Music, Film, and Gaming
Bouncing Souls performing the track ‘True Believers’ live at the O2 Academy in Liverpool. ‘True Believers’ is taken from the band’s 2001 studio album ‘How I Spent My Summer Vacation’.
Video by Newspeak Productions
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
New Kids In Glass Houses track ‘Undercover Lover’ which is to be included on the band’s second studio album ‘Dirt’ will feature The Saturdays’ Frankie Sandford providing guest vocals. The album will consist of a total of sixteen tracks, and as well as featuring guest vocals from Frankie Sandford will also include the track ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ where the Welsh band has had the privilege of working with New Found Glory.
‘Dirt’ is due for release on March 29th through Roadrunner Records, and the following is a full tracklist for the release:
1. Artbreaker I
2. The Best Is Yet To Come
3. Sunshine
4. Matters at All
5. Youngblood
6. Lilli Rose
7. Giving up
8. For Better Or Hearse
9. Undercover Lover (featuring Frankie Sandford)
10. Maybe Tomorrow (featuring New Found Glory)
11. The Morning Afterlife
12. Hunt The Haunted
13. Artbreaker II
14. Believer (Bonus Track)
15. Reputation (Bonus Track)
16. When The World Comes Down (Bonus Track)
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
The Fox Family is an extremely out there South Korean film that is superbly satisfying to watch. The film has you on the edge of your seat at all times as you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get from it, and director Lee Hyung-gon has done an absolutely brilliant job in putting together such an incredibly quirky film.
Only once every thousand years do foxes have a chance to become truly human, and to do so they must consume a human liver at the point of eclipse. With 30 days left until the eclipse, a family of foxes in temporary human form set up a circus in the hope of luring people in as they look to secure the livers that will grant them a human life. The circus idea doesn’t get off to a great start as the only humans they’re able to attract are children, with the children not taking long before they run away from the gruesome circus acts that the foxes have to offer. The foxes gain an easy human as an unaware Gi-dong (Park Joon-gyu) wanders in to the circus one night, he’s able to make sure his life is spared however as he convinces the foxes that he can help them get their hands on the livers that they require.
Unafraid of breaking down the genre barriers, The Fox Family is magnificently able to combine dark comedy with fantasy, with the characters often breaking down into song to provide a great musical feel. There are also slight elements of horror and an unusual love story thrown into the mix and with so much going on the film always has much to offer. The actors perform their parts well, the brilliance of The Fox Family lies in the magnificent direction of Lee Hyung-gon however and in the incredible writing talent of Jeon Hyeon-jin and Park Eun-ah. All involved in this film have every reason to be proud, and cinematographer Choi Jin-woong is someone definitely deserving of a mention here as the way that the film is presented on screen is just absolutely stunning.
The Fox Family has some incredible moments to offer, with one of the film’s most memorable moments a scene in which members of the general public have a break dancing dance-off with riot police whilst the fox family is out looking to recruit people for the circus. Not only is the film visually beauteous, but in terms of the storyline offered here the film also pleases. My one and only criticism of the film would be that it could have a stronger climax, whilst the ending may not be the best though I do feel that the film has a lot to offer in its journey there, and watching The Fox Family most certainly provides for a very satisfying viewing experience.
If you’re bored with formulaic run of the mill films then it’s definitely worth taking a look at The Fox Family; The Fox Family is definitely not a film that can be accused of playing it safe, and the approach to film taken here really does come across well on screen. The cinematography is stunning, the direction excellent, and the quality of acting does much to impress also. The Fox Family is a film that impresses on many levels, and watching this film at least once is something that I would most definitely 100% recommend doing.
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
Whilst a definite 1960s influence is apparent here, The Standards is certainly not a band that is looking to rip off its idols, but instead the influence is taken and fused with a modern spin to provide for a musical treat that is truly delicious.
There’s a lot of fun that comes through in The Standards’ sound, and all three tracks on the ‘Out Of The Fire’ EP have been strongly crafted to provide for a highly satisfying and entertaining listening experience. Title track ‘Out Of The Fire’ kicks things off well, with a highly vibrant feel right from the off, and once the band hooks you in it certainly never lets go. After a couple of listens the band is able to have you singing along, and not a single track on this EP disappoints. From ‘Out Of The Fire’ the band fires onto ’11 Dimensions’, another track with a huge amount to offer, and with closing track ‘Already There’ the band continues to impress with its style.
The Standards is a band with a clear love for its 1960s music, what’s so brilliant about this band though is the way that it’s able to use its influences so well here and put together three truly special tracks. The vocals definitely do a lot to please, instrumentally also The Standards is a band with much to offer however, and in all areas supreme strength is shown here.
The ‘Out Of The Fire’ EP is most definitely one that you should look to add to your collection, and The Standards is without doubt a band to watch out for in the future.
Label: Schnapps House
Release Date: February 8th 2010
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
Having already toured heavily with the likes of Slipknot and Metallica, Machine Head is now ready to headline its own tour, and the band will hit the road on January 23rd, starting out in Stuttgart, Germany.
