the edge (may/june 2012)

Editorial

Dear readers,

You hold in your sweaty palms the final edition of The Edge for this (academic) year.

As it is the final issue of the year, we have decided to be extra kind to you and offer you some great stuff – for free! Firstly, we are giving away tickets to the Larmer Tree Festival, headlined by Tim Minchin (page 27), and we are even offering free downloads from the hottest new bands in Southampton (page 12).

The Features section sees us hassling the new sabbatical team about their favourite films and music, while Battleship – that film about the, uh, Battleship – is deemed to be a floater in our Film section.

As usual, everything any human being could possibly want to know about the world of entertainment has been lovingly poured into these very pages.

Thank you and goodbye,

The Edge

Editor - Joe HawkesDeputy Editor - Meowea HezwaniLive Editor - Chris BrooksFeatures Editor - David MartinRecords Editor - Melissa ClarkeFilm Editor - Barnaby WalterCulture Editor - Nick MouldOnline Editor - André PuseyHead of Relations - Rob LeaneEditor-in-Chief - Joseph McLoughlin

Check out our Facebook page @facebook.com/theedgesusu

Featuring contributions from: Sue Denim, Claire Joines, Henry Holloway, Chris Brooks, David Martin, Joe Hawkes, Howell Davies, Melissa Clarke, Matt Timmiss, Daniel Tovey, Dan Flynn, Megan Downing, Joe Moor, Tasha Onwuemezi, Jack Harding, Corinne Gurr, Barnaby Walter, Nick Mould, Meowea Hezwani and André Pusey

2 www.theedgesusu.co.uk May/June 2012

Max

ïmo

Park

ret

urn!

(pag

e 18

)

The Cribs – in the belly of the brazen bull album review

ContEnts4 live preview

alTernaTive Grad ball

8 live review

slow Club @ Joiners

12 free download:souThampTon unsiGned

10 inTerroGaTed:Your new sabbs

17 ColdplaY, KanYe, Coxon sinGle reviews

16

rewind: david bowie – low

24 battleship

film review

22 avengers assemble

film review

26 arChive: perfect sense

28 veep: the thick of it Goes To ameriCa

27 win! larmer Tree fesTival TiCKeTs

May/June 2012 May/June 2012 www.theedgesusu.co.uk 3

Win tickets to The Larmer Tree Festival (page 27)

In t

he B

elly

of

the

Braz

en B

ull (

page

16)

20

Some people love Oceana; others aren’t too keen on it. Some people have fifty quid to blow on a Grad Ball ticket; others aren’t so lucky. If you’re one of the many planning to boycott the Grad Ball, then you’re the reason that LiveSoc has taken the time to arrange a cheeky little alternative down at The Bent Brief.

With live music from 7pm onwards, LiveSoc will be presenting a night of original acoustic acts, ranging from folk to indie and everything in between. The night will include one-off acoustic sets by Chris Dale from local folk-punk act Dance Barry Dance, Jonny and Phoebe from the up-and-coming alternative rock band Triassic, and James Brown from the London-based duo Southeast First.

4 www.theedgesusu.co.uk

livE & loCal

In the spirit of the Grad Ball, LiveSoc will be suited and booted, and anyone and everyone is very welcome to join them. There’s no formal dress code however, and you can come as and when you please. Open to everyone, and with free entry, this looks set to be a nice, personal alternative for those not naturally inclined towards stuffy formalities and the glaring lights of Oceana.

PrEviEw: thE altErnativE, altErnativE Grad Ball 12/06/12

By suE dEnim

May/June 2012

PrEviEw: thE altErnativE, altErnativE Grad Ball 12/06/12

May/June 2012


livE

FEstival PrEviEws:

After a successful first year, locally-run Norfolk-based festival Playfest is back on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of June to join the summer circuit once more.

Located in a picturesque rural setting just outside Quidenham, Playfest is host to five stages worth of live music, comedy and DJ sets over the weekend. Pop-rock veterans Ash are set to headline the main stage on Saturday, alongside indie stars The Pigeon Detectives and Reverend and the Makers; Sunday features Welsh alternative rock legends Feeder taking the headline slot, with Delilah and Scroobius Pip below them on the bill.

Shortlisted for Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards last year, Playfest wants to build on its immense success, though with more and more new festivals cropping up every year they are really going to have to pull out all the stops if they want to make a lasting impact and stand above the crowd.

With weekend tickets priced at £80, Playfest looks like one to watch, and is definitely worth checking out if you can make it.

PlayFEst

By hEnry holloway

May/June 2012

www.theedgesusu.co.uk 7

livE

Kendal Calling is one of those little- known countryside festivals that consistently showcases a fantastic mix of acts in a setting infinitely more chilled out than you’ll ever hope to find at Reading and Leeds. This year has Dizzee Rascal, James and Maximo Park topping the bill of a fantastic and varied lineup including the aforementioned Feeder, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Shy FX.

Taking place amongst the Cumbrian foothills of the Lake District from the 27th to 29th of July, you’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful festival location this summer. Keep your eyes peeled on www.theedgesusu.co.uk to get our take on the event, though with the bill as it stands (and more acts to be announced) I’d predict overwhelmingly positive coverage from our end.

KEndalCallinG

By Chris BrooKs

May/June 2012 May/June 2012


livE

Following a UK tour of various pubs and modest music venues, Sheffield duo Slow Club popped into The Joiners to grace Southampton with a mix of new and old songs.

