CDs/DVDs
CD: Britney Spears - GloryFriday, 26 August 2016
On first listen, Queen Britney's new album is nothing more than a glorious booty call. I'm no prude, but listening to her sensual requests in musical form feels like earwigging on the soundtrack to a sex tape.In "Invitation", she asks "Put your love... Read more... |
Blu-ray: Women in LoveFriday, 26 August 2016
Women in Love was Ken Russell’s first cinema film to directly reflect his work in television. He had directed The Billion Dollar Brain (1967), but that was an adaptation of a Len Deighton book. French Dressing (1964) was a few steps removed from a... Read more... |
CD: Warhaus - We Fucked a Flame Into BeingThursday, 25 August 2016
One of popular music’s mightiest talents, Leonard Cohen, at the age of 82, has a new album out in the Autumn, the fabulously titled You Want It Darker. If it’s anywhere near as good as his last one, this is great news. Those, however, who can’t wait... Read more... |
CD: Morgan Delt - Phase ZeroWednesday, 24 August 2016
In 1966, David Warner assumed the title role in Karel Reisz’s satire Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment. The film’s Morgan Delt was a fantasist with a communist family background married to the posh Leonie, played by Vanessa Redgrave. When she... Read more... |
DVD/Blu-ray: Sid & NancyTuesday, 23 August 2016
As this year has been designated the 40th anniversary of punk rock hitting the UK, there’s no surprise that Alex Cox’s Sid & Nancy is up for another home cinema release. It’s been on DVD at least three times previously. This new version, though... Read more... |
CD: De La Soul - and the Anonymous NobodyMonday, 22 August 2016
De La Soul are the posterboys for creative longevity in hip hop. While some contemporaries have maintained a presence by relying on “heritage” status while going in ever-decreasing circles musically (hello, Public Enemy), the trio – still in their... Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Betty Davis, Jeanette JonesSunday, 21 August 2016
Despite their different paths in the Seventies, the final years of the Sixties saw parallels between Betty Davis and Jeanette Jones. Both soul singers had significant backing from music business insiders. Late in the decade, each had a discography... Read more... |
CD: Divine Comedy - ForeverlandSunday, 21 August 2016
With ten albums over a quarter-century, Neil Hannon and Divine Comedy don’t have too many surprises left. Most fans will presumably be glad to know that this release, like many of the others, is a slightly uneasy mixture of joyful musical... Read more... |
CD: New Model Army - WinterSaturday, 20 August 2016
Casual fans of New Model Army may be surprised at how doggedly the band has plied its trade – aside from a couple of brief breaks, the boys haven't stopped for over 35 years. Nor have they ever let up on their revolutionary spirit. Even when there... Read more... |
DVD: The Killing$ of Tony BlairFriday, 19 August 2016
Much like Margaret Thatcher’s tearful tumble from Downing Street, the haggard, hoarse Tony Blair who materialised after Chilcot must have given even his enemies pause. The glib, youthful Nineties spin-master now recalled Scrooge’s reproachful future... Read more... |
CD: Bitch 'n' Monk - we are peering overThursday, 18 August 2016
Bitch ‘n’ Monk is a duo of London singer and guitarist Heidi Heidelberg and Colombian flautist Mauricio Velasierra. They make work of uncompromising novelty - dense but exhilarating collages of soaring vocals, restless guitar and intricate,... Read more... |
CD: David Brent & Foregone Conclusion - Life on the RoadWednesday, 17 August 2016
“I don’t really care about reviews because if someone slags it off, they’ve missed the joke. How can they slag off a fictional character? It’s win-win. It’s pain-free. It’s bulletproof – commercially and critically.”Ricky Gervais there, talking... Read more... |
