tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33032586949604758862024-02-19T23:59:19.115+00:00POPSICULTUREpopsiculturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12811079581127529283noreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-24419382783592673092019-04-01T14:11:00.000+01:002019-04-01T14:11:23.374+01:00Jakuzi - Toz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; float: left; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnP4_-gtczY4wTR_Ab9FtNEseWWdtB7f2gTxyAFfLkK3II5Rw8qf4pTayvSjAH3MW5VTRCq-cBO1VlpgF9Tb46NQXX9_lpIbhorSGg_LhFJ_cNo8Vw1QDI_4AKWCFek2BhghKrTl1Lzo/s1600/jakuzi-kutay-soyocak-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnP4_-gtczY4wTR_Ab9FtNEseWWdtB7f2gTxyAFfLkK3II5Rw8qf4pTayvSjAH3MW5VTRCq-cBO1VlpgF9Tb46NQXX9_lpIbhorSGg_LhFJ_cNo8Vw1QDI_4AKWCFek2BhghKrTl1Lzo/s320/jakuzi-kutay-soyocak-portrait.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
Toz is the new single from Istanbul-based dark-wave synth band Jakuzi, <a href="https://jakuzi.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">ahead of the release of their album Hata Payı on April 5th</a>.<br />
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Don't adjust your speakers - the lyrics are in Turkish - but that doesn't stop vocalist Kutay Soyocak from conveying the deep emotion of the track in tones not dissimilar to those of Nick Cave or Future Islands' Sam Herring.<br />
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It's no less dark in English - 'Toz' translates as 'Dust' and the lyrics throughout have themes of death and loss that contrast with the fast-paced yet gothic backing track.<br />
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Combine all of the elements and it's an intriguing listen, although you'll need to brush up on your Turkish if you want to sing along.<br />
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Jakuzi's vocalist, Kutay Soyocak, says singing in his native tongue is important to allow him to express himself - although it limits the opportunities for the band's music, as it's much less likely to appear on English-speaking playlists and the genre 'Turkish DIY dream pop dark wave' is a little niche.<br />
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For Soyocak his homeland is more than just the language in which he sings, it is also the inspiration for the dark themes his lyrics touch upon.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I think my melancholy comes partly from where I live. This can be seen in the lyrics. I sometimes feel dark, lost and lonely as everyone. Here, the economy and politics make me feel hopeless sometimes.<br />
<br />
The future seems blurry but we try to keep our hopes high and continuing what we do. The audience is getting bigger every day and they support us and it is just pure love in our gigs."</blockquote>
Toz is the last single from Jakuzi before their album is released on April 5th. 'Hata Payı' translates as 'tolerance' but a more literal translation is 'part of the mistake'. It spans themes of acceptance of other races and sexualities, along with acceptance of yourself and of your own demons.<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://jakuzi.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">Preorder Hata Payı on Bandcamp.</a><br />
<a href="https://jakuzi.lnk.to/HataPayi" target="_blank">Click here for links to other physical/digital platforms.</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-54758526130659870252019-03-25T14:57:00.000+00:002019-03-25T14:57:58.992+00:00Mort Garson - Mother Earth's Plantasia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvNkIFYFBwf1MP7fSuLtc5W1B96CYKkwT447G8VWkF6j6hN44izaSxCfO717MjbYHIkU3-rdOe8NDT78Rw8Lq6fq5aBMq3LPRsJ4myN8mUFzVOXIHOf48RN73Xwq770jkxlou3MMwr5c/s1600/mort-garson-mother-earths-plantasia-album-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvNkIFYFBwf1MP7fSuLtc5W1B96CYKkwT447G8VWkF6j6hN44izaSxCfO717MjbYHIkU3-rdOe8NDT78Rw8Lq6fq5aBMq3LPRsJ4myN8mUFzVOXIHOf48RN73Xwq770jkxlou3MMwr5c/s320/mort-garson-mother-earths-plantasia-album-art.jpg" width="320" /></a>
Mort Garson's <i>Mother Earth's Plantasia </i>is one of those quirks of history resurrected by the internet - and we're glad it has been rediscovered by a new generation.<br />
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<i>Plantasia</i> was originally conceived as an album of music for house plants to listen to (yup) and was given away for free to shoppers when they bought pot plants and other foliage friends from Mother Earth on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.<br />
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Now more than 40 years on from its original 1976 release, <i>Plantasia</i> is being officially reissued for the first time in its history, and that means we can all enjoy Garson's plant-potty compositions on the iconic Moog synthesiser.<br />
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<div style="clear: both;">In all seriousness, it's a delightful and soothing retro listen that's already available digitally, with a physical release due to follow on June 21st 2019 that we suspect is likely to become a collector's item within a matter of a few years.<br />
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Garson's daughter, Day Darmet, says: "My dad would be totally pleased to know that people are really interested in this music that had no popularity at the time. He would be fascinated by the fact that people are finally understanding and appreciating this part of his musical career that he got no admiration for back then."<br /><br /></div>
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So why now? Interestingly enough, it's thanks to the discography database and marketplace Discogs, whose community have expressed growing interest in <i>Mother Earth's Plantasia </i>over the years.<br />
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Due to this exceptionally high demand, Discogs and Sacred Bones Records have opted for a formal reissue of the album, making it available both for digital download and in the upcoming physical print run to fill the gap in record collections around the world.<br />
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Sacred Bones have made the album available to listen on YouTube, along with all the usual streaming sites, so just hit play above to give it a listen and drift off back to the 1970s.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://mortgarson.bandcamp.com/album/mother-earths-plantasia" target="_blank">Digital download and physical preorders are available via Bandcamp.</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/collections/mort-garson" target="_blank">And album art T-shirts and tote bags can be ordered direct from Sacred Bones!</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-60966937671004091052019-02-27T11:01:00.000+00:002019-02-27T11:01:02.260+00:00Jackie Mendoza - SeahorseSeahorse is the lead single from Jackie Mendoza's upcoming EP LuvHz (pronounced 'Love Hurts', y'see...) and much like the heatwave that's hit the UK in late February, it feels as though summer has come early in 2019.<br />
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Drifting vocals and underwater audio FX combine to create a soundscape that's more of a seascape, and perfectly in line with the subject matter of the song. Think Morcheeba in the 'Big Calm' era and you're halfway there.<br />
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The politics of Seahorse are firmly 2019 though - inspired by the way the creature shares parental responsibility between the genders, with male seahorses carrying the fertilised eggs while the female is in charge of finding food and shelter.<br />
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If that sounds a bit heavy for your morning commute or drive to the beach, don't worry, Seahorse is hugely listenable without thinking too much about the message it's making.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClrU-t5XDumlhWkZ48PLvPDHy3HLw_ysKS7Ne-_4IvkuvxmiGN1i17-SxfOClMDv_YTZMKJxnx4MUpaKYpHxEq5afFOvPtO8UZ58yNsq2avqDM2ibaDgKDQSzfCMWLj5y3RwsqFUffws/s1600/jackie-mendoza-by-tayo-okyekan-2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClrU-t5XDumlhWkZ48PLvPDHy3HLw_ysKS7Ne-_4IvkuvxmiGN1i17-SxfOClMDv_YTZMKJxnx4MUpaKYpHxEq5afFOvPtO8UZ58yNsq2avqDM2ibaDgKDQSzfCMWLj5y3RwsqFUffws/s320/jackie-mendoza-by-tayo-okyekan-2019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The song's instrumentation mirrors the sense of being underwater; I imagined myself swimming between colourful coral reefs and seagrass. The sonic textures and theme behind this song are echoed throughout the EP."<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Jackie Mendoza</div>
</blockquote>
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Listen on headphones to get the full chills-on-your-neck effect of the little cricks and chirrups of bubbling water overlaid throughout the track and reflected in the video by the floating geometric shapes that drift across the frame. Sublime.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4_wz7MXTqKBJuZEnJncSQjcerV2VobtZ7sZqBU62o3X1D2woEImDYL7ltY81tsHhbAlb9ICSXSTb3GYYHerxiJ601n7vUL76rhpb_m9mbnsWfBGXCtmnYtSt8tcYqU-yPwb58zcCAOg/s1600/jackie-mendoza-luvhz-ep-artwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4_wz7MXTqKBJuZEnJncSQjcerV2VobtZ7sZqBU62o3X1D2woEImDYL7ltY81tsHhbAlb9ICSXSTb3GYYHerxiJ601n7vUL76rhpb_m9mbnsWfBGXCtmnYtSt8tcYqU-yPwb58zcCAOg/s320/jackie-mendoza-luvhz-ep-artwork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>About Jackie Mendoza</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Jackie Mendoza was born in Chula Vista, California, and combines the cultural influences of her hometown with those of her motherland, Tijuana in Mexico. The result is oceanic, eccentric and rooted in Latin beats. Her tracks include ukulele, experimental electronics, and lyrics in both English and Spanish. The six-track LuvHz is due out on April 26th 2019.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-84001260979447877542018-12-04T14:20:00.000+00:002018-12-04T14:20:13.747+00:00Orville Peck - Big SkyCountry singer Orville Peck has just released the first official video from his upcoming debut LP, ahead of a tour of Europe and North America in early 2019.<br />
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Big Sky is a moody debut for the masked country crooner, packed with uplifting lyrics like "Heartbreak is a warm sensation / When the only feeling that you know is fear".<br />
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You can take a look below...<br />
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There's plenty to like about this track - it has that classic darkly disturbing country atmosphere, lyrics to haunt your dreams, and a delicate balance between vocals and strings.<br />
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Peck sings of lost loves and the conundrum of being tied down by relationships, versus the desire to explore and to roam beneath the titular 'big sky'.<br />
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It's a sentiment many people might sympathise with, beautifully expressed over the course of three verses and a couple of choruses.<br />
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You can catch Orville Peck live across Europe and North America in the new year:<br />
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Jan 4th - Hamilton, ON - Casbah<br />
Jan 5th - Toronto, ON - The Monarch<br />
Feb 28th - London, UK - Islington<br />
Mar 1st - London, UK - Servant Jazz Quarters<br />
Mar 2nd - London, UK - The Shacklewell Arms<br />
Mar 5th - Amsterdam, NL - Sugarfactory<br />
Mar 6th - Berlin, DE - Auster-Club<br />
May 6th - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note<br />
May 7th - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion<br />
May 9th - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace<br />
May 10th - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre<br />
May 11th - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre<br />
May 12th - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren<br />
(*May appearances are supporting Lord Huron)
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Big Sky is released through Sub Pop worldwide, with the exception of Canada, where it is available through Royal Mountain Records.<br />
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Orville Peck's debut LP is due to follow in early 2019.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-88377570892072652182016-04-03T10:12:00.000+01:002016-05-10T01:04:55.475+01:00Laura Gibson - Empire Builder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The back story to Laura Gibson's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ASHY3CA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B01ASHY3CA&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21">Empire Builder</a>, released on April 1st on City Slang, is quite astonishing. Back in 2012, she released La Grande, and in the summer of 2014 she decided to relocate from Portland to New York - taking a break from music to study creative writing instead.<br />
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Her journey began with a trip on the Empire Builder, a rail route between the Pacific North West and Chicago that has legendary status in the US. This part of her story - a journey in the literal as well as the figurative sense - might be enough in its own right to inspire a collection of new songs, but it was eclipsed by the events that followed.<br />
