2012 LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Top 10 Live Performances Of 2012 (ALL 10/10 OR GREATER):

As with the film top 10, it was relatively easy to arrive at this group of performances. I say '10/10 OR GREATER' as I regard the top two performances as being beyond being able to give a score to; it would be trite to try. I was also fortunate enough to have enough other faultless performances that it was matter of deciding which I leave out and then deciding the order. ('10/10' performances that did not make the top 10 were: Josie Long & Bellowhead). 

  

1.) Alim Qasimov Ensemble (Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, 23rd of August)

2.) Batsheva Dance Company: Hora (Playhouse, Edinburgh, 1st of September)

3.) The Stone Roses (Heaton Park, Manchester, 30th of June)

4.) Homayun Sakhi Trio (Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, 17th of August)

5.) Juilliard Dance: Triple Bill (Playhouse, Edinburgh 26th of August)

6.) Rodriguez (Royal Festival Hall, London ,17th of November)

7.) Rammstein (Evening News Arena, Manchester, 1st of March)

8.) Carolina Chocolate Drops (O2 A.B.C., Glasgow, 20th of January)

9.) Crystal Castles (O2 A.B.C., Glasgow, 26th of November)

10.) Mark Thomas: Bravo Figaro! (The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 5th of August)

Also of note, though not '10/10', were: 

1.) Bosnian Rainbows, 

2.) Laura Marling, 

3.) The Punch Brothers, 

4.) Pokey Lafarge & The South City Three,

5.) Dark Dark Dark,

6.) Grimes, 

7.) Jack White,
8.) Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad & The Lovely Posse, 

9.) The Tallest Man On Earth, 

10.) Jon Richardson, 

11.) Simon Amstell,  

12.) Rhod Gilbert. 

2012 ALBUM REVIEW

Top 10 Albums Of 2012:

I have found Album reviews the most difficult to do of the three strands of Albums, Films & Live Performances. There also has not been the abundance of quality that I have found in the other areas of Film & Live Performance. 

1.) Crystal Castles, (III) (10/10)

2.) Grimes, Visions (10/10)

3.) Dark Dark Dark, Who Needs Who? (10/10)

4.) Bob Dylan, Tempest (09/10)

5.) John Frusciante, PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone (09/10) 

6.) Jake Bugg, Jake Bugg (09/10)

7.) The Tallest Man On Earth, There's No Leaving Now (09/10)

8.) The Staves, Dead & Born & Grown (09/10)

9.) Dead Can Dance, Anastasis (09/10)

10.) Carolina Chocolate Drops, Leaving Eden (08/10) 

Not quite making the Top 10:
11.) Jack White, Blunderbuss (08/10)
12.) M. Ward, A Wasteland Companion (08/10) 

2012 FILM REVIEW

Top 10 Films Of 2012 (ALL 10/10): 

In 2012, by the end of the year, I will have been to 120 cinema screenings. This is made up of 54 films that were originally released before 2012, 57 new films (including 21 foreign language & 9 documentaries) and some repeat screenings. 

This top 10 was relatively easy to come up with. I considered all new films that I had regarded as '10/10', of which there were thirteen, decided which three to leave off ('10/10' Films to not make the top 10: Skyfall, Anna Karenina & Magic Trip), and then considered the ordering of the top 10. In 2011 there were only seven films I considered to be'10/10', so had to fill out a top ten with some that were just very good. For a considerable period of time I did not expect 2012 to equal or surpass 2011 for quality films, though I am pleased to have been wrong. 

1.) Tabu (Portuguese)

2.) Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Turkish) 

3.) Goodbye First Love (French)

4.) The Dark Knight Rises

5.) Searching For Sugar Man (Documentary) 

6.) The Hunt (Danish) 

7.) The House I Live In (Documentary)  

8.) Frankenweenie

9.) Amour (French)

10.) About Elly (Iranian) 

Also of note, though not '10/10', were: 

1.) Shame

2.) Martha Marcy May Marlene

3.) Killer Joe

4.) Sing Your Song (Documentary)

5.) Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (Documentary)

6.) Carancho (Argentinian)

7.) Jo Nesbo's Headhunters (Norwegian)

8.) The Raid (Indonesian) 

9.) The Turin Horse (Hungarian) 

10.) A Royal Affair (Danish)

11.) A Simple Life (Hong Kong)

12.) Alps (Greek)

THE STAVES: DEAD & BORN & GROWN 12.11.2012

Album Review: The Staves (U.K.), Dead & Born & Grown, Released: 12.11.2012, Label: Atlantic, Available on Vinyl, MP3 Download & C.D..

