Reviews ...

Reviews

Carpenters – The Essential Collection 1965-97

Chronological 73-track, four-CD anthology of avant-MOR avatars

Various Artists – Express Yourself: Soul In The 20th Century

Four-CD, 83-track box with 36-page booklet tries to summarise soul music

The Zombies – Singles As & Bs

Lightly jazzy English pop spread thinly

Neko Case – Canadian AMP

Vinyl-only mini LP of stripped-down delights from Virginian chanteuse

Jay-Z – The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse

Double CD follow-up to last year's mainstream rap classic proves that bigger is rarely better

Billy Joe Shaver – Freedom’s Child

Hard-country survivor soldiers on with his 12th studio album

Various Artists – Risiko 100

Ultra-hip German label gets birthday cake and bunting treatment

Days Of Thunder

Twenty-two tracks from Dylan's legendary Rolling Thunder tour finally see official release

Manic Street Preachers—Forever Delayed

While serving as a complete visual history of the Manics from their early days as glammed-up rock'n'roll agitators—with Richey-to their currently more statesmanlike demeanour, Forever Delayed also shows how perfectly video has suited their mix of music and protest. Live performance and increasingly sophisticated films and storyboarding are shot through with urgent messages, slogans, cut-and-paste docu footage and literary reference as the hits roll on.

Dogtown And Z-Boys

Fascinating, propulsive, inside-out account of southern Santa Monica's badboy "Dogtown" skateboarders, their explosive mid-'70s emergence at the Del Mar Nationals, and their ultimate domination and artistic definition of their sport. Director Stacy Peralta and writer Craig Stecyk, both former skateboarders, provide access and insights, Sean Penn provides narration.
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