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At the end of March 2015, a gas explosion blew up Gibson's apartment building, destroying almost everything she owned, including most of her recent work and all of her musical instruments. Two people were killed in the blast.<br />
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Empire Builder becomes a metaphor for this entire chapter in her life, from the initial rail ride, to the time spent completing her studies while sleeping on friends' couches and spare beds, and all while literally rebuilding her own empire, replacing not only the instruments she had lost, but the lyrics and music too.<br />
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The result is a quite incredible album, ten tracks that almost alternate between punchy defiance and melancholy reflection, lyrics that speak of loss, and of recovery, and of simply refusing to quit. These are the big feelings of every human life, and I think most listeners will find at least one track that resonates almost uncannily with their own life and experiences.<br />
<br />
<b>Not Harmless</b><br />
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The first of our preview tracks is Not Harmless, one of the more defiant tracks on Empire Builder, with a similarly feisty video you can watch below.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bUCc0AEkK8Y?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></center>
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From the first second, Not Harmless is punchy in an instrumental style reminiscent of some of the best Tom Waits songs - heavy on percussion, on rhythm rather than melody, a slap beat that sustains through the whole track, creating a sense of time passing, a second by second tick-tock effect.<br />
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Gibson's own description of the song is similarly no-nonsense:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"In very simple terms, Not Harmless is about standing up for myself: defining womanhood on my own terms. It may be a critique of social expectations, but more so it's a critique of my own behaviour and insecurities. I must add that I have always, always wanted to write a song in which I was the villain, to hold that sort of agency, to reimagine myself in my most self-serving no-fucks-given form. So lines like, 'I'll be the thief you forgot to chase, the bramble sprung back in the hero's face' gave me great pleasure to write."</blockquote>
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As for the video, director Derrick Belcham puts some context on the physical assaults suffered by Gibson throughout, as a metaphor for the assaults that come from within:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"It's an attempt to capture a multi-angle viewpoint of the various aspects of the singer's insecurities in the music video environment. Each of the dancers embodies a specific discomfort or complex that raises its head during the process of being on camera, exposing oneself through songwriting and 'being' in the world in general. Their actions reflect the shifting battle that an ego faces when the spotlight is turned on it."</blockquote>
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Not Harmless is not the most 'listenable' song on Empire Builder, by any means - other tracks are more melodic, less confrontational on the ear, but of course that's not what everybody will be looking for from this album anyway. What the song does offer is a kind of inclusive defiance, almost a justification of relying on the darker side of your character when you need to find your inner strength, and I think that's something a lot of people will relate to as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Empire Builder</b><br />
<br />
The title track is one of the most astonishing songs I've heard in recent years, a fist of emotion to punch into the chest of anyone who's ever lost somebody, and hoped to someday reconnect. I'm delighted to be able to preview this one below.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VMamoan2JwA?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></center>
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I had goosebumps within seconds of the start of the song, before Gibson began singing. There were tears in my eyes after the first few lines. Maybe the lyrics just hit home with me on this particular day, and there are certainly personal reasons for that, but I think I would have loved this song just as much if I had heard it for the first time on any other day. It's elegant, gentle, with a more muted percussion track that still echoes that sense of passing time; the inevitability of change.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"Oh, forget I said love.<br />
And also don't forget I said love.<br />
We are not alone<br />
and we are more alone than we've ever been.<br />
So hurry up and lose me<br />
hurry up and find me again."</blockquote>
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There's no long, slow fade at the end of the track, as you might expect, but an equally elegant end to the beat and a soft cymbal crash. It's a small symbol of the authenticity of this album - songs where the acoustics are held almost in a kind of reverence, given their own voice, not simply faded to silence when they are no longer needed. There's love here, and hope.<br />
<br />
I'm in love with Empire Builder - the song and the album. It tackles the biggest emotions in all our lives without becoming pretentious. Musically it's beautiful, the very best qualities of its own time, with hints of half a century before it, the occasional lingering note that wouldn't be out of place in Unchained Melody or something similar. This is timeless subject matter, with enduring acoustics, and I look forward to revisiting Empire Builder time and again in the years ahead.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ASHY3CA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B01ASHY3CA&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21">Buy Empire Builder on audio CD or digital download from Amazon.</a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-27479512044793785812015-07-15T16:11:00.001+01:002015-07-15T16:11:16.259+01:00Vaadat Charigim - Hadavar HaamitiOnce in a while, in amongst the latest chart releases and indie EPs, you get sent something to review that is a little special or unusual. Vaadat Charigim are both.<br />
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The Israeli trio formed in 2012 and released their first LP with the title <i>The World is Well Lost</i>; on September 25th 2015, they will follow it with the UK release of their second album, <i>Sinking as a Stone</i>, from which <i>Hadavar Haamiti</i> is taken.<br />
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Already some readers will be thinking "boo, Israel" and while we're not going to launch a political debate here, it's worth taking a moment to recognise that Vaadat Charigim - consisting of vocalist Yuval Haring, drummer Yuval Guttman and bassist Dan Fabian Bloch - are just three people who happen to be from Israel.<br />
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They are not the Israeli government, although the turbulence of their surroundings has a clear place in the tone of their recordings.<br />
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Haring says: "Instead of singing about missiles falling on a shopping mall and naming the missile and the shopping mall, I am taking the essence of that, and breaking it down to its basic mechanism. I am dealing with it piece by piece, as fragments."<br />
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The politics of a nation should never prevent artistic expression of any kind - although, as is the case here, it can certainly sculpt the tone of a musical work.<br />
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Vaadat Charigim have a frankly amazing sound, like an Israeli Stone Roses singing in a cathedral, choral and anthemic, moving and contradictorily uplifting.<br />
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I can only imagine the sense of affirmation their music might carry in more optimistic times. I hope we might find out, one day.<br />
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Until then, their music carries a quite different message, and one that would be all but impossible to convey in words alone.<br />
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Vaadat Charigim's second album, <i>Sinking as a Stone</i>, is due for UK release on September 25th via Burger/Anova records.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00VUBK9LI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00VUBK9LI&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=TMRBJ73P7WWM4N2U">Buy <i>Sinking as a Stone</i> on audio CD from Amazon now</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EUNPE36/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00EUNPE36&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=KJ4GTUVLT6FNB7HT">download <i>The World is Well Lost</i> as an MP3 album</a>, or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&keywords=vaadat%20charigim&linkCode=ur2&qid=1436972623&rh=k%3Avaadat%20charigim%2Ci%3Adigital-music&tag=p033-21">see more digital music downloads from Vaadat Charigim</a>.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-11445750261398812442015-06-25T12:40:00.000+01:002015-06-25T12:40:56.770+01:00Cristobal and the Sea confirm debut album Sugar Now for Oct 2nd<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgs6z5yl41-sRZv3ZsNkIf5bkk4AnWEL_mswzXQL-gUE7zCcp6B-Xc7JtkCgUmrq28_g_hX_Tkyw-XnHRomW7sUfv9ptOgzf4CgFze4Sz6Gi_IdDrDIDANcfzE5uhEiYJ9bfvafwSdu4m/s1600/cristobal-and-the-sea-sugar-now.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgs6z5yl41-sRZv3ZsNkIf5bkk4AnWEL_mswzXQL-gUE7zCcp6B-Xc7JtkCgUmrq28_g_hX_Tkyw-XnHRomW7sUfv9ptOgzf4CgFze4Sz6Gi_IdDrDIDANcfzE5uhEiYJ9bfvafwSdu4m/s320/cristobal-and-the-sea-sugar-now.jpg" width="320" /></a>One worth looking out for later this year is Cristobal and the Sea's debut album Sugar Now, confirmed for an expected release date of October 2nd on City Slang.<br />
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It's good news for anyone who caught the group's EP Peach Bells back in December 2014, and it's great to see the album follow less than a year later.<br />
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What should we expect? Plenty of variety, not least thanks to the band's multinational membership: Spain's Ale Romero on vocals and bass, Portugal's Joao Seixas on vocals and guitar, Corsica's Leila Seguin on flute and vocals, and the UK's own Joshua Oldershaw on drums.<br />
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In terms of genre, there's an equally eclectic mix, and Joao explains: <i>"We don't ever consciously make our music sound like a genre."</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> Josh adds: <i>"The Latin element is always there, but it naturally adapts to whatever theme is most prevalent, whether it's psychedelic, or more poppy, or sometimes a bit disco."</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> Sunset of our Troubles is a summery, almost Caribbean track, so it's good to see this one is available already - no need to wait until October to get your hands on it, just hit play on the SoundCloud player below.<br />
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<br />
If this is an indication of the album as a whole, Sugar Now will be worth waiting for - and with any luck, there'll be some autumn sunshine to enjoy at the same time. Even if not, it's likely to make the perfect soundtrack for Christmas shopping too - even if the big day is still six months away right now!Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-14464775248191654552015-06-16T15:31:00.000+01:002015-06-16T15:32:23.217+01:00Son Lux - Bones<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJZ9P6QMC0Q5xNpiaBNRtRfBecc6zR80AT46Y8m9oVqHZo6GaqtobivHk2qDKDdwFTT47FYPeWY94RtsD8tS26oS_nSgBXmQU-5p90SQjFaztME35LmX9lOczjMDrWjaXrNEjJR260sny/s1600/son-lux-bones-album-art-cd-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJZ9P6QMC0Q5xNpiaBNRtRfBecc6zR80AT46Y8m9oVqHZo6GaqtobivHk2qDKDdwFTT47FYPeWY94RtsD8tS26oS_nSgBXmQU-5p90SQjFaztME35LmX9lOczjMDrWjaXrNEjJR260sny/s320/son-lux-bones-album-art-cd-cover.jpg" /></a>Bones is the latest album from Son Lux, AKA Denver-born musician Ryan Lott. It's his first album on Glassnote, after leaving Joyful Noise Recordings in 2014, but it bears all the hallmarks of an artist whose work is probably more widely known than his name is.<br />
<br />
If you're not familiar with Son Lux, take a look back at our <a href="http://popsiculturereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/son-lux-lanterns.html">review of Lanterns</a> in 2013; you can also hear Lott's work on the soundtrack to the Bruce Willis time-travel movie Looper, and on Ned Benson's 2013 trilogy The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.<br />
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Bones is typically dramatic and fast-paced, an energetic and acoustically rich tapestry of music that yet again proves Lott's talent for composition in a genre he has all but made his own.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div style="clear:both;"><b>Change Is Everything</b></div><br />
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Change Is Everything is the second track on Bones, but it could easily be the first - a truly anthemic opener that wouldn't be out of place at a big-budget opening ceremony (think Olympics, World Cup etc) and that has the rare ability to make you feel genuinely 'in the moment'.<br />
