Stromae - ta fête & Papaoutai [New Music Discoveries!]

In the latest addition of 'New Music Discoveries', we move onto Belgian singer-songwriter Stromae (Paul Van Haver)! We've been aware of Stromae for quite a bit now, since 'Alors on danse', and he seems like a suitable addition for our new section. 

You can check out our other additions below, from Indila to Lindsey Stirling:
Our segment on dubstep violinist Lindsey Stirling 
Our segment on French music artist Indila 

Anyway, back to Stromae. The young musician has established himself in electronic music genres (and hip-hop), and came to wide attention with his smash hit 'Alors on danse', which was popular in a variety of countries. 'Alors on danse' was an electronic/house mix with elements of classical instruments, which made for an interesting combination. His latest musical outing, however, comes in the form of 'ta fête', which is now the official song for the Belgian football selection at the 2014 World Cup. Pretty impressive. The track itself has caused much debate between fans who are unsure of its hidden meaning; whether it be about football or society and life. 

To us, we believe it is both. The song was written and released long before it ever had 'football' linked to it, and although the music video (watch below) incorporates elements of football into it (the man in the green suit is the ball for instance, with the other 'team mates' tackling him whilst he tries to reach the goal), it has clear elements of society in it - with one player being dressed up as a judge and the other dons a wedding veil. We feel the track is about societal expectations and doubles up as a form of social commentary, whilst also being relate-able to the popular sports game. Football can often be used as a metaphor for life, with its wins and losses, and the difficulty in reaching where you want to be, whilst achieving your aims. 

Stromae is of course also responsible for other popular hits such as 'Papaoutai', which has a variety of meanings (that can be interpreted), whilst its music video is filled with high-energy filled and intrinsic dancing. A popular interpretation of the video is that it relates to Stromae's absent father (who was killed in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide), and it is quite a poignant and striking piece. The latest music video from Stromae (ta fête) is particularly cinematic and is rather visually enticing, and we love the way it plays out so dramatically on screen, with Stromae lurking rather ominously in the background above the players. 

What you can always expect from Stromae's music videos and songs is a deeper meaning and the videos for the tracks always end up being that much more brilliant as they are new and exciting, and always imaginative. Other favourite tracks from Stromae include the lesser known 'Te quiero', and the likely more known 'Tous les mêmes'. If you haven't heard of Stromae before, we suggest you check his videos out on VEVO or YouTube, as he is a really intriguing musical artist and certainly one to keep your eye on. 

Lana Del Rey - Shades of Cool (Official Music Video) [+ Review]

Just released, Lana Del Rey's new music video (watch below) for her track 'Shades of Cool' is a length visual affair. Taken from her album, Ultraviolence, 'Shades of Cool' is the second track release from the singer. Featuring plenty of blue hues, the music video sees Lana take a dip in a pool and also be incorporated into many retro editing effects, which see the sultry singer spinning around in a psychedelic effect, and feature in a cross-over between her 'man' and herself smoking whilst the American flag plays over. The whole affair is quite cinematic and vintage, which is typical from the singer. 

You can read a review of the track itself here

The video also features a dream-like sequence (which we particularly love), where we can see the singer be engulfed by fireworks whilst whimsically twirling as she coos her lyrics; 'Your heart is unbreakable'. Featuring a montage of imagery (from the American Flag, to a sunny landscape adorned with palm trees, and of course, Lana's effortless twirling), the music video is heavily stylized to fit in with the album's vibe and influence, as it reflects the singer's love of that era. The track itself is sophisticated and the video aptly brooding to reflect that, and the whole affair is certainly a feast for the eyes. Watch Del Rey's music video for 'Shades of Cool', below: 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Review

      'Everyone has a part of themselves they hide, even from the people they love most
                               And you don't have forever, none of us ever do' 

Webb’s Spider-Man is back, and reunited with Gwen Stacy, for this 142 minute long adventure. Yes, it is 142 minutes long – that’s 2 hours and 22 minutes. While the running time is problematic for a variety of reasons, there are some redeeming factors of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which has received a mixed reaction from critics since its release, despite grossing over $700 million to date. Back along for the web-slinging adventure is of course Andrew Garfield who dons the iconic suit to play Spider-Man, and Emma Stone, who portrays the confident and determined Gwen Stacy.

