We know, we know… you’ve missed us. We’ve missed you, too! Issue 5 is out now, so get on campus and pick one up as soon as possible. We have a bunch of interesting features and reviews in the new issue for you to check out, and they’ve all been designed with love and care for you to indulge in. So, if you need some further persuasion, check out some excerpts from this month’s articles below…
Live
Joe Turner visited local venue The Joiners to see Lower Than Atlantis, and has all the reaction from the gig in this month’s issue: “It is very unlikely their next headline tour will visit a venue as intimate as this … this year could spell big things for Lower Than Atlantis”.
Also at The Joiners, Dan Flynn enjoyed the performance of Howler last month: “Howler have here proven that maybe they are the next big thing … but their set is going to need a longer lifespan”.
Southampton Unsigned – we want to hear from you!
We also have a special feature in our Live section this month called “Southampton Unsigned”, where we ask you music-type readers to send in your best demos of band or solo work for an upcoming compilation we are looking to release. So get your music in, and reach potentially thousands of students!
Features
Our Features Editor kicks off an interesting discussion with the claim that the ‘gamer stereotype’ – “that of the nerdy, socially awkward, spotty teenager who spends too much time with computers and not enough time outside” – is obsolete in today’s world of video gaming: “Referring to all gamers in the same light, and as separate from other media forms, is realistically quite offensive”.
We also take a look at the rise and recent fall of The Talking Heads, thanks to Andrew Ovenden: “The closure of the venue affects us at Southampton University far more than we may realise … as students, I think it’s important that we try to do our bit”.
In the latest Edge interview, Editor Joe Hawkes talks to X Factor star Matt Cardle about his new album and thoughts on his route to fame: “When you’ve been trying to make it in the music industry for 14 years, I don’t think any way is sneaky”.
Records
Does the song match up with the cool retro cover art?
Our music enthusiasts take a look at some of the hot new singles of 2012, including releases from Chiddy Bang (“feel-good … retro … upbeat … memorable … fun”), The Black Keys (“a crank-up-the-volume, dance-around-in-your-underwear-type song”), Lianne La Havas (“chic … rhythmic … smoky … passionate … jovial”), and Ladyhawke (“a good indication that the reason her second album has taken so long isn’t because she has lost it”).
Also in Records, Joe Moor puts the latest effort of groove metal veterans Lamb of God under the microscope: “The individual performances are a mixed bag … a frustrating but not totally disappointing effort”.
More hard rock as the new album by Hertfordshire-based Enter Shikari is reviewed by Daniel Flynn: “The promise of such a wide variety of musical craft as ‘punkrockdubstephardcoremetalambienttechnonoisecore’ is perhaps justified”.
And this month we rewind to 2005, as we look back at the critically acclaimed indie favourite Silent Alarm, the debut album from Bloc Party: “A marvel … smart and wonderfully crafted … we can only hope they try to reconstruct the music that brought them such success”.
Film
But is the film as colourful as its poster?
The latest Roman Polanski film Carnage is analysed by Alexander Brown: “A tense and wonderful black comedy … funny, genuinely witty … the humour of the film makes for amusing and engaging viewing”.
Our Film Editor gives us his view on J. Edgar, directed by Clint Eastwood and based upon the life of the eponymous FBI agent: “Interesting and infuriating in equal measures, but this isn’t Eastwood at his worst”.
Also reviewed is the new adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy Coriolanus by director and actor Ralph Fiennes: “Intense … bloody … bold … strange … unsettling … bruising … it does pack a powerful punch”.
Chris Bloomfield gives his view on Margin Call, the first feature-length film from new director J. C. Chandor: “An assured example of intelligent and compelling filmmaking … an excellent debut from the writer and director”.
In the archive section, we take a look back at the shocking second outing of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: “Truly shocking and unforgettable … nasty and deeply unsettling”.
Culture
Noel Fielding being Noel Fielding for the sake of being Noel Fielding?
Noel Fielding’s much-hyped new show Luxury Comedy is put under the knife by Tom Kelly, with mixed conclusions: “It isn’t without its charm – Fielding is a naturally funny and likable guy, and his characters are still endearing … It’s a joke with no punchline, no obvious conclusion; I don’t think it worked”.
More video gaming, as Ellie Stringer takes a look at the apparent decline in offline multiplayer games on the market: “In a world where technology is allowing us to become increasingly introverted, we’ve lost sight of some of the simple pleasures: having friends round for a binge on Ribena and a WWF: SmackDown! face-off”.
So… go and pick up your free copy of The Edge now! Pick up a few for your friends and housemates while you’re at it! Give them to everyone you see on campus! Pass them out in lectures! Share the love, people. Enjoy!