The Staves are a trio of sisters from Watford, England and this is their debut album. Purchasing the album was to an extent a punt. A colleague, whose views on music I tend to respect was talking about them, and then I was in Rough Trade West Record Shop in London and heard a significant portion of it played, liked what I heard, so purchased it. 

Track one, 'Wisely & Slow', is beautiful harmonies with very subtle instrumentation for most of its duration and then the backing builds tempo. A nice start. Track two 'Gone tomorrow' continues the well balanced harmonies and subtle instruments, without any build up at the end, it is quite lovely. Track three 'The Motherlode' is like a hybrid of tracks one and two, nothing wrong with that. Track four, 'Pay Us No Mind', has not got the same level of harmonising throughout as the previous songs had, though is still quite charming. Track five, 'Facing West', is very restrained, with less harmonising and what sounds like ukulele and a brief whistle, very nice. Track six, In The Long Run', has a subtle increased jauntiness, is a charming number. Track seven, ' Dead & Born & Grown', does not change much from what has gone before, though is again quite charming. Track eight, 'Winter Trees', comes to sound more strident than previous tracks, though even this is well contained. Track nine 'Tongue Behind My Teeth' is more uptempo, perfectly pleasant. Track ten, 'Mexico', is the most charming and lyrically striking piece on the album. Track eleven, 'Snow', is further beauty with lovely harmonising. Track twelve, 'Eagle Song', is a perfect ending with a little how-down element to it and a nice space to the sound of the vocals. By the end the track begins to sound quite haunting followed by further how-down.      

The variety in the playing throughout the album, is quite subtle, with quite a few changes within an overall tone of gentility. There is not a single track I would skip, or where there is any dip in quality. The singing and harmonising throughout is refreshing and charming. A further reason along with Laura Marling & Jake Bugg to have hope for the future of young music in this country.         
(Purchased on Vinyl).

Rating: 09/10.

JAKE BUGG: JAKE BUGG 15.10.2012

Album Review: Jake Bugg (U.K.), Jake Bugg, Released: 15.10.2012, Label: Mercury, Available on C.D. & Vinyl. 

I purchased this on the strength on Jake's song 'Country Song', which I have found to be a beautiful and economic song with superb guitar picking. Jake is a nineteen year singer-songwriter musician from Nottingham. His vocals sound gentle (never sounding strained) and distinctly old-fashioned, this is not a criticism as it suits his songs very well.

The first song, 'Lightning Bolt', I had heard him perform on Later with Jools Holland, and was not impressed at the time, though hearing now on the album, I find it to be a great rollicking rock 'n' roll song, and a very good start to the album. It is a song that grabs your attention. Track two, 'Two Finger' is more good rock 'n' roll, though the lyrics I find slightly juvenile. Track three, 'Taste It' is more rock 'n' roll, as good as lightning bolt, though very short. Track four, 'Seen It All' continues in style and quality from the previous track. Track five, 'Simple As This', is a beautiful song, in a more mellow vain, which beautifully precedes the great 'Country Song' (Track six). Track seven, 'Broken' is a slow beautiful piece that has well measured soaring moments. Track eight, 'Trouble Town' is stripped back uptempo rock 'n' roll that borders on skiffle, another great track. Track nine, 'Ballad Of Mr Jones', has a dust bowl sensibility, although not great, it is not a disappointment amongst the other songs. Track ten, 'Slide' is a perfectly decent song. Track eleven, 'Someone Told Me' is as beautiful as 'Country Song', and shows that his restrained guitar picking ability was not a one of. Track twelve, 'Note To Self', is a further gentle and beautiful song. Track thirteen, 'Someplace', is mostly gentle (in moments beautifully subtle) with occasional electrified loader moments, this is about as grandiose as he gets. Track fourteen, 'Fire' has a gentle ska rhythm and his vocal borders on sounding like Paolo Nutini, this is not a criticism, though the track is too short in my view, sounding unfinished.        

Lyrically the album is great, except track two, displaying a skill uncommon in this day 'n' age for someone so young. There is only one track I would willingly skip and that is 'Two Fingers'. It is also nice to hear someone who appears to have a confidence in regard to his lyric writing and to keep songs concise; there is nothing that appears bloated or indulgent. This collection is refreshingly unfussy with good variety, and it shows great promise if he were to continue to produce work of this ilk. It is lovely to have such a young artist come along with talent clearly in abundance, who is the antithesis of the manufactured pap that is so common today.   
(Purchased on C.D.).

Rating: 09/10.

