felt in every corner of the historic venue.

Kicking off proceedings with The Messenger’s opening track, ‘The Right Thing Right’, he commands the stage and looks every bit the frontman, impeccably dressed and strumming his Fender Jaguar like it’s an extension of his own body. It’s been a year and a half since he aired some of this new material at The Deaf Institute, and it’s received really well by a capacity crowd at the Ritz. Marr’s trademark jangly riffs and catchy arpeggios are beautifully executed on ‘European Me’, and the soaring intro to ‘Lockdown’ is spine-tinglingly good.

“It was actually here that I officially became a musician, in 1982” he recalls between songs, “in some band you won’t have heard of”. Although a little surreal seeing, or rather hearing, Smiths classics sung by someone other than Morrissey, Marr’s vocals more than stand up to the challenge. Having spent the best part of 20 years escaping the shadows of The Smiths’ mighty success, he now seems happier than ever to hark back to those gloomy days of Thatcher’s Britain, playing crowd-pleaser ‘Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before’ and, to everyone’s surprise, a fierce rendition of cult classic ‘London’. Later in the night, he launches into ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ and sends the crowd into a frenzy, reminding us all why NME crowned him Godlike Genius. Not that we needed reminding.

It’s a testament to Marr’s song-writing ability that the new material is just as eagerly lapped up by the crowd. ‘The Messenger’’s punchy opening riff is delivered with typical Marr flair, whilst the slower ‘New Town Velocity’, a poignant number about the romanticism of youth, showcases a real depth and diversity to his music. It’s a quality record, hopefully the first of many, and it sounds even better live; but the night is only ever going to end one way: an encore of fan-favourites ‘How Soon Is Now?’ and the ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’, performed with a fervency that sends an already delirious crowd into pandemonium.

If Marr’s position as a frontman was ever in doubt before tonight, then consider those doubts quashed in emphatic fashion. He’s a magician with a guitar, a godlike genius, and quite possibly the coolest Mancunian of all time.

8/10

A glitter-heeled step too far?

I’m all for the retro resurgance of ’90s fashion – dungarees, ‘snapbacks’, crop tops, psychadellic leggings – it’s great fun. However I do have an issue with these little stompers which I spotted on ASOS. I’m awfully sorry to vent, but I feel fashion has seriously crossed the line.

My personal recollection of jelly shoes (glamorously revamped as ‘glitter heeled sandals’) was a screaming argument between my five-year-old self and ol’ mum. I was determined to wear my prized footwear in public, but despite my screams, sobs and flailing legs they were prised off. And thank God, I mean look at them.

If it is undesirable for a child to wear these plastic monstrosities when they have cuteness and naivity on their side, then adults in jelly shoes are definitely not okay. I’m recalling a similar situation with crocs (I have to lie down when I think of the science teachers croc+sock combo on non-uniform day ‘09). “Pah! Who would ever wear crocs”, I hear you scoff. But it seems we have not learnt from our history of footwear faux pas, as I can already envisage the packs of jelly-shoed girls tottering around our streets this summer.

All it takes is one good looking chica in a pair of plastic shoes, and we’ll descend on the shops in a glitter sandal rage. Thankfully I’ve spotted the threat early, and taken the time to compile a short list of their drawbacks. Maybe note them down on a bit of paper just in case you lose your brain:

1. They are made of PLASTIC. You wouldn’t wear plastic bags on your feet would you (although if you do, maybe go for the sandals. I guess it’s an upgrade)?

2. HEELED SANDALS. Categorically unhelpful on sand, although good entertainment for the rest of us.

3. GLITTERY. This point is only compounded by the fact that they are plastic shoes.

4. PAINFUL. I know hopes of a warm summer are a little optimistic following the easter blizzards, but I can’t imagine hot feet and plastic are a good combo. I hear blisters.

5. TAN LINES. I’m not sure how quickly your feet tan but you could be wrestling with some funky patterns.

So please, if summer ever does happen this year, remember the above health and safety warnings and stay glitter-heel sandal free.

Top 5: political style icons

Female politicians are rapidly coming to the forefront of the fashion scene, and quickly learning that in a pair of Louboutins and a suit that hugs you in all the right places, us girls really are unstoppable. Many female politicos are quickly and often harshly judged on what they wear and how they look, but here at The Mancunion we are celebrating such figures and their powerful, confident style.

1. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand (above)

Elegant, charming and beautiful, not only is Miss Shinawatra the first female president Thailand has seen in 6 decades, she is by far its most stylish. With a penchant for high-end brands, her powerful East meets West fashion statements certainly pack a punch, combining occidental trends with striking traditional Thai fabrics and patterns.

2. Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina

picture: women-s-rights.blogspot.co.uk

Notorious for her immaculate war paint, numerous daily costume changes and having a tag-along beautician accompany her unfailingly on visits abroad, this Latino firecracker is a fashion force to be reckoned with. She is rumoured to own a total of 200 LBDs as well as an astounding number of sky-high heels and fascinators.

3. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Prime Minister of Denmark

picture: ft.com

Described as “slender as a hare, yet strong as a silk thread” this willowy blue-eyed blonde is a walking paradox and that’s just how we like it. Coined ‘Gucci Helle’ in 1999 for her handbag obsession, Ms Schmidt always maintains an air of elegant hostility in her impeccably tailored yet on-trend skirt suits.

4. Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica

picture: zimbio.com

OK so she’s not exactly in Costa Rica’s good books at the moment, being allegedly responsible for a massive $997 million deficit but at least she looks good, RIGHT?! Widely known to favor bold indigenous prints when it comes to her professional attire, Chinchilla’s look is highly hybridized and eye-catching.

5. Condoleezza Rice, 66th United States Secretary of State

picture: specials.rediff.com

Ms Rice perfectly exemplifies the lethal combination of sex and power. Known as a ‘consummate power dresser’ she appeared at a US army base in 2005 wearing ‘dominatrix’ boots and a military jacket, thereby becoming a subversive sex symbol and beacon of fashion in the political sphere. You go girl!

Live: David Ford w/Emily Grove and Jarrod Dickenson

24th March 2013

Deaf Institute, Manchester

8/10

Many a man will tell you, size isn’t everything. And that certainly applies to tonight’s Deaf Institute gig, which is one of my favourite venues, giving an intimate experience that audience and artist just can’t get in an arena. I have to admit I knew relatively little about David’s guests, Emily Grove and Jarrod Dickenson, but two hours later and a few EPs in hand all that had changed.

New Jersey girl Emily Grove was the first of the acts; backed by Jarrod and Ford she delivered a completely enchanting set, with her Cranberries-esque haunting vocal she had the complete attention of all. The highlights came from her Way Across The Sea EP, tracks like ‘Falling’ and ‘Flea’ demonstrating her wide ranging and a fragile vocal.

Next to take centre stage was red-bearded Texan Jarrod Dickenson, a rather different character, pulling off a confident, polished blend of country and folk. Although initially coming across slightly subdued, his witty and dry persona soon won me over, perhaps the title of his latest album The Lonesome Traveller sums his demeanour up best. His melodic finger picking, and soft but assured vocals were a perfect blend; I particularly loved ‘Rosalie’ which I’ve had spinning round my head ever since.

After playing everything from bass to piano, David Ford eventually took his turn to deliver. Although collectively the acts complement each other, David is probably at his best when alone with his Boss looping pedal – which didn’t actually feature too much tonight. Playing a mix from new album Charge and “worldwide classics of tomorrow” his set is an eclectic mix of folk, soul and more pop flavoured numbers like ‘Pour a little poisin’. However, the delicate ballad ‘Song for the road’ was the real hair-raising moment of the night, with Emily Grove accompanying on backing.

Anyone familiar with David’s infamous Milk and Cookies charity gigs will be aware of his ability to nail pretty much any cover – anything from Meatloaf to Boys II Men. Tonight saw he and the rest of the band cover The Band, with drummer Joey giving a gravely verse on sing-a-long classic ‘The Weight’.

The night is awash with humour and fun, despite all three’s major talents there is absolutely no hint of pretentiousness.  The night was rounded off with David giving everything on the autobiographical “Every Time” an emotional tale of how he nearly made it to the big time on Columbia Records. By no means is he bitter or resentful, as he says “I choose this motherfucker, and I’d choose it again”. And you can see why, the sense of community between all performers is delightful, all free to play what they like to their “enlightened and fertile” audience, bound by no-one else but themselves.

Interview: Drenge

“I’m not really sure.” Drenge frontman Eoin Loveless is being quizzed on their decision to adopt a Danish word for a band name. Younger brother Rory, who with Eoin comprises the Sheffield outfit, interjects, “We do like Danish things, Danish films…Dogma 95”. It’s well-documented that the twosome fancy themselves as connoisseurs of avant-garde cinema, and their fascination with Denmark originates from a school exchange. It was on this trip that they were introduced to their band name: “when we were playing football with the Danish lads, they began shouting ‘Drenge, Drenge!’ Later, we learnt that it meant ‘boys’ in Danish, and we just thought it seemed fitting.”

Despite their rural origins in the Peak District’s Castleton, Drenge have carved out a name for themselves in Sheffield. When asked why they gravitated towards performing there, they explained that although they “live directly between Manchester and Sheffield, it was just the fact that transportation links to Sheffield are tremendous. If we lived on the other side of the hill we would probably find ourselves in Manchester a lot more.” They’re irked, though, by the typical comparisons to other Sheffield bands: “guitar-playing bands always get compared or contrasted to the likes of Arctic Monkeys – it’s an honour to be compared to a band like that I suppose – but we have never been propelled to do this for any commercial reason. Our progression so far has happened organically”.

Varying descriptions of Drenge’s sound have them down as being sonically similar to The Black Keys, Bromhead Jackets and Milburn. When asked why their music is hard for reviewers to pin down, Rory offers the explanation that “because we listen to a lot of different music and our songs vary quite a lot in style, we haven’t become pigeonholed as part of a particular genre, I don’t think. We continue to write songs that don’t always fit contextually with what we were like as a band originally”.