Being a little late, I missed the first support act Pivotal but arrived in time for Michele Stodart from The Magic Numbers, whose Gibson Hummingbird and well-trained voice produced a magical sound in a room with such vibrant acoustics. After Michele finished up, the room steadily flooded and a hushed silence fell as Slow Club’s Rebecca and Charles took to the stage with an additional guitarist and bass player.

Slow Club got off to a great start with last year’s popular single 'Where I’m Walking', followed by 'Never Look Back'. The quality of voice and instruments amazed both

slow CluB @ thE JoinErs

30/04/12

myself and the crowd alike; everyone seemed unsure whether to jump around or stand there stunned. Rebecca hopped between two drum kits and a beautiful ivory Telecaster, trying to suppress laughter between songs, and at one point the bassist and guitarist swapped instruments to the amusement of the audience.

Despite technical issues – such as the bassist’s vocal contributions falling on deaf ears due to a quiet microphone, and the lead guitar having major problems with tuning – Charles vowed to “beat the guitar”, and so he did. When 'Horses Jumping' started and the audience was treated to a perfectly executed four-part harmony, everything was forgiven. The only real shame was that I felt like a few of the songs sounded a bit too similar, but the rest of the crowd seemed to disagree.

May/June 2012

www.theedgesusu.co.uk 9

livERebecca announced the last few songs would be new, and a grumble ran through the room as everyone waited impatiently for 'Two Cousins', the band’s biggest hit so far. To my surprise, I found the new songs to be refreshingly varied and catchy when contrasted against their old tunes. Thus, where bands such as The Maccabees have recently failed, Slow Club have mastered that rare achievement of revitalising their style without compromising on their core sound.

If at the end of the set anyone felt like their £10 entry fee wasn’t well spent, the bassist donned a saxophone, jumped on an upside-down bottle box and showed off a bit; I personally left musically satisfied, and I’m pretty sure everyone else did too.

8/10

By ClairE JoinEs

May/June 2012 May/June 2012

FEaturEsFEaturEs

The six newly elected student officers talk Sean Penn, Snakes on a Plane, and Smarties

Your New Sabbs Interrogated

Sam Ling, President Favourite colour? That would be purple. It probably should be blue considering most of my campaigns, but yeah, it’s purple.

First gig? A Fun Loving Criminals gig in Poole Lighthouse, the arts centre down in Poole, and it was awesome!

Favourite band? Hmm, it changes. I’ve got one I was thinking about yesterday – bands like The Beta Band and that sort of stuff, although sadly they’re not together anymore. Not on the band side, but Mr. Scruff I’m a huge fan of and I’ve got all his stuff on vinyl. Also, people like Arcade Fire I’m a massive fan of, so yeah – it’s pretty varied.

Sasha Watson, VP Academic AffairsFirst gig? My first was pretty much on my 18th birthday, and it was Hadouken! on their second ever gig. They were chucking out free t-shirts and I caught one, but there were three of us that all caught it and were fighting over it and I just said “Mate, it’s my birthday” and yeah, I won!

If you had to be any Pokémon as part of the sabb team, which one best repre-sents you? Mew, because I’m so rare, I’m awesome, and I’m pretty hard to catch for meetings!

Favourite band? At the moment, I’d say probably Metronomy – their second album was brilliant. As a kid growing up, I always liked Blink-182 and The Offspring, so I’ve kind of changed who I like over time!

Worst film? I want to say Snakes on a Plane! I swear I’ve seen a lot of worse, but it was one of the most recent films that I just thought was absolutely horrendous. It was so badly done. The way Samuel L. Jackson says “I’ve had enough” and then blows a hole out of the side of the plane. Terrible.

Shane Murphy, VP Student EngagementFirst Gig? I went to see James Blunt when I was about twelve at the Hammersmith Apollo. There were so many people in there and one of my friends said “I feel like a sardine”, and this Australian guy turn around and said “You smell like one too, mate!”. But yeah, James Blunt, a good gig.

If you had to be any Pokémon as part of the sabb team, which one best represents you? I’ll go with the horribly typical one of Pikachu, because I’m quite temperamental and electric.


FEaturEsFEaturEsYour New Sabbs InterrogatedFavourite film? Pulp Fiction. Without a doubt.

Worst film? I’m trying to think really, because if you watch a bad film which you don’t like, you just switch it off. Oh god, yeah – Snakes on a Plane! By far the worst film I’ve ever seen.

David Gilani, VP Communications

Favourite band? Currently, at right this moment, I’d say Band of

Favourite colour? Blue. I've always had a blue wall in my room and I like how it's not many foods, other than the blue Smartie until they

Favourite band? It does change quite regularly! I've always liked OneRepublic, and they're fronted by Ryan Tedder. He's a very good songwriter and performer, so I’ve always thought if I was going to go into music I'd try and follow his style.

If you had to be any Pokémon as part of the sabb team, which one best represents you? Best question I've ever heard! I'd probably have to say Dragonite. He's the kind of guy who can be friendly, cool and cute-looking, but at the same time he is a badass! He will get stuff done, he is immune to everything, and he doesn't get bossed around. So yeah, Dragonite.

took it away and then everyone wanted it back! Also, it was my campaign colour.Chloe Green,

VP Welfare & Communities

Horses. Of all time though, I’d have to say Radiohead.

If you had to be any Pokémon as part of the sabb team, which one best represents you? I think I’d be the Charizard of the sabb team, because I sort of look like I could be scary, but then you look at Charmander and he is so cute and really sweet! So scary, but also quite adora-ble. Also Charizard is really firey, aggressive and has all these wings, so yeah I’d say him.

