Review 60 results

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

The plague created by Will Rodman's Alzheimer's ‘cure’ has spread throughout the globe and decimated the human population and, presumably, empowered ape populations worldwide. Caesar's simian refugees build a growing community in the redwood forest while a splinter group of human survivors eke out an existence within the ruins of San Francisco. The diminishing fuel supply the human's require for electricity generation inevitably bring them into contact with Caesar's community who ...

Jersey Boys Movie Review

It should be noted that Eastwood's film is not a musical but rather features performances of The Four Seasons' music to signpost defined periods within the band's chronology. Correspondingly, the film is perfectly suited for those who love The Four Seasons music but do not possess a commensurate love of musicals (like me!) and as such appeals to a slightly different market. A smaller market it would seem given the film does not appear to be as successful as its theatrical predecessor. ...

Lovelace (Music from The Motion Picture) Album Review

There are even times when it can inform on a period that wasn’t even experienced first hand. That ramble brings us to Lovelace, it’s not a film score but a collection of tracks that evidently will be included in the not yet released movie about the porn star Linda Lovelace and the movie Deep Throat. If taken as a sampler of the radio of the day (Deep Throat was released in 1972) it shows how constricted and formatted modern day radio has become and how wide open and fun it used to ...

How To Train Your Dragon 2 Movie Review

Hiccup is clearly in a loving relationship with Astrid and Hiccup's dad, Stoick, is talking wedding bells. But there's a darkness that accompanies this maturing of the story elements and it proves to be a double-edged sword. The unbridled fun of the first film (probably Dreamworks' best animated feature) takes a heavy hit in this one with the story centering around loss, love and loss again. Hiccup's discovery of his long lost mother (voiced by Cate Blanchett impersonating Emma Thompson, ...

Karnivool – Asymmetry Album Review

The new long player Asymmetry more than lives up to those expectations with its expansive take on progressive rock. The work screams with passion when the mood strikes but also whispers with precision. The band creates a musical world with all the bombast and idiosyncratic behaviour that marks the best in the genre. It’s minute attention to detail also gives clues to the band’s less than vast recorded output. It’s a dense work that is best left to wash over you as it reveals ...

Tedeschi Trucks Band – Made Up Mind Album Review

With the amazing talent pool in the Tedeschi Trucks Band, one could be forgiven for thinking it would result in music aimed squarely at fellow musicians. Made Up Mind sidesteps this concern most spectacularly. It’s an earthy workout with band co-leader Susan Tedeschi delivering just the right amount of grits and gravy in her vocals while husband and Allman Brothers Band alumni Derek Trucks spits fire when it’s completely appropriate while laying out and comping extremely tasty fills ...

Yagull – Films Album Review

This sunny Sunday morning that perfect aural pleasure is Films by Yagull. The group, the project of composer/guitarist Sasha Markovic blends beautiful acoustic instrumentation with forward thinking arrangements and playing. Don’t let the acoustic tag impact your mindset on this either, for there is as much power in these grooves as a Marshall stack on 11, it’s just more cerebral and only slightly less physical. There is also a superb use of space that allows the listeners to add ...

Marbin – Last Chapter Of Dreaming Album Review

From the spaghetti western feel of Breaking The Cycle to the cinematic shuffle of On The Square or even the daytime television cheese of Café de Nuit these crazy cats know how to conjure up a vivid experience.  With impeccable influences and moments like the eighties era King Crimson riff that opens the track Inner Monologue or the Dixie Dregs hoe-down meets Zappa wah-wah of Redline these Chicagonians also demonstrates a tip of the director’s hat to some of the forbearers to all ...

Miles Kane – Don’t Forget Who You Are Album Review

Let the bold glam wash over you, the chugging rockers kick you in the backside and the lock step sixties lo-fi seep into your consciousness. It’s all good fun and a serious moment is not to be found. It’s the kind of album you want to crank up when the workday is over and your mind needs no further games of challenge. Not letting intellectualism interfere with simple word play has the effect of making the songs insanely easy to sing along to. The production also leaves everything on ...

Soft Machine Legacy – Burden Of Proof Album Review

Many are the bands that burn bright in their heyday only to break up and then reform for not much more than a paycheck. Then there are the ones that get back together because they still have something musical to say. Soft Machine Legacy are definitely in that latter camp. Also in respect to the former band members, the group has added legacy to their moniker to help distinguish between the past and the present. Originally formed in Canterbury, England, the band was a forerunner to the ...