In the prologue of the first film, we saw that Parker’s parents abandoned him in mysterious circumstances, and this sequel opens with that perspective, as we are able to see what truly happened to his parents. Flashing forward to present day, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 follows Peter Parker (Garfield) as he continues to battle crime in the city whilst being involved in a relationship with Gwen Stacy (Stone). However, this relationship is put under continual strain as Peter constantly questions whether he should be following her Dad’s wishes (about not being together) as he keeps seeing visions of her Dad around. With the arrival of Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), Parker’s old friend, Parker’s life quickly descends into chaos as he struggles to deal with new villains, not to mention the questionable future he might have with Gwen.

If you there’s one thing you can count on audiences and critics alike to do, its compare original films with the reboots/spin-offs/sequels. So, for those who delight in battling it out between Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and Webb’s series, it has to be said that the two series seem to falter when they over-pack their plot with too many villains - in this case, the incredibly tedious Spider-Man 3 on Raimi’s part – which featured Venom, New Goblin, Sandman and a dose of Green Goblin (seriously, why?) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s Green Goblin, Electro and Rhino (seriously people, is it too much to ask for just one villain per film?).

Whilst the excessive amount of villains makes The Amazing Spider-Man 2 seem a little overdrawn and laboured in some places, it is still entirely more bearable than Spider-Man 3. Not to mention that Dane DeHaan’s performance as the Green Goblin/Harry Osborn is pretty impressive. His character is so deliciously twisted and DeHaan does an amazing job at emulating the intrinsic quirks to his character through his subtle movements and facial expressions; from his recoiled reactions, maniacal laughter and strained voice, his is able to fully capture the illness of his character and the desperation he faces which eventually proves to be his undoing. Jamie Foxx also suits up for the sequel, starring as Electro/Max Dillon, an electrical engineer who just wants to be noticed and idolises Spider-Man. Foxx is unassuming and introverted as his character initially, and he is able to convey the transformation his character goes through with ease.

Headlining as the ‘Amazing’ Spider-Man is of course Andrew Garfield, who teams up with Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy in order to bring down the villains in this latest extravagant action film. Whoever cast those two as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy has surely been congratulated on numerous occasions as the two have undeniable chemistry on (and off) screen and this is a true delight to watch. In a sequel which has ultimately more heart and emotional weight than the previous instalment, it seems greatly fitting that these two should be the epicentre for emotion, with all their natural chemistry. Garfield’s Parker is as unashamedly awkward as ever and his pairing with Stone’s Stacy is no less than perfect, as she isn’t afraid to say what she wants and what she is thinking, especially when Parker cracks one of his cheesy jokes. It’s fair to say that watching those two is ultimately one of the highlights of the film and their performances together carry the film across its excessive running time (not to mention they are ten times more watch-able than Dunst/Maguire).

In a world where CGI animation and visual effects seem to have become the norm, it is difficult for a film, which relies on the ‘amazing’, to establish itself amongst the numerous spectacles out there. For audiences who have come to expect such wondrous visuals it becomes increasingly difficult to entertain, and this will inevitably be the case for some audiences and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, Marc Webb’s follow-up to 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man is undoubtedly incredible in the visual sense, even to those who may now see special effects as common-place in movies; from the dramatic clock-tower sequence to the ‘Electro’ magnetic battle (see what we did there), the film is beautifully envisioned on screen.

Whilst The Amazing-Spider Man 2 suffers from its over-packed narrative and extensive running time, it is on a whole a more emotionally heavy piece, backed up by the outstanding performances from its actors, and the overwhelming chemistry between its two leading characters. This elevates the film above average status and combined with its dazzling visual effects, makes sure that whilst The Amazing Spider-Man 2 may not be as ‘amazing’ as people would have hoped, it is certainly worth watching and still thoroughly entertaining. 