Being only two in number, there’s obvious limitations to consider, especially onstage. “In the live sense, we are restricted. Before touring, we spent two weeks in the studio before coming out on tour, and stuff we produced there we could never produce live. We used a piano for example, that’s what it’s all about – experimenting and learning what were about. But we don’t want the current line-up to limit the music we can make”. Nodding in agreement, Rory divulges that “if in the future we feel it’s limiting, then it is definitely an option to being someone else in.”

No one could accuse the brothers of being sentimental towards each other; they confessed that “after touring, we will go a few days without talking”. When offered the comparison of a strenuous relationship similar to that of the Gallagher brothers they laughed, claiming “we don’t put it on for the media façade as Oasis do”. Eoin openly admitted that “we argue, but we get over it and besides we can throw a punch, but we don’t hate each other. Just the other day Rory hit me with a piece of plastic!”

Since signing with the Infectious label, which already boats an impressive collective of acts, including Alt-J, Drenge now appear to be making strides in building rapport with the press. The brothers admit that interviews “don’t come particularly naturally to us”, given their retiring, introverted manner, but recognise the opportunity that a record label offer. “We’re thankful to have the opportunity to support the bands we have done like The Cribs and Mystery Jets, so we’re more than happy to deliver and promote for our record label”.

In the past year, Drenge have covered the circuit, mainly as a support band for a number of prolific bands, and when asked whether touring with such established acts has taught them any ‘tricks of the trade’ Eoin responded positively. “Oh yeah, you learn so much, from the way they treat their audience to the way they make music on the stage, there’s a lot to take in”. “We once supported Tribes, Mystery Jets and the Vaccines in a cave that was literally next to our house,” Rory recounts fondly, when asked what has been their most enjoyable gig in their short time as a band. “There was always the All-day International Psychedelic Festival too though, it was great – crowds of people in tie-dye, big beards and hats, it was like something from the 70s”.

It does, however, appear that the rock n’ roll lifestyle once a staple for bands on tour is largely cliché nowadays. As Rory revealed, “It’s up to you really. It can be like that if you want it to be, but most bands these days are conscious about having to get up the next day and drive to the next place…sound check…play another show. Half the time, it’s easier not to have a wild one”.

As our chat neared its conclusion, matters turned to their debut album, Bloodsports, which was released a few days prior. “Release dates mean nothing these days” Eoin said dejectedly, “the album was live weeks before anyways, it’s almost like the release date is the day we can stop pretending and talking about the album and begin to concentrate on our next work”. There’s certainly a humility about the duo; “we don’t want to be rock gods or idolised. Ideally, everyone would leave the gig inspired to start their own band. We just want to prove that anyone can start a band and that we don’t need to work in an office all our lives.” Somewhere in that is a message for us all.

Men of steel

Having finished the first episode of Netflix’s new original series, House of Cards I have condensed my notes into two truths. Firstly, I am going to awkwardly crowbar a Usual Suspects reference into this article. It’s happening. And secondly, good tailoring will make you look like a country-maker.

There is an air of calculated understatement that pervades Netflix’s first foray into original programming, House of Cards. Beau Willimon’s dialogue is pithy, Eigil Bryld’s cinematography is clinical yet involving, and director David Fincher continues to find his way into my articles. Meanwhile, the master of understatement, Kevin Spacey returns to TV as the hardened veteran, Frank Underwood. In keeping with the theme of measured actions, Underwood’s wardrobe overwhelmingly communicates the idea that power is incompatible with the peppy Scout Sixteen brand of ‘fashion for the fashionable’.

graphics8.nytimes.com

As I delved into the world of Capitol Hill’s hardest hitters, it struck me how incongruous a dandy would be in this setting. Frank Underwood’s demeanour is ruthless and he has a wardrobe to match. Amongst the swathes of box-cut suits, Spacey’s tailoring is second to none. Offering just enough give, but aggressively. His use of colour is subtle, if present at all; blue and greys offset with stark white shirts constitute a wardrobe that is eminently versatile. One feels Frank Underwood could dress blindfolded and still look bombproof.

 This quest for adaptable clothing prevails in the real world, where politicians do more than walk briskly down corridors and look stern. In his Vanity Fair style profile last year, Barak Obama stated, “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” World leaders like Obama, Medvedev, or Boris Johnson look cool because they genuinely cannot spare the time to care. There is unequivocal ‘dopeness’ to a well-tailored navy suit and a strong pair of Allen Edmonds that secretes authority.

gq.com

Finally, I would like to wrap this up the way I started it, with some truth. I still enjoy the peppy, Scout Sixteen ‘fashion for the fashionable’. As far as I’m concerned, lifestyle shots of tweed might as well be sartorial apotheosis. Secondly, House of Cards is a fantastic reunion between Spacey and Fincher and can be found on Netflix. Additionally, the show involves 100% less decapitation than Se7en the duo’s previous collaboration. So, you know, bonus. Lastly, if you want a job in the White House, the devil is in the sartorial details.

I guess I’m just trying to say, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that a mediocre fit will get you a job in congress.

Mass Effect 3: The Citadel

Is this the DLC you’ve been waiting for? If you wanted a serious addition to the plot that shines new light on the universe or a new ending, then sadly you’re going to be quite disappointed. Alternatively if you are, like me, someone who wants to get to spend more time with characters you’ve known and loved for the entire 6 year span of this series, then this is the ultimate swansong for the Mass Effect series.

