Chimpomatic

Spartan

(dir. David Mamet)

A Secret Service agent (Val Kilmer) is called in to lead the investigation into the inadvertent kidnapping of the President's daughter by white slave traders.

Playing out like a high-brow, super-condensed, 100 minute version of an entire series of 24 (it's not that hard, drop the Presidential sub-plot, Kim Bauer and most of the explanatory dialogue), this super taught thriller from David Mamet was a refreshing take on the action/adventure genre. Val Kilmer makes an enigmatic lead, generally dishing out ("don't make me zero you out") or even totally dispensing with Mamet's snappy dialogue and just getting on with the job at hand. Characters pop up and go with little introduction and we only ever hear what is heard by the men in the field... but that feeling of being on the inside only adds to the immediacy of the situations the Ice Man finds himself in. The riviting pace and atmosphere make this one not to be missed.

"I am dangerous" Grr.

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7th Feb 2006 - Add Comment - Tweet

The White Stripes

Alexandra Palace, London

People have been banging on about the White Stripes since way back when The Strokes were just a glint in Albert Hammond Snr's eye. It was only recently that I fully clicked with them being any good - with the song As Ugly As I Seem. Sure, Seven Nation Army is great, but the whole it's-recorded-on-genuine-analogue-equipement-that's-why-it-sounds-badly-produced vibe never did it for me. Pet Sounds, or Houses Of The Holy managed to get their levels right.

Anyway, suffice to say that when they are playing live, the whole recording/production thing becomes old news - as it's all the same volume, right in front of you. And it's LOUD. Who would have though that a guitar and drums could make such a thundering racket. 'Especially with (ahem) a girl hitting the skins'.

Jack White is a genuine band leader with a huge stage presence, and while he stomps around bossing Meg about, you do get the feeling it's just for show and the band really is equally indebted to both him and Meg. Her relentless, basic, pounding drumming really creates an atmosphere while he swaps guitars, tinkles on the piano or organ, and plays the Xylophone.

Yes, Blue Orchid and Seven Nation Army were stomping highlights, but tough versions of the Hardest Button To Button and Fell In love With A Girl also stood out, plus Meg singing on Passive Manipulation, the infectious simplicity of My Doorbell, or the superb Xylophone tune The Nurse and the sing-along (chorus only, see below) I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.

Only downside was way too many people (8000+?), and a slight sense that the band had got too big too quick. While everyone new the tunes when Jack held up the mike for a sing-a-long, no one actually new the words...

CORRECTION: Jack White plays a marimba not a xylophone. They are similar, but the xylophone has a more harsh sound and doesn't have resonators. It's absolutely a marimba on the album. - CN

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15th Nov 2005 - Add Comment - Tweet

Matthew Herbert: Plat Du Jour

Victoria Rooms, Bristol

Dr and Mrs Chimp were served a feast of tasty treats at the Matthew Herbert Plat du Jour gig in Bristol's Victoria Rooms last night. Loud and manic sounds, great visuals, intriguing smells, white wellies, fishy balloons, and crunchy Worcester apples were all cooked up into a real assault on the senses. Serving suggestions will never quite be the same again. Make reservations for next month's Barbican gig now. And as for Dani's constume: 'We're lovin' it'.

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5th Sep 2005 - Add Comment - Tweet

Primer

(dir. Shane Carruth)

"I haven't eaten since later this afternoon…" Always been a fan of time-travel films, but you've got to love one that really finds something new to do with the whole time-paradox conundrum. Shane Carruth apparently made this white-collar sci-fi for $7000, using Super 16 short-ends - bits of film stock left over from other shoots, filmed it mostly in his garage and with his friends. It shows - but not in the usual lo-fi excuse kind of way. This is one of the first films in ages where you're struggling to keep up, but in that great way where you're convinced that it will make sense if you do. We follow some geeky science buffs working on some new projects in their spare time, trying to hit on something they can license on. Two of them work on a box which is giving them some unusual results - somehow they've built a time machine. What follows is a series of increasingly paranoid scenes, a looping plot, and a lot of hanging out in hotel rooms all afternoon. It's like a less self-consciously cool Donnie Darko, that almost seems believable. Definitely one to watch again. and again… the best kind of small-scale project, where they've spent time on a great script and a smart story that holds together.

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20th Aug 2005 - Add Comment - Tweet

Wolfmother

Wolfmother E.P.

