Essential April '11

Essential viewing this April:
- After serving as a screenwriter on films such as Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) it was no surprise that George Nolfi went on to cast Matt Damon for his first directorial outing. And a wise choice indeed as Damon is one half of the finest pairing to come out of Hollywood in years. The other half is Emily Blunt and the film is The Adjustment Bureau. A romantic thriller with a touch of science fiction does not sound as a safe bet, but Nolfi makes it work, much thanks to his compelling leading pair. Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, this is surprisingly moving and effective, and a very positive debut from a director who will be interesting to follow in his next move from the big chair.

- Another writer making his feature film debut this season is John Wells. After conquering TV with endless episodes of The West Wing and E.R. he now moves to the big screen with The Company Men. A well acted drama about corporate downsizing, perhaps not an idea that screams entertainment, but a strong script (which Wells penned himself) and a solid ensemble of actors make this an engaging watch. A surprisingly strong leading role from Ben Affleck with high quality support in Chris Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones ensures a both moving and interesting film. The sensitive material may have scared off the audiences stateside, but this is a valuable bit of filmmaking from John Wells.

- The podcasts from Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant and Karl Pilkington have gone on to become a global phenomenon. When HBO first launched the idea of an animated series based on The Ricky Gervais Show, many were skeptical if the humor would be as entertaining on screen. After just wrapping up their second season and already being green lit for a third, it is safe to say that the lads have successfully conquered TV as well. With more detailed and incorporated animation than in its debut season, season two is simply 13 episodes of pure brilliance. Even if you’re familiar with the podcasts, the simple animation is entertainment enough in itself, and if this is your first encounter with these fantastic conversations, simply hit ”play all” and enjoy!

Essential listening this April:
- When The Airborne Toxic Event released their debut album in 2009 this writer went on to list it the second best album of the year, only beaten by Soulsavers’ magnificent Broken. Two years later some of the enthusiasm might have settled down, but the bands second outing still has enough quality to get me going. All At Once is another great collection of indie pop/rock tracks that are fast, playfully driven and occasionally very catchy. The sound and feel of the album remain close to the first one, and even though the immediate infatuation is not as strong this time around this is a terrific American pop record.

- It is hard to believe that Foo Figthers’s latest release is in fact their seventh studio album, an impressive feat for any band. And Wasting Light is a reassuring return to familiar form after the mildly disappointing Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace (2007). What that album lacked in energy and hard rock, Wasting Light makes up tenfold. From the very beginning Dave Grohl’s crew is there to let you know that this will be a no-nonsense ride. Another impressive trick is to despite being a very well produced record, the band still sounds rough around the edges, which always suited the fighters better than being perfect. Not revolutionary but, more importantly, a quality hard rockin’ album with great tracks that must be kicking and screaming to be played live this summer. Can’t wait!

- Another wonderful American band that have been around for a while is Explosions In The Sky, who this month return with their sixth album (an amusingly titled) Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. The band is still an all instrumental outfit, but the nerve and emotion of their guitars and drums doesn’t fall short to any other band, and a vocalist would simply get lost in this glorious company. With a modest six tracks, this album is one beautiful symphony of inspiring rock that carries its heart on its sleeve.
Close your eyes and enjoy the lovely Postcard From 1952. Sweet dreams guaranteed.

Great Stand-Up

One of the best short stand-up routines I've ever seen!
Phil Hanley performing on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS March 11, 2011.

The Music

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite bands announced that they are retiring and will no longer release any new music together. That band is The Music.
The Music was formed in Leeds and released their first, self titled debut album in 2002. The album reached an impressive #4 spot on the UK charts and would prove to be the bands highest ranking. Despite never becoming a global best-selling act they would always receive great reviews from critics and they enjoyed a tremendous respect in the UK music community. The track Getaway from their first album is the first song I ever heard by the band and it is still one of my favorites.

Two years later the band released their second album Welcome To The North. It was another hit with critics and the band went on a global tour to promote the album. The first single Freedom Fighters is another great example of their powerful style, filled with energy, strong riffs and a great chorus.

After the second album there was a period of complete silence around the band. Rumours started saying they had split up and many thought they would never be heard from again. When the band changed labels in 2007, lead singer Robert Harvey confessed to have struggled with alcohol and claimed this to be the reason for the long absence. However he overcame his troubles and 2008 saw the release of their much anticipated third album Strenght In Numbers. The returning band appeared to be more focused and stronger than ever.

On March 31 the band announced on their website that they would play a limited number of concerts this summer and that this would be the end of The Music. The song Ghost Hands would be the bands last ever song. They were a terrific band and it is a shame that there will never be another The Music album.

The Music R.I.P.

Sound City

This past weekend saw the first ever Sound City festival take place in Tromsø. Sound City is a festival concept from Liverpool, UK which has gone on to establish festivals not only in its hometown, but also in Dubai and showcasing at the South By Southwest festival in Texas, USA. The idea to bring this renowned festival to the far north of Norway is both bold and inspiring. The festival featured interesting seminars from a wide variety of British speakers and saw thirty bands perform live shows on three stages over two days.
The festival was a great success and will be repeated next year, hopefully become an institution, and establish long lasting working relationships between Tromsø and the international music and art scene.

Here is a selection of various media coverage which give you an idea about the festival.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-13019859
http://ballade.no/nmi.nsf/doc/art2011041113520424204165
http://www.nordlys.no/kronikk/article5399609.ece