The entire point of the DLC clearly is to give you the chance to reconnect with all of your previous squad mates in one final hurrah and as per usual Bioware’s execution of storytelling is brilliant. The main story arc is simple. It has a cheesy, yet welcomed twist and helps bring out the best jokes in the DLC.

The DLC is separated into two main components: combat and conversation. It is clear that combat wasn’t the main focus this time around, but the new enemies have interesting new tricks and the new combat simulator stands out of the many mini games littered around the new area. The real stars are the returning characters and their multi-layered interactions with you and more impressively, with each other. The unending references and jokes are shamelessly self-indulgent, but the execution is so perfect that fans will be playing through it multiple times to find all the hilarious variations. The set pieces are exciting and meaningful, ranking amongst some of the most memorable moments in the entire series.

From the shooting, to the story, and most importantly all the fun you have with the characters, the emphasis on fan service means that fans will love almost everything this DLC has to offer.

Retro Corner: The Operative: No One Lives Forever

No One Lives Forever is a first person shooter borrowing from the kitsch and camp 60s spy genre. You play as Cate Archer, a Scottish femme fatale who certainly has a touch of Bond about her. She’s an agent for UNITY a secret international organisation tasked with stopping terrorist organisations bent on taking over the world. In No One Lives Forever, Archer is tasked with stopping H.A.R.M, a terrorist organisation full of colourful characters. Including mad German opera singers and kilt wearing Scots.

The game garnered much critical praise for its implementation of stealth sections and multiple ways of completing every level. You can take the stealthy option and use a wide array of gadgets to distract enemies; alternatively you can run in guns blazing.

Bond has Q and Archer has Santa who provides her with a set of gadgets based around feminine beauty products. Her lipstick doubles as an explosive grenade, perfume bottles hold poison gas and sunglasses detect land mines.

No One Lives Forever keeps you guessing. You are protecting an ambassador in Marrakesh one minute, riding your Triumph motorcycle out of a volcano base another, and stealing an antidote from H.A.R.M’s space station the next.

Having a female protagonist allowed the game to stand out from other spy fiction. Despite being smart, good-looking, and resourceful, Archer must be better due to the social climate of the time. She gets more flack when things go wrong, and has to fight for the chance to prove herself to her superiors.

No One Lives Forever is a funny game, mining the seemingly ridiculous 60s spy fiction like The Avengers. However, the developers separate it from the likes of Austin Powers by putting storytelling first and letting the comedy come naturally.

Whether you’re looking for an FPS that doesn’t take itself too seriously, or stealth sections that aren’t mind-numbingly tedious, I can heartily recommend Monolith’s No One Lives Forever.

Server chaos renders Sim City unplayable

EA’s always online Sim City has enraged fans of the series as server problems rendered the game almost entirely unplayable. Fans took to the web to voice their rage, negative user reviews on Metacritic flooded in with the game averaging just 1.7 out of 10. The server issues lead to Amazon temporarily pulling the title from its store.

EA’s PR response to the disaster was rapid and while mostly helpful, the spin often beggared belief. Senior Producer Kip Katsarelis explained on EA’s forum that “What we saw was that players were having such a good time they didn’t want to leave the game, which kept our servers packed and made it difficult for new players to join”. EA have also attempted to win back angry fans by offering them a free EA game, which they can redeem on EA’s Origin store March 18 onwards.

Initial server issues are beginning to be resolved, with EA increasing servers by 120 per cent. This has led to the number of disrupted experiences falling by 80 per cent according to general manager Lucy Bradshaw. However the fact that for some the game remains unplayable raises questions about the decision to make the game always online.

Sim City has traditionally been a single player experience, but EA’s new release scrapped that in exchange for online multiplayer. Cities now compete across regions with multiple users interacting in real time. Still, making the game always online seems a drastic measure, considering that most of the features could function in solo play.

Always online is seen by many users as a means of restricting piracy by requiring every user to be logged in. However being always online requires that the publisher is also always online. Recent history, including the disastrous launch of Diablo 3 suggests this is rarely the case. Publishers will have to decide whether or not the benefit of reduced piracy will outweigh the risk of a massive PR fail when the system inevitably crashes.

Live: Deap Vally & Drenge

6th March 2013

The Deaf Institute

Drenge: 7/10

Deap Vally: 8/10

The music-hall of  The Deaf Institute was set for a night of contrast with the performance of two bands at different points in their musical journey: newcomers Drenge and bill-toppers Deap Vally.

The modern day vestiges of rock ‘n’ roll music that is Deap Vally may as well be poster-girls for Californian fine living, with their sun kissed tans glowing with the sort of charisma that only Americans can seem to produce. Billed alongside were the pasty skinned, introvertly shy sluggers of heavy punk, Drenge. Despite the unusual pairing, together they promise to re-write the rulebook on two-piece rock ‘n’ roll bands.

Drenge duo Eoin and Rory Loveless lack the stage presence of their American counterparts, but that dearth of vigour is compensated for by a cultured rock ‘n’ roll display worthy of a band twice their age. The two brothers unleashed a whirlwind of ripping guitars and ribcage rattling drum rolls during a frenzy of amp feedback. They flew through a set that comprised tracks from their debut album Bloodsports, with the iconic track ‘Dogmeat’ inviting the audience to experience the lead singers trademark snared vocals.  Upon exiting the stage, there was no question that these particular angry young men are surely destined for bigger stages than this.

