I imagine most of the people who find their way onto my blog would remember Alcest from their post-black metal early albums. Over the last few years however, much like a growing number of their contemporaries, Alcest have found themselves leaning closer and closer to the post part of their sound and in turn leaving the black metal far behind. So if you are reading this due to your interest in black metal it might be better to look away now. As in it’s wake they have become a shoe gazing post rock band, the likes of whom generate an aura of cool that I’ve never quite understood. Continue reading “Alcest – Shelter”
Dallas Buyers Club
Dallas Buyers Club is the latest step in the ongoing McConaissance and is looking to be the one that will gain the man, once famous for leaning on his co-stars on the side of buses, that coveted Academy Award. Directed by Jean Marc Vallee it is a movie that has been a long time coming, with names such as Woody Harrelson having previously been attached to it.
The Lego Movie
The fact that The Lego Movie has taken this long to appear is something of a surprise. When you consider the amount of licenses that are held by Lego, it has surely always been only a matter of time until they all came together to create a movie. The problem is that much like many spin offs of beloved toys and games, it is all too easy to create something substandard and poor, with the knowledge that fans that will come flocking anyway. Therefore it was a relief when Phil Lord and Chris Miller stepped into the directorial seat, as their previously filmography suggests an ability to make gold out of something with the potential to plummet, mainly with 21 Jump Street and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
Ginger Wildheart – Albion
Seven albums in two years, all funded by his fans. Is Ginger Wildheart an example of the future of the music industry? I don’t know, but I’m definitely not complaining about it. Those of us who are on the wagon have already got our hands on the most recent Pledge funded Ginger album, Albion, which see’s him returning to the studio with the band he has been touring with for the last few years.
Killswitch Engage and Trivium w/ Miss May I and Battlecross at the O2 Academy Glasgow, 4/2/2014
Package tours are becoming more and more common, but few this year are likely to elicit the response that the announcement of Trivium and Killswitch Engage taking to the road together did. These two metal titans have been on redemptive paths in the last few years. Killswitch reuniting with Jesse Leach and remembering how to kick ass (although I was actually a Howard fan) and Trivium slowly rebuilding their damaged reputation and fighting back up to the top of the metal ladder (which they should have been on top of a long time ago.)
Inside Llewyn Davis
Inside Llewyn Davis is the latest release from the Cohen brothers and tells the story of a struggling Greenwich village folk musician. Llewyn Davis’s life is an endless circle of small gigs, crashing on friends floors and disappointment. His previous musical relationship was cut short when his partner, Mike, committed suicide. While the people he calls friends are not really his friends and more suffer him because without them he’d be dead. Reading that back it all sounds rather depressing doesn’t it?
Against Me – Transgender Dysphoria Blues
“No more troubled sleep, there’s a brave new world raging inside of me.” Sometimes music transcends it’s genre. It becomes a hell of a lot more important than words on a lyric sheet or notes in a song. I think it’s fair to say that the latest Against Me album Transgender Dysphoria Blues could be placed into that category. Telling the story of a women trapped inside the body of a man it follows lead singer Laura Jane Grace’s decision to come out as a transgender woman, it is a piece of music that tells much more than just the story hidden away within the songs.
Suicidal Angels – Divide and Conquer
The recent thrash revival has shown the demand for old school balls to the wall thrash is alive and well in the metal world today and one band who are willing to give us this is Suicidal Angels. Hailing from Greece they have just released their fifth album Divide and Conquer and will be looking to spread their blood and thunder thrash approach to the masses.
Skindred w/ SOiL and Viza. 27th January 2014 at Glasgow O2 ABC.
The fact that Skindred aren’t the biggest band in the world right now is a tragedy. However, it is reassuring to look out over the Glasgow ABC and see that while it isn’t sold out, they have pulled one of the biggest crowds I’ve seen them play to outside of festival bills. Maybe the message is finally getting out there about these incredible performers.
Continue reading “Skindred w/ SOiL and Viza. 27th January 2014 at Glasgow O2 ABC.”
There have been very few films released in the last year that are as brave as All is Lost. Which could easily have been called Robert Redford On A Boat. If there are fifty words said in this film I would be surprised and apparently the script was only 32 pages long. There is also only one actor in the entire film, the aforementioned Robert Redford. If you can find me another film like that then it will be a rare one.
Ramblings About Wrestling 