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It might sound like a cliche, but if music is your way of release, of forgetting the past without worrying about the future, then this is the track to put the bad times behind you and look ahead more positively.<br />
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But it's not all about this one song, and it's worth looking to the first track, Breathe In, for an idea of how much care and construction has gone into Bones as an ensemble piece.<br />
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At less than a minute long, Breathe In really does feel like the album's 'one deep breath' before the music really starts - like the haphazard crescendo of an orchestra tuning up before playing the first deliberate note.<br />
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"Close your eyes, swallow the sun... you have only just begun," Lott sings in Breathe In, a refrain that returns later on the album in Your Day Will Come, and the common threads continue to the very end, with Bones drawing to a close on the haunting Breathe Out.<br />
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<b>The Right Kind of Noise</b><br />
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Bones is noisy, let's not be coy about saying it. Vocals, instruments and sound effects are layered delicately on top of one another to create a fathomless depth of sound that will not be to everybody's tastes.<br />
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This is not music to listen to with a headache; but paradoxically, it is so immersive as to shut out unwanted distractions. It is, in itself, a distraction <i>from</i> everything else, without simply being hard rock or heavy metal with the volume turned up.<br />
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We should take a moment to appreciate Lott's vocals, too - they're easily forgotten in amongst everything else, but they are powerful, confident, a defiant yet inclusive SHOUT at times, a delicate melody elsewhere, and expertly flowing between the two over the course of a song.<br />
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In 2013 I called Son Lux music to drown out the stresses of the day, and that is equally true in Bones - the perfect music for a busy mind, with enough threads to get in amongst all of those thoughts, and weave you back into some semblance of calm.<br />
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<b>Final Score:</b> 84%<br />
<br />
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</iframe><br />
<br />
Buy Bones on audio CD from June 22nd 2015, or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V4VAVWG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00V4VAVWG&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=HMIIEWI4542DQ2KY">download as MP3 audio</a>.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-27485525768621628402015-06-16T14:38:00.000+01:002015-06-16T14:47:50.302+01:00X Factor 2015 judges/mentors announcedWell, the new judges (or mentors, if you prefer) for The X Factor 2015 have been announced, and they're likely to leave Simon Cowell looking like a dad at a disco.<br />
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He and Cheryl <strike>Cole</strike> Fernandez-Versini are due to be joined for the new series by Rita Ora and everyone's favourite where-the-hell-did-he-come-from DJ, Nick Grimshaw.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grimmy, Cheryl and Rita are The X Factor mentors 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
'Grimmy' is a contradiction in terms, in that he's been around for ages yet every time he gets a new job, everyone immediately says he lacks the experience for it - he started out on E4 nearly a decade ago, and has worked on pretty much every channel there is since then.<br />
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If you like him, that's great. If not, it's hard to avoid his leering face or just-got-out-of-bed voice, whether on BBC Radio One, hosting his god-awful panel show Sweat The Small Stuff on BBC Three, or popping up like a wasp at a picnic on Children in Need or the recent TFI Friday revival.<br />
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Rita Ora is by no means the most popular person in the world, so it's saying something that she seems to be the better received of the two new mentors (at least she's a singer, right??).<br />
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Personally I've never found anything much to dislike about her, and she did a decent job as guest judge during her previous one-off appearance on The X Factor, so good luck to her.<br />
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In fact I'm more than happy to say good luck to all concerned - I can't bring myself to watch anything Grimmy is involved with, but the presenting duo of Caroline Flack and Olly Murs should see the Saturday night show in safe hands, and it's understandable that some young blood is being pumped into a show whose biggest recent successes have been the just-started-wearing-pullups groupings of Little Mix and One Direction.<br />
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For the rest of us, jaded by more than a decade of dodgy decisions from the judges and convenient 'deadlocks' to shift the blame back on to the public vote, it feels like a lifetime since Saturday night telly involved Mrs O calling Steve Brookstein a dickhead on live national TV.<br />
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Those were the days.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-81617341539533747382014-12-13T23:18:00.000+00:002014-12-14T15:16:49.568+00:00Will Katie Waissel judge X Factor 2015?Long-time Popsiculture favourite Katie Waissel made her return to The X Factor this weekend to perform in what was dubbed The X Factor Medley - basically a cover of The Time (Dirty Bit) by the Black Eyed Peas.<br />
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You can watch the full performance below - Katie arrives near the end and frankly does an impressive job of rescuing what is otherwise several minutes of absolute car-crash television.<br />
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As usual it seems set out to humiliate the performers, rather than to bring them back as heroes of series gone by, and Katie once again brings an undeserved amount of grace and elegance to the X Factor stage which pretty much sums up how she's always been treated by the show.<br />
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But none of that matters - what matters is her tweet just before 11pm on December 13th (just a few minutes ago, as I write this) which has really set the Katie-cat among the pigeons for her Twitter followers.<br />
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Katie's tweet said:<br />
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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Bye Bye London!! See y'all on the other side.... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/seeyounextyear?src=hash">#seeyounextyear</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/confirmed?src=hash">#confirmed</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chair?src=hash">#chair</a></p>— katie waissel (@katiewaissel24) <a href="https://twitter.com/katiewaissel24/status/543902255096020992">December 13, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
And just in case she deletes it or it won't load for any reason, that is "Bye bye London!! See y'all on the other side.... #seeyounextyear #confirmed #chair".<br />
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Does this mean we can expect to see Katie Waissel judge X Factor 2015? Is the 'chair' she refers to one of the coveted X Factor mentors' chairs?<br />
<br />
This IS Katie after all, so nothing is impossible... watch this space for official confirmation, if that really is what La Waissel was hinting at.<br />
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Either way it was a cathartic return to the show for Katie, who also posted on her Instagram account, where a picture paints a thousand words (or 65 words, in Katie's case...) and allowed her to send a message too long to tweet.<br />
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<center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/wiXmr5Dj0K/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">#amen #thexfactor @thexfactoruk #closure #farewells #newchapter Be Inspired.....</a></p><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Red Velvet (@redvelvetband) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2014-12-13T06:34:23+00:00">Dec 12, 2014 at 10:34pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></center><br />
Again, will this 'new chapter' see Katie Waissel mentor for X Factor 2015? Or are the ever-hopeful Waissel Warriors jumping to conclusions?<br />
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It's too early to be certain, but you can bet her fans will have their fingers crossed - Katie has written X Factor columns for magazines and websites over the past couple of years, so her association with the show has never faded (and frankly, never will).<br />
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With strong opinions and no fear of expressing them, personally I think Katie would be a fantastic X Factor mentor for 2015; she might even be enough to convince me to watch it again.<br />
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If she is confirmed for one of the mentors' chairs in 2015, I'll just be hoping the media are a little kinder in their coverage of her than they were when she was a contestant on the show.<br />
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<a name="update"></a><b>UPDATE: What if she meant The Voice?</b><br />
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Just a quick addition to this - what if when Katie said 'see you on the other side', she meant it more literally than anyone has realised?<br />
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People don't tend to talk about The X Factor judges/mentors in terms of the chairs they sit in, but there is of course a similar show where the mentors' chairs are a much more significant part of the production - The Voice.<br />
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It's on 'the other side' in the sense that it's on the BBC rather than ITV, and the mentors change much more regularly than they do on The X Factor.<br />
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What if... maybe, just maybe... Katie's 'confirmed chair' for next year is over at the Beeb? Personally I think she'd be a great fit for the show.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-25452533864255832492014-10-06T17:00:00.000+01:002014-10-06T17:00:21.580+01:00Twin Peaks to return in 2016...?Amazingly, it looks like a third series of Twin Peaks is on the way.<br />
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This is amazing news whether you like the show or not, when you consider that the pilot episode was first broadcast in 1990 - that's a terrifying 24 years ago for those of us who were around then to see it.<br />
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A second series followed in 1991, and the movie, Fire Walk With Me, came in 1992.<br />
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Since then it's all been quiet, and fans have had to make do with re-runs, DVD box sets and the genuinely awesome soundtrack CD.<br />
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That is, until David Lynch tweeted the following:<br />
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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Dear Twitter Friends… it is happening again. <a href="http://t.co/r0l9rhK4eB">http://t.co/r0l9rhK4eB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/damngoodcoffee?src=hash">#damngoodcoffee</a><br />
— David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) <a href="https://twitter.com/DAVID_LYNCH/status/519147574381379584">October 6, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></center><br />
Just in case you can't view the YouTube video in that, we've embedded it here below:<br />
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<center><object height="281" width="500"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/nNHsA4WIFvc?hl=en_GB&version=3&rel=0&showinfo=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/nNHsA4WIFvc?hl=en_GB&version=3&rel=0&showinfo=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="281" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br />
OK it's not much to go on, but fans already seem convinced it's more than just a full re-run of the original series.<br />
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Will we see the return of Agent Dale Cooper and all of the other characters who made the show one of the strangest things to ever hit TV screens? Let's hope so.<br />
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And in the meantime, there's just enough time to watch the original series and remind yourself of what to expect... if they get it right, it could be a hell of a nostalgia trip for some of us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgWm7VuNZ7TnAx9o_XOVpRaBuK3vnyDRaeALEr7d7UmW8bzfbBTaDLFGloXe20FotIjJy9JFMPuPiGvgrumQv4gk2PKkYPghVWeRJx6rjUYEbgRHx5Ds6DtjTjzZa0RuYEsCa1AStWAyh/s1600/10_404_404_525_exhex_rips_2500px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgWm7VuNZ7TnAx9o_XOVpRaBuK3vnyDRaeALEr7d7UmW8bzfbBTaDLFGloXe20FotIjJy9JFMPuPiGvgrumQv4gk2PKkYPghVWeRJx6rjUYEbgRHx5Ds6DtjTjzZa0RuYEsCa1AStWAyh/s1600/10_404_404_525_exhex_rips_2500px.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