Favourite film? There’s quite a few, but I’d have to say Milk with Sean Penn. It’s a great film and I love it. But two others up there are potentially Into the Wild – a bit of a Sean Penn-fest here – and Juno.

Dean Jones, VP Sports Development

First Gig? In terms of proper gigs, I've only been to one or two in my whole life. One of the first was Maximo Park at the Guild-hall in the first year of uni. Other than that, when I was younger I went to see loads of local bands that nobody has ever heard of!

Favourite band? I don't listen to that much music these days, but I always used to love Jimmy Eat World and I had all of their albums. Generally now, I tend to just listen to whatever is on the radio.

Worst film? I remember going to the cinema when I was a lot younger and it was the only time I ever walked out of a cinema because it was so bad. It was Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. It's stuck with me all that time because we only saw the first half of that.


FEaturEs

One of the most recently founded bands on this list, they claim that they formed in November 2011 and spent “a solid three months coming up with a decent name”. Since being named though, they have won a Battle of the Bands competition at The Talking Heads.

DOWNLOAD: ‘Fluoxetine’

A frighteningly young two-piece rock/blues band who have already headlined The Joiners, The Talking Heads and Guava. They recently impressed at the Talking Heads Battle of the Bands competition. See them at one of their many gigs in and around Portsmouth over the coming months.

DOWNLOAD: ‘Gone for Good’

Dolomite Minor

England Road play the kind of testosterone-fuelled rock that fans of both Oasis and Arctic Monkeys will be familiar with. They were also the youngest band in history to headline The Joiners, with an average age of 15. They will be playing the Southern England Area Final of the Live and Unsigned UK competition on May 26th, and are at The Cellar on June 1st

DOWNLOAD: ‘Fight for Your Life’

TriassicEngland Road

Corolla hail from Southampton but have played gigs in Islington and Camden in London. ‘Island Rhythms’ is a great downbeat indie pop song, with dissonant wailing guitars and echoes of Radiohead

DOWNLOAD: ‘Island Rhythms’

Dance Barry Dance describe themselves as one of Southampton’s premier “pop punk comedy” bands, or what it would sound like “if Frank Turner accidentally picked up Tim Minchin’s sheet music before a gig”, and it’s hard to disagree. DOWNLOAD: ‘My Nan Is a Pirate’

Rob and the Liar is, in fact, composed of two separate and distinct Robs. While which one is the liar remains unclear, there is a charming honesty to their music. The pair will be familiar to frequenters of open mic nights across Southampton.DOWNLOAD: ‘Singing About Jesus’

Corolla

Dance BarryDance

Rob and theLiar

Check out all the downloads on our site!UNSIGNED


FEaturEs

England Road play the kind of testosterone-fuelled rock that fans of both Oasis and Arctic Monkeys will be familiar with. They were also the youngest band in history to headline The Joiners, with an average age of 15. They will be playing the Southern England Area Final of the Live and Unsigned UK competition on May 26th, and are at The Cellar on June 1st

DOWNLOAD: ‘Fight for Your Life’

The futuristically-named #Tags offer pure, unadulterated pop music, and have been known to cover a few pop classics in their time such as George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’. The band also clearly understand and appreciate the power of facial hair, which is a bonus.DOWNLOAD: ‘My Father’s House’

England RoadThe 3rd League have been around since 2009 and are influenced by Britpop, punk and 60s bands. They defy convention by having a bassist as a lead singer, and you’ve got to respect that.

DOWNLOAD: ‘Tape-Echo’

#Tags

The 3rd League

Jason Nolan’s music sounds like what would happen if James Blake started playing keys for Patrick Wolf. ‘Shilly-Shallying’ is an engaging and understated modern pop song, with its roots planted in hip-hop and dubstep.

DOWNLOAD: ‘Shilly-Shallying’

Corolla hail from Southampton but have played gigs in Islington and Camden in London. ‘Island Rhythms’ is a great downbeat indie pop song, with dissonant wailing guitars and echoes of Radiohead

DOWNLOAD: ‘Island Rhythms’

Winchester-based band The Redundants sound like a plugged-in version of Ed Sheeran, and are far more interesting. They are currently seeking management and gigging in the local area over the coming months. ‘Time and Money’ is a soulful track that showcases the band’s musical talent and lyrical ability.DOWNLOAD: ‘Time and Money’

Corolla

Jason Nolan

The Redundants

Check out all the downloads on our site!UNSIGNED


FEaturEs

About six weeks ago, someone on Facebook posted a video of a new boy on the British music scene and told Justin Bieber to “step aside”. Since this moment I’ve been hearing about Conor Maynard everywhere – everyone seems to have an opinion on him, and you’d better get used to him because he might be here to stay. In December 2008, Maynard posted his first video to YouTube under the rather cringeworthy channel name ‘skillzaisherebooya’, and this started the ball rolling. He has amassed over 260,000 subscribers, making him the UK’s 5th most subscribed-to channel.

The 19-year-old’s debut single ‘Can’t Say No’ begins with bouncy synths and is filled with plenty of euphemistic lyrics such as “You send my rocket to the sky”, enough to send pre-pubescent girls up and down the country into fits of hysteria. The track peaked at number 2 in the charts behind Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’, with first-week sales of 74,000 copies according to the Official Charts Company. Shifting such a high number of singles in one week shows that Maynard is definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially so as he outsold his most compared-to rival Justin Bieber.