The same attitude was not spared when the Deap Vally girls Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards swaggered on stage. Their carefree demeanour reminds us that girl-bands can be angry too, a niche largely unexplored by the majority of female artists around today. Don’t be fooled by their Californian summer apparel – glitzy tassel crop-tops, cut-off denim shorts and bouffant hairstyles – they are strictly badass. A neglected crowd under Drenge’s stewardship was soothed by Lindsey’s attentive appreciation, taking her own commemorative photograph and sparing some time to banter the audience before delivering ‘Lies’.

Over the course of ‘I Can Hell’ and ‘Drought’, Lindsey got to grips with the unbridled rawness of her vocals, developing an almost southern drawl that was hauntingly reminiscent of Dolly Parton. Throughout, Lindsey was in masterful control of her guitar and teased out blues riffs which, coupled with the unbridled primal display of Julie’s drumming, gave the proceedings a distinctively southern-rock vibe. Continuing their sultry performance, the ladies dedicated ‘Walk of Shame’ and ‘Creeplife’ for the girls in attendance, a comment that earned a jeer of understanding. Closing out the evening was the appropriately-titled ‘End of World’; rounding off an evening that saw two of the most promising new punk bands on the circuit prove that the hype seems justified.

The good, the bad and the denim

Taking on men’s tack was a fun challenge, and I went interactive this week and donned what could nearly have been described as a denim suit. I had the jeans, shirt and jacket: the deathly hallows of denim.

Fortunately as I dressed myself I was thankful that I had a mixture of three different denims. This was the one redeeming feature in what had the potential to be a deeply disturbing outfit.

Meeting my friends for morning lecture I expected the worst. I got a simple look up and down from one who merely uttered “Why?” Others were a bit blunter with straightforward abuse. Needless to say I was a bit shocked by the amount of people who liked it. My Instagram and Twitter had a lot more positive than the odd and confused looks I got from wandering through the Students Union. I had even convinced myself that I was possible able to pull of this look – we all have these moments of fashion blindness though.

picture: Melissa Malala

Unfortunately, I am not Justin Timberlake (and fortunately not Britney), so I think it’s a wise move to steer away from the double or triple denim for the time being. Unless of course you can find me a denim cowboy hat lying around in Affleck’s Palace somewhere…

 

picture: ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com

The sexual taboo

Feminism has taken a backstep. There, I said it. We appear to have abandoned the Spice Girls ‘girl power’ of the 90s and regressed back to the 50s; we are now waging the sexual war of the sluts and the players.

The word ‘slut’ was invented by men to insult women, while the word ‘player’ was also invented by men to glorify their success in the sexual sphere. Now is it just me, or do we have some sort of double standard emerging here? I can practically hear ‘LADS’ reciting that ridiculous ‘lock and key’ theory as I write this. All I have to say is, what really makes you and me different? You have one different chromosome; biology decided to make you male, me female. Yet it is still acceptable for men to be players but if a female behaves in the exact same way, she’s a ‘slut’.

I have one thing and one thing only to say to man-whores: you are not husband or boyfriend material. No girl wants a man who’s had countless women in his bed. Take heed, I know a guy who picked up scabies from sleeping with lucky number 89. Also take heed of the fact that a short and dress and high heels is not an invitation into someone’s knickers, nor is it an admission of promiscuity. That ‘slut’ may have slept with one person or even none for all you know.

We live in a tragic era of slut shaming, but we are fighting back and will continue to do so, with such events as SlutWalking and Boobquake (ladies, Google immediately). So to the gentlemen who can’t seem to keep it in their trousers, stop judging the ladies who lead the same lifestyle as you. It’s a little hypocritical, don’t you agree? After all, this is 2013.

Review: Gold Panda – Trust EP

Notown
March 2013
7/10

It’s no surprise that Gold Panda (first name Derwin, last name unknown) hasn’t been the most prolific of beatsmiths over the past few years.  Lucky Shiner landed like a ton of bricks in 2010, and it was always going to take time to build another collection of tracks that could even begin to match the impression that his early work made.  This cheeky four-tracker is a solid effort though and does stand on its own as a quality piece of ambient electronica.  Good work Derwin.

Trust feels much more stripped back, cleaner and less cluttered than any of his previous efforts, meaning more space for fatter synths to weave in and out of each other.  The intro is  a bit on the moody side, but that moodiness is necessary to ease the transition into the title track ‘Trust’.  When the warm horns kick in they seem to draw you in to an uncanny sense of melancholy.  Kind of like going out to sea on a foggy day.  Kind of.

A thudding 4/4 backbone frames slightly off-kilter melodies, leading in to ‘Burnt-Out Car In a Forest’.  Here, clashing hi hats give way to an assortment of clicks, claps, bells and bloops, which keep the EP driving forward freely.  Derwin even claimed on Twitter that this is the best song he’s ever made.  Worth a listen for that statement alone.