If you're the kind of person who likes to say "They don't make music like that any more," then Ex Hex are the girls for you.<br />
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The Washington DC trio are rock'n'roll in its truest sense, all cymbal crashes and clanging guitars, and it's really, really good to hear some new-old 'proper music' still being made, well into the 21st century.<br />
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Drums come courtesy of Laura Harris; Betsy Wright is billed as an 'ace piano player' and all-round performer; and Mary Timony is the driving force behind the songwriting.<br />
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The result of the collaboration is a slick performance across a dozen tracks with killer hooks and enough rock'n'roll heritage to leave you wondering if this really is a debut album, or a group who have been around for years.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LPJ3L3S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00LPJ3L3S&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=XFURQ53Z4MDNPG6W">Preorder Ex Hex - Rips on audio CD</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=p033-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B00LPJ3L3S" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LPJ3L9W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00LPJ3L9W&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=6W6JQXUNEB37OIQE">Preorder Ex Hex - Rips on vinyl</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=p033-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B00LPJ3L9W" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
(Released on October 13th 2014)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnQwK8nGfuGk0tcTXbwBMDPyl8uIKQrIEvuAe2ilKEpMDh-XD3OUD-vJcJIDEAtUjpB_7omxnBSIIh-yeJD7LBA3C6I87kLVFxCw6_INW0VrtpiH-okDxf1Qb8OM8Wvtwk-KivIcXlDKd/s1600/10_700_700_525_exhex_cd2_700px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnQwK8nGfuGk0tcTXbwBMDPyl8uIKQrIEvuAe2ilKEpMDh-XD3OUD-vJcJIDEAtUjpB_7omxnBSIIh-yeJD7LBA3C6I87kLVFxCw6_INW0VrtpiH-okDxf1Qb8OM8Wvtwk-KivIcXlDKd/s1600/10_700_700_525_exhex_cd2_700px.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><b>Guys, Brawls, and Getting Bent</b><br />
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So what's it all about? The blurb calls Rips "twelve songs about underdogs, guys stealing your wallet, schoolyard brawls, and getting bent".<br />
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That's a pretty fair summing-up of the subject matter, and the track New Kid is the perfect example. Lyrics include:<br />
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<i>Here comes Johnny, he's your answer man</i><br />
<i>Says he can read you like the back of his hand</i><br />
<i>Says he can make you understand</i><br />
<i>Watch out, he'll be your best friend</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Saw him in the woods skipping school</i><br />
<i>Talking trash and being rude</i><br />
<i>Smoking up, getting bent</i><br />
<i>Watch out, here he comes again</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>You're the new kid in town</i><br />
<i>Everybody tryin' to knock you down</i><br />
<i>They thought it hurt when they did it to me</i><br />
<i>I just laughed and I turned the other cheek</i><br />
<i>Just trying to get your kicks</i><br />
<i>And no one understands</i><br />
<i>You're a warrior, a warrior, a warrior</i><br />
<i>You're a warrior, a warrior, a warrior</i></div>
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<b>PopsiPicks</b><br />
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</b> A couple of tracks from Rips have already been previewed, so we're lucky enough to be able to bring those to you - and they're actually the first two songs on the record, which gives you a great chance to get a taste of how the whole thing kicks off (and we can say with certainty that the pace and energy levels don't drop at any point from there on in).</div>
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First up is Don't Wanna Lose, which is an absolute classic album-opener of a track. <i>If you listen close you might hear the sound/I would never let you down/I thought you were a man of action/Come on baby, come on give me a little reaction... </i>and it continues from there, a pacey but not hurried introduction to the Ex Hex sound, and an utterly intuitive choice of first track for the album.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/157669830&color=888888&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Next is Beast, my personal pick of the two tracks, and actually one of my favourite tracks from the album as a whole. The lyrics, the riffs, and the general balance are all spot-on here, and it's a proper 'girl rock' tune too, which I absolutely mean only as a good thing.<br />
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<i>You were standing on the corner/You were waiting for the beast/You had stories of prophets/But I didn't want to tease</i><br />
<i>Come down from your tower/You got tall tree power/Your eyes are on fire/You got no desire</i><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/161266569&color=888888&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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</i><b>Summing Up</b><br />
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</b> So what's the verdict? Well, going back to the PR blurb, the instructions are "The record happens pretty quickly, so don't blink," but that really undersells it - the tracks have plenty of pace to them, but at anywhere from a brief 2:06 right up to 3:59, each has plenty of mileage, and importantly there's no feeling that anything has been cut short, rather that there's been no self-conscious effort to force extra verses in where they're not needed. All in all, there's 35 minutes of music here, which is plenty for a morning commute or to inject a bit of energy into your evening - and besides, who listens to albums from start to finish any more anyway?<br />
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Overall, there's plenty to like, and if you enjoy the tracks previewed above, you'll definitely enjoy the rest of Rips. With a vinyl version on sale, this really is an album with one foot firmly in the past, and Ex Hex seem determined to honour their rock'n'roll forefathers (or foremothers, perhaps...) in every way possible.</div>
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Despite this, it doesn't feel too much like ground that's been trodden before, perfectly balancing the old and new influences - and the trio's own unique characteristics too - to create a sound very much of its own time, quite an achievement in a debut album, and one that is deserving of plenty of respect as a result.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LPJ3L3S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00LPJ3L3S&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=XFURQ53Z4MDNPG6W">Preorder Ex Hex - Rips on audio CD</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=p033-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B00LPJ3L3S" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LPJ3L9W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00LPJ3L9W&linkCode=as2&tag=p033-21&linkId=6W6JQXUNEB37OIQE">Preorder Ex Hex - Rips on vinyl</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=p033-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B00LPJ3L9W" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
(Released on October 13th 2014)Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-1856309154964196002014-04-24T11:28:00.000+01:002014-04-24T11:28:16.723+01:00To Rococo Rot - Many Descriptions (feat. Arto Lindsay)To Rococo Rot's distinctive blend of ambient and electronic sounds has been a hallmark of their sound over the past 18 years, and long-term fans will be pleased to hear of the upcoming full-length album release of <i>Instrument</i>.<br />
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It will be To Rococo Rot's eighth album in all, and their first since 2010, and is due for a July 21st launch date, accompanied by a launch show at Cafe Oto in London.<br />
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Until then, fans will have to be satisfied with preview tracks, and the first of those is <i>Many Descriptions</i>, featuring vocals by Arto Lindsay.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/145966826&color=888888&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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It's an elegant reintroduction to the musical world of To Rococo Rot - I could happily listen to four minutes of the intro before any vocals were introduced - but it also marks an evolution in their sound.<br />
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<i>"We wanted to make clear that something is different,"</i> says Robert Lippok, and while that is true, the signatures of Robert and his brother Ronald, as well as collaborator Stefan Schneider, are written all over the track.<br />
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The launch of <i>Instrument</i> may be some way off, but you can already preorder it via iTunes - click the button below if you don't want to miss the launch date.<br />
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<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Finstrument%2Fid865238598%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-82332638227649412052013-11-24T16:01:00.000+00:002013-11-24T16:01:01.843+00:00The Day of the DoctorThere's an awful lot that could be said about The Day of the Doctor, but I'll try to be brief and avoid spoilers as far as possible (but if you've not seen it yet and want to, you might still prefer to watch it before reading on...).<br />
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Firstly, let's get the most important thing out of the way - it was good. The first 30 seconds or so, before it all goes a bit adventurey, are a pleasing link from the very first episode to present day, and the last shot of the episode - without wanting to give anything away - is a nice way to round off the first 50 years of the show.<br />
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In between those opening and closing shots, there's 75 minutes of spectacle with a plot that, at least as far as I can tell, holds up to scrutiny better than many recent episodes of the series itself.<br />
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The feature-length piece also, of course, <font size="+1">INTRODUCES JOHN HURT AS THE DOCTOR</font>, but the lack of subtlety with which he was shoutily announced at the end of the preceding episode has been smoothed out slightly, and he fills the role nicely without stealing the show as the biggest 'name' among the cast members.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9zpCKdoKGCYvcT-pEeG_FOg2jgvycUoo0FTyQSBzN9byVJcVJbAv4gbbhXFkEkCDZDSdoDkqYqwSTIM6bq8Kai44c1QzcEInfD-1maQig5iVumm9jKtX3xB4yxiDGxRmWKhNemOqyO4_/s1600/hurt-tennant-and-smith-in-the-day-of-the-doctor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9zpCKdoKGCYvcT-pEeG_FOg2jgvycUoo0FTyQSBzN9byVJcVJbAv4gbbhXFkEkCDZDSdoDkqYqwSTIM6bq8Kai44c1QzcEInfD-1maQig5iVumm9jKtX3xB4yxiDGxRmWKhNemOqyO4_/s400/hurt-tennant-and-smith-in-the-day-of-the-doctor.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Subtlety is, for once, to be found in abundance in The Day of the Doctor, which manages simultaneously to give a nod to the classic era of the show, the early days of its modern-era revival <i>and</i> its current incarnation with Matt Smith at the helm of the TARDIS and of the show.<br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=888888&t=p033-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B00F37VHPM" style="width:120px;height:240px;float:left;margin-right:10px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Billie Piper's appearance (again, hardly a spoiler by the time you've watched the opening credits) is handled well, allowing her to feature without getting bogged down in the Tenth Doctor/Rose storyline - which, remember, younger newcomers to the show may not have seen.<br />
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And there's a curious Wizard of Oz undercurrent throughout - look out for the ruby slippers in the Black Vault, Clara (IIRC) calling herself the 'Wicked Witch of the West' and Ingrid Oliver's character name 'Osgood' (Clara is, of course, varyingly known as Clara Oswald or simply as Oswin in previous episodes).<br />
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I've been trying to work out if the three Doctors are meant to represent the Scarecrow (Smith), Tin Man (Tennant) and Cowardly Lion (Hurt), but it's not a perfect fit - maybe it's all just my imagination.<br />
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I could spell out all of the references to the earlier Doctors, but I won't - I'll leave that for somebody far more familiar with the show than I am, and for a page that's less careful about spoilers.<br />
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But needless to say, as a viewer who came to the show in the mid to late 1980s (I wasn't born until 1983, so I like to think I have an excuse), there was enough of the spirit of Doctor Who as I knew it then, balanced nicely with the modern-day sense of the show as the new generation of fans have come to know it - not to mention a couple of surprises thrown in purely for the older fans, which seems fitting for an anniversary of such magnitude.<br />
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I do wonder how they got from the end of the previous episode to the beginning of this story, but perhaps that doesn't matter too much - it really needed to stand alone, so viewers who tuned in only for the anniversary did not feel lost from the outset, and I suspect it achieved that aim fairly well.<br />