Film Review: The House I Live In (15), (Netherlands/U.K./Germany/Japan/Australia/U.S.A. 2012) (Director: Eugene Jarecki), Saturday 22.12.2012 20:35, The Filmhouse, Screen Three, Edinburgh

This is a documentary about the failure of the U.S.'s Governments war on illicit drugs, and is also the most detailed account I have seen as to how a country's situation with illicit drugs has got to the point it has, and how and why the status quo is difficult to move away from. It felt very balanced in its presenting of the issues.

I had not appreciated previously that the laws that developed in regard criminalising drug use, were initially so explicit in directly giving authorities the means to criminalise migrant communities (opium = Chinese, Marijuana = Mexican). Then in more recent times with the demise of the manufacturing sector and traditional blue-collar workers loosing jobs (a large percentage of which were white) came the rise of production of methamphetamine, resulting in a significant proportion of the non-violent long-term prison population being white. This means that an issue that was driven by race is now also more broadly speaking a class issue.

Other intriguing elements included the fact that convictions relating to crack-cocaine are significantly disproportionate to convictions for cocaine, and this has been due to legal stipulations. In connection to this, if my memory serves correct 90% of convictions in regard to crack-cocaine are of African-Americans, yet the predominant users are white Americans, so again the issue of race appears. Further to this, there is incentives to police to concentrate on low-level arrests in regard to drugs, than say murder as it is so much easier to resolve, and there fill in sheets about and make extra on the basic wage. For politicians chasing reelection on a short-term basis, it makes no sense to take the risk of proposing a greater focus on care rather than incarceration, as the time it takes to produce results from a new approach could jeopardise their chance of election. Their is also the fact that there is now a whole economy built around the prison system, involving corporations with a lot of finance and clout as well as communities who are dependent upon the current prison set up.

There were also interesting parallels drawn between the current prison system in regard to drug charges and incidents in other countries of genocide; the demonising of drug users, to criminalising them, seeing them as the enemy (what is holding the community back), containing them, using forced labor while contained and due to variously length of sentence, incidents in jail or during drug busts that lead to their demise, preventing their contributing to increasing the population. David Simon, who's research was behind the T.V. Series 'The Wire' termed it as like a 'holocaust in slow motion' or a way is putting away the bottom 15% from society.    

There were judges, prison guards and police officers who were plainly speaking from their experience as to how the approach that has ramped up over the past few decades has simply not worked. There was also focus given to how this has affected specific individuals and their families. It did not feel overly depressing, and I suspect this is due to the amount of people who spoke with specific insight as to the hows and whys it was not working and identifying the clear inherent prejudice as to how the policies are implemented; the film could almost be seen as a document to present as evidence as to why the current approach has to change. Though it is David Simon again who points out, that the instigation of change is not able to come from politicians, rather it has to come from the insistence of the populous.

This is a searing, damming and angering documentary and should be seen by all, whether currently in possession of a social conscious or not. It is that great and important a film.                       

Rating: 10/10

2012: Thirteen Flawless Films To Date In Order Of Release:

1. Magic Trip (Documentary)
2. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Turkish) 
3. Goodbye First Love (French)
4. The Dark Knight Rises
5. Searching For Sugar Man (Documentary) 
6. Anna Karenina
7. About Elly (Iranian) 
8. Tabu (Portuguese)
9. Frankenweenie
10. Skyfall  
11. Amour (French)
12. The House I Live In (Documentary)
13. The Hunt (Danish) 

DARK DARK DARK: WHO NEEDS WHO? 01.10.2012

Album Review: Dark Dark Dark (U.S.A.), Who Needs Who?, Released: 01.10.2012, Label: Melodic, Available on Vinyl (Comes with free MP3 Download Code), C.D. & MP3 Download Album. 

Dark Dark Dark, as stated in the live review back in August, I regard as chamber music. They have two previous albums, the last of which, Wild Go, I find very impressive. This album I understand to be based upon the two lead musicians in Dark Dark Dark romantically breaking up and then having to tour for a year after that. Track one is the title track, and is quite somber in parts and frantic in others, underpinned by beautiful piano playing and singing, a great start. Track two 'Tell Me' and track three 'Last Time I Saw Joe' are also quite beautiful with a lilting and affirming quality. Track four, 'Patsy Cline' sounds remorseful yet enveloping. Track five, 'Without You' sounds weary, yet with a stalking menace. Track six, 'How It Went Down' is a restrained lament. Track seven 'It's a secret', Is more rousing in contrast to previous numbers. Track eight, 'Hear Me', is brooding, soaring and very melodic. Track nine, 'Meet In The Dark' has patches of beautiful piano and other instrumentation accompanied by yearning vocals, with the patches connected by vocals that are jolting, though this appears strangely well balanced. Track ten, 'The Great Mistake' returns to lovely melodic harmonising, with clean and restrained lead vocal, that latterly soars pleasingly.

