News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. So here’s a selection of the best, recent and not-so-recent DVDs taken home and watched by librarians, compiled for your viewing pleasure. (Yes, we know it’s May, we had to catch up with our own viewing!)

Arbitrage.
Slick thriller sees Richard Gere play Robert Miller, an unscrupulous hedge fund manager, juggling his wife (Susan Sarandon), his temperamental artist mistress (Laetitia Casta), his CFO daughter (Brit Marling), the upcoming sale of his Investment Company, a federal audit, and the fact that he’s covering up a $400 million dollar hole in his corporate assets. When he’s involved in a late-night car accident with his mistress, his carefully built house on cards begins to crumble… Gere is commanding as the main character, easily one of his best performances in years, with solid support from newcomer Marling, and Tim Roth as the tenacious Detective who begins to unravel Miller’s complicity. Recommended if you enjoyed Margin Call, Michael Clayton, or The Ides of March. (Mark)

Parks and recreation. Season three.
I am in danger of becoming a squeaky wheel when it comes to this series, from consistently telling everyone around me who appreciates intelligent, ironic, deadpan satirical humour to watch it. People generally believe (mostly correctly) that Americans can’t do satire, but this series, produced by the same crew behind “The Office’, is arguably the funniest thing on TV at the moment and just gets better and better. By Series 2 the cast had settled into their characters and Series 3 and Series 4, which both joined the library collection in short succession due to some odd time lag, feature the larger than life but oddly believable characters delivering tight, heart-warming and incredibly funny scripts with utter confidence. (John)

Le samouraï.
Iconic French Noir classic from director Jean-Pierre Melville sees Alain Delon in perhaps his best role. Jeff Costello is a zen-like hitman, an aloof, meticulous, professional who always completes a job. When he is seen by an alluring jazz pianist as he escapes a night club after killing its owner, he is brought in for a line up by a determined Police inspector. For reasons of her own the pianist refuses to positively identify him, but despite this (and his pre-arranged alibi) the Inspector is certain of his guilt, and proceeds to have his every move monitored. Meanwhile his criminal employers become suspicious of how he secured his freedom & decide that it might be better off if he’s taken care of…Melville’s homage to 50’s crime novels & the Alan Ladd vehicle ‘This Gun For Hire’ is a master-class of style & minimalism, full of washed out colours, long silences, & Delon’s masterfully moody & subtle performance. Each shot a perfectly realized blend of cinematography, direction, and implication. An obvious influence on American directors such as Walter Hill (The Driver), Michael Mann (Thief, Heat), & more explicitly Asian cinema (John Woo’s The Killer). Lovely, sharp looking criterion edition includes an extensive booklet, including an interview with Melville & a tribute to Melville from John Woo. (Mark)

German wanderlust with Julia Bradbury.
Julia Bradbury is the girl to get you off the couch. With a stride than covers half a county and a smile almost as wide this doyen of the walking world is a celebrity in Britain and fast making a name for herself around the world. She has made several television series, most set in Britain (Canal walks, Railway walks, Wainwright walks). This series illustrates the close relationship between German romanticism and the country’s walking traditions. From the Bavarian Alps to the Baltic coast, the mighty Rhine to the River Elbe this DVD will open your eyes to beauties of an often overlooked European country. It will also open your eyes to the joy of walking. You may never use the car again. (Sue)

Night moves.
Downbeat flick from director Arthur Penn (Bonnie & Clyde) is one of the best crime movies of the 1970’s. Gene Hackman is an ex-Football player turned Private Eye (who has just discovered his wife is cheating on him), hired by a faded actress to find her wild & wayward daughter (a young Melanie Griffith). Hackman tracks her down easily enough in the Florida Keyes, where she is staying with her stepfather. Spending time there, Hackman begins an affair with the sultry girlfriend of the girl’s stepfather while the girl, swimming one night, comes across the wreck of a crashed plane. Finally Hackman convinces the girl to return to Hollywood with him, and resumes his life – only to later learn she has been killed in a stunt accident on a Hollywood film set. But was it really an accident?…. ‘Night Moves’ exudes a bleak post-Watergate vibe of greed, personal betrayals, & disillusionment as events spiral to the violent & poignant ending. Recommended to anyone who liked Chinatown, The Drowning Pool, The Long Goodbye, or L.A Confidential. (Mark)