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The focus now has to be on Peter Capaldi - it's no secret that this year's Christmas special is likely to see Matt Smith bow out and regenerate, which will ruin Christmas Day for a few kids, but never mind.<br />
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Can Capaldi continue to unite the two eras of Doctor Who? Restore The Doctor to his true, original character as a grumpy grown-up, rather than a clown? Bring back the darker side of the character and the show, for a generation of fans who came to the show as adolescents but are now reaching maturity in their own right?<br />
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I had all but written off Doctor Who until this anniversary episode; now I greet the oncoming storm with optimism. I have loved Matt Smith but, like Sylvester McCoy, he has rarely had the storylines he needed to shine to his fullest potential. Bring on Capaldi.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-3029791617488828862013-11-22T00:22:00.000+00:002013-11-22T00:22:51.536+00:00An Adventure in Space and TimeIf you're already sick of watching Cybermen faint under the lights of The One Show studio, you probably decided not to watch An Adventure in Space and Time.<br />
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But while much of the build-up to this weekend's 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of Doctor Who has been bordering on the vapid, this 90-minute dramatisation frankly blew everything else out of the water, and has probably set the bar impossibly high for the 50th anniversary episode itself.<br />
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Not to worry - it's a small price to pay for what was not just a perfectly time-shifting glimpse at the show's earliest days, but also a touching tribute to The Doctor himself, William Hartnell.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTGSdILHBanTmzc3mWTFddSzGOEAbGn0pQ_3yHfE_J0Nt6uMd1twn95xmTnANSajDm19MJSkeVoPGmhIim7ULNKzxQirW5YjWOE4rUtlGoZmbQDlB23H6Mcs-VN6xU_0xjKV4zFz9ohBl/s1600/david-bradley-as-william-hartnell-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTGSdILHBanTmzc3mWTFddSzGOEAbGn0pQ_3yHfE_J0Nt6uMd1twn95xmTnANSajDm19MJSkeVoPGmhIim7ULNKzxQirW5YjWOE4rUtlGoZmbQDlB23H6Mcs-VN6xU_0xjKV4zFz9ohBl/s400/david-bradley-as-william-hartnell-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time.jpg" /></a></div><br />
David Bradley put in a stellar performance as Hartnell, brilliantly capturing the challenging role of an actor who, in turn, was getting to grips with a new character - and coping with the challenges of his own ageing years.<br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=888888&t=p033-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B00GJOXW1A" style="width:120px;height:240px;float:left;margin-right:10px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Hartnell - at least as a character (because although An Adventure in Space and Time sometimes felt like a documentary, it was after all a dramatisation) - was portrayed with balance, rather than being painted as a hero, and that delicacy of touch is perhaps not only what added to the sense of realism, but also what allowed Bradley's portrayal of Hartnell to carry so much emotion in a story many viewers will already have known well.<br />
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Call me trashy, but I'm a sucker for actors who look like the person they are portraying, and here again Bradley carried the part well, not only thanks to a certain natural likeness with Hartnell, but by expertly capturing his mannerisms in recreations of original Doctor Who scenes (and yes, I have watched those early episodes).<br />
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Bradley said of Hartnell: "I know he had a reputation at times for being cantankerous and rather difficult, and one has to play that. It was clear from research and hearing his colleagues talk about him that he was a perfectionist. He demanded a lot of himself and he expected everyone around him to show the same level of commitment."<br />
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But An Adventure in Space and Time, like Doctor Who itself, was about more than just one actor or character, and the supporting cast had their own parts to play in both the literal and rhetorical sense.<br />
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Brian Cox as head of drama Sydney Newman ("You could always spot Sydney in the BBC club because of his brightly coloured cravats and waistcoats - and his personality was the same") is possibly the most instantly recognisable face in the ensemble cast, but the performances throughout captured the spirit of the show's actors and production team - at least to a casual observer like me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxANhRsxJ8bbcgxnw78O_jon_aAh8XfQgE-iQ8FtwZ33eLHy7kJKfVsYx_WekZ_l2AIKWPM18rz2Mt_RZ2GPJzyJxfh8_bOYYHHfagGZFjZEYHN4RT9rX-Br3IKqcs99V2kaDD6uEaW0n/s1600/jessica-raine-and-sacha-dhawan-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxANhRsxJ8bbcgxnw78O_jon_aAh8XfQgE-iQ8FtwZ33eLHy7kJKfVsYx_WekZ_l2AIKWPM18rz2Mt_RZ2GPJzyJxfh8_bOYYHHfagGZFjZEYHN4RT9rX-Br3IKqcs99V2kaDD6uEaW0n/s400/jessica-raine-and-sacha-dhawan-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Fittingly, the real star of the piece was neither The Doctor nor his companions, but the show's original producer, Verity Lambert, played by Jessica Raine.<br />
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Raine said of the role: "She was very strong willed, very compassionate and very warm. As the first female drama producer at the BBC, she had to be very determined. She had a real fire in her belly about projects she believed in."<br />
<br />
An Adventure in Space and Time put all of this across well, aside from a slightly excessive focus on the phrase 'piss and vinegar' from the scriptwriters, but they proved their point without becoming too mired in issues of feminism that would not really have been the point of the piece.<br />
<br />
Instead, Raine captured Lambert's passion for the show and her strength of character when fighting for things she believed in - such as the need for a repeat of the first episode, whose broadcast was overshadowed by the assassination of US President John F Kennedy, or the inclusion of the Daleks, dismissed as 'robots' and 'bug-eyed monsters' by Newman.<br />
<br />
Raine's Lambert steals the show - and rightly so - as Doctor Who's most passionate proponent, and as a friend to Hartnell, as well as the driving force behind several of the key formative decisions in the early days of the series.<br />
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Also pictured above is Sacha Dhawan as Waris Hussein, the BBC's first Indian-born drama director, and director of Doctor Who episode one, An Unearthly Child.<br />
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Unlike many of the other actors, Dhawan had the opportunity to meet his character in person, and study his speech patterns and mannerisms.<br />
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"We were a bit kind of weird with each other; we were both studying, looking at one another," Dhawan said of Hussein. "He was looking at me thinking, 'You're watching everything I'm doing, aren't you?' but we hit it off straight away."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHasxlowt3ZwLA8HP_8anOT8cd91aG9_XRz4ihmesTwugkSZNDIjSo47hrkpm1F1Y6H6H6eLQcatI-1hIoxIKfC186gjMsu_lgPZQ3pQsFIaP0NiqXH1ayZjohPPfIW0AuAhZ0Fg5CTVO/s1600/david-bradley-as-william-hartnell-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHasxlowt3ZwLA8HP_8anOT8cd91aG9_XRz4ihmesTwugkSZNDIjSo47hrkpm1F1Y6H6H6eLQcatI-1hIoxIKfC186gjMsu_lgPZQ3pQsFIaP0NiqXH1ayZjohPPfIW0AuAhZ0Fg5CTVO/s400/david-bradley-as-william-hartnell-in-an-adventure-in-space-and-time-2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The story itself raises questions of historical accuracy - was the TARDIS console really designed in a matter of seconds from some punched-out paper offcuts and a cotton reel? Probably not quite as quickly and carelessly as portrayed.<br />
<br />
But in general, there are only a handful of cringey moments (such as the hackneyed delivery of the line "it's smaller on the inside" to refer to the original studio in which Doctor Who was filmed) in a feature-length piece that does justice to the beginning of a legend and a legacy - and tips its hat to the present-day incarnation of the show at the same time.<br />
<br />
I had goosebumps within minutes of the start, and was crying with minutes to go until the end - An Adventure in Space and Time will be taking its place in my DVD collection just as soon as I can get my hands on it.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-65047375243620062402013-10-28T19:42:00.000+00:002013-11-06T20:14:12.894+00:00Son Lux - Lanterns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2BAVm0TROLqahl04QMfY5T6gsWD5lRgIn7C8FTKyH01FmG1qeoy1ludQa5lcR1XywkgFr_vBH3Q3dYJCbzQh6u5zHCvBlasXQoJl3e45sOboCQM4LuKU2eBnXEnZ2OkhtPYNUIBqV1I1/s1600/son-lux-lanterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2BAVm0TROLqahl04QMfY5T6gsWD5lRgIn7C8FTKyH01FmG1qeoy1ludQa5lcR1XywkgFr_vBH3Q3dYJCbzQh6u5zHCvBlasXQoJl3e45sOboCQM4LuKU2eBnXEnZ2OkhtPYNUIBqV1I1/s320/son-lux-lanterns.jpg" width="300" style="float:left;margin:0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>The new record from Son Lux, 'Lanterns', is an energetic and uplifting fabric, a kind of musical weave that envelops the listener and begs to be played again and again.<br />
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Complex and thought-provoking, it's a symphony of instruments and voices that helps to drown out any stresses left over from the day, and lull you off to sleep - or help you relax or, contradictorily, help you prepare for a night out by creating a musical buffer between the working day and the evening's festivities.<br />
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Whatever you use Lanterns for - even if just to provide a soundtrack to your morning commute or journey to school - you definitely won't be bored by its detailed soundscapes and often haunting refrains, particularly in the case of Easy, which although minimalistic is one of the most sit-up-and-listen tracks on the record.<br />
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Click through to our full review below to preview Easy and other tracks from Lanterns.<br />
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<div style="clear:both;"><a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Flanterns%2Fid697161093%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><b>High Points</b><br />
<br />
Easy (preview it below) is probably my personal favourite track from Lanterns, with a casual rhythm that sets it apart from some of the more energetic tracks on the album.<br />
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<center><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/112267227&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Feasy%2Fid697161093%3Fi%3D697161829%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
It's a stylish hint at just what Son Lux are capable of - peaceful overall, but with the introduction of barking instrumentals and hand claps that tie into that 'sit up and listen' theme I mentioned up top.<br />
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As is so often the case, my favourite track is also one of the shortest on the album at four minutes flat; others reach up to five minutes and beyond, so while the complete playlist may only consist of nine songs, you're not being short-changed, by any means.<br />
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<center><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104735681&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Flost-it-to-trying%2Fid697161093%3Fi%3D697161770%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
If Easy is the album's least fussy track, then Lost It To Trying is one of the most complex, with an array of different audio elements all overlaid upon one another.<br />
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Again, that is no bad thing - and while some parts of Lanterns seem best suited to headphones, I would suggest that this track in particular would sound great blasting out of your car speakers, at a house party, or on a dancefloor well into the night.<br />
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<b>The Verdict</b><br />
<br />
Lanterns has plenty to offer for all tastes - the tracks above are just the ones we were able to offer previews for - and the full album deserves a listen in order to decide which songs you think are worth downloading.<br />
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Alternatively, just buy the whole thing - it's detailed enough to single-handedly make a playlist that will keep your ears occupied for 40 minutes or so, although you might find it tricky to choose songs from other artists to go alongside Son Lux's masterpieces as part of a longer listening session.<br />
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Still, if all else fails, you can just stick it on loop - you can expect to get through plenty of full plays of this album before there's any chance of you getting bored.<br />
<br />
<b>Final Score:</b> 86%<br />