The piano playing throughout the album is very pleasant. The whole album I feel has a wistful quality to it, along with a graceful restraint. There is not a single track I would wish to try to skip, which the last album, Wild Go, although I greatly enjoyed did a couple of distinctively weaker tracks on it. I am very taken by this album and feel it is their best work to date. They get better and better with each album.
(Purchased on Vinyl).

Rating: 10/10.

JOHN FRUSCIANTE: PBX FUNICULAR INTAGLIO ZONE 24.09.2012

Album Review: John Frusciante (U.S.A.), PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone, Released: 24.09.2012, Label: Record Collection, Available on Double Vinyl, MP3 Download & C.D..

John is most commonly known for his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, though is also a diverse and prolific solo artist. Prior to PBX he has released 13 solo album recordings and 3 E.P.s. I find him to be a supremely skilled and intriguing musician, who's distinctive input to the Chilli's I view as what made the difference to their sound and elevated them above other rock music. The Chilli's now without his input are a mere shadow of what they were. He took the decision to leave what was a very comfortable situation with that group, as felt the musical exploration he wished to do would not be able to be managed while remaining within that conventional format.

PBX continues what was begun on his last release, the E.P. Letur-Lefr (Released 16.07.2012), namely what I would term as experimental electronica, though also the range of samples is staggering and often unexpected. The first track, 'Intro/Sabam', was not of any great note. Tracks two and three, 'Hear Say' & 'Bike' are both very enjoyable in a decidedly non-commercial vain, with lyrics which appear oddly recognisable. Track four 'Ratiug' is quite ethereal and enchanting. Track five 'Guitar' is as experimental rock can be without risking sounding a mess. Track six 'Mistakes', is a thing of wander and I would sum up as progressively angelic. Track seven 'Uprane' continues the satisfying experimentation, though is not as great as what came before.  Track eight 'Sam' continues in a similar vane. The ninth and final track 'Sum' is a bizarrely beautiful piece, which is also at times unsettling in its changes. It is extremely difficult to convey how complex this album is. I would term this as being progressive, in the sense that John's music is going into areas which appear genuinely new.

I am very impressed by this release, and suspect it will be a grower. I cannot think of another contemporary rock musician who would be capable of releasing something as remarkably different as this and have it work as a cohesive piece. As long as John continues to release music as unique and of the quality level of this, I will never regret his choice to leave the Chili's.  
(Purchased on Double Vinyl).

Rating: 09/10.


 

Film Review: Alps (15), (Greece 2011) (Greek and English with English Subtitles) (Director: Giorgos Lanthimos), Saturday 15.12.2012 20:40, The Filmhouse, Screen Three, Edinburgh

This film I went to see as a result of two things. The recommendation of a Greek man who I met when in Manchester for the concert of The Stone Roses back in June. We were taking about cinema, I had stated that the Greek film Attenberg (2010) was one of my favorite films that I had seen at the cinema the previous year. I was informed that Giorgos Lanthimos, who had acted in Attenberg & directed Dogtooth (2009), had directed Alps and that Ariane Labed who was the lead actress in Attenberg was one of the actresses in Alps. I had also been struck by Ariane's performance in Attenberg, and felt that she handled being central to a very complex and subtle film with great calm, control and presence. So I went to the screening as a result of the recommendation and also my admiration for Attenberg.

(Dogtooth, I found to be startlingly original, though ultimately unenjoyable.)

The premise of Alps is that there is a group of four people called 'Alps', who can 'stand in' for loved ones, after they have passed away, assisting people to do and say things they did not have the chance to do. This sounds and felt very morally dubious, and there are scenes of these people while 'standing in' becoming uncomfortably intimate. It had complexities of dependencies upon the function of the performances being developed on the side of the customer and that of the person 'standing in' within differing set-ups. Some scenes become funny due to their absurdity, and some have an emotional rawness to them that can be shocking. With how the film is presented it becomes difficult to tell when three of the Alps, who are not the leader, are 'standing in' and how far this transgresses into their everyday life. This aspect lingers on in the memory prompting a lot of consideration.

The central character develops a dependence upon the act of 'standing in' to cope with stressful times/events. The closest comparison that I could think of in terms of film, is The Idiots (1998) by Lars Von Trier, where the central characters are also involved in the equally absurd pursuit of accessing and connecting with there 'inner idiot'. In that film this also becomes a default coping method to handle stresses in the lives of the central characters. Last night I was thinking that 'The Idiots' is a markedly better film, though i'm not so sure. 'Alps' is a more subtle film and I suspect more complex film, though is also just as ambiguous.

