Reviews
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GAME REVIEW: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition
My first impression of the game, after the first five minutes: "oh wow, what a cool cinematic!". My second... -
FILM REVIEW: The Raid
The Raid is about as close to a perfect action film as I’ve ever seen in a cinema. Think the gory gun action of Rambo 4 meets that Ip Man fight when Donnie Yen brutally smashes ten Karate black belts and you’re close, but not quite – this shit is next level. -
GAME REVIEW: The House Of The Dead 4
Despite a promising launch, the Playstation Move craze has well and truly come to a screeching halt. While Sony have their long awaited Move exclusive Sorcery lined up (we saw this back at E3 in 2010), it would be safe to say that few have picked up their Move wands over the past few months. -
REVIEW: The Shins - Port of Morrow
It’s taken me until Port of Morrow to ‘get’ The Shins. I’ve always recognised that the band have a knack for delivering beautiful music, but found that their albums were packed with tunes that -
GAME REVIEW: Prototype 2
Are you after a game where your brain can go on holiday? One that isn’t particularly original, has its fair share of flaws, but also makes you feel like a superhero? Then welcome to Prototype 2, the gaming equivalent of a late-80s Schwarzenegger flick. -
REVIEW: Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks
Of Montreal have always marched to the beat of their own time signature-varying drum, but with that in mind I don’t fool myself into believing it’s wholly original. One need only look back at records like the sublime Something/Anything by the great Todd Rundgren to understand where a lot of the ... -
REVIEW: The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet
It’s an exciting time for fans of Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. First, At The Drive In announced they’d be reuniting to play Coachella – an entirely unanticipated get together that has subsequently found itself gradually spiralling into more and more of a long-term commitmen... -
DVD REVIEW: Warrior
At no point in its tale of redemption through violence does Warrior ever set out to reinvent the wheel, and instead succeeds in doing something much better – make a bloody good underdog fighting tournament movie. By placing a fractured family at its core, including two -
GAME REVIEW: Dragons Dogma
Dragon's Dogma is, ostensibly, a very familiar concept. An open-world role-playing game, your goal is to head out into the world and make your mark on it, while helping (or hurting) others and having numerous adventures. -
REVIEW: Grimes - Visions
Claire Boucher aka Grimes, can be taken a few ways. To the younger listener, she’s a mesmerising explosion of fluorescent sonic maximalism, and to the more cynical music fan, a clever, fashion forward co-opting of techniques, motifs and forms first explored in the ‘90s. -
GAME REVIEW: Kinect Star Wars
Since Star Wars first appeared on screens back in 1977, it has captured both our imaginations and our wallets. We've consumed t-shirts, lunch boxes, action figures, books, pillowcases, soft toys, cartoon shows, coffee mugs, and even shoes (I myself have a sweet pair of X-Wing Adidas sneakers). -
REVIEW: POP ETC - Mixtape (Free Download)
For those in the know, The Morning Benders have always been finely attuned to acute pop sensibilities. Due to the term “bender” apparently have homophobic overtones in Europe, the band have changed their name to the aptly self-referential POP ETC. -
DVD REVIEW: The Rolling Stones - Some Girls Live In Texas ‘78
When you think of a Rolling Stones concert these days, images spring to mind of bloated stage dressing and theatrics that can in a lot of ways draw away from the reason you go -
REVIEW: Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
Having spent much of the summer break tracking Cohen’s career through an expeditious consumption of the singer’s back catalogue for a column in the latter pages of this magazine, I was particularly eager to see where his 2012 release would take things. As someone instinctually endeared to the mu... -
GAME REVIEW: FIFA Street
It was a bold move on EA’s part to simply title this game FIFA Street, considering it is technically the fourth game in the franchise. But upon learning how far removed this game is to the original FIFA Street series, taking the line of the ‘reboot’ and forgetting the previous ones becomes log... -
LIVE REVIEW: Missing Teeth Reunion Show In Wellington
Damn, this one took me back! All of a sudden it felt as though I was 15 again, hanging out at that dearly missed sanctuary of pizza and punk rock, Auckland’s original Pizza Pizza; the place where I cut my teeth, seeing anyone and everyone from Sommerset to Brubeck, Roofdog to Minus Title. -
DVD REVIEW: God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
By his own admission, 63-year-old John ‘Ozzy’ Osbourne is living on borrowed time. Gone are the days of relentless drug and alcohol abuse, now replaced by a life of sobriety and a strict pre-show ritual of vocal exercises, cardio vascular activity and stretching. -
REVIEW: Josh Leys - Josh Leys
Josh Leys’ new self-titled EP is an interesting blend of pop styled funk infused tracks with an authentic ‘80s hip hop twist. After gaining national notoriety as one of our most talented beat-boxers, and a slew of live performances around the country honing his singing and stage performances, J... -
GAME REVIEW: Street Fighter X Tekken
Street Fighter and Tekken are franchises synonymous with quality 2D and 3D fighting games. Now, after almost two decades of minding their own business, they’ve collided in the 2.5D dimensional middle-ground. Although it's meant to be a Vs-style game, in practice it comes off as a Street Fighter ga... -
REVIEW: The Black Keys - El Camino
Remarkable. Smashing. Mind-blowing. Stunning. Awesome. Spectacular etc. Excessive repetition of any of these synonyms to fill the 250 words of this review would suffice in communicating the absolute brilliance of this band and their latest record. -
REVIEW: Bannerman - Dearly Departed
Bannerman’s Richard Setford is a busy, busy young man. And despite a newly released Batucada Sound Machine album as 2011 morphs into 2012, Setford still managed to set aside time to punch out the second Bannerman instalment in late 2011. -
GAME REVIEW: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, if you're not already aware of it, is a 1-on-1 brawler, with a veritable host of characters that are drawn from the fit-to-bursting stables of both Marvel and Capcom. Basically, it's like a fighting game, however the controls are stripped down significantly to both impr... -
LIVE REVIEW: Death Cab For Cutie, Wellington Town Hall
Rip It Up's Paul Comrie-Thomson reviews last night's hugely successful Death Cab For Cutie show, as part of the Wellington International Arts Festival. -
REVIEW: Batucada Sound Machine - Don’t Keep Silent
Directed by the multifarious Richard Setford, otherwise known for his work under the moniker Bannerman, and in Auckland rock outfit The Brood, Batucada Sound Machine are a 10-piece international party machine. -
GAME REVIEW: UFC Undisputed 3
When UFC Undisputed came out in 2009, there may still have been an argument about the validity of Mixed Martial Arts. But no more. Compared to boxing, where all you get is the -
GAME REVIEW: The Darkness II
The original The Darkness was created by Starbreeze Studios back in 2007, based on a comic book of the same title. It features a young mafia hitman by the name of Jackie Estacado on his 21st birthday; targeted for assassination by the don of a New York mafia. However, a malevolent force of evil - kn... -