The hour. Series 2.
Set in 1957, this well researched historical drama successfully recreates the sombre mood of post WW2 cold war London. The story revolves around the production crew of a fledgling BBC current affairs programme ‘The Hour’, which is a precursor of TV shows such as ‘Campbell Live’, and it is remarkable to observe just how far broadcast media has evolved over 50 years. Series 1 was critically acclaimed, receiving several Bafta nominations, and Series 2 maintains the high standard of production design. Sadly, plans for a third series were scrapped, however over 20,000 people have signed an online petition demanding that the tale continue to unfold – for fans; this is the URL of the petition. (John)

Bug.
Disturbing psychological horror, based on a play by Tracey Letts, & directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection). Ashley Judd is Agnes, a lonely waitress hiding out in a dive hotel fearing the return of her abusive ex-husband (a creepy Harry Connick Jr). When charismatic drifter Peter (Michael Shannon) appears she begins to believe she has made a connection, & she reveals to him the tragic history of her missing child. However Peter is not really who he seems & slowly reveals his history as a Middle-East war vet who was experimented on by the Government, and who believes himself infected by ‘bugs’. Gradually he begins to pull Agnes into his delusion, and what follows is a weird descent into, paranoia, insanity & obsession, along the lines of Requiem For A Dream. Definitely (can’t stress that enough) not for everyone, ‘Bug’ is one of those movies that polarizes opinion. Most of the action takes place in Judd’s hotel room, and transferred from a play it has at times a stagey, overdone feel. Still both Shannon & Judd are excellent, especially Judd, and after the shocking end it’s her character that lingers longest. (Mark)

Once upon a time in Anatolia.
I’m still a bit doubtful if the last 30 minutes of this film is really necessary, but I had the most extraordinary cinematic experiences when I saw it at Embassy theatre. Since the success of Uzak (2002), Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s films have always featured at Cannes, and this film was a deserved winner of Grand Prix (the second-most prestigious prize) in 2011. This slow-burning drama appears to be a kind of crime story, but Ceylan’s eyes are on the men who are involved in the search and their life, not on solving the mystery. Masterfully taking a beauty of Turkish scenery (Anatolian steppes), the story gradually evolves into a subtly intricate human drama. You can see great inheritances of Tarkovsky, Antonioni, and Ozu in Ceylan’s creative vision. It’s anti-dramatic but a glorious watch. (Shinji)

Easy money.
Lowly Business student JW is living a double life, mingling in night clubs with Stockholm’s young & wealthy elite, while driving a cab during the day. He crosses paths with Jorge, a drug dealer who has escaped from prison who needs someone with JW’s business skills to legitimise his money. Mrado is a Serbian Mafia enforcer who has been allocated the task of taking Jorge out before he encroaches on the Serbian drug trade, however he unexpectedly finds himself having to care for the young daughter he hardly knows. Meanwhile Jorges attempt to broker a massive cocaine deal that will set everyone up for life…Slick Swedish thriller based on the best selling novel by Jens Lapidus. Definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of Euro thrillers & Scandinavian crime. (Mark)

Shut up and play the hits: the very loud ending of LCD Soundsystem.
The best music Doco’s are those that can be enjoyed whether you are familiar with the artist or not – and this film, based around the last ever performance of New York band LCD Sound System, is just that. The performance itself is excellent – tight, inspired and funky as hell; however, intercutting sequences from main-man, James Murphy’s domestic life raises the bar considerably and changes the film from being a mere recording of a concert to something else entirely. A few years ago the Pixies film Loud, Quiet, Loud took a similar approach and consequently was featured in film festival programmes worldwide, and that is what happened to this film. Cutting from Murphy singing his heart out in front of 10,000 fans to him patiently waiting for his pet dog to take a poop outside his NY apartment is nothing short of inspired. (John)