It is one I would recommend, though only to those who enjoy films that may be seen as distinctly odd. With Attenberg I was charmed from first viewing and find it to be a very life affirming film. I suspect Alps will be more of a grower. Even today sitting reflecting on it, Alps feels more enriching than it did when viewing it.

I was also informed by the Greek person I met in Manchester, who came over from Greece with tickets for all three days of Stone Roses concerts, that the cinema of Dogtooth, Attenberg & Alps has a very small audience in Greece. Sadly in Greece as elsewhere, mainstream hollywood fair is what dominates. There is subtle digs at this aspect of Greek life within Alps, which I enjoyed, though also know I would not have picked up upon had I not had that conversation in Manchester.

I feel Alps is better than Dogtooth, though for me it does not quite compare with Attenberg.

Rating: 09/10.

Film Review: Amour (12A), (Austria/France/Germany 2012) (French and English with English Subtitles) (Director: Michael Haneke), Sunday 02.12.2012 15:40, The Filmhouse, Screen Three, Edinburgh

This is a film I was not sure about before hand. Despite the fawning that Haneke receives, I find his films can be hit and miss with me. I have a tendency to also see his films as having a coldness to them.

The film documents a period of life for an elderly Parisian couple. The period covers the wife of the couple experiencing strokes followed by cognitive and physical decline to the inevitable end (though the way it is delivered is anything but inevitable). I found the film to have a warmth without being sentimental. I also found it heartening to see what I would regard as an overly pushy daughter being met by resistance from her father in regard to her mother's care. It was also refreshing to see someone in this role stating a wish not to be treated like an idiot by his daughter - how often do we know of older adults becoming submissive to the ways and whims of the most dominant children.

It is one of these films were some would watch and say nothing happens, though the expressive detail between the lead couple is compelling; the film is full of little details that add depth. This is quite probably the Haneke film that I have seen that I have been most impressed with and enjoyed the most. It strikes me as a brave film, as it is so rare to see such a raw depiction of of the decline that can be experienced in and older persons path to death. The fact that it is so rare, may be a shame, though it is not surprising, as the demise of the elderly is not a common root for entertainment, for reasons that hardly need to be discussed. Haneke is very good at observation, and tends to enable portrayal of characters with a high degree of clarity and honesty in regard to internal conflict, which works perfectly with the situation this films deals with. The films treats older adults with respect and humanity.

I would not recommend this to all as reckon some would just not get it and I don't think I would class it as entertainment. Though without hesitation I would say it is flawless and engrossing.    

Rating: 10/10.
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2012: Twelve Flawless Films To Date In Order Of Release:

1. Magic Trip (Documentary)
2. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Turkish) 
3. Goodbye First Love (French)
4. The Dark Knight Rises
5. Searching For Sugar Man (Documentary) 
6. Anna Karenina
7. About Elly (Iranian) 
8. Tabu (Portuguese)
9. Frankenweenie
10. Skyfall  
11. Amour (French)
12. The Hunt (Danish) 

Film Review: The Hunt (15), (Denmark 2012) (Danish with English Subtitles) (Director: Thomas Vinterberg), Sunday 02.12.2012 13:00, The Filmhouse, Screen Two, Edinburgh

This is a film about how a well liked member of a local community, who works in the nursery, becomes suspected of pedophilia due to something one of the children says. The film in a very restrained manner deals with the devastation caused to this persons life, by the wholly false allegations. By the end of the film, it appears as though the persons life may be back on track, though something happens that shows that the fear that had built up inside them will still be there for a long-time to come. The film raises a lot for discussion in terms of wrapping children up in cotton-wool and the manner in which concerns like this are raised to awareness and dealt with.

Given that this is an area that can cause the highest level of moral outrage, the fact that it is dealt with without a heavy hand, can only be commended. I could not identify a single issues with the performances or the pacing, or to think about it any other aspect of this film. A very non-hollywood and intelligent film, with no interest in shock or wish to scandalise. A gem that I would recommend to any adult that is not prone to hysteria.

Rating: 10/10.
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2012: Eleven Flawless Films To Date In Order Of Release:

1. Magic Trip (Documentary)
2. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (Turkish) 
3. Goodbye First Love (French)
4. The Dark Knight Rises
5. Searching For Sugar Man (Documentary) 
6. Anna Karenina
7. About Elly (Iranian) 
8. Tabu (Portuguese)
9. Frankenweenie
10. Skyfall 
11. The Hunt (Danish) 

Live Performance Review: Evan Dando & Juliana Hatfield, Saturday 01.12.2012, 19:00, SWG3, Glasgow

For those who don't know, Evan was the lead singer and songwriter of The Lemonheads & Juliana was part of the 'heads' lineup that recorded the classic album 'It's a shame about Ray', and a recording artist in her own right.