After his discovery on YouTube, his cheesy pop, his boyish good looks, and screaming gaggles of fans (Who call themselves Mayniacs), how could Conor Maynard not be compared to Bieber? It’s a comparison Maynard isn’t keen on, though. In a recent interview with Reuters, Maynard claims that his and Bieber’s music are world’s apart, and he told The Independent “My roots are in rap and harder urban pop. I

Conor

A credible artist or a one hit wonder?

Maynard

did exactly what I wanted to do”. Maybe you should tell your record company that, Conor.

Signed by EMI Music UK, the company have already stated breaking Maynard globally is a “massive aim”, and it looks like they are on track. In January, Maynard was crowned the winner of MTV’s Brand New for 2012 award, having received 45% of the public vote and beating nominees including Michael Kiwanuka and Lana Del Rey by a long way. Even music connoisseur Nick Grimshaw and Lily Allen were spotted at his gig recently in London, with Allen sporting a ‘Mayniac’ t-shirt.

Maynard’s album Contrast will be released in the UK on July 30th, and is set to feature

some big names including Ne-Yo and Pharell, but what do you think of Conor Maynard? Cringey, cheesy music from an arrogant teenager, or an artist who has built himself up from nothing in an attempt to make credible music for lots of

people to enjoy?

By Howell Davies


May/June 2012

alBums The Cribs In the Belly of

the Brazen Bull

Released May 7th

let down in the middle section, where the songs become disjointed and are easily forgettable. One of the slowest Cribs songs, ‘Back to the Bolthole’ will probably be a bit too melancholy and droning for fans of the normally more upbeat Cribs songs. However, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull does manage to redeem itself with the final four songs, which tie together in an Abbey Road-esque 12-minute extravaganza which combines instrumental melodies with anthemic chants, and sees some of their most creative material to date.

This album is by no means one that will change the face of music, or even the musical direction of The Cribs, but the trio show their instantly recognisable style and sound is still relevant today. In the Belly of the Brazen Bull will be a fan favourite, and although the album sticks to the classic Cribs formula, the darker, more retrospective lyrics show a maturity from the band which has previously been unheard.

By Melissa Clarke

After a three-year hiatus, and with one less member, The Cribs are back with their fifth album In the Belly of the Brazen Bull. Believe it or not, the band once described by Q magazine as “the biggest cult band in the UK” have been together for 12 years now, and this album sees both a return to the winning formula of their first few albums’ catchy lo-fi hooks, but also an adoption of a more mature sound and style of writing by the Jarman brothers. The album clearly shows influences of 90s indie bands, namely due to the producers behind the album being hit-makers David Fridmann (Flaming Lips) and Steve Albini (Nirvana).

The album crashes into the first track ‘Glitters Like Gold’ with the overwhelming sense of enthusiasm and brash vocals from Ryan Jarman that have been seen on so many of their previous album openers. This then leads us into the lead single from the album ‘Come On, Be a No One’; with its instantly catchy and shouty choruses and buzzing basslines, this could become an indie classic and is one of the band’s best works in years.

In the Belly of the Brazen Bull is slightly

7


sinGlEsColdplay feat. Rihanna

‘Princess of China’Released June 4th

‘Princess of China’ is the latest single from Coldplay’s latest album Mylo Xyloto. This song is an exciting addition to the album because it features a vocal appearance from Rihanna, but unfortunately that’s where the excitement stops. Having had this song on a CD in my car for a few weeks, it’s a track I always skip past; ‘dull’ would probably be the best word to describe it. Rihanna’s vocals do sound good, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just too little of her on the track! The song plays through as a melodic instrumental with occasional bits of singing from Chris Martin, which

Florence + the Machine‘Spectrum’

Released June 11thAs the title suggests, this track both glows and grows; I hadn’t noticed it on the album, but now I’ve started listening to it I really can’t stop. It’s much happier than the album’s other songs, and reminds me more of ‘Cosmic Love’ from debut album Lungs. Florence is a self-proclaimed festival performer at heart, and this track will glide so smoothly over the crowd in the NME Tent this summer at Reading and Leeds. As with all her single releases, we can expect the video for the song this month. Her previous videos have included Virginia Woolf and studio footage, so the video for ‘Spectrum’ will be eagerly anticipated!By Matt Timmiss

9

3By Matt Timmiss

hardly improves the overall dreary feel.


sinGlEsKanye West & Jay-Z

‘No Church in the Wild’Released June 11th

7

Maxïmo Park‘Hips and Lips’

Released June 11th

This is the first single from Maxïmo Park’s fourth album The National Health, and it promises a new approach to their sound since their brief hiatus. Lukas Wooller’s keys have been moved into the foreground over a dirtier guitar line, and Paul Smith is exploring a much lower vocal range than he has done before, but just when you feel the song might lag it all kicks off and the vocals soar. Although this is a depart from their previous style, the band have done enough to keep the old fans happy. Smith’s lyrics are still as dense and brilliant as ever, and they have re-found the energy that so many felt Quicken the Heart was lacking.The track probably won’t make it into clubs, it’s a little too gritty for that, but it’s surprisingly good to dance to. All in all it’s

By Daniel Tovey

8This song opens with a brilliantly tension-raising bassline, quietly accompanied by soulful and moving vocals from Odd Future member Frank Ocean. Before the two stars have even entered it, the song has set itself up as something more akin to a track off Kanye’s lament-filled masterpiece 808s and Heartbreak than the pair’s usual style. The comparisons with the aforementioned album continue with the AutoTuned robotic wails provided by The-Dream. As expected, West and Jay-Z reel off the verses between the vocals in their usual fashion, producing nothing brilliant but at the same time nothing bad. What really makes this song a keeper is the input from newcomers Ocean and The-Dream, who have definitely taken this opportunity to perhaps even outshine their mentors.

