New releases on CD & DVD

CD: British Electric Foundation - Music of Quality and Distinction Vol 3: Dark

Joe Muggs Tuesday, 21 May 2013

It took nine years between the first and second instalments of this series, and another 22 years to make the third. And that's one of the least strange things about this record. The production team of B.E.F. (aka Human League / Heaven 17 members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh) have dedicated themselves to unusual cover versions, in the past featuring guest vocalists from Gary Glitter to Tina Turner to Paula Yates, and they are still on a mission to rework classic songs in a high-gloss 1980s...

CD: Stooshe - London with the Lights On

Thomas H Green Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Stooshe are a manufactured London girl band. They were put together a couple of years ago by shrewd ex-girl-bander Jo Perry, a self-made London studio engineer and a songwriter for, among others, Peter Andre. Despite this prosaic, business-savvy backstory Stooshe emanate a sass that’s likeable. Unlike, say, Little Mix, there’s a certain garrulous, sweary bounce to them, a sense that perhaps they really are friends and really are having fun. On top of this, the influence of their (comparatively...

DVD: Chronicle of a Summer

Mark Kidel Monday, 20 May 2013

“Chronicle of a Summer” (“Chronique d’un été”) is one of the great documentaries of all time – and a work that could only have been made in France,...

CD: Jamie Cullum - Momentum

Peter Quinn Sunday, 19 May 2013

Jamie Cullum's sixth studio album is about as good a pop record as you'll hear all year. Newly signed to Island Records, the singer-songwriter has...

DVD: Phantom Lady

Graham Fuller Saturday, 18 May 2013

The first of the Dresden-born Robert Siodmak’s eight film noirs, Phantom Lady (1944) was adapted from a Cornell Woolrich novel that typically endows...

CD: Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Joe Muggs Thursday, 16 May 2013

Do YOU believe the hype?

CD: The National - Trouble Will Find Me

Lisa-Marie Ferla Thursday, 16 May 2013

Indie rockers go from strength to strength on album number six

CD: Club 8 - Above The City

Thomas H Green Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Long-standing Swedish duo produce enjoyable if hit-and-miss electro-pop

DVD: Les Misérables

David Nice Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Fine filmmaking and decent performances work hard to redeem an infantile musical

CD: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell - Love Has Come For You

Fisun Güner Monday, 13 May 2013

A captivating and beautiful album featuring songs that are strongly narrative-driven

Reissue CDs Weekly: Sun Records

Kieron Tyler Sunday, 12 May 2013

A mind-blowing journey to rock ‘n’ roll’s ground zero with Sam Phillips and some of the most joyful music ever recorded

CD: Agnetha Fältskog – A

Kieron Tyler Sunday, 12 May 2013

Less-than-wonderful return from one quarter of ABBA

CD: Primal Scream - More Light

Russ Coffey Saturday, 11 May 2013

Has Bobby Gillespie come up with the sound of austerity Britain?

CD: Savages - Silence Yourself

Lisa-Marie Ferla Friday, 10 May 2013

They have the presence and the manifestos - but do they have the songs?

DVD: Hors Satan

Kieron Tyler Thursday, 09 May 2013

Bruno Dumont’s oblique meditation on salvation and punishment

CD: Pat Metheny - Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol 20

Peter Quinn Wednesday, 08 May 2013

Brilliant first meeting between the jazz guitarist and the avant-gardist

DVD: White Tiger

Tom Birchenough Tuesday, 07 May 2013

From a tank-whisperer to the quandaries of historical destiny, a strange film

CD: The Fall - Re-Mit

Kimon Daltas Monday, 06 May 2013

The Fall’s unique and strange journey continues with an album which rewards repeated listening

Reissue CDs Weekly: Eurovision 2013, Françoise Hardy, James Last, Nico Gomez

Kieron Tyler Sunday, 05 May 2013

A Eurovision-inspired round-up with this year’s competitors and reissues from France, Germany and Belgium

CD: Rod Stewart - Time

Jasper Rees Sunday, 05 May 2013

Regret, not marital bliss, brings out the seductive songsmith of yore

CD: Benga - Chapter II

Thomas H Green Saturday, 04 May 2013

Leading light of bass-led electronic sounds, underground and overground reaches a crossroads

DVD: The Long Goodbye

Nick Hasted Friday, 03 May 2013

Robert Altman's irreverent Seventies Chandler update remains unpredictable and dark

CD: Caro Emerald - The Shocking Miss Emerald

Thomas H Green Thursday, 02 May 2013

Swingin' Dutch jazz-pop chanteuse delights once again on her second outing

CD: Alison Moyet - the minutes

Joe Muggs Wednesday, 01 May 2013

'Alf' is in energetic mode, but can she carry it off?

Just in From Scandinavia: Nordic Music Round-Up 7

Kieron Tyler Tuesday, 30 April 2013

A Norwegian masterpiece, smart Swedish electropop, a unique Danish voice and much more

CD: Friedman & Liebezeit - Secret Rhythms 5

Joe Muggs Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Does a 74-year-old drummer have anything new to say?

CD: Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Lisa-Marie Ferla Monday, 29 April 2013

Indie rock's young dream display their staying power on a strong third offering

Reissue CDs Weekly: Killing Joke, Motown, Bob Marley, The Winkies

Kieron Tyler Sunday, 28 April 2013

Single-minded British great, soulful females, 35th-anniversary 'Kaya' and a pub rock-era oddity

CD: Rudimental - Home

Thomas H Green Sunday, 28 April 2013

Hackney drum & bass pop four-piece nail an eagerly good-natured debut

Write about music for The Arts Desk

When we started theartsdesk in 2009, one of our goals was to give opportunities to talented young writers. We’re proud of our record so far, but we’d like to be even prouder. We are looking for a pair of young music writers who want to make their names with us. Ideally...