GAME REVIEW: Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning
"Compelling", "engrossing", and "heaps of fun" are a few words that spring to mind when talking about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, but none of them do it justice. -
GAME REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
Metal Gear Solid is a funny old series, isn’t it? It has moments of exquisitely tense and thrilling gameplay...and then bookends those moments with increasingly lengthy, increasingly absurd, increasingly exposition-filled cutscenes. -
DVD REVIEW: Metropolis
Made in 1927 this silent masterpiece is rightly seen as one of the most important and influential films ever conceived. It’s part of the big three: German Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, American D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation and Russian Sergi Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin; films that design... -
REVIEW: Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear
Washington DC-based duo Thievery Corporation embraces the quasi-political nature of their name with Culture Of Fear, their sixth studio album. “Seems to me like they want us to be afraid, man. -
DVD REVIEW: Placebo - Coming Up For Air / We Come In Pieces
Placebo has always been a band to push the envelope when it comes to how music should be experienced. In their infancy they emerged onto the British music scene when -
REVIEW: Wu-Tang - Legendary Weapons
There is no denying that the members of Wu-Tang do possess legendary weapons; Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Wu-Tang Forever are indisputable proof of that. -
FILM REVIEW: Senna
This documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34, has rightfully been an audience favourite almost everywhere it has played. -
FILM REVIEW: Submarine
In recent years we’ve had a few too many quirky indie coming-of-age romcoms. That this was a British film, not American, and didn't star Michael Cera -
GAME REVIEW: Mario Kart 7
The Mario Kart series, now more than nineteen years old, is in its seventh iteration. That might sound like the kind of observation that only comes from detailed research, but it's right there in the title. Mario Kart 7 - you see? -
FILM REVIEW: The Inbetweeners Movie
Based on the successful TV series of the same name, this is a film about four British lads who have just finished high school and head to Europe on a pre-University holiday with hopes of hedonism, intoxication and lots of sex. It's the sort of comedy that hammers over and over again on teens trying ... -
REVIEW: Beirut - The Rip Tide
Zach Condon is one of those kids you should just really hate. It’s this kind of unbridled jealousy that has made him so successful and revered. Under the nom de plume of Beirut, Condon takes the simplest and most effective sounds from all over the globe and creates very other-worldly music with th... -
REVIEW: Punches - Etheria
Nigh on three years in the making, the latest record from Kelly Sherrod (Voom/Dimmer) and James Duncan (Dimmer/SJD) under the name of Punches after their 2006 debut is something of a quiet revelation. -
GAME REVIEW: Tekken Hybrid
Game reviewing can often be pretty formulaic; by definition, we have a set of rules to adhere to - scores to assign to categories like Gameplay, Graphics, Sound and Value. Games, however, have no such rules and occasionally, something comes along that simply refuses to adhere to the norms. -
REVIEW: Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Brox II
Credit where credit is due; when The Bronx alluded to the fact they wanted to become a mariachi band, they went out and did it. They did it with gusto, their first release a surprisingly fun album. -
REVIEW: Mogwai - Earth Division
Mogwai put out one of the best records to be released so far this year with Hardcore Will Never Die, and this four-song offering features off cuts from that masterpiece. -
GAME REVIEW: Super Mario 3D Land
Nintendo’s been cranking out Mario games since, well, since video games as we know them were invented. Literally. So, despite the fact that the jumpy plumber’s had the odd little hiccup - where “hiccup” means only great, rather than incredible - the one thing he’s never jumped is the shark... -
REVIEW: The Drab Doo Riffs - A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs
The latest release from Karl Steven's (Supergroove) super-group The Drab Doo-Riffs, A Fistful of Doo-Riffs is a remarkable little, reference-loaded, rollicking party time. Even better, as the band cycles through references to Ennio Morricone, Hank Williams (or perhaps our very own Tex Morton), class... -
GAME REVIEW: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
How do you start a review of the latest game in the quintessential Nintendo series, The Legend of Zelda? It's 25 years since the first Zelda game made its debut on the Famicom -
GAME REVIEW: Saints Row: The Third
As much as I love Battlefield 3 for its heightened realism and terrifying, palm-moistening online play, there are times when I just want to unwind after a hard-day’s work. Not enter a warzone filled with snipers and AT mines around every corner. Even GTAIV and Skyrim feel like work sometimes. If I... -
GIG REVIEW: Portishead w/ The Adults, Vector Arena, Auckland - 10/11/2011
Familiar with the individual members of The Adults’ work but not the band itself, I checked out a few tunes beforehand, including the compelling video for ‘Nothing To Lose’. -
GAME REVIEW: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
To call Uncharted 3 one of the most anticipated titles of 2011 would be like calling the Atlantic Ocean mildly damp. When it comes to bombastic blockbuster experiences, no series does things bigger, better, and with more polish than Naughty Dog’s homage to pulp adventures. The script and acting in... -
REVIEW: The Art Of Flight Soundtrack
I like music. I like snowboarding. It is no surprise then that I really like the soundtrack to The Art of Flight – the snowboarding film to change all snowboarding films (apparently). I haven’t seen the film yet, but merely watching the trailer has excited a few snowgasms. I am thoroughly lookin... -
REVIEW: Active Child - You Are All I See
Listening to You Are All I See makes me feel like I’m on the moon, and with track names like ‘High Priestess’, ‘Ancient Eye’ and... -
REVIEW: Kimbra - Vows
At its core, Vows is a soul record, digging deep into a crate including Prince, Arethra Franklin, Sinatra, and a swag of Motown artists. The record is carefully orchestrated throughout, utilising its melodic artillery effectively, whether filling as much aural space as possible (e.g. ‘Cameo Lover... -
REVIEW: Big Talk - Big Talk
Following in the footsteps of Brandon Flowers, Killers’ drummer Ronnie Vannucci shows he didn’t want to join his band mates in taking a sabbatical by getting together with his old guitarist Taylor Milne and creating Big Talk, an outing that proves once and for all that you should never underesti... -
GAME REVIEW: Dead Island
I have a confession to make. I’m becoming increasingly bored with zombie games. Without a doubt they are taking over as the undead younger brother to the tired “World War II” staple. Hell, some developers have thrown their hands in the air and sold out to both — I’m not looking at you at a... -
REVIEW: Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
A girl recently told me that when we were growing up as teenagers, she secretly liked me because “I was mysterious”. I thought I was just being the shy kid, but it seemed to be an inadvertent plan that worked (to my surprise), and one I’ve tried to run with; (a few good wins – but also to my... -