<br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Flanterns%2Fid697161093%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-62049759366182408232013-09-24T19:44:00.000+01:002013-09-24T19:44:57.127+01:00Love Inks - Generation Club<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5DiAzOSdLKbxJ1_dLxE8_1aCJWe15DVeK-3XZqA2OLnf8oBn_Abdkw4dHijoCD5TGX7qhmTgB0S6HMhNqh9LXX2Wa0dLMkh58bo-TSjjwlkHiGEAWSTg0xtK-r59s4ARulSt-AorzoDq/s1600/love-inks-generation-club.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5DiAzOSdLKbxJ1_dLxE8_1aCJWe15DVeK-3XZqA2OLnf8oBn_Abdkw4dHijoCD5TGX7qhmTgB0S6HMhNqh9LXX2Wa0dLMkh58bo-TSjjwlkHiGEAWSTg0xtK-r59s4ARulSt-AorzoDq/s400/love-inks-generation-club.jpg" width="300" style="float:left;margin:0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>It may be more than two years since Love Inks last featured on Popsiculture, <a href="http://popsiculturereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/love-inks-esp.html">back around the release date of E.S.P.</a>, but now they're back with Generation Club, and there's a whole ten more tracks to fall in love with.<br />
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For those of you who bought or remember E.S.P., Generation Club continues in the same style - an almost sensual combination of electronic sounds and purring vocals that perfectly show off lead singer Sherry LeBlanc's range.<br />
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If you're new to Love Inks, prepare yourself for something a little different from the norm. Think end-of-the-night slow-dancing on the greatest dancefloor of your life, but in the middle of the day and stone-cold sober, and... actually that sounds like a nightmare, but what I'm <i>trying</i> to say is, Love Inks <i>feel</i> like the crescendo of a great night out, but can be enjoyed at any time of day.<br />
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<div style="clear:both;"><a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fgeneration-club%2Fid691019172%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><b>High Points</b><br />
<br />
For me, the major high point of this album was simply getting a timely reminder of how much I enjoyed E.S.P., with the added bonus of having a whole new album to enjoy - I know I said that up top, but it's really true, and I think the best thing about enjoying the work of any artist is when the old and the new work well together.<br />
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But Generation Club is an album that stands alone in its own right, too, and there are several gems here. Among the best - particularly if, like me, you're a bit of a night owl - is Night Lunch, a lazy, sleepy lullaby that's Love Inks at their best. Clean and simple, with a clear message ("Life can wait when it's you and me..."), there's little that needs saying about this one - just preview it and see for yourself, I guess.<br />
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Buy Night Lunch on <a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fnight-lunch%2Fid691019172%3Fi%3D691019250%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a>.<br />
<br />
The average person takes seven minutes to fall asleep. If you like to listen to music as you drift off, the five and a half minutes of Night Lunch could prove to be all you need - and its successor, Magazine Street, is equally chilled and just long enough to get you past that crucial seven-minute mark.<br />
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<b>The Verdict</b><br />
<br />
Generation Club is a welcome addition to the Love Inks catalogue, and one that's likely to be played on a loop by anyone who enjoyed E.S.P. - and the characteristically laid-back delivery provides a friendly welcome to new fans, too.<br />
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While some might find parts of this album boring, that's a misguided point of view; it is self-evident that the tracks are deliberately restrained, even minimalist in parts, and Sherry LeBlanc's seductive vocals combine confidence with a casual air so often absent from autotuned, mass-market pop.<br />
<br />
<center><object width="500" height="281"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/PYNODQTF4CU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/PYNODQTF4CU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="281" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Foutta-sight%2Fid691019172%3Fi%3D691019226%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
This is tactile music - OK, it's just sound (sometimes served in a bite-sized portion with a video accompaniment, as above), but somehow it feels like you can reach out and touch it, or that it will cradle your head until you fall asleep.<br />
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Generation Club is the grown-up equivalent of having your mum stroke your forehead when you were poorly as a child. It's a mug of hot milk (or mulled wine) on a cold winter night. More directly, it's a fine achievement, and something for Sherry LeBlanc, Love Inks and all of their long-term fans to be proud of.<br />
<br />
<b>Final Score:</b> 95%<br />
<br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fgeneration-club%2Fid691019172%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://development-linkmaker.itunes.awcloud.net//htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-76067824376203121332013-08-24T17:35:00.000+01:002013-08-24T17:35:47.909+01:00Crystal Stilts - Nature Noir<div style="float:left;text-align:center;margin:0 10px 0 0;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBtqGGRq4Ll3btDy6afb6MapYg2xWrfSg1HPDKkIyc4FYPM6gLP0tR6LuoWBmvgursLPyuD4VAqFyNSTq9rsK6WU7c3Y0gg6yMGc1X2M0Z6NFDJHhGFhQHyHZFM6eqExgxCDi5L-Il_TA/s1600/crystal-stilts-nature-noir.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBtqGGRq4Ll3btDy6afb6MapYg2xWrfSg1HPDKkIyc4FYPM6gLP0tR6LuoWBmvgursLPyuD4VAqFyNSTq9rsK6WU7c3Y0gg6yMGc1X2M0Z6NFDJHhGFhQHyHZFM6eqExgxCDi5L-Il_TA/s320/crystal-stilts-nature-noir.jpg" width="250" style="margin:0;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fnature-noir%2Fid676310580%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></div>Nature Noir is the new album from Crystal Stilts, due out on September 16th through Sacred Bones, and it's currently having aural sex with our earholes here at Popsiculture.<br />
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It's an effortlessly stylish, stereophonic masterpiece that begs for a decent pair of headphones or set of speakers - so do yourself a favour, and give this one a listen on something other than your laptop or phone's built-in speakers; you won't regret it.<br />
<div style="clear:both;"> <br />
<a name='more'></a><b>High Points</b></div><br />
As is so often the case, the high points on Nature Noir are the short, sweet tracks - particularly Sticks and Stones, the guts of which lasts for only about 2:14.<br />
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There's plenty of alliteration here too, which is bound to please the writers among you; not only the title of the album itself, but six of the ten tracks - Future Folklore, Sticks and Stones, World's Gone Weird, Darken the Door, the titular Nature Noir, and Phases Forever - have pleasingly alliterative titles.<br />
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OK, so that's got nothing to do with the quality of the music, but I know there's plenty of people out there who'll find it pretty satisfying all the same.<br />
<br />
<b>Track Previews</b><br />
<br />
Star Crawl, previewed on YouTube on July 18th, is already available as a digital single, if you can't wait for Nature Noir to arrive in full.<br />
<br />
With over 24,000 views at the time of writing, it's an indication of Crystal Stilts' enduring popularity - and of the number of fans who were out there just waiting for their return.<br />
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<center><object width="500" height="281"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/s5N1e1sWJ7o?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/s5N1e1sWJ7o?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="281" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br />
Future Folklore was previewed on YouTube on August 13th, and has clocked up over 5,000 views in the 11 days since.<br />
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There's something decidedly Tarantino-esque about the guitar on this track - check the preview below and see if you agree.<br />
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<center><object width="500" height="281"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/QS6GSs72mgk?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/QS6GSs72mgk?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="281" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br />
<b>The Verdict</b><br />
<br />
Nature Noir is already finding fans - new and old - with a hugely positive reception to the tracks previewed on YouTube so far, and I can say with a good amount of certainty that the rest of the album will not disappoint anyone who likes what they've heard so far.<br />
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This is music that, while by no means lazy in its composition, is perfect for a lazy day, when the rain's pounding against your bedroom window, and you just want to listen to something that feels like a warm, comforting hug.<br />
<br />
A mid-September release date is just right, then; and while the timing means Nature Noir will not be the soundtrack to anyone's summer, it should provide some elegant acoustics for this autumn.<br />
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The downsides - of which there are few - are simply that the general style of this album will not appeal to everyone; vocalist Brad Hargett's delivery may come across as drab, and critics might argue that the full 34-minute playing time is enough for Nature Noir to become boring.<br />
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Personally though, I'd suggest that almost as a positive; sometimes you just don't want to listen to music that requires effort, and Nature Noir is a catchy, but not overly demanding, earworm that does just what it needs to, and no more.<br />
<br />
<b>Final Score:</b> 78%<br />
<br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fnature-noir%2Fid676310580%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a><br />
<br />
<i>Crystal Stilts UK Tour Dates:</i><br />
<br />
<b>23rd Nov</b> - Green Door Store, Brighton<br />
<b>24th Nov</b> - Liverpool Psychfest party, Liverpool<br />
<b>25th Nov</b> - Mono, Glasgow<br />
<b>26th Nov</b> - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds <br />
<b>27th Nov</b> - The Exchange, Bristol<br />
<b>28th Nov</b> - Cargo, LondonBobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-351361610077164242013-08-22T17:00:00.000+01:002013-08-22T17:00:51.256+01:00Junip - Walking Lightly<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fwalking-lightly%2Fid612964386%3Fi%3D612965021%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003">Walking Lightly</a>, due for release on September 16th via City Slang, is a lush balance of percussion and Jose Gonzalez vocals, rich and mellow, and provides a perfect follow-up to the <a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fjunip%2Fid612964386%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003">self-titled sophomore album</a> released by Junip earlier this year.<br />
<br />
You can preview the track using the SoundCloud player below, but also look out for the EP - also entitled Walking Lightly and due out on September 16th - for more tracks, including remixes by Maps, To Rococo Rot and Tobacco.<br />
<br />
<center><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F105714498&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe></center><br />
Like many people in the UK, we've been fans of Jose Gonzalez since his version of Heartbeats featured on the Sony Bravia 'bouncy balls' advert - and it's great to hear his work with Junip offering a different side to his distinctive vocals.<br />
<br />
What's more, there's currently the chance to see Junip perform live on their European tour, which includes UK dates at:<br />
<br />
<i>14th Sep - Manchester, Ramsbottom Festival<br />
15th Sep - Glasgow, No Mean City<br />
16th Sep - Leeds, Brudenells Social Club<br />
17th Sep - Bristol, Fleece<br />
18th Sep - London, Shepherd's Bush Empire</i><br />
<br />
It's a hectic schedule, sandwiched between further dates in France, Germany and the Benelux countries - and with the single and EP due out to coincide with the Leeds date, Junip are likely to be making a fair few appearances in the trade press over the coming weeks.<br />
<br />
To download Walking Lightly from iTunes, use the button below, or look out for the full release of the EP if you're interested in the remixes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fwalking-lightly%2Fid612964386%3Fi%3D612965021%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-5333104125764425542013-08-05T16:31:00.000+01:002013-08-05T16:31:27.794+01:00Peter Capaldi is the Twelfth DoctorIn the worst-kept Doctor Who secret since the 2005 reboot episode <i>Rose</i> was leaked in Canada, Peter Capaldi has been named as the Twelfth Doctor, and fans seem, for the most part, to be quite happy.<br />
<br />
As usual, I've got mixed feelings, although they're generally very positive - and it's certainly good that they haven't tried to cast another Matt Smith, who always seemed a natural for the role.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiVKQwaajbJKh83hTTFk6c9rnBrKuDkSWkwIZonKKMoKhN9weBZHHsBy6D5-XmH58AnTy0ynYl9okg3zw0Pp6XIHsqV-TfmP1twKfE22igVe0bX2SfjtHddJdvotoHoMvgxT3MQQ1H9sq/s1600/peter-capaldi-is-the-twelfth-doctor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiVKQwaajbJKh83hTTFk6c9rnBrKuDkSWkwIZonKKMoKhN9weBZHHsBy6D5-XmH58AnTy0ynYl9okg3zw0Pp6XIHsqV-TfmP1twKfE22igVe0bX2SfjtHddJdvotoHoMvgxT3MQQ1H9sq/s1600/peter-capaldi-is-the-twelfth-doctor.jpg" /></a></center><br />