There was a local group in the support slot whose name I don't know. They were dumbfounding in how stunningly awful they were. They consisted of four pubescent girls and someone who may well have been a father of one of the girls.

Evan & Juliana performed together with him on acoustic and her electric guitar. They tended to take it turn about singing a song of his, followed by a song of hers etc. Some of Juliana's songs were quite pleasant, though it was clear as to who the crowd including myself were there for.

I think for Evan to perform his songs on acoustic guitar makes it a lot easier to appreciate the gentle timbre of his voice, and it is certainly how I prefer to hear his songs performed. Some songs were performed that I was not familiar with, though there were enough that I fondly remember from earlier years, and it is always nice to hear such songs sung back by the audience in a sing-alonga stylie.

To tempt me to return to see him again (this was my third time), Even would now have to do a solo acoustic set; there were just too many songs not included, which may have been had he had the slot to himself. Enjoyable, though by no means great.

Rating: 06/10.

Live Performance Review: Crystal Castles, Monday 26.11.2012, 19:00, O2 A.B.C., Glasgow

I feel the Castles are the hardest to try to explain why I like them so much. It had just been by chance that I had first heard them, as had the 2011 N.M.E. awards playing in the background late one eve, leading me to purchase the album the following day as I had loved what I had heard. This area of music is quite alien to me. Apart from Grimes which I greatly enjoy and I had checked out out of curiosity. Grimes is a lot more mainstream & poppy electronica. Though that is the extent of my knowledge of this area, so I don't really feel as though I have the language to discuss this in terms of genre.

There was a support group of no note upon entering the venue, then a D.J set which was insignificant, then a further period of agresive hippity-hop being blasted through the P.A. system, before the Castles took to the stage. The one criticism I would have of the concert was that there felt to be too long with nothing happening on the stage between the initial support group and Castles coming on. They could have been on sooner had the roadies made better use of the empty stage.

Once they were on stage it was incredible. The crowd were fevered, and the performance was intense. I have never seen a better use of lighting; the control and precision in relation to the music was staggering. The visual affect felt genuinely hypnotic. The communication/relationship between the audience and Alice Glass, the vocalist was like a leader and their followers. The amount of times she would be carried vertical above the audience, was hard not to be impressed by.

This was a date from their tour in support of their new album, (III), which was released on the Fiction label on 07.11.2012.. I had enjoyed the last album (II) which had a high rate of stand out tracks, though this one feels more complete. The overall tone feels more blissed, though there is still an unnerving undercurrent; I have a sense that without this it would not feel like the Castles. The whole album feels to have a very high quality to it in terms of what the Castles do, without single weak track.

For those who don't know the Castles, I describe them as dark electronica, though Wikipedia call it electronic experimental. They are not a group I would commonly recommend, as the overall tone would put many off. There is something about how the vocal is treated along with the unrelenting rhythm that I find quite enveloping.

The only possible quibble would be that it would have been nice for their performance to have been slightly longer, though given the frenetic nature of the performance, this may have been asking a bit much. I remember a performance of Rage Against The Machine at the Glasgow Barrowlands in 1996 lasting a similar length, which it goes without saying was very intense, and I had no issue about the length of the performance then.

Rating: CONCERT (10/10)//ALBUM (10/10).

Live Performance Review: Bellowhead, Wednesday 21.11.2012, 19:00, The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

Support Mama Rosin: a Swiss Trio. In terms of expectations that may be held of a support group, it was perfectly decent good time music, though I have no desire to seek out recordings.

Bellowhead were exceptional, faultless and joyous. The complexity of the playing was made to look effortless and great fun, with polished interplay between the eleven multitasking musicians. This was a sublime performance to witness; the audience appeared to be having a riotous time. The only quibble, and it is just that, was that there was not a single song that was in any way subtle or gentle.

If you enjoy great live performances, I recommend without hesitation. If you are one to be put off by a 'folk' tag, put this to one side and get a ticket for a future performance. It may be folk though there was no mention of dead lifeboat men or hey-nonnie-nonnie. - This was so much greater than I had anticipated, and make Mumford & Sons appear amateur and sadly lacking in comparison.

Rating: 10/10.
  

Film Review: The Master (15), (U.S.A. 2012) (Director: Paul Thomas Anderson), Monday 19.11.2012 18:00, The Cameo, Screen One, Edinburgh

I was not sure of going to see this one, and am aware that part of the reason for my going to see this was due to the staggering positivity that has greeted it from critics.