By Daniel Flynn

7

a great effort, and well worth waiting for.


sinGlEs

After the release of ‘What’ll It Take’, the sunny acoustic style of ‘Ooh, Yeh Yeh’ seems like a hell of a curveball. This latest single hits the sweet spot, with particularly pleasing harmonies throughout. Of course, there is room for one of Coxon’s trademark dissonant solos, double-tracked to bring the 60s back to your headphones. In a genius move to allow for a singalong the first time you hear it, the chorus just goes “I said/Ooh, yeh yeh”. Admittedly, this record won’t change the world or bring a tear to the eye of the listener with its philosophical musings, but the tune is more than enough to carry ‘Ooh, Yeh Yeh’ along nicely. The track is packaged with ‘Seven Naked Valleys’, another highlight from Coxon’s latest album A+E.

By Joe Hawkes

Graham Coxon‘Ooh, Yeh Yeh/Seven Naked Valleys’

Released May 28th

8

Gotye‘Eyes Wide Open’Released June 4th

After the success of 'Somebody That I Used to Know' everyone must be wondering whether Belgian-Australian Gotye is just another one-hit wonder here in the UK. With three albums under his belt, it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for a song to break through into the UK top 40. To be honest, I doubt ‘Eyes Wide Open’ will have the same instant success of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know' (lasting four weeks at number one), but having said that it is a good song. Gotye’s vocals are now instantly recognisable, and easy on the ear. The steady drum beat throughout makes it a song that definitely gets the foot tapping, but I’m afraid to say the excitement stops there. The emotion expressed in the first single from Making Mirrors just isn't evident here in 'Eyes Wide Open'.

6

By Megan Downing


rEwind

The year was 1977. David Bowie had recently starred in his first feature-length film, The Man Who Fell to Earth, a weird cross between Doctor Who and Citizen Kane with the surrealism cranked to eleven. It's not hard to look back at the film's themes of decadence and disconnection and not see a link to the star's own addictions and problems at the time of filming, nor to trace the same motifs to the singer's next effort Low. The first of Bowie's so-called 'Berlin Trilogy' was actually recorded mainly in France, but the title is still appropriate given the heavy influence of German artists like Kraftwerk and Can on the record, particularly the electronic-filled second half. And of course, where would any avant-garde pop reinvention be without Brian Eno in tow?

Throughout most of the album the music is kept abstract and intangible as possible, with actual lyrics few and far between, a far cry from the star who had built his career on narrative-based concept albums. Yet there is still a story here, it's simply not spelled out for the listener in such a concrete way as say The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, but rather it attempts to plug them directly into the creator's state of mind. Songs like 'Breaking Glass' feel like they end halfway too early, as if Bowie's depressed mindset cannot focus on a single idea long enough to lead it to its conclusion. On 'Be My Wife' he sings of feelings of loneliness and a desire for company that his apathetic vocal performance has little relation to, a trick of dissonance he had previously perfected with his Thin White Duke persona. Only the techno-funk of 'What in the World' could possibly be called a misstep, and that's another short one.

While the first half's tunes have a grin-and-bear-it vibe, that's all promptly thrown out the window with the electronica-inspired side two, starting with the aching, haunting 'Warszawa' (Warsaw), a song so bleak Joy Division took their original name from it. This is followed by its less despairing but equally as mysterious counterpart 'Art Decade'. In a way these almost entirely instrumental tracks convey all the emptiness and melancholy that the preceding rock numbers can only hint at. The album ends with 'Subterraneans', fittingly a tribute to the plight of the West Berliners who found themselves trapped in the sea of Soviet-occupied territory at World War II's end. The closing saxophone solo is the perfect summation of the record: arty and avant garde, but not in the least bit lacking emotional punch.

David BowieLow

Released January 1976

By Joe Moor


May/June 2012

GRADUATION

2012COLLECTION

SUIT SHIRT&TIE

£35ALL HIRE PACKSWITH

MOSS 181 HigH St | SO14 2BY

t 02380 639854

SAVOY TAYLORS GUILD 136 ABOve BAr | S014 7DU

t 02380 223134

moss.co.uk

+ACCiDeNtAL DAMAge WAiver

Film Avengers

They’re here. And they don’t disappoint. By Tasha Onwuemezi. As a self-confessed Marvel/comic/superhero fangirl, I was always going to enter the screening of Avengers Assemble with high expectations, but I was immediately submerged into a world where the film’s stupid name (Avengers Assemble? Really?) didn’t matter one bit.

Cue a delectable superhero delicacy starring Robert Downey Jr. as himself – no, wait, I mean as Tony Stark – in a kickass metal suit that transforms him into Iron Man; Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk, the incredible green monster with anger management issues; Chris Evans as Captain America, the genetically enhanced supersoldier with old-time values; Chris Hemsworth as the Norse God Thor, who’s pretty dexterous with a hammer that creates lightening and draws power from the sky; and Scarlett Johannson as the super spy who holds her own in a testosterone-filled boiling pot of characters.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the smart-talking, eye patch-wearing

S.H.I.E.L.D. Government operative is tasked with amalgamating these heroes to save the world from exiled Norse God Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who also happens to be Thor’s brother. He has stolen the ultimate source of self-sustainable energy in a bid to enslave the world’s population.

Written and directed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, Avengers Assemble is incredibly well paced, and with five huge egos in play none of them are ignored or overshadowed.