Yes, Capaldi is a rather more familiar face than is usually the case, but I think the show needs a safe pair of hands in the driving seat for now.<br />
<br />
And to the critics who say he won't stay for long, as he'll be lured away to other (bigger?) things, <a href="http://popsiculturereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/doctor-who.html">I refer you to my June 2nd post</a> and the fact that only four actors - including the two most recent Doctors, David Tennant and Matt Smith - have ever held the TARDIS keys for more than three years at a time.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>The Benefit of Hindsight</b><br />
<br />
So, was Capaldi a predictable choice? Somebody clearly thought so, as there was a surge of betting on him over the weekend (we've asked William Hill for their thoughts on this, and will update this article if they get back to us).<br />
<br />
Actually though, I think it would have been quite a surprise, had it not presumably have been for one of the ten 'trusted' BBC insiders running off to the bookies on Friday.<br />
<br />
I think the fact that Capaldi is such a good fit for the role - and not just the modern-era role, but The Doctor as <i>all</i> Whovians know and love him - is what makes him a surprising choice.<br />
<br />
Many people were genuinely expecting a woman or a black man (or possibly a black woman, although I didn't see that suggested much).<br />
<br />
I would not have been surprised by a female Doctor, a non-human Doctor (yes, I know he's Gallifreyan, but I mean like an Ood-Doctor or something...), the return of an old character, an all-out comedian, or an at-last pay-off to the "still not ginger" gag that's been repeated throughout the modern era.<br />
<br />
Instead, we have a Doctor who, as has been widely pointed out, is the same age as First Doctor William Hartnell was when the show began (although Hartnell looked much older).<br />
<br />
We have a Doctor who is an accomplished, trusted, serious actor in true-to-life dramas, and that should be exciting for anyone who (like me) thinks the more recent few series of Doctor Who have lacked tangible drama and darkness.<br />
<br />
<b>McDoctor</b><br />
<br />
Capaldi is <i>so</i> suited to the role, in fact, that the most controversial thing anyone has seemingly been able to find to say is that he's Scottish - and that's nothing new.<br />
<br />
The Doctor of my childhood, Sylvester McCoy, was about as Scottish as it's possible to be, while David Tennant disguised his accent to play The Doctor as a Brit - meaning, whichever route Capaldi chooses, the precedent has already been set.<br />
<br />
In the event, he will of course make the character his own, but I for one would love to see even the slightest resemblance to McCoy's Seventh Doctor.<br />
<br />
McCoy played The Doctor for a little over two years, not counting his regeneration scene in the much-maligned 1996 TV movie, and he and Sophie Aldred as Ace were only getting into their stride when the TARDIS doors were closed on them.<br />
<br />
I can see clear parallels between their relationship, and that which seems likely to form between Twelve and Clara, so with just a smattering of decent scripting, we could be on to a very good thing here.<br />
<br />
<b>Say Your Right Words</b><br />
<br />
The scripting of modern-era Doctor Who is, of course, the real weak link, as the series has become rather too self-congratulatory in all respects (particular low points include the android Anne Robinson, and the "It's John Hurt!" reveal at the end of the last series which, had it <i>not</i> been John Hurt, but instead had been any random actor who wasn't world-famous, would have been utterly pointless in the context of the story).<br />
<br />
Doctor Who urgently needs to regain its darker elements - and a genuine feeling of risk, not just 'mild peril' that ends with anybody who's dead somehow being resurrected.<br />
<br />
It needs to <i>lose</i> the lame puns that are presented as fundamental truths of the Who universe (Whoniverse?) - like Captain Jack's "they used to call me the face of beau" line, for example, or the incessant assertions that "silence will fall", which I still don't know what they mean or whether they're supposed to have been resolved yet.<br />
<br />
And it desperately, desperately needs to lose its 'deus ex machina' series finales. Classic Doctor Who was celebrated for its multi-episode stories, which allowed reasonable, considered resolutions, but left the characters free to move on to the next adventure.<br />
<br />
Modern-era Doctor Who is a mish-mash of one-episode 'adventures' that often feel hurried, particularly in the conclusion (and there's too much running), contrasted against horribly drawn-out, often fairly unimaginative series-long arcs that, by the time they <i>reach</i> their resolution, nobody really cares any more; and the solution to whatever the contrived problem might be is so over-the-top that it requires god-like powers to be given to a companion, or The Doctor's regeneration.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, the only people I've seen who have really been alienated by Capaldi's casting are the very young viewers, who reasonably have come to understand the character of The Doctor as one who is quite young and playful, and regenerates before he has chance to grow old.<br />
<br />
Whether you think the show is far from 'the right track' or not, this new direction for the modern incarnation of Doctor Who is also a return to the core of the series as a 50-year brand - and for grown-up Whovians, that should make Capaldi a very exciting prospect indeed.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-39630725948737952712013-06-17T18:20:00.000+01:002013-08-25T18:59:20.079+01:00Anna von Hausswolff - CeremonyCeremony, a spectacular, triumphant album from Sweden's Anna von Hausswolff, defies description and explanation - although naturally, I'll give it my best effort.<br />
<br />
Let's be under no illusions though that this is not a sequence of compositions that's best heard, rather than discussed; so take full advantage of any previews you can get your hands on, or just take the plunge and buy it outright.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvznX3pH_5d9CYsSSGkQaRmyv-WzpOhvLk4G4puh0enxBlnODG4wnHDnHkrgvhFObhfqq2dI_gXhelcUupDE2QUG18yniH_ipHOjOw-8OGC2XG891oIJjPGymjzqG1-4mLboKp3y1S6f9/s1600/anna-von-hausswolff-ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvznX3pH_5d9CYsSSGkQaRmyv-WzpOhvLk4G4puh0enxBlnODG4wnHDnHkrgvhFObhfqq2dI_gXhelcUupDE2QUG18yniH_ipHOjOw-8OGC2XG891oIJjPGymjzqG1-4mLboKp3y1S6f9/s1600/anna-von-hausswolff-ceremony.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fceremony%2Fid631243269%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
If you don't know what to expect of Anna von Hausswolff, then you're in for the greatest treat of all - and you may as well enjoy it, as you'll only get to 'discover' her for the first time once.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Timeless Tracks</b><br />
<br />
Many of the tracks (to describe them simply as 'songs' would be under-selling them) on Ceremony have a timeless feel to them; von Hausswolff describes her favoured instrument, the organ, as an instrument of the Middle Ages, but her music seems substantially less of one 'time', and I suspect will age incredibly well.<br />
<br />
To try and set them in terms you may recognise, the vocals - at once haunting and other-worldly, yet imbued with huge amounts of very human sentiment - are perhaps most closely reminiscent of Kate Bush, in the sense that von Hausswolff has a voice of epic majesty, yet uses it as an instrument with effortless control.<br />
<br />
Alongside this, you have instrumentals along the lines of those created by Philip Glass for the 1982 documentary film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, now considered a cult classic.<br />
<br />
Put them together and it for once feels fair to use the often over-employed word 'epic'; there are few alternative descriptors that accurately capture the magnitude of the music created by von Hausswolff on Ceremony.<br />
<br />
<b>Sense of Scale</b><br />
<br />
If Ceremony as a whole carries a sense of epic magnitude, then it is worth recognising that von Hausswolff avoids the common pitfall of trying to make every track into an opera in its own right.<br />
<br />
Durations vary - from as little as 2:33 for track 7, 'No Body', to almost nine minutes for track 2, the darkly disturbing 'Deathbed', which you can preview via YouTube below.<br />
<br />
<center><object width="500" height="281"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/uABaTw73PFU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/uABaTw73PFU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="281" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fdeathbed%2Fid631243269%3Fi%3D631243279%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
While you might imagine there would be pacing problems with such stark variation in the lengths of tracks, in practice no such issues arise; and the full hour-plus playing time of Ceremony stands as an incredibly strong work that is well deserving of whatever praise is heaped upon von Hausswolff.<br />
<br />
<b>The Verdict</b><br />
<br />
I am unashamedly a fan of ghostly, gothic, haunting music - which seems all too rare, despite its unparalleled ability to paint a true picture of the beautiful tragedy of life.<br />
<br />
Anna von Hausswolff - to whose music I was, prior to this review, a stranger - captures that sentiment with moving perfection; I can only imagine what it must be like to live life with the capacity to create such music of her own free will.<br />
<br />
<center><object width="500" height="375"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/iFJ-rurPbRc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/iFJ-rurPbRc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="375" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fliturgy-of-light%2Fid631243269%3Fi%3D631243285%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
If you buy just one track, make it Liturgy of Light - preview it above and use the iTunes button to download. It's a little different from the rest of Ceremony, and if you're not expecting it, it can really knock you for six when it arrives - more or less at the midpoint of the album as a whole.<br />
<br />
But it's a thing of real beauty, and it's nice to have it as proof that von Hausswolff is not a one-trick pony - she is as capable of evoking emotion with a guitar as with the mediaeval sound of the organ; and whichever she uses, the result is something to be treasured.<br />
<br />
<b>Final Score:</b> 96%<br />
<br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fceremony%2Fid631243269%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/en_us//images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-11756407001596466732013-06-02T13:29:00.003+01:002013-06-02T13:29:39.536+01:00Doctor Who...?With the news that Matt Smith is to leave the role of The Doctor (let's call him Eleven from here on in) at the end of the show's current 50th year, Doctor Who's producers have a crucial decision to make in appointing the right actor - or actress - to take on the role of Twelve.<br />
<br />
I've been a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, although in my case I was still only four years old when Sylvester McCoy became Seven, so don't really have clear memories of any of the Doctors who came before him.<br />
<br />
Before I list some of the options, let's remind ourselves of the Doctors of the past:<br />
<br />
1. William Hartnell (1963-1966), 2yrs 11mths<br />
2. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969), 2yrs 8mths<br />
3. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974), 4yrs 5mths<br />
4. Tom Baker (1974-1981), 6yrs 9mths<br />
5. Peter Davison (1981-1984), 3yrs 0mths<br />
6. Colin Baker (1984-1986), 2yrs 9mths<br />
7. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989), 2yrs 3mths<br />
8. Paul McGann (May 27th 1996), 1 day<br />
9. Christopher Eccleston (2005), 3mths<br />
10. David Tennant (2005-2010), 4yrs 7mths<br />
11. Matt Smith (2010-2013), 3yrs 11mths<br />
<br />
Although it might feel like the actor playing The Doctor has changed quite a lot since the show's return in 2005, that's actually not the case - with the exception of Eccleston's admittedly short tenure, Tennant and Smith have been two of only four actors to play the part for more than three years (with Davison piloting the TARDIS for almost exactly three years, but falling just a few days short of the milestone).<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The next Doctor, then, will be looking at playing the role of Twelve for around four years or more, if they are to hold their own in the history of the show.<br />
<br />
It is perhaps also worth noting that The Doctor is rapidly running out of regenerations - the canon of the show generally has it that The Doctor has 12 regenerations at his disposal, plus his original incarnation, making a potential 13 different actors in total. No doubt, when it comes down to it, the writers will find an excuse to continue changing the lead actor into Fourteen and beyond, but I suspect for many fans, the first 13 Doctors will always hold a special significance.<br />
<br />
So, who do we expect to take over the role? I'm going to try to avoid making too-specific suggestions, and instead list some more general categories from which Twelve is possibly going to be picked.<br />
