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Archives for July 2008

Eden Log DVD Review

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‘Eden Log’ is not a film which was made with the intention of ever becoming a box office smash hit; it’s a dark sci-fi thriller with an element of horror thrown into the mix also and its potential target audience is therefore somewhat limited. Sci-Fi is not the most popular movie genre that there is, ‘Eden Log’ is however surely destined to achieve cult status amongst fans of the genre for its fantastic use of cinematography and sound. Script plays little role in the progression of this film; it’s through the dark use of colour, fine use of lighting, and incredible utilisation of sound that this film is furthered and for this ‘Eden Log’ should have you completely compelled.

Tolbiac wakes up in a deep dark cave with no recollection of how he has got here. He’s confused and all he has to guide him through the caves passages is a small dim light. As he makes his way through a number of tunnels and abandoned laboratories, Tolbiac keeps seeing the same logo in a variety of different places; it’s the logo for the Eden Log corporation and as he goes through his travels he is continually finding out more and more about this mysterious organisation. Tolbiac never feels safe here, he has no recollection of who he is, how he has got here, and there are also a number of potentially dangerous obstacles that he must overcome. He’s not the only one trapped here, he feels very alone however and due to his confused state of mind he never quite knows what he must do next; all he knows is that it’s vital that he make his way to the surface and by some means escapes out of here.

The first thing that struck me about ‘Eden Log’ was just how slow it was to get going. For roughly twenty minutes at the start of the film there is nothing really happening and you do start to begin to wonder if it will ever liven up a little. It’s disorientating and you feel for Tolbiac and the great sense of confusion that he currently feels; all we know is what Tolbiac knows also, and at this early stage in the film absolutely nothing is known at all. ‘Eden Log’s introduction provides for incredibly frustrating viewing and at this early stage in the film it’s really quite hard to stick with it, it’s important that you do so however as it really does eventually progress quite powerfully and provide for a hugely entertaining viewing experience at times. The cinematography is stunning, dark and arty and always extremely visually beautiful. The film has a great glossy feel, there’s a fine clash of black and white colour and always here there is a terrific magical atmosphere. The use of sound furthers the magic of the film, the sound is always here equally as stunning as the cinematography itself and these two qualities of the film really are what make ‘Eden Log’ so special.

Clovis Cornillac is the man that plays Tolbiac here, the character with which we spend most of our time and the one that we see things from the perspective of. This is a very restrictive narrative in that we spend all our time with Tolbiac and therefore find things out only as quickly as he does. Cornillac plays his part well, there’s not much of a script and therefore most of his acting work is done here through his facial expressions and his body language also. It’s not possible to relate to Tolbiac though, it’s difficult to side with him and even more so due to his confused state of mind. Never do you feel that you can trust Tolbiac, there’s no warmth to his character and Clovis Cornillac puts this across incredibly well. As we spend most of our time purely with Tolbiac, it was important here that director Franck Vestiel cast someone with enough charisma and talent to really carry the film; Clovis Cornillac was well chosen I feel and really does show himself to be an exceptionally talented actor in his part. Actress Vimala Pons plays alongside him for some of the film also, aside from Clovis Cornillac she is the most we see of anyone here but never is her character given a name. She’s a lot easier to warm to, far more approachable and pleasant; her character seems a lot more honest and open than Clovis Cornillac’s, and although given far more of a minor part within the film; Vimala Pons also plays her role well here. For the most part this is a one man show, full credit must surely go to Vimala Pons though as she is a very talented actress and when called upon here her ability always is shown to be strong.

The mid-section of this film is by far its finest, the introduction is ruined a little by the speed at which it progresses, and the end of the film also is far from perfect. As the film unfolds you’re always expecting a far more powerful ending than what has been achieved here, it doesn’t quite happen though but it’s still easy to admire the film for its sheer visual beauty. With this film Franck Vestiel has tried something different and out there, he’s dared to be innovative and for that reason ‘Eden Log’ stands strong. It’s not the greatest film ever made, it’s very well visually presented however and both the direction and sound design also are stunning in their portrayal here. The film is beautiful, magical in its atmosphere and also in its sound; in this respect it reminded me a little of a Tim Burton film in fact, it’s a hugely atmospheric film and the use of sound is very much central to ‘Eden Log’s success.

‘Eden Log’ was filmed using only handheld cameras, it’s Franck Vestiel’s feature film directorial début, and although not perfect it certainly dares to be different. This is not a conventionally gripping film, at times it is in fact so frustrating that it will have you literally pulling your hair out, it’s always visually remarkable however and it’s through the use of cinematography and sound that ‘Eden Log’ is made so special. It relies on little script, it’s progression is achieved through its sheer visual beauty and fine use of location. Everything looks so visually pleasing, ‘Eden Log’ is incredibly futuristic in its sheer visual glow and always it is aesthetically astounding. Originally filmed in the French language, you’re given a choice here as to whether you wish to watch the film in French or in English; either way makes little difference as there really is very little utilisation of the spoken word here. If you choose to view the film in French then you’ll also have the option of viewing ‘Eden Log’ with or without subtitles; viewing the film in French certainly gives it greater authenticity, it’s a matter of preference though and regardless of what language you view the film in you should still greatly enjoy it.

This will not be everyone’s idea of compelling viewing, if you have a fondness for Sci-Fi however then I’d most definitely recommend giving ‘Eden Log’ a go; it provides for quite a frustrating viewing experience at times but ultimately the film is really quite satisfying to watch. A lot is held back from you here as a viewer, we do only know what Tolbiac knows and it is this that becomes so frustrating; it all comes together in the end though and half the fun of this film is piecing it all together and working out exactly what is going on here. It’s easy to get caught up in the absolute visual glory of ‘Eden Log’, it’s still a very good film though and despite a slow start and a not too great ending; I’d definitely still recommend giving this film a viewing.

