Reviews ...

Reviews

Camper Van Beethoven – Cigarettes And Carrot Juice: The Santa Cruz Years

Limited edition five-CD box from '80s US indie heroes

Live Forever

Spurious but amusing documentary about Britpop

Suede—Introducing The Band

A document of their 1994 Dog Man Star tour, this captures Suede just about surviving the notorious crisis of losing that album's principal architect, Bernard Butler. Still, Brett Anderson bumps and minces with considerable verve and new boy Richard Oakes oozes confidence nevertheless. More interesting are the accompanying tour films, dedicated to Derek Jarman and visibly influenced by said director's Smiths promos. DVD EXTRAS: Lyrics menu, rare NFT video footage, teaser for accompanying Lost in TV DVD.

Chance Encounter

Sellers heads for the White House in perhaps his finest screen performance

Boudu Saved From Drowning

Jean Renoir's 1932 blueprint for Paul Mazursky's heavy-handed 1986 remake Down And Out In Beverly Hills stars Michel Simon as a Parisian tramp rescued from suicidal despair by kindly bookseller Charles Granval. Simon's ungrateful Boudu takes over Granval's house, wife and life, exposing his bourgeois complacency. Enduring, Chaplin-esque social satire. DVD EXTRAS: Introduction by Renoir, essay on the film, trailer for the Mazursky remake. Rating Star

Horsepower Productions – In Fine Style

Compilation of 12-inchers by London producers

El Hula – Violent Love

Cultured NZ pop from Boy George's label

Birdie – Reverb Deluxe

Rarities from sometime St Etienne crew

Stylophonic – Man Music Technology

Debut album from Italian house man Stefano Fontana

Adaptation – Source

New Yorker Carter Burwell scored Velvet Goldmine, which would be a coincidence (see above) if I didn't diligently plan these things ahead. He's also done most of the Coens' movies and, as he beautified Being John Malkovich, lands the return gig on the new Jonze-Kaufman headfuck. His new-school, indie sensibilities show from the dark opening title piece (remixed by Fatboy Slim), and he relishes working with titles like "The Slough Pit Of Creation" and "The Unexpressed Expressed" (who wouldn't?).
Advertisement

Editor's Picks

Advertisement

PAgeskin