ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS JULY:
After a very limited European release John Michael McDonagh’s Calvary has become available on demand. An Irish drama with a perfect pinch of comedy starring the masterful Brendan Gleeson as a priest who after being threatened on his life during a confession needs to make his rounds to get his affairs and suspects in order. It’s a tremendous piece of filmmaking, and only the second feature from McDonagh after his debut The Guard in 2011 (also starring Gleeson). Surrounded by a natural and superbly cast ensemble including Chris O’ Dowd, Kelly Reilly and M. Emmet Walsh, Gleeson turns in another career high performance that should earn him plaudits and silverware in the months to come. The film picked up an award at the Berlinale earlier this year and with any justice it will not be the last.
After the successful reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011 the planning of the follow up went ahead nearly immediately after the release. This month it arrives as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits screens worldwide. And it’s very satisfying to conclude that this is by far the best of the entire series. With Matt Reeves at the helm, director of Cloverfield and the American remake of Let Me In, the established story get a well-deserved boost in both style and action. Praised for its astonishing CGI, the biggest compliment one can pay to it is that you soon stop paying attention to it. The story, performances and set pieces are engaging enough on their own. With X-Men: Days of Future Past and Edge of Tomorrow already in the bank the summer of 2014 is turning out to be the biggest and best season for the blockbuster in a very long time.
After seven seasons, this month saw the final chapter of Californication roll across American screens. This terrific show by creator Tom Kapinos has been praised on this site before, and as it has now passed on into television history it deserves another mention. After arriving with a bang on Showtime in 2007 the series quickly established itself as one of the network’s biggest hits and it has maintained a healthy popularity throughout the years. The quality of each season varied a bit too much towards the end, with seasons four and five standing out as the weaker parts of the run, but over all this is one of the most original, daring, funny and wildly entertaining shows of the past decade. Much due to leading man David Duchovny, who put the ghost of Mulder firmly back inside the closet with his wonderful creation of Hank Moody. The show could easily have carried on for another season or two, but the idea of going out while still hot was without a doubt a smart move from Kapinos. A great show that will hopefully find new audiences through DVD, Blu-ray and on demand for years to come.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS JULY:
After a long five year absence Tennessee garage rockers Reigning Sound are finally back this month with Shattered, their seventh studio album. Headed up by frontman Greg Cartwright their new record should fall in good taste with their loyal fans as it is another solid collection of hard hitting rock tunes that should encourage loud shouts and raised fists. It’s reassuring to hear that the band has not lost its classic touches despite their previous outing Love and Curses arrived as long ago as 2009. A legendary band that continues to be an inspiration for younger outfits and artists, all due to their elementary and honest approach to rock and roll music, performed the way it always should be: loud, fast and rough around the edges.
After his breakthrough album White Ladder in 1999, British singer/songwriter David Gray never seemed to catch up with his own success. Despite having released five albums since then, none have come close to matching the above mentioned in either sales or critical acclaim. This month sees the arrival of his ninth studio album (in addition he’s released a few EPs and B-side collections) Mutineers, and though this one neither will have the desired impact of his fifteen year old masterpiece it is probably the closest he’s come. Gray is more playful and less melodramatic than on his previous outings and this pays off in a more relaxed, inspired and easily enjoyable album. His approach is similar to earlier work, but there is a higher level of refined skills and attention to detail that make this worth your while. Note: the album is also available in a deluxe three disc edition that feature fifteen live tracks, but for the appreciation of the studio album you’re better off just focusing on that one.
After the tremendous commercial success of their two previous albums The Black Keys have never released a record to this amount of expectations before. Turn Blue is their eight studio album, an impressive number considering the band just originated in 2001 and released their debut the following year. Once again Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have teamed up with Danger Mouse, who co-wrote and produced the album with the duo. Following a similar trail to El Camino (2011) this record is another collection where the main focus lies on hooks, sound and a recognizable connection throughout. Its eleven tracks have the expected amount of hard blues and rock tunes, but there are also some surprising elements of psychedelic and more soul based themes. It may not challenge Brothers (2010), still their masterpiece, but it delivers plenty for the fans to chew on and enjoy until the next time they shall appear on a stage near you.
One of the finest tracks on the record is Bullet in the Brain. Check out this live performance of the song from the BBCs Maida Vale Studios.