Special Features:-

When you first place the DVD disc in the drive, three trailers roll here for other Momentum Pictures feature films. The three films that feature here are the Japanese Sci-Fi animation Vexille, French Sci-Fi thriller ‘Dante 01’, and the American action film ‘Never Back Down’ also. All three of these films look to be excellent, ‘Never Back Down’ appears a little out of place here but with the other two films you can entirely understand the inclusion of these trailers.

As well as the three trailers at the beginning of the DVD, two further bonus features are provided here in the form of a teaser trailer for ‘Eden Log’ and a ‘Making Of’ documentary also. I don’t feel that the teaser trailer really does ‘Eden Log’ justice, it doesn’t make the film appear as visually stunning as it truly is and perhaps isn’t the best ‘teaser’ that could have been created in order to entice viewers to watch the film. Given the films lack of script though I feel that it was perhaps incredibly difficult putting to film a trailer and can therefore understand why this teaser isn’t particularly effective in its approach. The ‘Making Of’ documentary is I feel the finest extra feature that ‘Eden Log’ has to offer. It’s a half hour documentary which is very well worked and always here it provides for an extremely interesting viewing experience. We get to hear from those behind the film such as actors Clovis Cornillac and Vimala Pons, and producer Cédric Jimenez also. We get to hear the perspectives of these three individuals and their thoughts on what the ‘Eden Log’ production process was like. It’s interesting hearing their thoughts and feeling about the whole process, and it’s suggested here by Clovis Cornillac that everyone involved in the film will benefit greatly from this experience. The ‘Making Of’ documentary provides for a great post-viewing experience, it’s excellent to watch the film and then follow this with watching the documentary also; it finishes off the film nicely and is I feel an absolutely excellent bonus inclusion on the DVD.

Rating:

H2O – Nothing to Prove

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‘Nothing to Prove’ is the long awaited fifth studio album from the American hardcore punk band that is H2O. There was a seven year gap between the release of fourth album ‘Go’ and this 2008 Bridge Nine released record that is ‘Nothing to Prove’; the name of the album makes the bands opinion very clear that they have nothing to prove to anyone here, the band has been together since 1995 now and has over the years more than proved its worth as an excellent hardcore punk band. The album consists of 10 tracks and this therefore provides for 29 minutes of music. A number of excellent guest vocalists feature here such as Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba, Gorilla Biscuits main man Anthony Civarelli, and Agnostic Front’s vocalist Roger Miret also amongst others; it’s great to hear the guest contributions here and always the bands music has much to offer throughout this ‘Nothing to Prove’ album.

When H2O released ‘Go’ in 2001 a far poppier edge to the music was showcased, the band was signed to major label MCA Records and it really did show through the more commercial nature of the music that the band released. With ‘Nothing to Prove’ the band has once more returned to what it does best; creating hard hitting hardcore punk music and the sound created here is therefore really rather excellent to listen to. Every track is short, hard, fast, and snappy; the bands sound is very well put across instrumentally and vocally also the H2O sound always has much to offer here. The album is technically 29 minutes long, take away the five minutes of spoken word at the end of the album however and ‘Nothing to Prove’ is a mere 24 minutes long. Despite its short length the band still manages to cram a lot into the album here, from first track ‘1995’ right through to closing anthem ‘What Happened?’ the bands sound always is strong and the music is incredibly powerfully presented.

Right from the very first track here it’s made clear that ‘Nothing to Prove’ is an album with which H20 is attempting to return to its roots. The first track present here is titled ‘1995’; the year that the band formed, and the year before the bands début self-titled album ‘H2O’ emerged. This is a celebratory album from a band still going strong well over a decade after having first formed. The band lyrically declares with this album that it has ‘Nothing to lose’, makes a statement with the track ‘Still Here’ that H2O is still going strong and don’t we all just know it. H2O is a band with much to celebrate, ‘Nothing to Prove’ is a great album and one which is hugely positive in its tone and approach. This is a fifth studio album from a band having a hell of a lot of fun making the music that it is, the bands sound is still as fresh as ever and H2O is a band that do I feel still have a lot more to bring to the wonderful genre of music that is hardcore punk.

There’s a melodic edge to the bands sound at times here, always the guitar riffs are hugely hard hitting however and vocally also this ‘Nothing to Prove’ album possesses much bite. The drumbeats are ever excellent and really do provide an incredible back beat for the music. Vocally I feel is where the bands sound shines most strongly here, this is helped hugely by the guest contributions and most markedly on final track ‘What Happened?’. Sick of It All’s vocalist Lou Koller features here as too does Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba; it’s an incredible piece of music and truly does provide this album with the most perfect of closing tracks. ‘What Happened’ is by far my favourite track from this album, the bands sound is passionately put across and always here the vocals are filled with fury and bite. Matt Skiba’s vocal sound is worked strongly within the track, it contrasts powerfully with the hardcore edge of Lou Koller’s vocals, and in every department here the track truly is incredibly entertaining to listen to.

‘Nothing to Prove’ is an extremely uplifting album to listen to, every guitar riff is incredibly well worked here and vocally the sound always is strong. ‘Unconditional’ is one of the more melodically approached titles from this album, no hardcore can here be found but the music is definitely hugely upbeat in its nature. ‘Unconditional’ is a great sing along punk rock album and one which I’m sure will go down incredibly well at all of the bands future live shows. The track is packed full of energy, the melody is excellent, and never here is there ever a dull moment. This is positive punk rock music at its very finest and another of my absolute favourite tracks from this album.