Game of Thrones - Season 4 (Finale), Episode 10 'The Children' [Recap + Review]

As Game of Thrones Season 4 triumphantly ends, we look back at the episode in this incredible, spoiler-filled recap/review. Once again - SPOILER FILLED. So y'know, don't read if you haven't watched (or maybe you're intrigued - so go right ahead!). Yes in the land of Westeros, the major events of the fourth season finally end(ish) and we see some actual conclusions. In an episode where most audiences (who have read the books) were dying to see the ending, you would think that you may have got more than a little bored watching the rest of the 50-ish minutes beforehand. However, this week's episode of Game of Thrones managed to sustain its entertainment for the entire 66 minutes; as audiences were left astounded and no doubt delighted by the events. The episode offered some serious character progression that lacked in its episode as the writers tried to stretch out the dramatic conclusion until the end episode (here's looking at you Battle for the Wall). For our recap of the night's dramatic episode, read below: 

Dad, I have something to tell you 

In darling King's Landing, Cersei (Lena Headey), Pycelle (Julian Glover) and Qyburn (Anton Lesser) watch over Ser Gregor (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), as he lays dying from his wounds inflicted by Prince Oberyn (a.k.a exploded head). Qyburn suggests he can try something different and possibly heal Ser Gregor, but Pycelle is reluctant and states that there is nothing more they can do for him, but Cersei instruct Qyburn to do whatever it takes. Cersei then departs to see her father, Tywin (Charles Dance), to tell him that she will not marry Ser Loras and pretty much says that she will kill herself and her boy before she lets anyone take him away from her. 

She then rather boldly admits that the rumours are true and she has slept with Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and that her children are in fact theirs. This leaves Tywin startled and he says he doesn't believe her (but we all know he does) and Cersei leaves to go confess her love/have sex with Jaime. 

After the battle, in Narnia 

In the aftermath of the war, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) meets with Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds) to discuss terms of a 'truce', but Mance figures out that Jon only has the intention to kill him. Before either can get in a brawl, horns sound and it is revealed that a large army is attacking - led by Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane). Stannis captures Mance upon the insistence of Jon, who requests that he not kill him, and later Jon burns Ygritte's (Rose Leslie) body at her funeral. 

In the other section of the land where time forgot, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his companions finally reach the tree, but are attacked by reanimated skeletons. Jojen is killed in the attack, but the others are saved by a child of the forest who offers them shelter in the tree. They are greeted by the three-eyed Raven (Struan Rodger), who says to Bran that he will never walk again, but he will fly. 

Dragons be crazy 

Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) meets with her subjects, including a man who wants to be sold back to his master so he can be a teacher again. Daenerys reluctantly agrees, but only if he makes a contract with his Master that lasts no more than a year. Unfortunately, Dany also meets with a man whose 3 year old daughter has been incinerated by one of the Khaleesi's dragons. 

Daenerys is distraught, and with a heavy heart, chains her other dragons in the catacombs below the Great Pyramid, whilst she searches for her other dragon, Drogon. 

You ain't nothing but a hound-dog

In the Vale, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) and Podrick (Daniel Portman) notice their horses are missing and wander around to find them, coming across Arya Stark (Maisie Williams). The Hound (Rory McCann) appears and demands to know their business, but Podrick recognises him and Brienne deduces that the girl is in fact Arya Stark. She insists that she was loyal to Arya's mother and that Arya should come with her, but The Hound is insistent that she should not, noticing the Lannister sword she carries. A fight quickly ensues between Brienne and The Hound, and after receiving some pretty heavy blows, Brienne manages to push The Hound off a cliff ledge. The Hound is gravely injured and Brienne and Podrick search for Arya, who is no where to be found. 

After they depart, Arya appears and sits and talks with The Hound as he lays dying. The Hound begs Arya to kill him, but instead, she takes his gold and goes, leaving him to die alone. Arya arrives at a nearby harbour with a ship that is destined to sail to Braavos, and using the coin that she has been given and the words that she knows, she boards the ship. 

Happy Father's day, Dad! 

Later in the day in King's Landing, Jaime frees Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) from his cell before he can be executed, and tells him to knock at the door for Varys (Conleth Hill)so the latter can escort him out of the city to safety. However, Tyrion delays leaving, and instead goes to his father's quarters and finds Shae (Sibel Kekilli) in Tywin's bed. Shae sees Tyrion and startled, grabs a knife and tries to kill him, but Tyrion overpowers her and strangles her to death. 

After having murdered Shae, he arms himself with a crossbow and locates his father on the privy. Aiming the crossbow at his father, who insists that he won't kill him, he talks with his father about family and Shae. His father calls Shae a whore and says that it doesn't matter if Tyrion killed her. Tyrion warns his father not to call Shae a whore, but he does and Tyrion shoots him in the chest. He then loads the crossbow again, and kills Tywin, after which he locates Varys and departs King's Landing on a ship in a crate. 