Which leads us to ‘Casyam_59#02’, the slow-burner.  This is Gold Panda in downtempo gear, going for the jugular in terms of sincerity.  Although he doesn’t quite hit that mark, it’s still a soothing end to the record, more meditative than mawkish.  It’s also the best exhibition of how Derwin’s mastery in arrangement has developed.  The synths are nowhere near as rough or fuzzy as they were on Before and the cuts are kept on much tighter reins.

That said, I suppose part of the charm of his earlier releases did stem from their raw, gauzy quality.  It’ll be very interesting to see what the album brings later this year.  Now that Derwin has sharpened his tools, we may have to get used to a more refined Gold Panda.  A polished Gold Panda.

Live: Sam Lee & Friends

15th March 2013
Band On The Wall
8/10

Why pay to watch a band when you can download the songs for free? Let me tell you about seeing Sam Lee live. So, we sit – hey, this is folk music, there’ll be no mosh pit – we sit close up to the low stage, and under the dim light you almost feel part of the set. Lee – really tall and elegant, not wearing shoes – is surrounded by unusual instruments. His music comes from travellers and gypsies and he tells the story behind each song: one he’s borrowed from a woman who sings gripping a pint glass, ready to hurl at any talkers in the audience.

It’s the stories that make Lee’s reinventions so startling to listen to live.  Lee cites the controversy ‘The Jews Garden’ caused when his 2012 Mercury Prize nominated album, Ground Of Its Own, was released: the lyrics are old and were originally spread as anti-Semitic propaganda, describing the tricking and killing of a child by a Jewess.  What’s frightening is that, without the story, the violin’s suspenseful one-not sawing and the otherworldly flexing of a jew’s harp could conjure up a more reductive sense of horror around the words.

The set is mixed with songs from an Irish traveller, Tom McCarthy: he has depleted teeth and looks mischievous singing about a woman “married to a man with no balls at all”.  The words are fun and rude and were passed to him from a 74-year-old woman – these are the cleanest of her lyrics.  Even the instruments Lee uses have stories: in ‘Black Dog and Sheep Crook’, his voice navigates through the melodic geography of shruti box and Japanese koto, the latter used by courtesans to entertain rich men, he explains.  Remembering centuries of oral history, the words around the songs are really worth hearing.  Thank you for listening.

2013/14 Exec team talk to Fuse FM

Perfect finish for Manchester lacrosse

Manchester 2nds ended their season with an emphatic 10-1 victory over Lancaster.

The home side out-passed Lancaster early on, and took an early lead through Nolan who finished well after the visitors lost a man to a penalty suspension. Just moments later, ill-discipline again cost Lancaster dear, as Manchester’s Blackshaw scored a long range effort after another sin-bin. Manchester were in total control of the game even from this early stage, and Lancaster had very little to offer in response, only being able to muster one shot on target in the whole of the first quarter.

The hosts on the other hand finished off the first quarter as they had started, with Kowley on the scoresheet this time. A brilliant break from Southworth allowed Manchester to pour forward, and despite the fact that Lancaster had one more player on the pitch, their lax marking allowed Southworth to find Kennedy, who played the ball to Kowley to finish.

The second quarter saw Lancaster come into the game much more, and even dominate during the early exchanges. A potential game changing moment came when they hit the Manchester crossbar after a thunderous long range shot.

However, ill discipline cost them dear again with the same player having to leave the pitch twice in as many minutes due to back-to-back penalties. This disruption allowed Manchester, who had been defending for most the quarter, to score again on the counter through Kennedy, making the score 4-0 at the end of the second quarter.

To paraphrase Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes, Manchester now sought to skin the bear that they had killed in the first half. However, despite total dominance at the beginning of the quarter, it took a total of eight shots before they finally made one count, as Nolan finished after being set up by captain Chard.

Nolan picked up his hat trick a few minutes later with a brilliant individual effort, firing past the helpless Lancaster goal tender to make the score 6-0 at the end of third quarter. In the fourth quarter Manchester assumed total dominance, Knowling added to his ever-growing tally within three minutes after Norris squeezed through two oncoming defenders to play him in.

A minute later Blackshaw completed an exact replica of this goal, finishing smartly after Southworth made the yards with a huge run. Manchester then had a goal ruled out before Southworth made it nine.

In fairness to Lancaster, they kept going until the last moments and were rewarded for their efforts as they scored two minutes from time. The goal was truly emphasized as a consolation moments later as Nolan topped of a scintillating performance, making the score 10-1.

After the game Nolan said, ‘we would like to dedicate this win to Strawberry, we’ve had a great season and it wouldn’t have been possible without him.’

A week in the life of a student journalist

If you’ve ever thought you could do a better job than Mark Lawrenson, Matt Dawson or Simon Barnes, or simply fancy a head start in a media career read on!

Monday:

The FuseFM news team has a 6PM meeting, where I find out what sport I will cover that week. As an avid rugby fan, Jack Carmichael, Lizzie Rule and I present a RBS 6 Nations discussion show in which we give our analysis, match commentary and predictions. Listeners can get involved with our debates by tweeting @fusefmnews.

Tuesday:

I am in Sheffield with Lizzy Demetriou, the new head of sport for FuseTV, to film the BUCS athletics tournament. Your costs are covered on trips like this, which, considering I am no professional, is a pretty good gig to get; getting to do something you really enjoy for free is a real privilege!