DVD REVIEW: Rubber
Here’s a film about a rubber tire mired in the desert sands that becomes perversely animated, filled with some life-force that seems to give the round and rolling object a consciousness a sense of purpose - ultimately turning it into a killer tire. It starts off slow, breaking bottles and small an... -
GAME REVIEW: Driver: San Fransisco
With over 300km of sandbox roads, free-roaming mission-oriented game play and a recognizable interpretation of a US city, you could confuse Driver: San Francisco with a Grand Theft Auto title. However, just like back in 1998 when Reflections Interactive -
REVIEW: Wolf Gang - Suego Faults
I couldn't help but sit in amazement when listening to the opening track (‘Lions In Cages’) of Wolf Gang's Suego Faults. The melody, the rhythm, the resonance… all of which felt like I was listening to an appropriation of MGMT's ‘Kids’. -
GAME REVIEW: Little Big Planet Vita Hands On
Successful beyond most people's wildest dreams, Media Molecule's 2008 PlayStation 3 title LittleBigPlanet caught many - including industry commentators and gamers alike - by surprise. Its charming mix of adorable characters, approachable gameplay, and intuitive content-creation tools formed a robust... -
GAME REVIEW: Resistance 3
When Sony launched the PlayStation 3 back in 2006, Resistance: Fall of Man was, quite literally their “pièce de résistance”. Since that time, the post-apocalyptic shooter that chronicles a chilling and devastating invasion has gone on to sell millions of copies, both on the PS3 and Sony’s ha... -
DVD REVIEW: Primal Scream - Screamadelica
You really can’t get much more English than the Screamadelica record; early 90s and the limeys were retooling the zeitgeist after that seemingly endless era of synth pop (a-ha and Erasure do not greatness make). -
DVD REVIEW: Foo Fighters - Back and Forth
I’ve found the really great music documentaries I’ve seen are engaging because of the talent being interviewed, more so than because of the music that surrounds them. Take Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster; although the album that was produced out of that era was universally hailed as their wor... -
REVIEW: Pitbull - Planet Pit
He may be the go-to rapper for every pop/dance track cluttering up the top 50 right now, but Pitbull has been chipping away and carving out a career for a few years now. This is in fact his sixth studio album, and although he may not be winning lyricist awards any time soon, there’s no denying tha... -
REVIEW: Of Mice & Men - The Flood
America's latest post-hardcore heroes, Of Mice & Men, demonstrate just why they have become the flagbearers for the scene once known as ‘emocore’ with this, their sophomore album. -
REVIEW: The Horrors - Skying
Originally panned as being nothing more than a novelty band with silly names, this post punk flavoured five piece from Essex answered their critics with the brilliant, Portishead-assisted sophomore album Primary Colours. -
GAME REVIEW: Gears of War 3
I got to play 4 player co-op through the first Act of Gears 3 at a recent event and while I definitely enjoyed myself I wasn’t wowed by anything that I played. As the third game in the series, it is safe to say you mostly know what to expect from a Gears game when it comes to the gameplay – in t... -
REVIEW: Gotye - Making Mirrors
Gotye (aka. the alter ego of Australian multi-instrumental musician Wouter De Backer) is a bit difficult to define musically; he seems to be a bit of a post-modern music box – which is always a risky venture – the form tends to up a matter of taste. Making Mirrors, for the most part, makes the i... -
GAME REVIEW: Forza Motorsport 4
Forza Motorsport 4 is the next title in Microsoft's exclusive racing simulation. But is that all it is? We had a chance to have a sit-down with Dan Greenawalt, the creative director for developer Turn 10 studios and one of just a few people involved with the series since it was originally pitched, a... -
REVIEW: Hollie Smith & Mara TK - Band Of Brothers Vol: 1
On this very special album, contemporary local soul sensation Hollie Smith teams up with Mara TK (of Electric Wire Hustle and Fly My Pretties fame), to create Band of Brothers Vol: 1 - the long awaited follow up to her critically acclaimed solo efforts Long Player and Humour and the Misfortune of Ot... -
REVIEW: Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch The Throne
Kanye West’s My Dark Twisted Fantasy was really good – great actually. Jay-Z’s latest Blueprint was a bit average to be honest. Maybe Watch the Throne is the self-proclaimed King of New York’s attempt at wrestling back the crown from the very protégé he created (and who co-wrote the record... -
REVIEW: Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Songs
Every massively successful rockstar gets to a point in his or her life - usually after the age of 40 - when the critics and the album sales no longer matter, and money and fame afford you a certain degree of invincibility. You attempt to buy protected land for eco ventures (see: Edge, The) and you m... -
REVIEW: Jamie Woon - Mirrorwriting
I don’t think that fusing minimal dubstep and soul is an entirely new concept, but for some reason 2011 has sent the innovative genre to a wider audience with the likes of James Blake, The Weeknd, and Italian producer Nicolas Jaar all releasing some pretty amazing music this year. Though Jamie Woo... -
REVIEW: Boy & Bear - Moonfire
Moonfire is the debut album from Sydney based folk/roots band Boy & Bear. The band formed back in 2009 and was originally a solo project for singer/guitarist Dave Hosking. All members are strong singer songwriters and originally all fronted bands before joining Boy & Bear. -
REVIEW: Metronomy - The English Riviera
The official website describes The English Riviera using words and phrases such as ‘relaxation and convalescence’, ‘a unique experience’, a ‘romantic' location during the Napoleonic Wars. -
REVIEW: Washed Out - Within And Without
The term “chillwave” sounds exactly how it is – that feeling of paralysed contentment after a sun-struck session on the ocean. Washed Out, one of the genre’s -
REVIEW: Tyler, The Creator - Goblin
Earlier this year when I first heard Tyler, the Creator’s ghoulish EP Bastard, I remember thinking that it made Kanye West’s My Dark Twisted Fantasy sound like a school girl’s daydream. I listened to it three times back-to-back; the first time it shocked me to the core, the second time it made... -
REVIEW: Cut Off Your Hands - Hollow
A few weeks ago I was in Wellington for work. I stayed on for the weekend and naturally gravitated toward Slow Boat Records on Cuba St. Upon purchasing the new Fleet Foxes record (amazing, by the way), I again naturally asked the counter chick if “anything was happening” that night. As it turns... -
REVIEW: Dirty Beaches - Badlands
For those of us still in the Southern Hemisphere, I think it’s pretty safe to say that winter has finally made it. Most of us have swapped the surf for snow (although I managed to slot in both over the weekend – the water turned my brain into ice cream!) and surf-related music has been rightly s... -
REVIEW: Lyrics Born - As U Were
The theme of As U Were is obvious from a quick glance at the tracklist, which features titles such as ‘Kontrol Phreak’, ‘I Wanna B W/U’, ‘Coulda Woulda Shoulda’ and ‘Lies X 3’, to name but a few. Add ‘(What Happened 2 Our) Love Affair?’, which concludes the set, and yes this does... -
REVIEW: Foster The People - Torches
“Sometimes life it takes you by the hair, before you know it, it’s gone and you’re dead again”. Foster the People’s Torches opening line punches you right in the heart with its agonising semi-haiku of love and love lost. -