Filled to the brim with drama and tension, 'The Children' was an enthralling episode in the Game of Thrones saga, with stand-out performances from Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey. The fight between Brienne and The Hound was particularly captivating, and the action suitably dirty (lots of Crotch shots and low-blows, with Brienne biting off The Hound's ear - bloody!), which is sure to delight audiences. The Hound's death was particularly poignant as we never fully got to see him die, with Arya not giving The Hound the satisfaction of a quick death, we shows how far her character has progressed. Maisie Williams portrayed Arya beautifully in this episode, and in the closing scenes where she stood at the helm of the ship as it sailed of into the distance, was particularly memorable and wonderfully acted. The undeniable star of the episode was of course Dinklage, who finally got his revenge, and it turns out it is a dish best served with a bolt to the heart. Dinklage's Tyrion was incredibly emotive and you can't help but get behind him and feel a certain sense of satisfaction when he finally breaks free with the help of Jaime (and their brotherly embrace was pretty heart-warming). 

Emilia Clarke makes sure to pull at audiences heart strings as her character is forced to lock away her babies (dragons) for fear they might hurt someone, and the look on her face says it all; beautiful and raw acting from the starlet in that particular segment. In a surprising twist of fate, Lena Headey manages to garner some sympathy for her character as she locks horns with her Father and confesses her undying love for her brother (a little disturbing), and we can't help but feel a little bit sorry for her - her son is dead, her daughter gone, and now her other child must be king and be fought over like some sort of prize. Charles Dance, as always, put in a stunning performance as Tyrion, and his death scene, whilst not the bloodiest, was perhaps one of the most memorable in its sense of justice; from the son to the father. 

Overall, 'The Children' was a memorable episode and tied most loose ends off nicely, setting us up for the fifth season (even if we have to wait another year!). 

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence [Album Review]

Lana Del Rey is back with her third studio album, Ultraviolence, and it's as atmospherically cinematic and deeply dark as ever. Released on the 16th/17th June, in the UK and US, respectively, we see a more refined Del Rey teaming up with Dan Auerbach, who have created an album filled with nostalgia, retro and vintage elements, combined with jazz tones and an increasingly dependable guitar. Drawing inspiration from the West Coast, as well as Brooklyn (New York), the album sees Del Rey's swooning voice reach new heights.  

Before we focus on the album itself, it seems evident to reflect on what some critics have confused; mixing the artist and the music itself. Some seem to focus on the persona of Del Rey's character as problematic and anti-feminist. I would argue that it would be a mistake to assume that a piece of music has to focus on portraying, what has now become, an almost stereotype - the 'strong' female character. To clarify, some media forms (film, music, television) now seem to add in a stereotypically 'strong' female character to 'balance out' what it might seem to be a gendered divide. This helps no-one - the 'strong' character is usually vastly underdeveloped and seems to be praising women for adopting what is stereotypically known as 'male characteristics', without taking into account that human beings (women included!) are complex individuals capable of a multitude of emotions, thoughts and actions at any given point. To have lyrics focus on 'strong' women for the sake of 'strong women', is actually quite insulting; Del Rey's tracks explore the idea of devotion without suggesting that this is the norm, or condoning the actions of her characters. In this sense, she is exploring an archetype of a character (Lolita, the infamous 'Bad' Boy, etc.) as opposed to making a statement on what ones perception of feminism is. If anything, Ultraviolence makes more cultural references; odes to generations; fantasies of an era. By encompassing cinematic film-noir elements to her music, Del Rey is referencing the historic, the classical film styles that have their individual characteristics in her music, through her use of dramatic acoustics and sweeping vocals, and references. 

Now, back to the album. Demonstrating a shift in the usual submissive tide, ‘Brooklyn Baby’ is a welcome addition to the album, as the track covers the perception of others, whilst affirming that Del Rey is indeed cooler than her boyfriend (‘Yeah my boyfriend’s pretty cool/ But he’s not as cool as me’). Accompanied by an electric guitar, triumphant drum beats and subtle percussion, ‘Brooklyn Baby’ is essentially Del Rey’s way of saying you can ‘beat it’ if you don’t like it, and if you don’t understand why (she likes her generation). It’s an interesting track that delves into the self-confidence that you may not expect from the persona of Del Rey’s character, but it makes for a rather more intriguing listen and is unusually catchy for a piece that’s only hook is ‘Brooklyn Baby’.