Wednesday:

I’ve received the footage from the BUCS tournament, and now get the chance to review and present my work. My job involves plotting the timecodes for the clips in the order I want them so skilled editor John Charlton can stitch it together. I plan my voice-over and commentary and send it off – can’t wait to see what the result is!

Thursday:

At 6PM I have a meeting with the Mancunion sports editors, which I’m invariably slightly late to having read out the evening news for FuseFM. Matt, Ciaran and Tom lay out the schedule for the week and dish out events for the writers to cover. Most of the student journalists have their own sport they prefer to cover (rugby union is my territory!), but this has been a great opportunity to learn more about sports you’d never followed before – I think I even understand cricket now!

Friday:

At last I have a day off, although I stay in touch by reading the sports pages on various websites. I’m also e-mailed to let me know that my article on the O2 touch rugby tour has been uploaded to the Mancunian website. FuseTV sent me down with a HD camera to film a documentary about it. This meant I had to edit the footage myself, linking interviews with England Women’s International Vicky Fleetwood and Sale Shark’s Rob Miller with the shots of the audience. Keep your eyes peeled on FuseTV’s youtube channel for that soon!

Saturday:

Perfect – a day watching the 6 Nations fixtures in preparation for my panel show. Unfortunately, they’re rather dreary affairs, but I write a few notes down during the games and organise the content for my show.

Sunday:

Showtime! Last week we had a Welsh fan call in from Cardiff to offer her thoughts on the matches which was pre-recorded – it takes the pressure off the callers if they know we can edit mistakes out later and you get a much more relaxed conversation which comes across well in the show.

Hopefully there have been enough examples in this article of areas of sports journalism for you to get involved in. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop, including being sent to masterclasses (with much of the cost taken on by the newspaper!). So I encourage you to take your armchair punditry and make something of it. Nobody asked for your sporting opinion? Well, actually, we are!

Interview: Conor McNamara

Conor McNamara is one of the most recognisable voices in UK sport, commentating for the BBC on a range of top-level sports, including football, rugby and golf. He took time out of his busy Six Nations schedule to talk to the Mancunion Sport about his career and offer his tips for the next generation of broadcasters.

For McNamara, commentary was an aspiration from an early age. ‘I have memories of my Panini sticker books and doing a commentary in my head,’ he tells me. ‘Everyone wants to be a footballer, but you reach an age when you start to think realistically about how else you can I be involved.’ McNamara was under no illusions, though, that commentary would be an easy route to get into. ‘When I was 16, I wasn’t thinking I definitely want to be a commentator – far from it,’ he says. ‘I loved the idea but it wasn’t the be all and end all. Through university I always expected to do something else.’

It is clear that McNamara’s success stems not only from his love of sport, but also his passion for broadcasting. ‘I always had an interest in radio and as a teenager I was working weekends as a DJ on a local radio station. In between the songs I would always mention the sport! I didn’t think that stage that my path would follow through to become a commentator.’

Looking back, McNamara feels that it was a mixture of effort and fortune that helped him progress in the broadcasting industry. ‘It was a case of the right place at the right time,’ he says. ‘I heard that a new station was starting in Ireland. I made enquiries to find out who was in charge and did a lot of cold calling. They called me and asked me to do a match – just a report at first – and through that I ended up doing commentary.’ For McNamara, this experience was vital in his progression as a commentator. ‘Just through that job I began to meet people and learn things. Lots of people get that initial chance but you have to take it and prove that you’re worth them wanting to bring you back again.’

McNamara’s biggest tip to prospective commentators, or journalists of any kind, is to follow his example of being persisting sending examples of work to broadcasting companies. He remembers how hearing nothing back from RTE (the biggest television broadcaster in the Republic of Ireland) did nothing to dampen his spirit. ‘The number one thing, what it all rests on, whether you’re submitting an article, or doing a recording, what you send out has to be brilliant,’ he says. ‘People assume that they’ve got a talent but you have to work at it and improve. If I listen to tapes that I did at the start, they were terrible compared to what I’d expect! My best advice is to do it again and again.’

McNamara is keen to stress that jobs like his don’t come easy. ‘I get the impression that people are waiting for a big break-then they’ll just spring into action,’ he says. ‘If you’re a marathon runner you have to train and be ready for the big day – it’s the same principle. Start up a blog, be strict and give yourself deadlines. You have to say to yourself it doesn’t matter about dates or trips to the cinema, you’re being serious about the job and teaching yourself the discipline.’

McNamara thinks that it has never been easier to practice independently. ‘From a radio point of view, go to any game regardless of level, it could be non-league or a university match,’ he explains.  ‘No-one will hear you, so you can record yourself, listen to it back and think, ‘if I’d just turned on 5live, is this what I’d expect to hear? If not, find out why and keep practicing. It’s so easy with technology that anyone can go out and do it.’

I ask McNamara if, as an experienced commentator, he still feels nerves going into a match. ‘Of course,’ he replies. ‘Anything can happen and that becomes one of the thrills of the job. The day that you’re not nervous at all is the day that you’ll make mistakes.’ He cites his next game as an example.  ‘Tomorrow I’m doing Ireland v France in the rugby, I’ve already seen them in the Six Nations but I still feel I need to prepare. Yes, you do get nervous but that’s a good thing – just make sure it is in enough time that you can also get prepared.’