It is an interesting film, though don't feel it really has much to say beyond 'be wary of the charismatic as is all to easy to be seduced by them'. + 'Falling for the charms of the charismatic, leads to allowing expressions of theirs to be filled with rubbish, without challenge.'

The 'Master' played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is well portrayed as a rouge who has learnt to behave in a way to encourage others to see him as more able and important than he is. He displays the same psychopathology of G.W. Bush, of seeing people as being with or against, discouraging questions - allowing only false acceptance or rejection, though never understanding and therefore actual acceptance. The tactics of the bully only interested in power and hollow gestures. This is also clearly based on the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the horse-shit that is Scientology. The film makers have in more recent times come to state this as a more loose connection, though using terms/activities such as 'processing' which clearly is another name for 'auditing', one of the base activities for those starting in this weird domain, doesn't help with this distancing.

The vulnerable character portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, who is abused and manipulated by the 'Master's' methods, who is trying to reintegrate into society from the navy at the start of the film, is the only one I could understand holding sympathy for. It is shown that he increasingly has cause to question the crap he is being told by the so-called master, and does take action to move away from, then is drawn back on a distorted statement from the master, only to move away again, showing not all have to be suckered by such a parasitic and vacuous charlatan.

Even after the final breaking away from, the victim's behaviour is shown to be inflected by the nonsense he was under, though as not a complete puppet there is enough that is real there for other's to pick up on and put up with, allowing a base to tackle the artificial aspects and help rebuild. He had enough strength within himself to pull away from, not all are as able in relation to such characters.

Sadly I feel the film is more one to be admired than enjoyed. I felt the film to be rather cold. Both of these comments I feel could also be applied to the director's last film 'There will be blood'. With that film, due to the dazzling performance of Daniel Day Lewis, on the first viewing I feel it was hard to pick up on how cold and unenjoyable it was. I feel the director recently concentrates on destructive characters. I find these sorts of films more difficult to be drawn to. The film was an interesting one-off watch, I would have no inclination to return to it.

On a damming finale, I have noted something which I feel is manipulative of the audience and unacceptable. There is footage in trailers for this film, which is not then part of the film. This is a very clear way of the film being marketed in a false and distorted way. I had noted a similar thing with the film 'Holy Motors'. I did not mention it in it's review as had hoped it was a one off with art-house film (I expect a bit of this sort of naughtiness from Hollywood blockbuster fluff) and had already been damming enough of that film, it would have felt like I was kicking it when it was down. It distorted imagery in a way that is not in the film. I hope this is not a trend here to stay for any length of time.

Rating: 07/10. 

Live Performance Review: Rodriguez (London Jazz Festival 2012), Saturday 17.11.2012, 19:30, The Royal Festival Hall, London, & Sunday 25.11.2012 19:00, The Usher Hall Edinburgh

I had stopped believing in the prospect of this gig some years back. I was very keen to see Rodriguez live, though got to a point of thinking it was never going to happen. Then the morning after first seeing 'Searching for Sugar Man' at the cinema I notice within an article in the 'Metro' mention of a date at the Royal Festival Hall during the Jazz Festival in November...I got straight on the phone and got a ticket in the forth row.

The venue was a a larger hall than I was anticipating. Phantom Limb were good though not my cup of tea. One element that I was not comfortable with was the female vocalists tendency to screech, when she had a perfectly good voice at the higher notes there was no need for this. Some can screech and have it fit within their vocal expression, this was not a case of that. There was more control and less screeching in Edinburgh, making the performance more pleasant, though I still won't be seeking out recordings of this group. The musicians accompanying her were 2/5 of the band on guitar and keys. The full band, adding bass and drums, though without the vocalist, was the backing for Rodriguez.

This is the first 'pop' gig I've been to where the entire hall gave a standing ovation for the person just walking onto the stage. The whole of the Cold Fact Album was played with the exception of 'Jane S. Piddy' & 'Gomorrah (A Nursery Rhyme)'. There was a fair portion of songs from the lesser second album and several songs I did not know. There were further standing ovations after particular songs, at the end and throughout the encore, which ended with an unknown song performed solo. The band were sympathetic and a good choice for working with Rodriguez. On some songs his voice is not in as good shape as it was, there was what appeared to be occasional missed lyrics and slight errors, though this did not matter. The gentle humble manner of the man was a rare delight. The audience treated every song with reverence. The audience's response to the man by the end caused me to be in tears. It was beautiful to see someone who's work I appreciate so much, and whom in my view had been overlooked for too long, receive what can only be described as an outpouring of love.

Rodriguez said it was 'honor, pleasure and a privilege', to have performed before the audience present that night. I share his sentiment for having been able to have been present in the audience.

Rating: 10/10.
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(Weeks after this date was announced, and I had organised travel and accommodation, it was announced that he would perform at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.)