Holding the fort and also serving as the lead single is the undeniably smooth ‘West Coast’, which features a shift in tempos which marked out a different style for Del Rey upon its release. The switches in tempo create a rather distinctive pace to the track and Del Rey’s airy vocals make for, compositionally, a rather strong piece of music. The song is very ethereal and atmospheric, and it is a stand-out track on the album, echoing the fact that Del Rey is ‘in love’. In contrast, the title track 'Ultraviolence' surrounds itself with controversy. Aside from the questionable lyrics (which ultimately can be interpreted in many ways - from an overdose to actual physical violence), 'Ultraviolence' is masterfully composed, with a aura of adoration muddled with disturbing undertones that are intertwined with Del Rey's sultry voice.

The second release from Ultraviolence was the haunting ‘Shades of Cool’, which presents itself as a bit of a sombre ballad, infused with the distinctive electric bass and guitar that is now a staple of the album. The song switches between two different tones, with Lana usually her particular drawl in a truly captivating manner before she hits the chorus and switches into a more wailing and whimsical sound, singing ‘you live in Shades of Cool/ your heart is unbreakable’. 

Del Rey’s track have a strong essence of self-awareness and encompass a rather witty charm, (evident in the stereotypical references to beat poetry in ‘Brooklyn Baby’) and this is overwhelmingly apparent in the sarcastic and effortlessly addictive ‘Money Power Glory’ (which reminds us a little of ‘Power and Control’ by Marina Diamandis). There is so much charisma in this song that it almost threatens to overload the album, but ‘Money Power Glory’ fights its way to the top as one of the hidden gems of Ultraviolence. Sexual domination is rife in ‘Fucked My Way Up To The Top’ as Del Rey announces that ‘this is my show’, whilst ‘Sad Girl’ paints an abandoned (and you guessed it – sad) image of a mistress who is involved with an affair with a man. ‘Pretty When You Cry’ is also riddled with devotion and isolation, with Del Rey reluctantly croaking her heart out in bitter verses. The tracks which don’t seem to quite pack the same punch as the rest of the album include the repetitive and contrastingly dull ‘Cruel World’ and the unsubstantial ‘Sad Girl’, whilst ‘Guns and Roses’ (available on the deluxe) does nothing to elevate the album, thought it is a bonus track, so we can’t really complain. 

Aside from the 11 tracks on the standard album, the deluxe box-set of Ultraviolence contains the previously unreleased ‘Black Beauty’, as well as ‘Guns and Roses’ and ‘Florida Kilos’. ‘Black Beauty’ is a ballad-esque track, focuses on the usual gloom and doom romanticism that Del Rey is known for ‘I paint the house black/ My Wedding dress black leather, too’. There is a subtle sound of loss, and un-enlightenment, as Lana coos ‘Life is beautiful/but you don’t have a clue’ at intervals on the track. The exotic ‘Florida Kilos’ is distinctly retro, and echoes her ‘Born to Die’ days as she spouts about cola and lime in a drawn-back drawl that is reminiscent of ‘Queen of Disaster’ and ‘This is What Makes Us Girls’. 

The sombre and twisted themes of the album have always been present in Lana’s work, and it is this that is perhaps the album’s only downfall. By focusing on themes that have a repetitive edge it tends to devalue the originality of the concept; put simply, Ultraviolence would be better off if it steered away from the elements that have been touched upon in previous albums Born To Die and the Paradise edition. This is not to say that one cannot focus on the same archetypes and moody stylization, it is simply suggesting that it would be an even more engaging album if the topics of red dresses, craziness and the repetitive ‘baby’ departed from near view (or at least didn’t take centre stage as much). However, the dark depths from which Ultraviolence focuses on are strangely atmospheric, and the tracks themselves are beautifully composed, featuring a preference for the guitar (electric in places) and accompanying percussion instruments. Combined with the airy and elusive vocals of Del Rey, the tracks are elevated to new heights, and make for quite compelling music, despite the relatively dark nature of the lyrical content. 

As an album, Ultraviolence is eerily cohesive; much like the black and white prints that adorn the album covers, Del Rey echoes the vintage and the classics, sweeping us back to the 50s, 60s and 70s. The aesthetic is bold and in-keeping with the cinematic theme, the album’s music is stylized to perfection and Del Rey’s commitment to (what can sometimes sound ironic) romanticism adds to the realism of what is essentially, a dark and destructive thematic. 

4 stars