<br />
<b>A Woman</b><br />
<br />
Since its return in 2005, Doctor Who has attracted a huge female audience, not least because everybody fancied the pants off of David Tennant. With that in mind, there's been a growing clamour for The Doctor to become female, each time he has regenerated since then.<br />
<br />
I'd find it uncomfortable if Twelve were to be female - The Doctor has always been a 'he' and, although the regenerative process clearly allows for change, he's always taken the form of a human male up until now, and it would seem odd for that part to change abruptly, particularly in terms of a fairly major characteristic like gender.<br />
<br />
Plus, to be frank, pretty much everybody hated River Song. Any actress taking on the role would have to work hard to overcome that; The Doctor is pretty ascerbic at times, and I think it's easier for a male actor to shrug off seeming smug, compared with Alex Kingston's annoyingly know-it-all portrayal of Song.<br />
<br />
<b>An Alien</b><br />
<br />
One thing that has been particularly prevalent in Doctor Who since its return is a willingness to have 'aliens' who are clearly just humans in costume. A great many of the alien species that The Doctor has encountered since 2005 have been fundamentally humanoid, and that potentially unlocks the door for The Doctor himself to be designed in such a way.<br />
<br />
A Dalek-Doctor might be a stretch too far, but an Ood-Doctor wouldn't be far beyond the pale, provided that he only took the visible form of an Ood, and retained all of his usual dynamism.<br />
<br />
Will the producers take such a gamble? Probably not - The Doctor's human side plays a pretty important part in allowing the audience to relate to the character, but it's certainly an outside possibility.<br />
<br />
<b>A Previous Character</b><br />
<br />
Given the extreme focus the modern incarnation of the show puts on The Doctor's relationships with his companions, could it be feasible for the producers to bring back an actor who has already been on the show?<br />
<br />
Could we see Twelve portrayed by John Barrowman, or Billie Piper, or Catherine Tate? All have been granted Time-Lord-like abilities at some point in the past (but then again, Amy Pond was given the ability to 'remember' the entire Universe back into existence, while Clara Oswald has just distributed herself throughout The Doctor's entire history, so there are plenty of supernatural human characters to choose from).<br />
<br />
Of all these options, Billie Piper seems the most likely, as she was fundamental to the success of the revived series - but perhaps a little too long has already passed for the audience to welcome her back, particularly in the main role.<br />
<br />
<b>A Comedian</b><br />
<br />
Although it pains me to say it, I'm increasingly expecting an outright comedic actor to be cast into the role. Or not an actor at all, but just a stand-up comedian.<br />
<br />
More and more episodes of Doctor Who are described as "so much fun" in the reviews, and while the days of hiding behind the sofa may be gone either way, it's pretty painful to watch one of the world's most successful and cherished science fiction series descend into slapstick and one-liners.<br />
<br />
But I'm not in charge; the producers are, and if they decide they want Russell Kane to play Twelve, then that's the way it will have to be.<br />
<br />
<b>A Ginger</b><br />
<br />
For the past few regenerations, The Doctor has been disappointed not to be ginger... given their penchant for comedy, will the producers finally decide to pay off on this gag?<br />
<br />
If they don't, I actually wouldn't object too much if they decided to throw in a ginger midway regenerative phase, just to provide a punchline to a setup several years in the making - they could always have him end up blonde without it being too much of a stretch of the imagination for him to go through a ginger phase partway through the process.<br />
<br />
<b>'Grimmy'</b><br />
<br />
Nick Grimshaw. Radio 1's Breakfast Show host, BBC Three panel show host, Never Mind The Buzzcocks guest host, Children in Need host, Comic Relief host, Glastonbury host... Grimmy is frankly everywhere and, love him or hate him, they're gonna keep ramming him down our throats until we stop resisting.<br />
<br />
Plus, with his 'quirky' hair and northern accent, he's annoyingly close to what the Beeb are likely to be looking for to replace Eleven. Let me be the first fan to plead: Don't do it. For the love of god.<br />
<br />
<b>My Pick</b><br />
<br />
OK, so if I'm going to discount all of the above, who would I personally like to see in the role?<br />
<br />
Well, my vote goes to Chris Geere. Formerly of Waterloo Road and now appearing in After Earth, Chris has the range and the quirky personality, a pretty hardcore cult following of fans, yet is still unknown enough to many that he wouldn't seem too much like the show selling out to a 'big name'.<br />
<br />
He gives great hugs, which seems like a pretty Doctory quality to me, and he'd be the blondest Doctor since... well, since the days of Davison and Colin Baker, at least. Just think of all those 'blonde' gags the writers could throw in without having to make any effort at all...<br />
<br />
Seriously, this is not the US presidency, casting a woman or a black actor would not be making history, but it would be something of an indulgence at the cost of a well-established character. Do what you will with the rest of the show - and heaven knows it's seen plenty of rough times in the past - but the character of The Doctor himself needs to go to someone with the necessary aplomb to carry off both the comedy and the tragedy of the role, and to make both believable at once.<br />
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<b>Your Pick</b><br />
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Who would you like to see as Twelve? Or would you prefer to see an entire regeneration used up on John Hurt in the 50th anniversary special, and move right on to Thirteen at Christmas?<br />
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Let us know your thoughts below - a female Doctor? More comedy? A big name? Or an unknown? Place your bets now...Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-67578583303840889842013-05-21T14:39:00.000+01:002013-05-21T14:39:41.045+01:00She & Him - Volume 3Yes! It's finally time for She & Him's third album, Volume 3, to hit the stands, and it couldn't come soon enough for us here.<br />
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Actually, Volume 3 was released last week, but we've only just had chance to review it. But as ever, it was worth waiting for.<br />
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<center><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F80395825&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fnever-wanted-your-love%2Fid623876166%3Fi%3D623876358%26uo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store" style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.png) no-repeat;width:45px;height:15px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-sm.svg);}"></a></center><br />
<a name='more'></a>As you probably know, Volume 3 <i>isn't</i> actually She & Him's third album, but their fourth - that is, if you're counting A Very She & Him Christmas, which we are.<br />
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Personally, I'd be as happy hearing tracks from the latest album (such as Never Wanted Your Love, which you can stream via the SoundCloud player above) alongside any of the earlier releases, even the Christmas songs.<br />
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With She & Him, it's about enjoying a classic sound - it's not 'timeless', because it's very much the sound of the past, and that's not a problem at all.<br />
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<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnoWf1IZEaTYzz47fS7D3zDkCaUcaxdF7MkGf0y0IVUb7NlaW_GSw1qNrqJ3FOAkWFwxdTJ_SHZucE2WIZicPBk5632mSbpYYO8Dty5-o_M5zeQwQiQVgLZ_bvl4fBkzELKt0SWsN_NMS/s1600/She-and-Him-Volume-3-by-Autumn-De-Wilde.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnoWf1IZEaTYzz47fS7D3zDkCaUcaxdF7MkGf0y0IVUb7NlaW_GSw1qNrqJ3FOAkWFwxdTJ_SHZucE2WIZicPBk5632mSbpYYO8Dty5-o_M5zeQwQiQVgLZ_bvl4fBkzELKt0SWsN_NMS/s1600/She-and-Him-Volume-3-by-Autumn-De-Wilde.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Photo Credit: Autumn De Wilde</center><br />
Once again, there's glorious album art courtesy of Autumn De Wilde, which will look fine on your iPod screen, but also probably makes it worth buying the CD if you want to gaze lovingly into Zooey's eyes (or M. Ward's, for that matter).<br />
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And if you happen to be in the USA in June and July, look out for a tour date - starting in Nashville on June 13th and ending in Vienna, VA on July 11th.<br />
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Pick of the venues for us has to be June 23rd's appearance at the Hollywood Bowl, likely to be something of a homecoming for Deschanel, who remains best known to many for her TV and big-screen acting career.<br />
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<b>Final Score:</b> 81%<br />
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<a href="http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=23708&a=1838569&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fgb%2Falbum%2Fvolume-3%2Fid623876166%3Fuo%3D4%26partnerId%3D2003" target="itunes_store"style="display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;background:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.png) no-repeat;width:110px;height:40px;@media only screen{background-image:url(http://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/htmlResources/assets/images/web/linkmaker/badge_itunes-lrg.svg);}"></a>Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-69802899043817039482013-05-21T13:47:00.000+01:002013-05-21T13:47:16.313+01:00Virals - Wax-WorkPicking up the pace slightly from <a href="http://popsiculturereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/red-velvet-band-im-fine.html">our previous post</a>, Wax-Work is another free download, this time from Virals, AKA Shaun Hencher.<br />
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As you can see from the SoundCloud waveform below, it's a noisy affair, with plenty of guitar and cymbals, so get ready to adjust your treble if you're not a fan of the hi-hat.<br />
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<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F81889863&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe><br />
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Hencher just got back from appearances in the US, and is scheduled for Field Day in Victoria Park, London this weekend, with a pre-party appearance at The Shacklewell Arms on Friday.<br />
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As far as we can tell, Wax-Work has been made available pretty much for the hell of it - there's no immediate album release coming up, although once Field Day is out of the way, Hencher's planning to start working on a full-length release, which we'll bring you more details about as we receive them.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303258694960475886.post-67937451097096595912013-05-21T13:31:00.000+01:002013-05-21T14:59:23.249+01:00Red Velvet Band - I'm FineAs you may have noticed over the past couple of years, we're pretty big Katie Waissel fans at Popsiculture, and like many Waissel Warriors, we're hanging on every snatched glimpse of what to expect from Red Velvet Band, when they finally get around to releasing an album.<br />
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I'm Fine probably isn't typical of what to expect - a heartfelt ballad written and recorded by Katie herself, it's a moving demo recording* free from gimmicks, and free to download via the Red Velvet Band SoundCloud page.<br />
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<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F92621063&color=888888&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true"></iframe><br />
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There's a sense of real emotion - and of real pain - underpinning I'm Fine, which anyone who's followed Katie's life in recent months won't find surprising.<br />
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Her voice, though, is as distinctive as ever, and her natural delivery of her own heart-rending vocals comes almost as a whisper, a shared secret, a burden not unburdened, but perhaps at least eased through music.<br />
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I've always adored Katie's ballads, and allowing for the fact that this is, after all, a one-woman demo track, I think it stands up there with her best efforts from the past.<br />
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Truth be told, some fans are likely to be happy with any song that carries Katie's voice - and although I count myself among them, I feel truly blessed for that to be the case.<br />
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As always, more from Red Velvet as it becomes available.<br />
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*UPDATE: Katie uploaded an updated version of the track for download via the SoundCloud page after we published this review, which brings the track up to studio quality and offers a much richer sound in general.Bobble Bardsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02763858890686010543noreply@blogger.com0