REVIEW: Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday are back, and their new self-titled record is a fresh start from a band reunited with their original line up. But they are back, and the music is as solid as ever. -
REVIEW: City And Colour - Little Hell
Well, we are in a new decade and it seems ‘emo’ has had its day (for now). Following this, it is not surprising that City & Colour aka Dallas Green has moved back in time (sort of), taking a page from Ryan Adams' book and sliding into those truly time-tested genres of country/folk/rock. He does ... -
BOOK REVIEW: Husker Du: The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers
That title may be a bold claim, but there is a lot of truth to it too. Andrew Earles (also known for his fine essays in the AC/DC High Voltage Ultimate Illustrated book and in Vice magazine), has compiled a fine book that documents all phases of one of the most important bands in American history. -
REVIEW: American: The Bill Hicks Story
“I don’t like anything in the mainstream and they don’t like me” - Bill Hicks. As I watched this truly impressive and comprehensive biographical appreciation of -
REVIEW: DiRT 3
Some of us are born with it. That adrenaline-fueled desire to want to push things to their limits. To drive that extra bit faster, to corner a little bit tighter and to be airborne for slightly longer next time you hit that jump. Sadly, a lot of these same people also have a shorter lifespan. But fo... -
REVIEW: When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors
In 1971, Jim Morrison was dead at 27 years old. His body was found in a Paris hotel room bath, heroin and whiskey having done what they do. -
REVIEW: The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
I must admit that I was predisposed to like The Low Anthem, based solely upon the title of their previous release, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. Luckily for my prejudice, I was not let down. -
REVIEW: British India - Avalanches
One of the remaining flagbearers of the garage rock explosion, Avalanches marks British India’s third outing. It’s been met with a deal of trepidation by the Australian public - their last album, Thieves, being very much the problematic second album bands struggle with. What makes this release a... -
REVIEW: UNKLE - Only The Lonely
It is perhaps apt timing that UNKLE’s latest EP, Only The Lonely, has come out around the time James Lavelle’s touring Australasia. With some calling this ‘leftovers’ and others a companion piece to Where Did The Night Fall, Only The Lonely boasts collaborative efforts with Leila Moss (the D... -
REVIEW: The Kills - Blood Pressures
They have built a career on being edgier and grittier than their peers, but there’s been concern that Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart offer not much other than a bit of hustle and bustle. On ‘Midnight Boom’, The Kills integrate a certain rhythmic and stylistic adventurousness with their minima... -
REVIEW: The Dodos - No Color
It's redemption time for Long and Kroeber - highly touted as revivalists of a once-more stagnant alternative folk movement stemming from their second album Visiter. They've learned the hard way that changing a formula sometimes is for the worst. -
REVIEW: Alexander - Alexander
In late 2009 while staying with a friend in Marina Del Ray, Los Angeles, I was introduced to the hobo-folk-symphony that is Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. I’m not sure why, but there was something about the Cat Stevens meets the Pogues genius of Up From Below that perfectly fit my LA experien... -
REVIEW: Noah And The Whale - Last Night On Earth
‘There is more to be found in the world than dreams'. Preoccupied throughout with the boundary between youth and age, innocence and nostalgia, big dreams and their pallid reality, Noah and the Whale’s third release, Last Night On Earth, -
REVIEW: 2011 Headphone Review
Local DJ Scott Lelo takes a look at a full range of headphones currently available in New Zealand. -
REVIEW: Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
Chilean producer, Nicolas Jaar makes you feel like you are swimming underwater. In fact, Space Is Only Noise has as much to do with feeling as it does with listening; it’s a multi-sensory experience that takes a while to grow, but wisdom knows that patience makes the heart grow stronger – which ... -
REVIEW: The Hangover: Part Two
So 'The Wolfpack' have returned for yet another 100 minutes of carnage and debauchery. Although this time they find themselves in trouble in a place way out of their comfort zone. The story is pretty simple. Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married in Thailand,So 'The Wolfpack' have returned for yet ano... -
REVIEW: David Dallas - The Rose Tint
There has long been a saying that “the best things in life are free”. Then along came the internet and all of a sudden everything was free. We all know the sad tale of p2p pioneers Napster, and the subsequent punitive response from the major labels (which actually stunted the growth of the music... -
REVIEW: The Weeknd - House Of Balloons
I get a strong feeling that The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye has dropped the “e” in “weekend” because he, well, drops a few of those deceptive little ‘happy pills’ himself once Friday draws to a close. -
GAME REVIEW: Portal 2
We love a good sequel. All too often the end product disappoints, but having polished off the original Portal feeling hungry for more – and knowing what Valve are capable of - a sequel of any description sounded extremely promising. The mere prospect of a two player co-op had us counting the days ... -
REVIEW: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
As a youngster I remember being hauled along by my parents to various folk festivals around the Waikato region. These little get-togethers happened at the foot of Mt Te Aroha, the Hunua Ranges and everywhere in between. -
BOOK REVIEW: I Feel Like a Fight, Alright - Ruth Carr
Books filled with scribbles, musings and random trains of thought are all fine and good when they give the reader the ability to delve into the inner thoughts and mind processes of one of their favourite musicians. These books, however, are a little strange when the musician in question is one that ... -
REVIEW: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
There seems to be a lot of female hurt coming out of Scandinavia at the moment. Last year, petite pop legend Robyn took Nordic heartbreak to exciting new levels through the amazing Body Talk series. On a more ‘indie’ level, the androgynous meandering of Karin Dreijer Andersson (The Knife, Fever ... -
REVIEW: Left Or Right w/ Mountaineater & Alazarin Lizard At Sammys, Dunedin
Sammy's has got to be one of the coolest venues in NZ, straight up. The perfect blend of size, aesthetic, vibe... -
REVIEW: Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
In a culture that’s smothered by the likes of Usher, Chris Brown and other mainstream darlings, it’s easy to write off the entire RnB genre as one that’s entirely made to market; where the goal is to merely ‘make money’, not actual art. -
REVIEW: Rise Against - End Game
When you hear a Rise Against album, you are instantly grasped by the first track and taken on a journey to the end of an album. You are made aware of what messages are being put across. You are connected to the band through the meaning behind their politically-influenced music. The band’s latest r... -
REVIEW: Toro Y Moi - Underneath The Pine
