FRONT Style Review

London Boulevard – 2010 Certificate18

Directed by William Monahan

Not everyone is a fan of Colin Farrell, but no-one turns down a gangster flick about a newly released prisoner who is trying to clean up his act. Wait, a criminal cleaning up his act? Ok, give it a go. The story line was a little weak, so Collin Farrell aka Mitchell (typical east-end character name – check) goes legit and gets himself a job doing security for a recluse movie star (Kiera Knightley) who is hassled by them pervy Paps after a scandal about her doing the dirty. But, oh no! Mitchell gets tangled with some vicious gangster – Gant played by Gangster playing legend Ran Winstone.

My first no-no was Mr Farrell trying his hand at a cockney accent – fail. Winstone, did not disappoint, as usual, plenty of lewd and crude coming from him and his team of thugs, overall well played. Keira Knightley did an alright job of stereo typically falling in love with the lead.  Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some nudity and drug use, yeah you’ll find that but don’t be disappointed if you find stuffing popcorn up your nose more entertaining.

** out of 5 

"It's a Wrap!" My Conclusion to My Personal Study of Photographer Rankin

To close on my journey exploring Rankin’s marvels of work, I would say that I have learned a lot from this experience; Rankin has not only made a massive contribution to the fashion industry and photography, but also to the many that have seen, studied or appreciated his work. As an observer of his work, Rankin’s portraits aren’t just photos, they are Art, and Art certainly has a firm place in social commentary. What his portraits convey is the very core of a person. He is able as a photographer to connect on a human level and bring out the best of the character before his lens. Like his admiration of Damien Hirst, he too provokes a reaction from his subjects, regardless of whether he is shooting a celebrity or just you or I.

His work has ranged from capturing the Queen’s smile to Oxfam’s ‘We are Congo’ ( a series of beautiful portraits from the Mugunga camp, East Congo where he met 17,000 refugees). He pushed the boundaries of what true ‘beauty’ was in his project Surface Attraction , carried out in partnership with GF Smith.   Additionally, his contribution to the project for Sightsavers resulted in a series of sensational photographs raising awareness for the blind. Whilst they may not have been able to appreciate the impact of his work visually I am sure they must have felt it.

 If we were to question the longevity of Rankin’s work it would be equal to questioning the lifespan of Picasso’s work, his photographs will remain as some of the best of Britain’s photography.

What I took from this study is the knowledge that to capture a great portrait is to capture the subject, not just what they look like but who they are beneath the aesthetic front. What has inspired me about Rankin is his commitment to his work, his consistent passion (that comes through in each of his photos), and his quest for the bigger picture but above all, that he is inspired by diversity. Unlike the regular run-of-the-mill fashion photographer, he captures the very essence of a person, and that’s what taught me that a portrait isn’t just a picture - it’s a story. For me, he ranks pretty high up in my list of photographers!

"If it didn't make a difference, I wouldn't be doing what I do" Rankin 

      

Meat Loaf - Hang Cool Teddy Bear

Now, don't get me wrong but never in my near 2 decades of existence did I think i was ever going to review Meat Loaf. However, slightly hidious but sassy album titles aside, this album wasn't half bad. The first song 'Peace on Earth' with a VERY unecessary 1.05 second EPIC introduction did remind me slightly of early A7X - and this pleased me. What I must say is that any inhibitions you have about Meat Loaf you should put them aside because muscially speaking - i can't pick many faults with this album, there's catchy and i mean catchy guitar riffs sprinkled throughout the album and there is a pretty bonkers solo in 'Elvis in Vegas' which remained with me. I admit to have 1 (maybe two, who knows) favourite - 'Like a Rose' is a pretty rad track on there, a little confused at first as it carries elements of Beasty Boys and a bit of Kid Rock - this song did make air guitar (just abit). On the subject of Kid Rock; 'California Isn't Big Enough' sounds like a drunk kareoke version of his stuff and 'Running Away' does sound like it was in the 'maybe' pile for Rocky Horror Show. But hey! if that's what gets you jamming, then good on you - even if you're up for hearing a Dj scratch the record back and forth and Meat Loaf actually say: "Yo Baby" then maybe have a listen 'Los Angeloser'. I'm not slating this album to the max, but what i did find is that I kept flicking to the next song waiting for something better,brighter and stronger, put it this way, this album would be on the top of the stack after having drunk half a crate of beer with my mates and fancied a dance and a sway but as i no longer drink i face an issue. I'm not ruling it out - in fact i give the guy credit it isn't half bad - but it could be better, judging his previous monolithic sound.

*** out of 5
For fans of: Meat Loaf (clearly, but don't be disappointed), Tenacious D, and early generic Rock

To The Lions Review

Man On The Moon, Cambridge hosting:
Orestea
To The Lions
Inanimous Theory

“These boys certainly didn’t get fed to the lions tonight!”

Their fans say that they have “great emotion” and once on stage “they seriously get into it”. This, I quickly learned, that was a certainty.

Although a seemingly quiet and shy crowd, the four named ‘To The Lions’ (a name born from setting itunes on shuffle) quickly leapt on stage and got down to business. Their massive charisma was immediately present and all four members buzzed with, as guitarist James Croft put it, ‘raw energy’ – however these guys were cooked to perfection. There is nothing better than banter with the crowd, an art that To The Lions have mastered. Not only did they draw the crowd closer in to the stage but they also united them with what their fans described as “this crazy urge to mosh or dance or even just move”. The head bopping (which progressed to head banging) and foot tapping spread through the crowd of stand-stills faster than flu. This could be down to the raw double vocals of lead singer, Tony Stead and guitarist James Croft.

Musically speaking, these four know exactly what they are doing – there is a huge amount of passion which is made pretty clear from the moment they picked up their instruments. Their sharp riffs, heavy rhythms and crunching beats are what make a diverse version of metal that has a twist of melody and heavy pinch of hardcore. Their set, including favourites like  ‘Cross My Path’, ‘Spent Shells’ and ‘Working Yourself to Death’ (my personal favourite, with guaranteed foot stomping and a kicking guitar riff) was played with sheer enjoyment and pure talent; these guys might have been second place on the bill of tonight’s show but they could easily have been taken for headline material. It is undisputable that the work gained from shedding old skins from their previous band in 2008 and powering through 2009 into becoming  ‘To the Lions’ has paid off. You couldn’t deny that they know how to set the scene; they truly set the right mood and paved the way for the headliners – ‘Orestea’. The energy and the power emanated by all four members was quite something. The tidal wave of enthusiasm that hit the crowd wasn’t or couldn’t be faked, nor would you easily find it in your average male rock band. It was a performance that was well delivered and the music our ears were treated to,  came straight from the heart.

So what do you need for a good night? Well take one of Cambridge’s most popular rock hot spots, add a band that knows how to make sure you have a good time, a pint of beer and what do you get? A gig at Man on the Moon featuring ‘To The Lions’.

By Faye Gentile
faye.gentile@yahoo.com

Check these boys out:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=162099827152091#!/tothelionsmusic