‘Nothing to Prove’ is a fantastic fifth studio album from H2O and one which always is hugely exciting to listen to. Originally intended as a one-song side project, H2O has turned out to be a lot more than that and over the years has put to record some exquisitely fine punk rock material. The guest collaborations really do come across well here and always there is a great friendly feel about this album in its progression; the hardcore community is one big punk rock family and always one which is happy to help others in the recording of albums. There’s a great feeling of a true punk rock community here, the tracks are fast and fun and always here this ‘Nothing to Prove’ album has much to offer the listener. The lyrics are excellent and the guitar hooks also are supremely well worked throughout the album, the 5 minutes of speech at the end of the album could however be cut off though I feel as this really does add no further quality to the album. The 5 minutes of speech at the end of the album are entirely unnecessary; friends, family, and band members also speak here and you can understand the inclusion of this outro given the great family atmosphere of the record; it detracts a little from the overall quality of the album though I feel and ‘Nothing to Prove’ would definitely benefit were this outro section to be significantly cut back in length/taken off of the album entirely.

For those that love their hardcore punk music then ‘Nothing to Prove’ is an album which is well worth investing in. It took seven years for this album to emerge and I have to say that it was well worth the wait; it’s an exceptional punk rock album from the band and one which has got the bands career right back on track. ‘Nothing to Prove’ has a back to basics feel, the band is here returning a little to its roots and collaborating with its friends; it’s a fine album from H2O and one which is always incredibly positive and uplifting in its approach. There are only 24 minutes of music here, the 24 minutes of music that you receive with this album are however absolutely excellent at all times. Give this album a listen and prepare to be struck by the bands incredible positivity; H2O is a band that is very much still here and still extremely capable of creating a fine punk rock album after over 13 years in the business.

Label: Bridge Nine Records
Release Date: May 27th 2008

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

Laura Critchley – Sometimes I

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Laura Critchley is a singer/songwriter from Liverpool, an artist that plays music in the genre of country pop. ‘Sometimes I’ is the artists début album and was released through Big Print Music in November 2007. The album consists of twelve tracks and this therefore provides for 47 minutes of music. It must be said that Laura Critchley has an excellent voice, her vocal tone is very uplifting and always pleasant to listen to. Many of the tracks present here are not hugely striking, one thing that does become apparent when listening to this album however is that Laura Critchley really does have a beautiful voice. There are a lot of filler tracks present here, not many that truly ever stand out, Laura Critchley’s voice is certainly very good however; not too dissimilar to that of LeAnn Rimes in fact. I’ feel it could perhaps be argued that Laura Critchley is little more than a second rate LeAnn Rimes; what I will say of this matter is that if you’re a big fan of LeAnn Rimes then you’ll probably quite like the way that this ‘Sometimes I’ album has been tackled by Laura Critchley.

From first track ‘Today’s Another Day’ right through to closer ‘Lullaby’ the vocals are always very well sung out here. Laura Critchley has a great tone of voice and this therefore provides for an incredibly pleasant listening experience. The problem here however is that although the tracks are pleasant to listen to, they’re never really anything that special; there’s no denying that Laura Critchley has a great voice, it’s just not utilised here to particularly powerful effect. The music lacks edge, there’s a distinct lack of passion present in the sound here and therefore much of the album washes over you without ever leaving much of a lasting impression. The piano sound lacks depth, the choruses are not catchy enough to have you singing along (or even have you remembering the words for that matter), and all in all this record just passes by pleasantly but not particularly spectacularly.

Title track ‘Sometimes I’ is I feel the best track that this album has to offer. Produced by Steve Power who has worked with the likes of Robbie Williams, Klyie, and Delta Goodrem; this is the track that has the most about it from this album. The instrumental section is far harder hitting and the vocals are therefore much more effective also as a result. The problem with a lot of this album is that it lacks life and passion, the extra instrumental oomph here provides this track with that little bit extra required though and ‘Sometimes I’ therefore stands strong as the most powerful track that this album possesses. It’s a finely worked piece of music, hugely melodic and vocally the sound created here is as ever truly stunning.

Laura Critchley is an artist that does I feel potentially hold great potential for the future. Her voice is excellent, her songwriting ability is a little lacking at current however and her tracks therefore lack depth and power. The voice is most definitely there, all that is needed now however is a little bit more in terms of passion and pop power. Other than ‘Sometimes I’, the tracks present on this album do not sound like ones which could perform particularly well commercially; they’re okay, and the singing is strong, they lack that ‘x-factor’ if you will though and this is something that really is holding this singer/songwriter back at current.

Having reached the last 50 in Fame Academy in 2001, and also having toured in the past with the likes of the Sugababes and Ray Quinn (runner-up to Leona Lewis in the X-Factor); it would seem that I am not the only one that believes Laura Critchley to have a cracking voice. The future could be bright for Laura Critchley, whether it is or not depends a certain amount on luck, and also whether or not she can put to record enough power to draw the attention of the masses. Laura Critchley has an excellent voice, at current I just don’t feel that the songwriting ability is quite there though; there are a lot of singer/songwriters out there and on the basis of this début album she just doesn’t quite have it in her to be one of the best. A lot of this ‘Sometimes I’ album is just too unmemorable, it’s not a bad album as such and always the vocal tone taken here is excellent, it’s a pleasant album without ever being hugely hard hitting though and the tracks do I feel lack the power to progress Laura Critchley to the next level of success. Was Laura Critchley to team up with a talented bunch of songwriting individuals then with her voice she could easily be catapulted to the top of the charts; until such a time as that happens however then I fear that the vocal excellence of Laura Critchley will go largely unnoticed by the vast majority of people. She has a very good voice, so do a lot of people though and at current songwriting just doesn’t seem to be Laura Critchley’s forte. Laura Critchley has very much mastered her vocal art, only time shall tell as to whether or not her songwriting skill can be furthered however and what the future holds for this young Liverpudlian I just do not know.