A script laced with hilarity throughout compliments the action and emphasises the Avengers’ relationship as a family. They fight, they banter, but when the time comes to save to the world (because it always comes) they get their acts together and work as an amazingly nuanced team. All in all, the Avengers have assembled, and they really kick ass.

Dir. Joss Whedon. Walt Disney Pictures. Cert 12A.

Assemble


Film

By Jack Harding. As far as singer-songwriters go, they don’t come much bigger than Bob Marley. His and The Wailers’ universal songs of love, peace and hope rank amidst some of the finest and most recognisable ever written. There are even those who would liken Bob to Ghandi: the comparisons are there (sort of) – an immortal advocate of peace and altruism, a liberal, and a national treasure.

Director Kevin Macdonald’s bio-doc about Bob’s life and legacy is a stylish and honest mediation on the man behind the myth that charts his physical and spiritual journey through the music world. It follows his quest for success that would transform him from the rejected frontman of a budding ska band to the iconic, liberating arbitrator whose timeless tunes went beyond music and unified colours, creeds and a country in meltdown.

Made with the full cooperation of Bob’s family and friends and told largely through their accounts, Marley is a potent and essential piece of documentary filmmaking. Macdonald’s Bob doc could have made the man out to be some kind of saint, but this is avoided. Various interviews combined with a heap of archival stills and footage paint the pop icon in a variety of ways – conflicted, poised, selfish, kind, wanton, loyal, driven, stubborn, free. Marley lays bare the heart and soul of the dreadlocked Rhasta in some style.

A distinct level of cohesion and humanity is well and truly found in the attention to detail regarding Bob’s estranged personal life; from his impoverished roots and search for acceptance to his self-sacrificing ways and time spent with cancer.

Despite a muddled and stuttered opening, Marley boasts an absolving and deeply moving final third that ties up the hefty 146-minute film in style. This is a fresh and thoughtful trip through the life of a music legend, with scope and soul in spades; an intriguing and chic fusion of art, music and history.

Dir. Kevin McDonald. Universal Pictures. Certificate 15.

Marley


Film

By Corinne Gurr. Battleship must be a worthy contender for worst movie of 2012. The plot follows a fleet of ships and their crew as they encounter an alien invasion whilst participating in a naval war games exercise. Yes, the film really is as ridiculous as it sounds.

It boasts a starry cast, but they are often abandoned by director Peter Berg in favour of countless CGI explosions that would have even Michael Bay rolling his eyes. Style over substance would be an understatement.

Rihanna is actually one of the film’s few redeeming features, lighting up the screen with brief flickers of real acting potential during her surprisingly limited screen time.

Liam Neeson makes disappointingly brief appearances as the stereotypical overprotective father to Brooklyn Decker. He spends most of the time ridiculing her love interest, Taylor Kitsch. Audiences will be left wondering why an actor as good as Neeson signed on for such a farcical project.

Decker was undeniably cast based on her looks as means of exciting teenage boys in an attempt to distract their attention away from the flimsy board game premise. I suspect the majority of the cast were lured into this insult to cinema not by the promise of creative fulfilment but by the scent of crisp dollar bills.

You have to admire the number of times that characters comically pause to stare into space to flaunt their best ‘scared faces’; I assume that this is an attempt to fill up screen time and compensate for lack of a substantial plot.

The aliens are in no way threatening, though I am unsure whether this is due to their lethargic simplicity or their amusing similarity to those in the Transformers movies. If anything, Battleship only succeeds in making that franchise seem like a series of complex, cinematic masterpieces.

Dir. Peter Berg. Universal Pictures. Certificate 12A.

Battleship

Awful doesn’t even describe it


Film

Titanic 3D

By Barnaby Walter. Adding 3D to Titanic is like pointlessly renovating a big, popular, famous building. It wasn’t intended for 3D when it was shot. It never needed 3D. It was a phenomenal success without 3D. But to mark the centenary of the ship’s maiden voyage and tragic sinking, Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron have released it again in a retro-fitted stereoscopic version. Of course, the prospect of greedily juicing out more millions from a 15-year-old film has nothing to do with it at all.

I’m not going to hysterically accuse Titanic 3D of wreaking criminal damage on a masterpiece. The film is both popcorn nonsense of the highest level, and popular entertainment at its best. It deserves more respect than this desperate attempt to convince us that the dying 3D trend is worth the extortionate ticket price it demands of cinemagoers.

The love story is very soppy, but it’s a very easy one to get swept up in. Many people around me in the theatre were audibly moved by the doomed romance between Jack and Rose (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively), and I’d be willing to bet that their tears would have fallen just as readily if the film was shown properly in two dimensions.

Dir. James Cameron. Twentieth Century Fox. Certificate 12A.

Also ShowingThe Cabin in the Woods

Dir. Drew Goddard. Lionsgate. 15.

It’s not the ‘game-changer’ that some critics would have you believe, but this twisty horror thriller is still intriguing and thought-provoking. Barnaby Walter.

The Hunger Games Dir. Gary Ross. Lionsgate. 12A.

An outstanding adapatation of the best-selling novel about an extreme reality television contest. The brutal nature of the ‘games’ is chillingly realised, and lead actress Jennifer Lawrence is superb. BW.

On Blu-ray & DVD: Barnaby Walter takes a look at the new releases.

War HorseBreathtaking Spielberg adventure.

Pillow TalkThe classic rom-com comes to blu-ray.

The Only Way Is Essex: Series 4Please. Make it stop.