Toro y Moi can be loosely translated from the “Espanola-Françoise” to English as meaning “the bull and me” which in no way describes young-wonder Chaz Bundick’s hazy phosphorescence (dubbed “chillwave” by some music journalists). It’s probably a coincidence that the act played in Bu... -
REVIEW: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues by Between The Buried & Me
Between the Buried and Me are a band that have consistently produced fantastic material since their... -
REVIEW: Mortal Kombat For PS3/Xbox 360
The fighting game series that has showcased over-the-top violence for nearly 20 years has finally made it to store shelves for its 9th iteration. However instead of simply tacking the number 9 to the end, this new Mortal Kombat is a reboot of the series, starting over with a clean slate and looking ... -
REVIEW: The Peoples Key by Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst is a songwriter who has spent a career poeticising the all-time divisive topics of religion and spirituality, and the lived-out realities which emerge from them (from soup kitchens to suicide bombers). Notable records through Obert’s moniker Bright Eyes include, country/folk modern cl... -
REVIEW: Battlefield Play4Free
The idea of "free" games with a pay-as-you-go scheme attached is not new, but this new entry in the Battlefield series, the second to use the "freemium" model (after 2009's Battlefield Heroes), goes a long way to cement the model outside of Asia (where it has been a popular method of charging people... -
REVIEW: Invented By Jimmy Eat World
Every one of us has two or three bands that saw us through our youth, allowing us to express what we couldn’t say or think in our developing minds; in essence, allowing us – through musical form – to understand whatever we were going through at the time. Jimmy Eat World were one of those bands... -
REVIEW: Wasting Light By Foo Fighters
From the minute the first track ‘Bridge Burning’ explodes from your speakers, you know quite clearly that this is a new album from the Foos - delivering yet another collection of absolute stormers that would fill any stadium to capacity and then some. -
REVIEW: Beastwars By Beastwars
Jam-packed with more action than a season of 24, Beastwars’ self-titled debut is one of the most jaw dropping metal albums I've ever heard recorded in New Zealand. -
REVIEW: Top Spin 4
There used to be a time when everyone knew who would win the next Grand Slam tournament. It'd be Roger Federer and one of the Williams sisters. But, Venus and Serena dominance is long past and the Australian Open showed that Federer’s time at the top may be over too. But, not done is 2K Sport’s ... -
REVIEW: The Wild Hunt By The Tallest Man On Earth
In a world where technology, in many respects, is overtaking creative and emotional honesty, the ‘art of keeping it un-stupidly simple’ can be easily swept into some dusty cultural corner (along with writing letters, making telephone calls and actually meaning something). Through his somewhat my... -
REVIEW: Dye It Blonde By Smith Westerns
I think it’s fair to say that summer is well and truly on the wane. It may have been last night’s purple-hazed sunset at Raglan, or the hot air balloons floating gracefully through this morning’s crisp Waikato air; whatever it was it, the nostalgia that autumn brings has truly sunk in. So it... -
REVIEW: Body Talk By Robyn
Easily the most slept on pop artist of 2010, Robyn announced she’d release a trilogy of records over the space of last year. And with over 17 years in the game she obviously had every belief that she could pull it off. -
REVIEW: Decoded By Jay Z
It’s no surprise that a self-penned Jay-Z title has been released. Not one to pass up any opportunity to make money, Decoded is a worthy addition to the plethora of ventures the Brooklyn MC already has to his name. -
REVIEW: Metallica: Enter Night - Biography
Coming from someone who has read the Joel McIver books on Metallica, along with a few others, I believe this is definitely the best so far. -
REVIEW: Awesome As F**k DVD By Green Day
As cliché as it may sound, Green Days new DVD, Awesome as F**k is something that all fans of this band must witness. Recorded live at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo Japan on their 21st Century Breakdown World Tour, Awesome As F**k proves that Green Day seriously know how to entertain 37,000 odd p... -
REVIEW: Bob Dylan In America By Sean Wilentz
It’s always good to read a book intro and discover the author fully comprehends and admits to the uphill battle they’re facing. Within the first few pages of Bob Dylan in America, author Wilentz agrees the amount of material published on the folk artist made famous in the sixties is pretty dense... -
REVIEW: James Blake By James Blake
I would think that designing a house and producing a record have distinct similarities. A foundation of sorts, walls, polished windows to let the light in - the architecture always says a lot about how the architect wants his or her creation to be experienced. I have just moved into a new place that... -
REVIEW: Empty Days And Sleepless Nights By Defeater
One could argue that all genres in music contain diversity. Although this may be the case hardcore is a genre that has become especially diverse in recent years. Obviously you have your heavy, aggressive bands like Terror and Madball. Then you have bands that play a more melodic style, bands like Co... -
REVIEW: Bad Books By Bad Books
Bad Books are self-described as an ‘indie super-group’, an idea which seems to be trending right now with conglomerates such as the notable Monsters of Folk doing the rounds of the American musical wilderness. It would therefore be easy to be sceptical of Bad Books’ chief songwriters, Kevin De... -
REVIEW: Cloud Nothings By Cloud Nothings
Heaven knows the 90s is back. From the sadistically-legitimate, Wu Tang-inspired gangsta rap of Odd Future, to the most recent incarnation of Madonna (i.e., Madam Gaga), we are seeing a resurgence of what was near and dear to us during our formative years. As part of this trend cycle, the general um... -
REVIEW: The Chemical Brothers At Vector Arena
Tom (blonde hair) and Ed (brown hair) have been layering sounds and beats for an incredible 11 years, in which time they have released seven studio albums. So they have a lot of material to cover at the Vector arena in Auckland last night. -
REVIEW: 'Brotherly' By Mali Mali
Mali Mali is the brain child of Auckland-based singer/songwriter Ben Tolich, an artist whose aim is to create work from a state of clarity a tough ask under any circumstance. The most recent result of this new-found freedom is “Brotherly”; paving a good start toward this noble goal. -
REVIEW: Queens Of The Stone Age At Logan Campbell Centre
By Helene Ravlich. The first time I ever saw Queens of the Stone Age play live was at an early incarnation of the now-huge Coachella festival, held in the band’s stomping ground the Palm Desert. The sun was slowly setting as the evening unfolded, the desert cold creeping in as the scene happening ... -
REVIEW: Campus A Low Hum 2011 In An Explore More Van
Since it's inception in 2007, Camp A Low Hum has gained a reputation for being an elite music festival. The line up is kept top secret until the festival gates open and Blink (the organiser) deliberately avoids publicity. This makes for a very exciting buzz ahead of the festival and lots of speculat... -
REVIEW: Dead Space 2
It’s been three years since Isaac Clarke left on the rescue mission to the USG Ishimura. Three years of nightmares and visions that have left him tied in a straight jacket and locked in the bowels of the Sprawl. That is until the Sprawl, a giant space station orbiting Saturn, is overrun by the hor... -
REVIEW: Wuz Here By Big K.R.I.T.