A summer 2008 tour beckons for Laura Critchley in support of Boyzone on their eagerly anticipated reunion tour, will this be enough to significantly raise the profile of this vocally talented singer/songwriter though? Only time shall tell.

Label: Big Print Music
Release Date: November 19th 2007

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview Star

Hopesfall – Magnetic North

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Hopesfall started out as a Christian hardcore band back in 1998, with album number two in 2002 the band dropped its Christian approach however, and with its third album ‘A-Types’ in 2004 the hardcore was dropped too and the band changed its musical direction entirely. Fourth album ‘Magnetic North’ is a continuation of the bands more straight up rock approach, it could be argued that there is a fair dose of melodic hardcore in the bands sound here but never any full on hardcore. The album consists of fourteen tracks and this therefore provides for just under an hour of music, the album is of a decent length but the problem here is that for the most part the music just isn’t very good.

‘Rx Contender the Pretender’ is the first track here, after quite an atmospheric introduction to the track the band shows off with some powerful guitar work and excellent drumbeats also. The problem with the music of Hopesfall is not in the instrumental section, it’s in the bands vocal sound; vocally this album is incredibly weak and never does the vocal performance of Jay Forrest ever impress on any level here. Lead vocalist Jay Forrest sings out of tune from start to finish here, from the first track right through to the very last his voice is all over the place and really quite unbearable to listen to. Instrumentally the Hopesfall sound has much to offer, the vocal approach ruins this however and it’s therefore very hard to admire the bands instrumental work when the vocal sound is so screechingly out of tune.

Two short tracks from this album are quite impressive to listen to; one of these is entirely instrumental, and with the other the vocal performance of Jay Forrest is slightly more bearable than with the rest of the album. ‘The Canon’ is the instrumental track, a powerful one minute and three seconds of music which sees Hopesfall excel through some fantastic guitar sound and slick drumbeats also. This instrumental track truly does break the album up nicely, leading seamlessly into the next track ‘Devil’s Concubine’ which is then once more ruined by the fairly terrible vocal sound of Jay Forrest. The other short track here is that of ‘I Can Do This on an Island’, this one is one minute and seventeen seconds long and the instrumental sound is very positively put across here. It’s an acoustically executed guitar track and although not perfect; Jay Forrest’s vocal sound does here suit the track really rather well. ‘I Can Do This on an Island’ is a pleasant piece of music to listen to, not hugely hard hitting but most definitely one of the finest tracks that this album has to offer nonetheless.

Was Hopesfall to change its vocalist then the overall sound would I feel be far more effective. The only element of the bands sound which is currently lacking is that of the vocals; instrumentally the music of Hopesfall is often excellent here and this makes the vocal failings of the band all the more frustrating to listen to. The vocal sound ruins here what is otherwise an instrumentally highly competent album, remove Jay Forrest from the Hopesfall equation and this is actually a pretty good album from a hugely talented band; until a new vocalist is acquired however then the Hopesfall sound will always fail I fear.

For the instrumental sound alone this is an album that is well worth listening to, due to the poor approach of the vocals however this ‘Magnetic North’ album is left largely ruined. ‘Magnetic North’ could be an excellent album with the right vocalist, the right vocalist has definitely not here been utilised however and the bands sound therefore fails overall. The rock guitar sound is always powerful, the drumbeat kept by the band here is ever excellent, vocally however there are a lot of poorly sung out lyrical lines here and the vocal sound is all over the place as Hopesfall progress through this hour long album of music. If you can see past the terrible vocals then brilliant; there’s a lot of enjoyment to be gained from listening to this album, if you can’t overlook the bands huge vocal failing however then this is not an album that you’ll enjoy listening to in the slightest.

Label: Trustkill Records
Release Date: May 15th 2007

Rating:
Review StarReview Star

The Futureheads – This Is Not The World

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‘This Is Not The World’ is the third studio album from Sunderland based post-punk revivalists The Futureheads. The album has been released through the bands own Nul Records imprint and consists of twelve tracks which therefore provides for forty minutes of music. It’s a pretty solid album from the band, one that has been well received by the likes of the NME and Q Magazine; and for good reason too. I doubt it will be seen as one of the best albums of 2008 by most, it’s still a good effort from the band however and one which comes complete with a number of top tracks.

Right from the offset here the band is intent to make its mark and the first track present on this album is in fact the excellent ‘The Beginning of the Twist’. With it’s catchy chorus and fine use of guitar; this is a track which provides the album with a perfect start and from here on in never does the bands music disappoint. All the bands tracks sound fairly similar, if you like one song from this album you’ll like them all though and with every track here the band always has much to offer with its sound. The music is upbeat and incredibly uplifting to listen to, this is a very fun album and it’s great just to sit back and let the music flow.

One of my personal favourites from this album is ‘Radio Heart’, it was the second single lifted from this release and truly is an absolutely exceptional track. If you loved such Futureheads hits as ‘Hounds of Love’ and ‘Decent Days and Nights’ then you should most certainly have a fine appreciation for this one from the band too. The chorus is powerfully belted out by the band, it’s a great track to sing along to and never is a dull moment provided here.

