Reviews ...

Reviews

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.

Roberto Succo

French study of a true-life serial killer who habitually robbed, kidnapped and killed in the south of France during the 1980s. Stefano Cassetti brilliantly captures the unhinged Succo, and there's a steely intelligence throughout, but Cédric Kahn's overly detached approach drains Succo's demonic acts of real terror or impact. That aside, definitely worth investigating.

The Little Shop Of Horrors

The celebrated 1960 black comedy/horror that inspired the hit Broadway musical. Dim-witted flower shop assistant Seymour (Jonathan Haze) develops an intelligent plant who demands and receives human flesh for sustenance. Directed by Roger Corman in just two days, it's enjoyably trashy with a notable Jack Nicholson cameo.
Advertisement

Editor's Picks

Advertisement

PAgeskin