One of the hot tickets at this year's South By South-West music thing, Australia's Wolfmother are kicking out retro proto-metal - a la early Black Sabbath, with a tinge of Zeppelin and a psychadelic haze of Iron Butterfly. Like no-doubt every garage band of the late 70's was trying to do.

The first couple of tracks are properly proto-proto metal, with thumping riffs and not many lyrics. Apple Tree still has few lyrics, but is a bit more interesting and makes you realise how metal the White Stripes sometimes are. The White Unicorn is the stand-out track, which actually builds up a bit and changes pace - where the others are mainly one thundering wall of sound. Looking forward to more. Would like to see these guys live.

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21st Jul 2005 - Add Comment - Tweet

Homefires

Conway Hall, London

mugison ruled as usual, pulling someone on stage to help with the projector for 2 birds, doing a rare live version of the night is limping, getting muddled after 2 hours sleep and a gig in iceland the night before… all great.

lau nau was ok, nice use of tape machines, but a bit meandering.

white magic spent the whole time looking pissed off and tuning their guitars before running through dylans' 4th time around in a fairly pointless fashion.

jesca hoop was a bit too ye olde folke for me.

hot chip were ok, but felt like they were playing everything too slow. and the singer sounds a bit like the housemartins.

really enjoyed king creosote, who had james yorkston, pictish trails and some other fence collective dude playing with him.

adem himself was great, and was probably too modest to headline the night, even though his set had the most up feel to it, with an all-star backing band featuring people from the other bands.

badly drawn boy showed off a new hat.

james yorkston finished the night, another v good set, if a little quieter to finish on maybe… he did get the crowd off their feet at the end though, with adem, kieran 4-Tet hebden, and other fence collectivees on stage with him. generally, a great day and it did feel like adem had hand-picked stuff he was into.

plus they had great sandwiches

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22nd May 2005 - Add Comment - Tweet

Bringing Down The House

(dir. Adam Shankman)

I had the misfortune of sitting through this pile of crap on a plane, before sleeping became a much better way of killing 90 minutes. I can only comment on the first half of the movie, but a child could plot the undoubted outcome.

Stiff-white-guy lawyer Steve Martin meets sassy-streetwise-homegirl Queen Latifah through a case of misrepresentation in an Internet chatroom. She needs his lawyer help to clear her name. He wants a new girlfriend. 90 minutes of lame fish-out-of-water comedy later they no doubt realise it's what's inside that counts and live happily ever after.

This was such a Steve Martin-by-numbers script, that a computer could have written it. They didn't even bother spening any time setting the scene - the whole chatroom episode was wrapped up before the opening titles finished. None of the side splitting comedy of The Jerk or Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

"Those aren't pillows!"

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1st Oct 2003 - Add Comment - Tweet

Kings Of Leon

Youth And Young Manhood

3 brothers and a cousin - sons of a preacher man (Leon) who spent their formative years living in the back of a car as Leon spread the word of the Lord around the southern states - or so the story goes.... whether the story goes true or not is of minor importance - what is of major importance is that this is a great great rock and roll album, as if the Strokes stole the White Stripes instruments and took a road trip down to Dazed and Confused (film, not style mag). This is a record of good times and wanting to do what you want to do, wanting to get loaded.

It kicks off with Red Morning Light - a perfect singalong tune, in that the lyrics are hell catchy yet completely indecipherable. The album continues in the same vein throughout as Caleb (Followill - vocals/guitars) screams and yelps his way across tight and crisp seventies riffs - with some sweet licks for axe fanatics. Standout tracks (that is: really fucking good) have to be: Joeís Head, California Waiting and Mollyís Chamber - about some accommodating gal, whoíll take your voice and leave you howling at the moon. Amen. Maybe the power behind this record comes from a Samson style rock 'n' roll strength emanating from four sets of very big hair. Watch the streets this summer, as Fashionistas hurry to grow huge head and facial hair combos. Thank god such cuts canít be ordered on demand - or weíd surely have a wave of stylish casualties in this heatwave, passed out from exhaustion under a Nashville Thatch.

Dream scenario aside, this is a rocking good album, which will sound as fresh in a decade as it would have done 30 years ago. Kings of Leon thank God on their liner notes, I'd like to thank Him too - if He keeps inspiring 40 minutes of sounds like this, then the fight is well and truly on for the best tunes. Watch your back Satan!!!!

Alternatively:
Crazed drummer Animal emerges from years of therapy - folowing the success and excess of the Muppets - to produce a Lynyrd Skynyrd tinged masterpiece.

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29th Sep 2003 - Add Comment - Tweet