‘This Is Not the World’ is another from this album that is really quite memorable, it’s the albums title track and exquisitely fine use of drum sound is here made. The drum sound is powerful and provides for an astonishingly uplifting listening experience here. The vocals are finely sung as ever, the track comes together well in all areas and always here the bands sound is very well worked and extremely strongly presented both instrumentally and vocally also. It’s another sing-along Futureheads classic and one which could easily be released commercially as a single to great effect.

‘Work Is Never Done’ is an interesting one from this album in that it all sounds a bit of a mess and yet it actually works really well. The instrumental sound is all over the place, the vocals are very different to at any other point on the album, and the band just generally seems to be trying out loads of different things at once here. The track sounds as though it was cobbled together without much thought or care; it works well though and despite its odd approach it’s actually one of the strongest tracks from this album. ‘Work Is Never Done’ is most definitely a track that stands out supremely from this album, it’s a bit different and out there and this is something that really has worked out rather well for the band here.

In terms of absolute highlights this album possesses yet another hugely effective track in the form of ‘Everything’s Changing Today’. The melody is excellent here, the track is incredibly uplifting to listen to and always the lyrics are very well sung out indeed. The guitar sound is the finest feature of the bands music here by far, the vocal element works well also and a powerful atmosphere has here been put to record by The Futureheads with this fine piece of energetic sound. The band bounces through the lyrical line of ‘We’re going out tonight’ with a great deal of positivity; it’s very well sung out and the way that the vocal sound is worked here is I feel the reason that the track stands out so much.

‘See What You Want’ is the track gifted with the task of bringing this album to its close; it does a very fine job and is yet another incredible tune from this album. The vocal sound is strong here and the melody of the music is absolutely exceptional. It’s not the best track the band has ever written, it’s certainly up there amongst the finest that this ‘This Is Not The World’ release has to offer however and does a very good job of bringing the album to its finish. The albums end is very sudden, you’re not expecting it to come like that and when this happens it’s really quite a shock to the system; ‘See What You Want’ has a very abrupt ending and one which well and truly leaves you wanting for more.

The main complaint I do have with this album is the fact that all the songs do sound so similar here; a little bit more creative innovation certainly wouldn’t go amiss and had the band implemented a few more slightly different sounding tracks here then ‘This Is Not The World’ would probably be pretty much perfect. As it stands this album is merely excellent, not quite perfect but a pretty good stab at perfection nonetheless. ‘Work Is Never Done’ provides the album with something a bit different, and although quite a messy track it’s actually a very good one. With all the other eleven tracks on the album there is little telling them apart, the band is very good at what it does but it could easily be argued that The Futureheads is somewhat of a one trick pony; this is a band that has mastered the art of one particular style of sound but at the same time is a little nervous of venturing any further and trying out new types of tracks. ‘This Is Not The World’ is an album which is well worth owning if you’re up for a bit of post-punk, if you’ve ever heard and hated a Futureheads track in the past however then I’d stay well away from this album from the band as the vast majority of the songs here do sound very much the same so if you don’t like one of the bands tracks it’s therefore very unlikely that you’ll want to listen to any of the others either.

Label: Nul Records
Release Date: May 26th 2008

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

I Could Never Be Your Woman Review

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Since the release of ‘Clueless’ in 1995, director Amy Heckerling has not had a single hit. In fairness to her however she has only directed two films since then; ‘Loser’ and ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’. ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ is a romantic comedy with a difference; the film stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Rosie and Paul Rudd as Adam, also present here however are a number of popular British actors from such popular TV series as ‘Peep Show’, ‘Green Wing’, and ‘The League of Gentlemen’ also. Stateside the film went direct-to-DVD; something that generally only happens when there’s good reason for this, ‘I Could Never be Your Woman’ is however a really very good film and the relatively small success of this movie therefore completely belies the excellence of it.

Rosie is a separated single mother living in LA, her ex-husband is having a baby with a much younger woman, and Rosie has convinced herself that she’s just too old now to have a love life. Her daughter is growing out of Barbie dolls, her job is on the line, and everything just seems to be going completely wrong for Rosie at current. Rosie works as a producer for a hit teenage TV show similar to that of ‘Saved By The Bell’, her boss wishes to replace it with a reality TV programme however and more and more programmes are now getting cut in favour of reality television. Rosie isn’t having much luck with anything in her life at the moment, when new actor Adam comes for an audition for her show however she sees something in him that she really rather likes. Instantly there is an attraction between these two and there’s definite chemistry as the two of them get closer and the film unfolds. It’s not all smooth sailing from here; Rosie is up against it and now entering into a relationship with a significantly younger man in a society which is very accepting of older men dating younger women, but not so understanding of older women dating younger men.

In terms of plot progression; ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ is a film that has got the formula absolutely spot on. There’s a powerful opening sequence and throughout the entirety of the film never does Amy Heckerling fail to keep you captivated. The film is fun, the script is extremely innocent, and despite its innocence this is not just a film for children to enjoy and nothing more. This is a film that will keep the whole family easily entertained, it’s not your typical predictable romantic comedy bore and everything about the film is just absolutely excellent.

‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ is a film that looks into the issue of growing up; something we can all relate to and it’s approached in an extremely positive fashion too. Rosie’s daughter Izzie played by Saoirse Ronan not only here is growing out of Barbie dolls, but also is starting to have an active interest in boys, and even here has her first period. Instead of shying around the subject, Izzie’s mum Rosie is proud of her daughter; embraces the fact that the menstrual cycle has now started for her and really makes her feel proud that she is growing up and becoming a woman. Izzie is taken straight to the local supermarket and they start stocking up on all the required essentials, there’s a great bond between Rosie and Izzie and these two really do play their mother/daughter roles well.