Big K.R.I.T is a 24-year-old rapper and producer from Missippippi, who was recently signed to Def Jam after gaining critical acclaim with this digitally released album: Big K.R.I.T was here. Apparently he released five mixtapes before getting this far, but to be honest I had never heard of him, so i... -
REVIEW: Fornax Chemica’s Debut Album Chemical Furnace
Fornax Chemica’s debut album Chemical Furnace is 50 minutes of solid instrumental musicianship inspired by ancient Inca culture and deep space. The Auckland trio recorded their album at RadioStar Studios in California, where it was produced by Sylvia Massey (Tool, RHCP, Johnny Cash) and mastered b... -
REVIEW: Man On The Moon II By Kid Cudi
Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi suffered his share of controversy last year with reports of a former cocaine addiction, telling fans he was bored with rap and his tendency to rage after a few too many drinks. On his sophomore effort Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr Rager, he lets his personal life im... -
REVIEW: The Big Day Out 2011
I’m proud to say this was my fifth Big Day Out, and despite the torrential downpour, it was still one of my favourite years. Especially since I’ve made rookie mistakes other times such as not drinking enough water or drinking too much, causing me to be stuck in a mosh pit with the unbearable urg... -
REVIEW: I Am Not A Human Being By Lil Wayne
Much like Lil Wayne’s career, I Am Not A Human Being has moments of greatness mixed with bad decision-making and sheer laziness. Lyrically, the album is just okay, with some witty lines that are worth listening to. However, Weezy’s definitely not at the top of his game with recycled ‘life’s ... -
REVIEW: Shihad Live At Riwaka Hotel
Opening act tonight was Cairo Knife Fight who, despite only having only two members, created a huge wall of sound by employing the usage of looping pedals. Particularly impressive was Nick Gaffaney’s phenomenal drumming. How he manages to sing, drum and play bass on the synth with his left hand wh... -
REVIEW: Shapeshifter, Ladi6 & Sunshine Soundsystem
A review of Shapeshifter, Ladi6 & Sunshine Soundsystem performing live at Mangawhai Tavern on Boxing Day 2010. The summer holiday circuit is a financial bonanza for a select few local bands. The Feelers have milked it for years, with The Exponents paving their way. Now Fat Freddy’s Drop and Shapes... -
REVIEW: Thank Me Later By Drake
Aubrey Graham aka Drake, shot his way to musical fame pretty quickly after the release of his acclaimed mixtape So Far Gone and subsequent signing to Young Money records. However, despite the hype Thank Me Later generated before its release, cookie cutter lyrics and bland production make for an unme... -
REVIEW: Rhythm & Vines 29-31 December 2010
2010 was the first year Rhythm and Vines sold out, bringing 25,000 festival goers to Gisborne and cementing its reputation as the biggest and best New Year's Eve event in NZ. This was my first time at R&V and from a newbie's point of view I can say it lived up to all my expectations, and the on-site... -
REVIEW: Detonate festival New Years Eve Goes Off With A Bang!
Detonate definately lived up to its name; throughout the day numerous bombs went of and multiple things were blown up- a pool table, a go-kart and a car which had people's regrets written on it- and a helicopter dropped a caravan! The bands were just as hot as the explosions; sweaty,energetic, somet... -
REVIEW: Gorillaz Live At The Vector Arena, Auckland
Having spent the past three months playing 35 shows around the world; Gorillaz ended their ‘Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour’ at the Vector. As Damon Albarn was introducing the various band members throughout the set, he resited the urge to say goodbye but a lot of the hugs he was giving out l... -
REVIEW: Big Boi At Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
For those familiar with Big Boi’s work, it speaks for itself. As ‘Outkast’ he stays ahead of the field by experimenting with a different brand of hip hop and personality. Individually, Big Boi is the less artisan-more-hood side of the group (in my humble opinion). His hood playboy swag was in ... -
REVIEW: Electric Wire Hustle At Tone Bar In Sydney
Have you heard about the kiwi mass-exodus to Australia? It was in full effect on November 17 at Tone Bar in Sydney when Electric Wire Hustle played the launch of their debut self-titled album. The night started with Isaac Aesili and Rachel Fraser. Their mix of ghostly, soulful vocals, electronica an... -
GAMING: Review Of Gran Turismo 5
Each year, normally around Christmas, there’s typically a handful of blockbusters released. This is true in most media industries to a certain extent, but never quite so much as in videogames. Even then, it’s still pretty rare for a title as anticipated at this one to come along: a title that is... -
GAMING: Xbox 360 Kinect Hands On Review
Kinect is here, and I’m quite shocked. Not by the device itself - it does what you expect it to do - but by the fact that New Zealand already has it. Guess I’ve gotten far too used to hardware delays in our tiny corner of the world. Not that I’m complaining, of course. With the arrival of this... -
GAMING: Review Of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
We should spare a thought for those developers out there right now, working away on sequels (or even threequels), wondering if their vision is really going to take. It's got to be pretty hard work. Do you produce something broadly similar to what went before it, hoping to give fans more of the same?... -
GAMING: Need for Speed Hot Pursuit
Zoom, zoom, zoom. I’ve gone and got that Mazda advert stuck in my head. It’s probably because that’s all I’ve been doing for the last few days. Zooming around, in fast cars. Being a badass. I’ve never really been a fan of car racers. Because, well, if I wanted to drive a car I would just g... -
REVIEW: Scream By Ozzy Osbourne
The airbrushed pictures of Ozzy in the cover of this CD made me uneasy. The glossy, epic theme of it all made me wonder if it was going to be a great album or a great marketing exercise. Sadly, without Zakk Wyldes’ stellar songwriting nous, Ozzy has been pushed into a nice little corner while, I s... -
REVIEW: Netsky's Debut Self Titled Album
Reviewing this Belgian up and comers debut album was quite the struggle - not because I did not know what to expect the uplifting liquid drum n bass for which Netsky has quickly forged a reputation is ever present. It was, rather, that he has presented me with quite the nothing album. Not quite good... -
REVIEW: Live By Masta Killa
Before listening to this, all I could think was, ‘Thank God it’s not U-God.’ Masta Killa is one of those artists you either instantly love, or instantly hate, and he - along with Deck and Raekwon - was always one of my favourite members of the Wu Tang Clan. Unfortunately though, this feeling d... -
GAMING: Review Of Call Of Duty Black Ops
It seems that Treyarch got the names of their games mixed up. Their previous Call of Duty was given the subtitle “World at War”, but it is with their latest offering, Call of Duty: Black Ops, where you can really fight your way across the globe. If you are not familiar with the Call of Duty seri... -