In Edinburgh the main set was the same, the band were tighter and adding in more detail of the songs. The lighting was better and the banter similar, though sadly the audience were not quite as rapturous as they were in London, though this is typical of audiences at The Usher Hall. As in London, Rodriguez sang 'Like A Rolling Stone' in the encore, though in a change to London this was proceeded by a performance of 'Blue Suede Shoes'. In London the encore ended with a lovely solo number (that I did not recognise) from Rodriguez, which sadly was not performed in Edinburgh. All in all, I still greatly enjoyed the performance and feel incredibly fortunate to have seen this great musician twice. Though it was not quite as good as London, which I largely put down to the audience.

Rating: 09/10.        

Live Performance Review: Punch Brothers, Sunday 11.11.2012, 19:00, The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

I knew of 'Punch Brothers' from when they did a support slot with the 'Carolina Chocolate Drops' at the O2 ABC in Glasgow in January 2012, which me and my friend who went to see them at the The Queen's Hall, caught the last three songs of. We were impressed enough to seek out more of them.

There was no support acts at The Queen's Hall Shows, though there was no need. Punch Brothers play bluegrass on a mixture of Acoustic Guitar, Banjo (& 5 stringed banjo), Mandolin, Fiddle and Double-Bass and vocals shared between the musicians. The musicianship was of the highest quality. There were experimental periods, which felt to have ended at just the right points and quirks like a bluegrass cover version of a song by 'The Strokes' called 'Heart in a Cage'. The experimental periods helped it to not feel to predictable. They were clearly very well practiced, with changes in the songs being handled in a very smooth manner. The performance was very enjoyable.

To top it of, the encore began with the Mandolin player performing solo without amplification a piece by J.S. Bach, this in itself felt remarkable.

Then the rest of the musicians came back on the perform again as a unit. For two songs they were all at the front edge of the stage without amplification playing beautiful bluegrass/Appalachian Blues.

They performed for approx 100mins. The only regret was that the playing was so good, that I would have had no complaints had they played for a while longer, and feel that the audience would have agreed with this.

Rating: 09/10.      

Live Performance Review: Jack White, Thursday 08.11.2012, 19:00, Usher Hall, Edinburgh

I went to see Jack, as am a fan of 'The White Stripes', and had purchased his decent album, Blunderbuss, earlier in the year, due to being impressed with what I had heard him perform from it on television. I had not particularly enjoyed his other side projects, 'The Raconteurs' & 'The Dead Weather'.

The Support, Willy Moon, was easily forgettable one-note crap, who appeared supremely confident without reason.

Jack played the first half of his performance with six female musicians, and the second half with five male musicians. Each half was approximately fifty minutes. The first half was good, though the second half was better. The musicians appeared more rockin', able, cohesive and loose. The musicians in the first half did not appear to be having much fun.The staging and lighting was impressive and the venue appeared good for the performance, with the seats having been taken out of the bottom level. Songs from across Jack's career were performed. It was great to hear songs such as 'Hotel Yorba' from 'The White Stripes' 'White Blood Cells' album remodeled/countrified, though in a way which has clearly been practiced and works. There were enough of the solo songs, a good measure of 'The White Stripes' (other 'Stripes' songs included 'We're Going To Be Friends', 'Hardest Button to Button' and 'Seven Nation Army'), songs such as 'Steady as She Goes' ('The Raconteurs'), and even a few bars of 'Quantum of Solace'.

It was a nice touch to end with the classic folk song 'Goodnight Irene', though to get a female backing singer who does not appear to know the words to duet on part of it was regrettable. It was also clearly being approached as a singalong, though most of the audience appeared to have no idea as to what the song was. With this being the case, it would have been good for Jack to have at least done the chorus by himself on the acoustic guitar, to introduce it to those who did not know it.

The White Stripes always used to end with a rendition of 'De Ballit of De Boll Weevil', and I'm sure that in the earliest part of their career most of the audience would not have known this song, though they certainly became used to it. When I saw them, and in footage I've seen of them performing, the audience has sung along heartily. It is nice to hear him try something new, though 'Goodnight Irene' although quite rousing is also downbeat. I feel for a rock performer, as I view Jack to be, it is more apt to end on a more upbeat song, which 'De Ballit of De Boll Weevil' certainly was.

I saw 'The White Stripes' in the Glasgow Academy in 2005 on the tour for 'Get Behind Me Satan', and Jack was a very impressive guitarist/musician and showman at that point and still remains as impressive. Although it was very enjoyable to see Jack perform again, it was not exciting or as much fun as seeing 'The White Stripes' was.

Rating: 08/10.