Michelle Pfeiffer is a terrific actress, very natural and really plays her part well here. She portrays very strongly her vulnerable side as a single mother, she’s strong when she needs to be and always there for her daughter; she is very vulnerable however and does have a lot of worries mainly centred around the process of ageing. Michelle Pfeiffer is one of the main stars of the show, Paul Rudd does however put in a stunning performance as her younger partner. Paul Rudd’s big screen début did actually come in Heckerling’s own ‘Clueless’ film in 1995, never has he played any particular major role in his films since however and with ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ he has been given his big chance to shine. With his character Paul Rudd here has to be as eccentric and out there as Ben Stiller, reference to this is actually made within the film and of his role within Rosie’s TV show it is actually said by Michelle Pfeiffer that he could well be the next Ben Stiller. Based upon his performance here, Paul Rudd really could be the next Ben Stiller and I’d absolutely love to see him cast in more films of this sort in the future. Many of the films laughs are provided by Paul Rudd and he really does pull the performance out the bag in thunderous fashion.

Whilst Paul Rudd and Michelle Pfeiffer are very much the central focus here, full credit must also go out to the supporting cast. Young actress Saoirse Ronan plays her part as Michelle Pfeiffer’s daughter very well and always here her performance is absolutely flawless. This was only her third film but I’m sure that she has an extremely bright future ahead of her indeed. Graham Norton is great in his part as a camp American stylist, and although Peep Show’s David Mitchell has relatively little input in the film; all his lines are excellent and he really fits well here. Not one person is in the least bit disappointing here, everyone is absolutely fantastic in their role and Amy Heckerling has obviously here masterminded her casting decisions to absolute perfection.

When the end of the film rolls around you’re really left feeling extremely disappointed here; not because the film has been bad but instead it’s been so good that you just never want for it to end. ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ is a film I could watch all day long without ever tiring of it; from start to finish the film is fantastically funny and not a single element fails to impress. The film has a great visual sheen, the performances are of a spellbinding standard, and the plot development is just absolutely perfect. The film is incredibly innocent and pure; every positive aspect of childhood has here been captured on film and never is ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ anything short of sensational.

If you’ve got a soft spot for romantic comedies then you should absolutely love this fantastic film from Amy Heckerling. ‘Loser’ was no great film, with ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ Heckerling has found her directorial flow again however and this really does provide for a fine 97 minutes of viewing entertainment. ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ is without doubt one of the most brilliant romantic comedies I’ve ever seen; I fail to find any fault whatsoever with the film, and instead of sticking rigidly to the same generic romantic comedy formula; Amy Heckerling has thought outside the box here and perhaps put to film her finest work to date. It’s a great shame that this film was not as successful as it should have been; great films deserve great success, unfortunately this did not come for Amy Heckerling’s ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman’ though and whilst I’m sure the film will sell well on DVD, it certainly would have been nice had the film been the blockbuster smash it so surely would have been.

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Black Tide – Light From Above

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Black Tide - Light From Above‘Light From Above’ is the début album from the American thrash metal band that is Black Tide. Black Tide is a band that sounds like your stereotypical 80s heavy metal/thrash metal band; nothing new at all is presented in the music here, and everything that is done was put to record far better than this over 20 years ago. As an album of 2008 ‘Light From Above’ is not exactly a great album; a couple of decades back I’m sure the bands sound would have gone down a treat, with so many bands having created this style of sound over the years however there’s just nothing new for Black Tide to offer as a band. Twelve tracks are present here; eleven originals and one cover of the Metallica track ‘Hit The Lights’. The album has a run time of 49 minutes, and if you have a strong love for 80s heavy metal then you may well like what you hear here; the album offers nothing new, the music is however fairly well done at times.

There are some strong guitar solos utilised throughout the album, one particularly impressive one being included in the track ‘Warriors of Time’. The instrumental sound provided by Black Tide here is certainly nothing new, there are however some really rather talented musicians in the band and although the guitar work is incredibly unoriginal; it’s often of quite a high calibre nonetheless. The drumbeats are excellent also and at times lead vocalist Gabriel Garcia really does belt out his vocal lines; not always however and there are certain tracks here when there is a serious lack of passion in the vocal performance. This is not the most exciting heavy metal album ever; it’s okay at times, very 80s in sound however and everything done here has already been put to record in far superior fashion in the past.

I’ve never been a massive Metallica fan, I do however quite like the cover the band has here done of ‘Hit The Lights’. Instrumentally the track is excellent, vocally however there’s that horrible lack of passion which is often present throughout the album. Vocalist Gabriel Garcia just sounds a bit bored, he certainly doesn’t seem to be feeling the music too much; he sounds like a man that has been reluctantly pushed into putting to record a Metallica cover by his band mates/record label and has only agreed due to contractual obligations. The guitar work is powerful here, throughout this entire album the guitar work is in fact excellent and this is one area in which I just can’t find fault with the music of Black Tide. Lead guitarist Alex Nunez isn’t exactly the most creative of guitarists; he regurgitates and recycles guitar riffs from years gone by, he does it well however and always makes excellent use of the fretboard.