The band already had a whole host of European shows planned, Japanese and Australian dates have now been added however, meaning that the band will now be playing a further eight shows.
The following is a full list of dates for Machine Head’s ‘The Black Procession’ 2010 tour:
January 23 – Germany, Stuttgart – Schleyerhalle
January 25 -Germany, Offenbach – Stadhalle
January 26 -Germany, Hamburg – Grosse Freiheit
January 29 -Norway, Oslo – Rockefeller
January 30 -Sweden, Stockholm – Arenan
February 3 – Denmark, Copenhagen – Tap 1
February 4 – Holland, Amsterdam – Heineken Music Hall
February 5 – Belgium, Brussels – Forest National
February 6 – France, Paris – Zenith
February 8 – Switzerland, Zurich – Volkshaus / Sportznetrum
February 9 – Italy, Milan – Alcatraz
February 10 – Austria, Vienna – Gasometer
February 12 – Germany, Munich – Zenith
February 13 – Germany, Leipzig – Haus Avensee
February 14 – Germany, Koln – Palladium
February 16 – UK, Plymouth – Pavilion
February 17 – UK, Newport – Newport Centre
February 18 – UK, London – Academy Brixton
February 21 – UK, Birmingham – Academy Birmingham
February 22 – UK, Leeds – Leeds Academy
February 23 – UK, Glasgow – Academy Glasgow
February 25 – UK, Newcastle – Newcastle Academy
February 26 – UK, Manchester – Manchester Apollo
February 28 – Ireland, Dublin – Olympia
March 1 – Ireland, Belfast – Georges Market
March 16 – Japan, Tokyo – O East
March 17 – Japan, Tokyo – O East
March 18 – Japan, Osaka – Quattro
March 22 – Australia, Perth – Metropolis
March 24 – Australia, Adelaide – The Barton
March 26 – Australia, Melbourne – Festival Hall
March 27 – Australia, Sydney – Luna Park
March 28 – Australia, Brisbane – River Stage
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
A video of Far in the studio recording a cover of Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’. ‘Pony’ is all set for release as a 7″ and download single on February 21st 2010 through Bright Antenna Records. The 7″ is a limited picture disc release, with only 500 copies of the vinyl available.
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
Tom Araya has been booked in to receive back surgery at the end of the month, and Slayer has therefore been forced to cancel its tour plans for April. Araya had been looking down alternative avenues for treatment, with the problem having not been handled however surgery is now required for the bassist/vocalist.
Slayer manager Rick Sales released the following comment regarding the postponement of Slayer’s scheduled tour:
“As unfortunate as this is for so many people – the Megadeth and Testament camps, the concerts’ promoters, and, of course, the fans – Tom’s health is the number one priority, and this has to happen.”
The plan is to reschedule the tour for later on in 2010.
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
In support of the ‘Travels With Myself And Another’ studio album, Future of the Left is to hit the road on January 16th, and the tour will run until the 28th when the band will end its run of shows in Cardiff.
Future Of The Left is currently touring in Australia and New Zealand and the plan is to enter the studio in February once the UK tour is finished in order to work on a new album. Andy Falkous had the following to say on the subject of Future of the Left’s next album:
“Travels was, after a difficult gestation period, an album that we are inordinately proud of. Before the process of starting each record I always say I want to write a pop album and then our personalities get in the way. This time I’m hoping to take the thing full circle and to channel the spirit of Freddie Mercury (nb. not Brian May) through Slayer’s backline.”
The following are the UK tour dates that Future of the Left is all set to play this January:
16th JAN – NEWCASTLE – CLUNY
17th JAN – ABERDEEN – TUNNELS
18th JAN – GLASGOW – KING TUTS
19th JAN – MANCHESTER – RUBY LOUNGE
21st JAN – NOTTINGHAM – BODEGA
22nd JAN – LEEDS – COCKPIT
23rd JAN – SHEFFIELD – CORPORATION
28th JAN – CARDIFF- IFOR BACH
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
Following on from their performances at the Carling Festival 2009, Fake Problems is to return to the UK in April 2010 and will perform eleven dates throughout the country. The band is also to release a new album in 2010 and that will definitely be one to watch out for.
Following on from the UK tour Fake Problems will be off to the 2010 Groezrock Festival in Belgium, for those based in the UK though these are the eleven dates that the band will play in April:
12-April Norwich – Water Rats
13-April Bristol – Thekla
14-April Birmingham – O2 Academy 3
15-April London – Barfly
16-April Oxford – Bullingdon
17-April Manchester – Roadhouse
18-April Glasgow – O2 ABC 2
19-April Newcastle – The Cluny
20-April Nottingham – Rock City Basement
21-April Leeds – The Cockpit
22-April Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
Japanese post-rock band Mono is coming to the UK in March and is currently set to play one show in Scotland and three in England. Mono released new album ‘Hymn to the Immortal Wind’ in 2009, and if you’re a fan of the band’s music then you should definitely seek to see them in March.
The following are the tour dates that Mono currently has planned to play:
15/03/2010 – The Scala, London
16/03/2010 – The Asylum, Birmingham
17/03/2010 – Oran Mor, Glasgow
18/03/2010 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.