ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:
The blockbuster season of this summer has already had a decent start with X-Men: Days of Future Past and a surprisingly fresh Spidey 2, but both will have to surrender to this month’s Edge of Tomorrow. Doug Liman’s sci-fi adventure, based on the novel All You Need Is Kill (which was the film's working title) by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, is a superb mixture of great effects, thrills, laughs and action. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star and play off each other well, with Cruise on top form in a part that allows for his comedic abilities to shine as well as his action chops. It may drag on a bit towards the end, but the repetitive plot never loses its sting and instead it builds momentum towards a rewarding and satisfying ending. The hit of the summer!
American indie darlings The National have been mentioned on this site on more than one occasion, having gone top in this writer’s “Essentials” column for both 2010 and 2013. A year after the release of their sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me the documentary Mistaken for Strangers arrives. Directed by Tom Berninger, brother of singer and frontman Matt, it is one of the most original and entertaining music documentaries in years. Setting out to make a “great rock doc” on his brother’s band, Berninger soon finds himself mistaking himself as a band member, more concerned in enjoying the perks of the road then planning his cinematic project. The history of the band work simply as a backdrop as this becomes a story about family and the relationship between two very different brothers, at very different places in their lives.
After the overwhelming success of The Trip, Michael Winterbottom’s 2011 atypical road movie starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as versions of themselves, it was always bound to be more to come. Shot as a BBC series for UK audiences and now released as a theatrical film for the rest of Europe, The Trip to Italy follows the same recipe as the prequel, only this time set in the beautiful scenery of the Italian coast and countryside. Coogan and Brydon are once again let loose and left to improvise most of their dialogue, and it is a great romp. The level of enjoyment will depend on your likability towards the two comedians, but there is no denying the entertainment value and sheer skill that are on display. As with the first one, there is more under the surface then what first meets the eye, making it another original comedy with a provoking impact. Here’s to another trip in the not too distant future.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
Despite having close to a dozen records to his name, Lazaretto is still just Jack White’s second solo album. The follow-up to the terrific Blunderbuss from 2012 is another stab at multiple genres, with White responsible for almost every sound on the album as well as production duties. As always, the guitar is the leading man’s best and closest friend, but there is a wide range of elements that sometimes complicate the tracks, but still manage to complement its writer. White still draws his inspiration from older classic rock music (Zeppelin being the obvious reference), but this time around there are also several touches of folk, country and hard blues. It’s a great album, from an artist performing as if he still has a long way to go before peaking in his career.
California rock outfit Rival Sons established a firm connection with this writer after a mind-blowing live show at our first encounter back in 2012. Two years after their acclaimed and breakthrough album Head Down they return this month with their third studio record, with the grandiose title Great Western Valkyrie. It may not compete with their previous outing, or their debut Pressure and Time (2011) but with each repeated visit it grows as another great album that will stand firmly in their still modest but very impressive catalogue. The sound may be a bit heavier this time around, but at its core this is still a great collection of hard hitting and groovy rock tunes, served with great respect to their inhabited genre and influences.
After their breakthrough second album The Lion’s Roar in 2012 the third album from Swedish popfolk duo First Aid Kit arrives with a fair amount of anticipation this month. The sisters from Stockholm have charmed both critics and audiences alike with their soulful and melodic tunes, and by wearing their inspirations on their sleeves. Their new album Stay Gold should satisfy their fans properly, as it delivers more of what made their previous work so popular both in Europe and the US. With the success of their sophomore record from two years ago there are plenty of merited collaborators on this outing, as the girls now feature assistance from members and producers from bands such as Bright Eyes, Broken Bells and Rilo Kiley. It’s a wonderful and downbeat record that will accomplice the summer soundtracks well with its glorious and attractive tunes.
The album's first single comes with a rather beautiful video by Elliott Sellers.