‘Black Widow’ is the final track on this album and is I feel the best of the bands own original tracks. It’s included as a ‘UK Bonus Track’; quite a bonus really as had it not been included then the highlight of this album would probably have to be seen as the Metallica cover track. There’s some great guitar work here, a real display of guitar playing excellence, and for the first time on the album the band sounds to be having a lot of fun. A little more creative inspiration is displayed here than ever before on the album; the band is doing its own thing and not just sticking to an 80s heavy metal formula which should have been left well and truly in the past.

Black Tide’s ‘Light From Above’ will never be seen as the best heavy metal album of the year 2008; the bands sound is too stylistically similar to many bands that have gone before, and although instrumentally the music is fairly fun to listen to, it’s still nothing new. The vocal performance lacks passion at times, and with so many of the guitar riffs having been stolen from past artists it’s really very hard to praise guitarist Alex Nunez despite his excellent ability. Alex Nunez has a fantastic style, it’s not his own style however and no matter how well he works the fretboard; the instrumental sound created here is very 80s and not in the least bit original. This is not a complete failure of an album; it’s interesting enough to listen to at times, no heavy metal classic however and not one I can see myself remembering in any great detail in years to come.

For those that are new to the genre of heavy metal then this album may well sound like something quite exciting and original; it’s not though and although it’s not a bad album, too many artists sounds have been ripped off here in order to create a supremely unoriginal and generic heavy metal sound. Instrumentally you may well gain much musical enjoyment from listening to this album, none more so than you will from listening to many other heavy metal albums of this sort however and if you’re after something a little bit original, exciting and out there in the genre of heavy metal then Black Tide is not the band to provide that sound (at least not with this début album, perhaps for album number two the band shall return with something a little more original and creatively innovative; only time shall tell).

Label: Interscope
Release Date: March 18th 2008

Rating:
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Ambitions – Stranger

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Ambitions - Stranger‘Stranger’ is the début album from the Connecticut based melodic hardcore band that is Ambitions. The bands sound is similar to other such bands as Comeback Kid and Rise Against; this is not a bad début album from the band but certainly one that lacks passion at times. The music of Ambitions possesses an incredibly clean sound, the band bounces through this record with many a fine vocal melody and super guitar work also. The music of Ambitions is hugely catchy, the band has a fine ability for penning an infectious punk rock anthem and always here the bands song writing ability is shown to be exceptional.

The album opens to the pleasant instrumental sound of first track ‘The Habit of Despair Is Worse Than Despair Itself’; atmosphere builds well here and the sound really is very well put across by the band with this one. After this minute long introduction to the album you’re then launched into the true heart of the music as the band soars through the hugely melodic ‘The Illusion’. The vocals are well sung out, sometimes twisting and changing into a hearty hardcore shout; the music of Ambitions is hugely upbeat and positive, there’s a great bite about the bands sound and a terrific energy which the band seems to possess at all times.

The music is very well put across by Ambitions here, the tracks are strongly structured and both instrumentally and vocally also the sound created here is always really rather impressive; there’s certainly a lack of passion in the vocal sound at times however and this I feel is the main failing of the music of Ambitions. When the band escalates into hardcore shouts there’s no problem here whatsoever, with the melodically sung out vocal lines however the bands lead vocalist Jay Aust has a tendency to sound a little bored. If a band sounds bored producing the music that it is; this has a knock on effect and you therefore end up getting a bit bored too. With this album Ambitions definitely do sound a little tired as a band at points, not always, certainly sometimes however and this therefore stops the album from ever being particularly excellent.

‘Calamity’ is one track from this album that I absolutely love; the chorus is finely shouted out and every element of the instrumental sound always sounds excellent here. The drum work is fantastic, the guitar riffs crushing, and not in any single area is the music in the slightest bit disappointing to listen to. ‘Losing Control’ is another terrific track from this album which features some fantastic gang vocals, it’s a true punk rock anthem and one which I always greatly enjoy listening to. The track is less than two minutes long, it’s a powerful piece of music however and always here the music of Ambitions is passionately performed and energetically executed.

This is no melodic hardcore classic, too many of the tracks lack passion and the album therefore has a horrible tendency to stagnate. There are some really excellent moments here, there are also some fairly average ones however; at best Ambitions is a band which sounds to be one of the greatest in its genre, at worst however Ambitions sounds like a second rate Rise Against here. If you like the music of Rise Against then you should also like Ambitions; the band has a similar style of sound and if that’s what you’re looking for in a band then you should really enjoy this ‘Stranger’ album. There’s a definite lack of passion in the vocal performance here; with some of the tracks there isn’t, a lot of the time there is however and this album is therefore not quite as excellent as it perhaps could and should have been.

This is a fair attempt for a first album and if you’re interested in the genre of melodic hardcore then I’d certainly recommend giving ‘Ambitions’ a listen. Don’t expect to be too overly impressed with what you find here, there are definitely a good few excellent tracks contained within this ‘Stranger’ album however and some of the tracks shall surely be of great appeal. Exactly 31 minutes of music are present here, thirteen tracks make up these 31 minutes and if you’re after artists that possess a similar sound to that of Rise Against then Ambitions is one such band that you can look to for this.

Label: Bridge Nine Records
Release Date: November 6th 2007

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NORA – Save Yourself

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‘Save Yourself’ is the second studio album from the New Jersey hardcore punk band that is NORA. This is hardly the hardcore punk album of the century, it is however a fairly decent album of hugely hard hitting hardcore music; for most of this album nothing particularly special is offered by the band here, the music is very heavy however and always the vocals pack a powerful punch. The guitar work also is strong here, the riffs are incredibly heavy, and the music of NORA will most definitely have you fist pumping in the air.