Sherlock Holmes: Game of ShadowsA weak and muddled sequel.

ShameMichael Fassbender + sex. Interesting.

Silent Witness: Series 15Fun, but as ridiculous as ever.

The Descendants Excellent drama with Clooney.

The ArtistPure movie magic. You must own it.

More DVD & BD reviews online!

Battleship


Film ARCHIVEPerfect Sense

A weird, disturbing assault on the senses By Barnaby Walter. There have been many movies and novels about the spread of an illness throughout the global population, but Perfect Sense succeeds in providing an approach to the genre that’s epic on a grand scale and touchingly intimate on a personal level.

Set in Scotland, the film tracks the relationship of two young lovers, played by Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. He is a chef and she is a medical scientist. A worldwide disaster starts to occur: people lose their senses, one by one. It starts with the loss of the ability to smell, and before the sense disappears completely they suffer an overwhelming feeling of grief and despair. The other sensory mechanisms start to go in the same way, all accompanied by a frenzied cataclysmic human drive, such as extreme hunger when taste starts to die (provoking a disturbing scene where people try to cram whatever they can find into their mouths – plants, food, raw meat).

Throughout this, we see our two central characters attempt to cope with a fast-changing world. After the loss of each sense, there is a period where civilisation attempts

to continue living as it did before. A very interesting scene shows our determined chef putting together a meal based on texture rather than taste. But then another calamity occurs, and the struggle continues.

McGregor’s performance is surprisingly good. He’s usually reliably awful in most of his films, but here I found his portrayal of a flawed, scared, very human individual rather affecting. Eva Green once again chews through the screenplay with her trademark weird accent – a mixture of French and posh English – but she still manages to create a convincing character out of difficult material.

Director David Mackenzie has given us films as diverse as dark drama Young Adam and LA sex satire Spread. This is one of his strongest works to date. It is a visually arresting, highly compelling disaster movie, and would make an interesting double bill if seen with Steven Soderbergh’s recent virus movie Contagion.

Perfect Sense (2011), directed by David Mackenzie, is distributed on DVD in the UK by Arrow Films, Certificate 15.


ARCHIVEPerfect Sense WIN!

TWO FOUR-DAY PASSES TO THE LARMER TREE FESTIVAL TO SEE TIM MINCHIN PLUS MORE GREAT ACTS!

Just answer this simple question...

Flame-haired comedy rocker Tim Minchin is from which country?

a) Turkey b) Australia c) Iceland

Send your answer to [email protected] with the subject “competition” by June 1st. One entry per person. Winner will be selected at random.

Other acts include Paloma Faith, Roots Manuva, Jools Holland, Amadou and Mariam, The Levellers, Greg Dav-ies, Milton Jones, Dub Pistols, Alun Cochrane, Carl Donnelly and Mark Kermode’s Film Club.

The Larmer Tree Festival take place on the Wiltshire/Dorset border from 11th-15th July, with day tickets starting from £26.

For further information, visitwww.larmertreefestval.co.uk

May/June 2012

While Veep lacks the tension of jeopardy that is felt throughout The Thick of It, it remains a potent satire on the vanity of media-obsessed politicians and the dominance of public relations. In the second episode, Meyer goes from potentially holding the most powerful position in the world to posing for a ‘normalising’ photo op in a yoghurt store. Though it may seem redundant to satirise US politics given how ludicrous reality has been in the past decade, Veep gets around this simply by being very funny.

CulturE Veep: In the Thick of the White HouseAmerican adaptations of UK comedy shows are invariably regarded as sacrilege. This view is somewhat justified considering how misguided and awful the majority of the results of Americanisation have been. Fortunately, this is not the case with Veep, HBO’s adaptation of BBC political satire The Thick of It, which transfers the setting from the inner workings of the DoSAC to the office of an equally fictional US Vice President, and from its promising first couple of episodes proves to be equal in quality to its UK counterpoint.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (right) plays the lead role of the flustered VP Selina Meyer, and is supported by an array of similarly talented comic actors. Matt Walsh’s snarky Director of Communications has proven to be the funniest character so far, but the rest of the cast, which includes Tony Hale (Arrested Development) as the VP’s clingy assistant and Anna Chlumsky (In the Loop), are also due performances.

Crucial to its success is the extent to which the original series creator Armando Iannucci (below left) was involved in the production. A previous attempt at adapting The Thick of It for US television, an unaired ABC pilot executive produced by Mitchell Hurwitz, was unsuccessful due in part to the reduced role of Iannucci. “It was terrible... they took the idea and chucked out all the style”, Iannucci told Broadcast. “It was all conventionally shot and there was no improvisation or swearing.”

Fortunately the shakey fly-on-the-wall camera work, rapid editing, partly improvised dialogue, impressively witty scripting and, indeed, the swearing remain intact in Veep. From episode one the series launches you into the deep end; there is not much of a formal introduction to the characters. Admirably, this makes Veep a show which demands intense viewing. It is easy to miss funny lines due to the density of clever dialogue and the speed at which it’s delivered. While there is a plenitude of ‘fucks’ and ‘shits’, Veep does not have the same number of expletives as its UK counterpoint, lacking a character equivalent to Malcolm Tucker. While some might begrudge this absence, it truthfully wouldn’t make sense to have a fear-inspiring authority figure wreaking chaos in this setting. The only person who the role would have fitted would be the President, who is better off unseen, unheard and unnamed. Perhaps there is also less swearing in US politics.