REVIEW: Nothing Hurts By Male Bonding
Sub Pop’s latest signing, British three piece Male Bonding, seemingly set out with their first single, ‘Year’s Not Long’ and subsequently with ‘Franklin’, as another band in tune with the jangly, vocally washed out sound that has been doing the rounds as of late (Surfer Blood, Best Coast... -
REVIEW: Warrior Soul By Kabuki
Don’t by fooled by his eastern name; Kabuki is a mainstay of the German drum n bass scene. By all accounts he earned this position via his DJing talents as opposed to his production abilities. Not to diminish the work he’s put into building up a respectable back catalogue over the last 13 years,... -
GAMING: Hands On Review Of Killzone 3 on PS3
Sony's Guerrilla Games cranked out the first Killzone game for the PS2 back in 2004. Met with mixed reviews, the game was generally agreed to have an interesting setting with cool art but was also widely regarded as being technically disappointing. Killzone 2, however, fixed up those technical glitc... -
GAMING: DJ Hero 2 Review
When DJ Hero 2 launched last year, it was met with a large amount of skeptical nay-saying. I myself wondered if gamers needed yet another music/rhythm title with an expensive peripheral cluttering up the house. But to the surprise of many, DJ Hero ended up being one of the highest-grossing new IP’... -
REVIEW: Fable III
I have always considered that skeletons would be better off spending their money on special rivets for their joints, rather than suits of armour. It would be way harder to smash them apart, right? And if you eliminate the ability to smash them apart, you’d spend way longer hacking at bone while th... -
REVIEW: Queen Of Denmark By John Grant
Having Midlake as your backing band is about as good as it gets for a solo artist struggling with inner demons and a need to express himself. John Grant, former singer/songwriter with the Czars, has emerged from a self-imposed exile to release Queen Of Denmark, a lush, ambitious opus that will satis... -
REVIEW: Something For Everybody By Devo
It’s ironic that this blast from the past created their name, Devo, to make the point that humankind wasn’t actually evolving but, in their opinion, regressing, considering that their first offering of new material in 20 years is pulling our memories and ears back just as far. As frightening as ... -
REVIEW: Aotearoa Nobody Does It Better By Dam Native
It always seemed like it would be one of those mysterious, mythological ‘lost albums’ in hip hop history - but iconic Dam Native return with a sophomore album some 15 years after the classic KDRU (Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted). Aotearoa Nobody Does It Better plays like a gift - an offering bac... -
REVIEW: {Bi-on-ic} By Christina Aguilera
Ah Christina. It must be hard to have the well-earned title of skankiest pop chick stolen from you while you were away busily making little Aguileras. All these young hussies like Gaga, Perry and Rihanna rocking in and stealing your STD-encrusted crown while you're waiting for your ladybits (or 'Woo... -
REVIEW: Coming Home By Boozoo Bajou
This, the most recent of the Coming Home series released by the German based Stereo Deluxe label, serves up a grooving four-on-the-floor mixed selection of favourite tunes from production duo Boozoo Bajou. In a style not dissimilar to that of Giles Peterson - not quite down tempo and not quite up te... -
REVIEW: Nightmare By Avenged Sevenfold
It’s hard not to feel for a band when a member dies. Their friend is dead and their circle is broken. When A7X lost their drummer Jimmy The Rev Sullivan just after Christmas last year, it was no secret how devastated the band were. Dream Theaters’ Mike Portnoy, Jimmy’s all time favourite drumm... -
REVIEW: Resident Evil 5 PlayStation Move Edition
Since Resident Evil 5 launched in March last year, it has sold over 5.5 million copies and received rave reviews around the globe (including our own one here). Now, in time with PlayStation Move arriving and a fourth Resident Evil movie in cinemas, Capcom have released the Gold Edition of Resident E... -
REVIEW: Wonderfully Wooed By 2 a.m. Orchestra
The 18th September will definitely go down as one of the stormiest days in Hamilton, but I’ll always remember it as the day I finally got to see the lads of 2 a.m. Orchestra live. No matter how windy and freezing it was outside, this was one of the warmest, intimate performances I’ve experienced... -
REVIEW: Halo Reach
Halo broke the mould when it was released on Xbox 360, convincing many for the first time that a first person shooter could be played effectively without a keyboard and mouse. Halo's controller-friendly interface took frustration out of the equation and let players get on with the fun of laying wast... -
REVIEW: Mafia II
Poor Vito Scarletta. He’s just got back to Little Italy, after a stint in World War II, where he fought Nazis in the motherland, took a bullet, and was awarded a Purple Heart. Vito thinks he can kick back and relax for a while, now he’s home, but instead he’s pushed and pulled in all direction... -
REVIEW: Bang Bang Eche At Koko In Camden London
“I’ve had that BBE song stuck in my head all day” says Dan on our way through the grimy florescent corridors of London’s Islington tube station. He’s referring to the opening qwerty in key bass line of Bang Bang Eche’s ‘Time Mismangement’. A catchy tune indeedy. Though only here a we... -
GAMING: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
The object of the game in this latest Tiger Woods outing is to try and bed as many star-boffing skanks as possible before your wife finds out. If only - now that would be a game. Sorry, but TWPT11 sees the hard drive of Tiger, back gripping his club in ways he used to be famous for. Actually, that's... -
GAMING: LEGO Harry Potter
I don’t want to go taking credit for games that are developed on the other side of the world, but back in 2006 I said to a number of gaming friends that I thought the Harry Potter series should definitely be made into LEGO games. Jump ahead to 2010 and looky looky. Not only was it a great idea, it... -
FILM: Despicable Me
This is a 3D animated family film done really well. There’s loads of laughs to be had, it’s cute as can be in places, and the story is great. It’s about a supervillain named Gru who wants to steal the moon. He has to compete with a smarmy young upstart named Vector - the new baddie on the bloc... -
REVIEW: Total Life Forever By Foals
It was a simple enough move for Foals to branch away from just being alternative dance (nee discopunk), as they were tagged/derided upon the release of Antidotes. Critics have thrown the word ‘ambitious’ around a fair amount since the release of ‘Spanish Shara’, a near antithesis to most of ... -
REVIEW: Shihad Play The General Electric At The Powerstation
Last night Shihad played their 1995 album Killjoy live at The Powerstation (so read this review first) and tonight they played their 1999 album The General Electric. This was the last date of the tour of Australia and New Zealand and it seemed quite fitting as the band have a lot of history with The... -
