Our Native Fellows


It seems like they appeared out of nowhere.

They probably didn't, they may of been blogged about since someone overheard them doing their first ever band practice.

I certainly would of if I had known these boys had so much god damn talent.

Blessing our shores with their layered and heartwarming songs Local Natives seems to be everybodys new favourite band and I for one couldn't agree more.

The great thing about the new album 'Gorilla Manor' is the fact you could press shuffle and be instantly wrapped in cotton wool and be wooed into a slumber by the vivid lyrics that hit you.

Stand out tracks from the album come in form of 'Airplanes' which starts with a chorus of boo's and then unravels a story in which many listeners will relate to, the dreaded 'wanting the ex back feeling' heartfelt and beautifully rolled out this was the turning point for me.

Other stand outs are Camera Talk and dare I say it A fleet foxes sounding 'world news' but hey! with a voice that amazing we can forgive and forget!

Gorilla Manor was released on the 2nd of Nov on infectious Records and they hit our shores in early 2010 where I will be welcoming them with open arms!

Nath

Local Natives Myspace


Read Users' Comments ( 0 )


The Men Who Stare At Goats

It’s not often that I’m genuinely disappointed with a movie but Grant Heslov’s ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ managed just that. Based on British Journalist Jon Ronson’s book on the U.S Military’s hilarious attempts to exploit paranormal abilities, the source material offered endless possibilities for the film adaptation. But although billed as an offbeat,quirky story of these military anomalies instead we are treated to a film which revolves more around self discovery.

The main problem is that the activities of the eccentric group of U.S Military ‘Jedi’s’ are not the focus of the movie. Instead it concentrates on reporter Bob Wilton (played by Ewan McGregor) much like Ronson’s position, and unnecessarily Americanized.

Life’s going all fine and dandy until his wife leaves him for a man with a prosthetic arm (should have acted as a warning) triggering him to do “what all men do when they have a broken heart” go to war, apparently. He meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney) who spends the evening telling stories of his time training as a psychic super-soldier, the most entertaining part of the film. The journey itself, a quest to find Cassady’s former mentor Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) in the Iraqi wilderness, just isn’t particularly interesting. A couple of entertaining moments are forgotten amongst the pedestrian plot and the extensive amount of voice over from McGregor, not helped by the fact his character is a little bland. There isn’t enough character development and what we’re left with is a series of unentertaining slapstick moments and an amusing incite into the U.S Military, already provided by the book.

Christian Allen


Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Social Isation ftw


Greets,

First time poster, long time follower here. Daviohead.



A month ago I came across the best album I have heard this year - Hospice by The Antlers. Hospice is a concept album about a 13 year old girl with bone cancer and her carer. Hearing the idea itself initially conjures a sense of distaste, as it's not the nicest thing to write about, but then you hear the music. The songs are tender and beautiful, think a mixture of bon iver with the sounds of arcade fire, and they cover the wide emotional spectrum the patient experiences with great skill and care. Highs and lows are covered, Imagining her 21st birthday (Bear), The carers denial (two) and her posthumous impression (Epilogue).






I never considered myself a sucker for a male falsetto, but it turns out it's a common denominator for my favorite albums both this year and last year (For Emma, Forever ago by Bon Iver). There is also another, deeper denominator at work here too - Social Isolation. Both Justin Vernon and Peter Silberman shut themselves off from the world (Wisconsin & New York respectively) in order to write their albums, both later recruited their bands and went onto great critical acclaim and on 'repeat all' in my ears over and over. So, going on this premise, I should finish a stonkingly good album by the end of the month. The antlers will shortly be playing a few dates in the UK, and Hospice is out now.



daviohead.



The Antlers Myspace



Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

The Cube


Here's a short article I was asked to write for the Newcastle student paper The Courier, which I wrote on the ITV television program The Cube. They didn't use it. Maybe I'm just not Geordie enough.
But it seems a shame to let this go to waste, seeing as I spent an entire afternoon of my life writing it, so here we are...

Phillip Schofield’s latest vehicle is quite the departure from his Gordon The Gopher or Fern Britton wielding days. Dramatically low-pitched voiceovers, big money prizes, Matrix-style slow motion, and a format so suspense-filled it makes 24 look like Tots TV.

But what it does have in common with many of Schofield’s works, is that it leaves the viewer perplexed as to whether they’re watching the best program currently on television, or the worst...because it’s ostensibly both.

The very concept of The Cube is simultaneously brilliant and ridiculous; contestants must perform apparently simple tasks, which are somehow made incredibly hard to perform purely because they’re taking place inside THE CUBE. As such, the show treats us to the spectacle of watching grown men attempt to catch balls in order to win £10,000, which by its very nature makes for tense viewing.

But because these games are seemingly so simple, the actual playing of them doesn’t fill up much of the show’s hour, and so – for a Saturday evening primetime slot – there is a lot (and I mean a lot) of slow motion and deliberation.

Which is just as well really. Gives me time to try and work out whether I love The Cube or hate it.


Gareth.



Read Users' Comments ( 0 )