CulturEVeep: In the Thick of the White HouseAs well as his role as a producer, Armando Iannucci directs and writes. In fact, the remaining writers are all British and had worked on The Thick of It, including Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain and ‘swearing consultant’ Ian Martin. Another Britishman on board is Chris Morris (Brass Eye, Four Lions), who has a directed a few yet-to-be-aired episodes. Whether his distinctive comedic voice will be evident in these is impossible to say.

If you enjoyed The Thick of It and its film adaption In the Loop, you are likely to enjoy Veep. However, if you don’t, and long to hear such visceral swearing spoken by British accents, fear not, as Iannucci is currently filming a fourth series of The Thick of It, expected to air sometime this autumn. Due to the change of government since the last series, there’s no guarantee that Malcolm Tucker will be making an appearance, but to counter this we’ve reprinted a selection of the foul-mouthed Scottish spin doctor’s most memorable quotes opposite.

By Nick Mould

Tuckerisms:

“Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off.”

“How much fucking shit is there on themenu and whatfucking flavour is it?”

“He’s about as much use as a marzipan dildo.”

“Please could you take this note, ram it up his hairy inbox, and pin it to his fucking prostate.”

“If some cunt can fuck something up, that cunt will pick the worst possible time to fucking fuck it up, ‘cause that cunt’s a cunt.”

“I will perform a fucking living fucking autopsy on you with a fucking rusty spade, and I’ll have your kidneys for fucking cufflinks!”


Date Title

ListingsAlbums CinemACulturesingles

...what to buy with the last of your student loan

18/05 – 2 Days In New York (15, Network)18/05 – The Raid (18, Momentum)18/05 – She Monkeys (12A, Peccadillo)21/05 – Slash - Apocalyptic Love21/05 – The Enemy - Streets In The Sky21/05 – John Mayer - Born and Raised21/05 – fun. - Some Nights21/05 – The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap21/05 – Paloma Faith - Picking Up The Pieces23/05 – Stitches Comedy @ The Shooting Star25/05 – Men In Black 3 (PG, Sony)25/05 – Moonrise Kingdom (12A, Universal)25/05 – What To Expect When You’re Expecting (12A, Lionsgate)25/05 – Armchair Revolutionary: Andy Zaltzman @ Hanger Farm Arts Centre26/05 – Dr. Phil’s Rude Health Show: Dr. Phil Hammond @ The Berry Theatre27/05 – Mark Steel @ The Nuffield28/05 – Scissor Sisters - Magic Hour28/05 – Alt-j - An Awesome Wave28/05 – Ladyhawke - Sunday Drive28/05 – Graham Coxon - Ooh, Yeh Yeh28/05 – The Maccabees - Went Away28/05 – Jay Z & Kanye West - No Church In The Wild (feat. Frank Ocean)30/05 – Snow White And The Huntsman (TBC, Universal)01/06 – Prometheus (TBC, 20th Century Fox)03/06 – Ken Dodd @ Kings Theatre, Portsmouth04/06 – The Hives - Lex Hives04/06 – Coldplay feat. Rihanna - Princess Of China06/06 – Red Tails (12A, Momentum)09/06 – Avenue Q @ The Mayflower10/06 – Stooshe - Black Heart11/06 – Arcane Roots - Left Fire11/06 – Hot Chip - In Our Heads11/06 – Maxïmo Park - Hips And Lips11/06 – Florence & The Machine - Spectrum15/06 – Rock Of Ages (TBC, Warner Brothers)15/06 – The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy @ The Mayflower18/06 – Cheryl - A Million Lights


May/June 2012

Gig

Gu

ide

Ma

y/

Ju

ne

2012

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Friday

Friday

Friday

Friday

saTurday

saTurday

saTurday

saTurday

sunday

sunday

sunday

sunday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Tuesday

Monday

Monday

Monday

2325

2426

27

300

131

02

03

06

08

07

09

10

1315

1416

17

2829

04

05

1112

Hea

rt o

f a

Cow

ard

@ J

oine

rsD

ub

Pis

tols

Liv

e@

The

Cel

ler

Dja

ngo

Dja

ngo

@

The

Cel

ler

Th

e A

ud

itio

n@

The

Cel

ler

Fos

sil C

olle

ctiv

e@

The

Cel

lar

Dev

ild

rive

r@

The

Bro

okK

ing

Ch

arle

s@

The

Cel

ler

All

Th

e Y

oun

g@

Joi

ners

Wil

liam

Con

trol

@ J

oine

rsF

igh

tin

g W

ith

Wir

e@

Joi

ners

Th

e V

ex +

Th

e H

owli

ng

+ E

lect

ric

Riv

er@

Th

e C

elle

r

Mil

agre

s@

Joi

ners

Wh

eatu

s +

MC

Lar

s@

Sou

tham

pton

Join

ers

Wil

ly M

ason

@ J

oine

rs

Dz

Dea

thra

ys@

Joi

ners

Gen

eral

Fia

sco

@ T

he T

alki

ng H

eads

Fre

qu

ency

@ T

he U

nion

Bu

mba

clar

t@

The

Gra

pes

Nig

el S

ilve

rhai

r@

Fra

tton

Par

k

Incr

easi

ngl

y L

arge

H

oove

rs@

The

Sti

cky

Wic

ket

Tuesday 12 June 2012 11.00–3.30

Garden Court, Building 40 Highfield Campus

www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/fairs

Open to all students

Sign-up for the CV Clinic online:

Hot job opportunities. Graduate Recruitment Fair

This event is kindly supported by TARGETjobs.

the edge (may/june 2012)

Documents