Ten tracks are present here, 36 minutes of music are offered up by the band and for the most part the exact same hardcore punk formula is followed. NORA is not the most innovative hardcore punk band in the world, the music is pretty impressive however and something a little different is most definitely provided with one of the tracks present here. ‘The Moment, The Sound, The Fury’ is a track which possesses a dirty, sludgy sound; this is something that works out well for the band and this I feel is the best track that this ‘Save Yourself’ album has to offer. The track certainly stands out as different on this album, the difference in sound provided here is strong and this track really makes you stop and listen hard. You get quite used to the bands standard hardcore punk sound here, it works well but after a while your mind does begin to drift a little; ‘The Moment, The Sound, The Fury’ is a track which helps bring you back and grabs your full undivided attention with its powerful style of sound.

‘The Moment, The Sound, The Fury’ is the eighth track on the album, for the final two tracks the band really has you hooked and with both penultimate track ‘Chances Aren’t’ and aptly titled closing anthem ‘The Ending’ also the bands sound really does erupt here providing of a fine final few tracks of music. For seven tracks the bands sound is merely average, it all comes alive with three tracks to go however and the bands best is left well and truly until last. ‘Chances Aren’t’ is a little more melodic than the rest of this tracks present on this album, final track ‘The Ending’ does however provide one final moment of fury and leaves you well and truly wanting for more. The end of this album is its most impressive part; the whole thing has been leading to this point and with its climax the ‘Save Yourself’ album certainly does save itself.

This is quite a strange album in that it only gets going properly in its final third; what a final third it is however and with the final 13 minutes of this album the music of NORA truly is absolutely exceptional. NORA is by no means a great band, from listening to the final three tracks of this album however you may well be fooled into thinking that this band is better than it actually is. Although not exactly excellent from start to finish; ‘Save Yourself’ is an album well worth listening to for its finale alone and with the final few tracks of this album NORA is a band that sounds far greater than it actually is. It’s actually quite a shock when the final few tracks of this album begin to roll, the album is injected with new life through the sludgy sound of ‘The Moment, The Sound, The Fury’, is progressed phenomenally with the melodic grace of ‘Chances Aren’t’, and then with the last track of the album the bands delivers its final blow with the hard hitting hardcore punch of ‘The Ending’.

‘Save Yourself’ is not a great hardcore punk release, the end is excellent but for the most part this is a really rather average album. Ten tracks are present here, most of which blend together and form as one; with the final few moments of this album the band does however bring the release to an excellent end making ‘Save Yourself’ a very memorable album indeed. This is not hardcore punk at its finest, it’s certainly an interesting album to listen to however and with the final few tracks here the bands sound is always fantastic. For those that like their hardcore punk then NORA’s ‘Save Yourself’ may well be an album that shall appeal; it’s no classic of its genre but should certainly raise a smile or two. For crunching riffs, ferocious vocal shouts and some serious fist pumping action; NORA’s ‘Save Yourself’ is an album which is well worth listening to.

Label: Trustkill Records
Release Date: July 30th 2007

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Wisdom In Chains – Class War

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Wisdom In Chains is an American hardcore punk band which was formed in 2002. Originally the band consisted of members from Holland and America also; the slight continent divide didn’t work out too well for Wisdom In Chains however and as time passed by the Dutch members left the band. ‘Class War’ is Wisdom In Chains third full length studio album and was released through Eulogy Recordings in 2007. The album contains seventeen tracks and has a total run time of 38 minutes; with this album the band blends elements of hardcore, metal, and Oi! together also, often to great effect and providing of an extremely full and rich style of sound.

The album kicks into action here with the two minute track ‘The Sound of the End’; the music opens to the sound of police sirens, helicopters, and gun fire before slamming you into some seriously heavy guitar sounds and ferociously shouted vocals also. ‘This is the sound of the end’ is here chanted by the band, it’s not exactly a hugely adventurous sound but one which reminds me a lot of Agnostic Front. I’m a huge fan of Agnostic Front and if you are too then I’m sure that you’ll love the Wisdom In Chains album that is ‘Class War’.

Lyrically the music is hugely political, the bands sound is strong and the genres of hardcore punk and metal have here been welded together well. The guitar work always is hugely powerful here, this I feel is where the main strength of Wisdom In Chains music lies and instrumentally I really do love what the band has done here throughout this album. Vocally the band makes use of many a ‘woah-oh’ throughout this album, there’s a definite punk rock feel to the vocal vibe, and although for the most part the vocal shout is fiercely hardcore; there’s also often an underlying presence of straight up punk rock in the sound.

Stylistically the songs all sound extremely similar here, there’s not much difference between any of these tracks and this is something that could most definitely be perceived to be a huge weakness of the music of Wisdom In Chains. I like the hardcore punk approach that Wisdom In Chains takes here, there will be plenty out there that don’t however and if you don’t like one track from this album then you wont like any of them; the sound created on each and every track here really is that similar in sound.

‘Class War’ is a great album to own if you’re a big fan of hardcore punk, particularly if you’re an admirer of Agnostic Front as the Wisdom In Chains sound really is extremely similar. If you don’t like hardcore punk then you certainly won’t like this though; ‘Class War’ as an album is very much a blend of hardcore punk, metal, and Oi!, and never does the band attempt anything different with its sound here. All the tracks sound extremely similar, but if you like one track you’ll like them all and this I feel is the beauty of the bands music. Wisdom In Chains attempts nothing new as a band here, the music has all been done before, it’s done well here however and ‘Class War’ is therefore an album I’d highly recommend listening to for all fans of the genre.

Label: Eulogy Recordings
Release Date: September 3rd 2007

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