REVIEW: Shihad Play Killjoy At The Powerstation
Shihad are a bit of an institution in New Zealand. They formed back in 1988, and evolved from their industrial thrash metal roots to become our very own heroes of rock music as god intended it. Even though they've now relocated to Melbourne (a popular choice for many Kiwi ex-pats) they'll always be ... -
GAMING: StarCraft II Wings of Liberty
Blizzard knows games. They've been making them forever; much longer than their trio of epic licenses (StarCraft, WarCraft and Diablo) have been around. It seems that they haven't just evolved with videogames, but that they themselves have somehow been involved in steering the course of that evolutio... -
REVIEW: Die! Die! Die! At Galatos, Auckland
Die! Die! Die! are back on tour, and hell yeah it's good to see them again, it feels like it's been ages. Nothing to blast away the misery of the cold and the rain like a bit of visceral, bracing punk noise. They kick off their NZ tour with a double whammy at Galatos to celebrate the release of thei... -
GAMING: Crackdown 2
The original Crackdown could be described as fun in a sandbox... filled with explosives. It gave us a superhuman character that could leap over buildings, throw vehicles around, shoot a guy in the face from a thousand feet and run like a whippet. It was a ludicrously enjoyable alternative to the mor... -
REVIEW: Mondo Cane by Mike Patton
You can’t doubt Mike Patton’s tag of avant-garde composer. Aside from works with Fantomas and Tomahawk, he’s well known for his experimental works with Rahzel and lately for video games. Now, Mondo Cane is Patton’s celebration of the 60s and 70s Italian pop movement. -
REVIEW: Logic of Chance by Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
With a distinctly British urban temperament, Essex born electronica/rap musicians Dan Le Sac (Dan Stephens) and Scroobius Pip (Peter Meads) draw from a common heritage of grime and UK garage to release their second LP, Logic of Chance. There is a rather light-hearted and pop-like quality throughout ... -
REVIEW: Broken Bells by Broken Bells
When two genres cross over, you tend to expect something interesting to happen. So when you hear that Danger Mouse is working with The Shins' James Mercer, you think that the result is going to fit that overused indie-rock tag, but at least something eclectic may come out of it. -
REVIEW: Compass by Jamie Lidell
Lidell is one of those artists who doesn’t seem to sit still on one single style for long, but if you look closer at his track record (excuse the pun) his past five releases have ranged in style from electronica, to funk, to soul, to gospel. -
REVIEW: This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
When the opening track ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ kicks in - and it takes its time getting there - the sheer energy of it has me torn between warning first-time listeners and not wanting to ruin the impact. -
GAMING: Skate 3
I must be the worlds biggest masochist. Playing Skate 3 brings out the worst in me, anyone passing by will hear minutes of continuous swearing punctuated by the odd victory fist pump. -
GAMING: Blur
Shunting other cars out of the way in a desperate bid for the front of the pack in an all out 20 player online duel sounds like a blast. Chuck in some power-ups, arcade handling and even some social networking and you have yourself a solid evening's entertainment out of the rain. It all sounds nice ... -
GAMING: Red Dead Redemption
In Red Dead, gamers take the role of John Marston; a reformed(ish) outlaw who is trying to track down and capture or kill the members of his old gang. We open with Marston riding a train as he listens to the drab conversations of his fellow passengers, and he is met at his destination by a couple of... -
GAMING: Fat Princess Fistful of Cake
Okay, so this one is almost worth buying for the name alone. But once you get past the nuttiness of this dish, is it a meal worth consuming? While there are a bunch of additional modes involving more bombings and blood-soaked slaughter than your average day in Afghanistan, the main event is what wil... -
REVIEW: Phace & Misanthrop - From Deep Space
Despite the duo being best known for their drum n bass production, the album’s standout comes in the form of an electro track, ‘Generation For Sale’... -
REVIEW: In Da Mix by Reso
While Reso comes with some strong references (engineering work for Burial, support from Benga, N-Type and Rusko), this CD completely did my head in. -
REVIEW: The Planets Are Blasted By Boston Spaceships
As the lead singer of lo-fi champions Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard is a name most indie music fans are aware of. Pollard has also fronted such projects as Circus Devils, Cosmos and Boston Spaceships - the latter are his current priority. Interest in the project has garnered him an impressive lis... -
REVIEW: White Lies For Dark Times By Ben Harper And Relentless7
Number With No Name; roars as the opening track on Ben Harper's latest offering - quizzically I ask myself if the musician has been listening to the Black Keys. Surely this is just a one off track. -
REVIEW: Rising Sun By Souljazz Orchestra
Tepidly tepid, Rising Sun is the kind of album that you play at a cocktail party and girls come over and say, what is this shit pseudo Latin dance music we are listening to? -
REVIEW: Grrr By Bishop Allen
Its chief audience will stem from those who have become acquainted with the whimsical indie-folk-pop sound that stems from hearing tracks from movies such as Nick And Norah, Garden State or Scrubs (or maybe even Zach Braff’s car stereo mixtapes) -
REVIEW: July Flame By Laura Veirs
This 13-track album is slightly more stripped back in style than Saltbreakers, which featured an eight-member gospel choir at one point. -
REVIEW: Dark Touches By Har Mar Superstar
In terms of form, Dark Touches is radio pop. It delivers glossy studio textures, universally palatable rnb-funk beats, and boy band flavoured vocals (think Justin Timberlake). -
REVIEW: In Search Of Stoney Jackson By Strong Arm Steady
Strong Arm Steady’s In Search Of Stoney Jackson is made for a particular hip hop subscriber, and I’m sure it will find homes in many collections because Madlib made it. -
REVIEW: The Fame Monster By Lady Gaga
To my mind, Lady Gaga is one of the most exciting artists to emerge out of the new millennium. Why? Because unlike most, she’s got her shit down. Paloma Faith hates her, but then, who gives a toss what that eighties Winehouse wannabe thinks. The fact that she doesn’t consider Gaga to be innovati... -
REVIEW: Til The Casket Drops By Clipse
Previously I haven’t had a problem with Clipse’ incessant coke talk - but that patience is running thin. Thankfully Pusha and Malice have moved into different topical matter, and inadvertently lost some of their appeal. Don’t get it twisted, there is still plenty of slanging going on, like on ... -
REVIEW: Rebirth By Lil Wayne
The ironically titled ‘Paradice’ sounds like Guns N’ Roses with AutoTune - it’s pretty horrid.
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