For a commentator who has worked at the Ryder Cup, the Rugby World Cup final and the Champions League final, choosing a single career highlight is always going to be difficult. ‘There’s a difference between what you enjoy personally and your career highlight – it could be a glamorous location that you would love to report from – but it might not be the biggest game.’ There is one fixture, though, that sticks out for McNamara. ‘The 2006 World Cup quarter final between France and Brazil. This was a massive occasion; it could have been Zinedine Zidane’s final game. But then, Zizou just turns it on in one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. He was rolling back the years and pulling out all sorts of party tricks. I thought to myself, this is a historic moment, I’m commentating on something amazing.’

Despite these McNamara still feels the best is yet to come. ‘Clare Balding normally does the Ryder Cup, but this year she pulled out meaning that I got a late call up.’ For me, that shows that no matter where you are in the structure of things you are still waiting for your moment.’

Why the sudden love for Zombie films?

After watching the latest episode of AMC’s hugely popular The Walking Dead, I had to ask myself why I had become obsessed with a show whose cast consists mainly of the staggering, flesh-dripping undead.

With ever more Zombie films on the way (World War Z, Warm Bodies) I would bet that I’m not the only person to have become enthralled by programs about these undead, brain-munchers. But what lies behind the success of these movies? And why have so many Zombie films been produced in recent years?

Perhaps years of channeling our sexual frustration into vampire flicks, has left us feeling empty and cheated; only willing to visit the cinema if we are guaranteed to see a mouldy Zombie head being vaporised by a cricket bat at some point? Or maybe our fascination with the undead says more about the current state of our society?

For Sarah Lauro a professor at Clemson University, the popularity of Zombie movies is a sure sign of the national mood in the United States.

“We are more interested in the Zombie at times when as a culture we feel disempowered,” said Lauro in an interview with the Associated Press. “And the facts are there that, when we are experiencing economic crises, the vast population is feeling disempowered. … Either playing dead themselves … or watching a show like ‘Walking Dead’ provides a great variety of outlets for people.”

Indeed, Zombie flicks aren’t just popular because film-goers are desperate to be scared out of their mind. Before The Walking Dead my favourite Zombie film was the Spanish film Rec. An undoubtedly terrifying movie, but one where the horror on screen left you as soon as you left the cinema. I knew that as long as I didn’t get trapped in a Spanish tower block with a Zombie endemic, I’d be OK.

It wasn’t terror as such that I got from The Walking Dead. It was more a feeling of unease; the very same way I felt after reading John Christopher’s The Death of Grass or Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. This unease of the books didn’t lie within graphic violence, but within the depiction of an inescapable dystopia and the fragility of civilisation. Whether it was Christopher’s use of a biological disease or McCarthy’s brilliant decision not to explain what had happened, a catastrophic event had levelled society.

And that’s what a Zombie outbreak is: a leveller. Armani watches are now worthless; doctors and  rifle-wielding rednecks become our overlords. For want of a better analogy, a Zombie outbreak is a dystopian motorway service station: no matter what class you are, you just can’t escape their terror. The terror in the case of a service station being an egg mayonnaise sandwich that costs £4.50.

I don’t know if dystopian is an apt description for The Walking Dead. After all, most twentieth-century dystopian literature dealt with civilisation advancing into ruthless authoritarianism. The over-used term ‘Orwellian’ conjures up images of how civilisation can take us down a darker road, namely one of the surveillance state and callous bureaucracy. Zombie outbreaks on the other hand depict the very opposite: in less than a few days civilisation with all its laws and niceties has crumbled leaving only the basest human traits behind.

Anything, which intrigues viewers in their millions has to tell us something about ourselves and more importantly the conditions of their making. Even Robert Kirkman, the author of The Walking Dead comic series, wrote in the first book that “good Zombie movies aren’t the splatter fests of gore and violence with goofy characters and tongue in cheek antics. Good Zombie movies show us how messed up we are, they make us question our station in our society”.

Zombies represent both death and our fears. In a world dominated by economic disaster  many are peering pessimistically over the parapet towards the future, not knowing whether it will be a financial collapse, climate change or the Cloverfield monster that will bring humanity crashing back down.

As in nearly every Zombie film, we root for the protagonist to somehow rekindle a semblance of humanity, whilst knowing all along that their efforts will end with a bite to the neck. A growing number of survivalist groups online only help to convince me that we are scared of what the future may bring. And Zombie movies serve not only as the modern tragedy but also as a mirror for these very real fears.

Maybe I’m reading too much into it, maybe millions just like watching an axe cleave into a Zombie’s face while I foolishly ponder its deeper meaning. But I’ll stick to my guns and I’ll defend these maggot-infested rogues.

Reclaim the Night Documentary

Students and members of the local community united to demonstrate their right to walk the streets at night free from sexual violence, street harassment and assault at the annual ‘Reclaim the Night’ march last month.

Here’s a documentary from our friends at Fuse TV about the demonstration itself and the broader issues highlighted by the action.