Jackpot.
When Oscar wakes up in a seedy strip club he finds he is holding a shotgun and is surrounded by 8 dead bodies & several live policemen…who promptly arrest him. However Oscar then proceeds to tell a lurid tale of a Christmas Tree factory run by ex-criminals, a lottery jackpot, a headless corpse, a gambling debt, and a great deal of bloodshed. Farcical black comedy very much along the lines of Fargo & Tarantino. Scripted by Scandinavian crime writer Jo Nesbo & while not as good as Headhunters, based on his novel, it’s still an entertaining watch if you like your humour on the dark side. (Mark)

What about me?.
Just watched ‘I Giant Leap: What About Me?’. It was amazing! It’s not a new doco but totally absorbing. What a fantastic idea: two musos travel around the world seamlessly blending unbelievably beautiful music and singing with dialogue from philosophers, teachers, religious and spiritual ‘gurus’, political commentators etc regarding the BIG questions ‘Who Am I?’, ‘What Am I doing Here?’ and importantly ‘Why Aren’t I Happy?!’. Beautifully illustrates how real, heartfelt music and spirituality are very much conjoined. Riveting stuff! (Ellie)

Borgen. Season one.
Viewers drawn into ‘Borgen’ from other Danish shows such as The Killing or The Protectors may find ‘Borgen’ a different kettle of fish. While Season 1 of ‘The Killing’ delved into the shifting face of Danish small party politics, it was always backed by the tension of an ongoing murder enquiry, whereas ‘Borgen’ is a purely political drama. A series of co-incidences, along with an impassioned Party debate speech, suddenly thrusts Moderate Party leader Birgitte Nyborg into prominence, with the result that her Party wins a record number of seats. Charged with forming a Coalition government various political maneavourings occur, resulting in her becoming Denmark’s first female Prime Minister. The following drama plays out around various political crisis points, examining the erosion of idealism faced with the practicalities of compromise politics & the growing strain on her personal life & family. A show that requires patience to absorb. Best recommended if you’re a fan of The West Wing, Geena Davis’ Commander In Chief, or UK Political drama’s. (Mark)

Shut up little man!: an audio misadventure.
An intriguing film about a pre-internet viral media phenomenon. When two students decided to record the very loud arguments coming from their alcoholic next door neighbour’s apartment they could not foresee just how wide an audience those recordings would eventually find. While the recordings went on to spawn a play, a graphic novel and bootleg cassettes and CDs galore, the two hapless drunks had no idea that they had become an underground phenomena. This Doco traces the trajectory of the rise of a viral phenomena but also questions issues such as the right to privacy and who owns life as art. (John)

Your sister’s sister.
Entertaining offbeat, indie romance/drama sees Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed) as Jack, a directionless slacker still troubled by the death of his brother a year ago. When his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt), also his late brothers girlfriend, suggests he spend some time alone at her family’s cabin on Puget Sound he takes her up on her offer. Only when he arrives he finds that someone is already there – Iris’ sister Hannah, who has just ended a long-term lesbian relationship. When Iris decides to surprise Jack at the cabin, she soon discovers that Jack & Hannah have swapped more than just stories…Directed by Lynn Shelton, ‘Your Sisters Sister’ features a great trio of natural performances that tease out the complicated lines of romance & friendship. Has a talky, improvised feel that may not be to everyone’s taste, but definitely worth a watch as alternative to the usual Hollywood fare in this genre. (Mark)

Declaration of war.
They are Romeo and Juliet. They became parents after a one-night stand, but are optimistic and happy to raise a child. However, their baby doesn’t seem to be well; in fact, has a brain tumour. It plunges them into darkness, but they declare war against all the challenges they may face. Based on the actual experience of the director/main character Valerie Donzelli and co-writer/co-star Jeremie Elkaim, who were once together and have a child with cancer, the film depicts their journey through the treatment. This sounds rather depressing and it could have been a weepy melodrama. However, the film has a bouncing pace which gives you a feeling that they sprint throughout, and is somehow uplifting. It has even a comical touch, although there are gloomy moments, of course. This film is not about the child, but about the young parents who grow mature through their nightmare experiences. There may be some flaws in this film but it’s encouraging and heart-warming. This fast-paced film ends with beautiful slow motion. Lovely. (Shinji)

Bernie.
Completely bizarre tale, based on a real life story, of Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), an undertaker in the small Texas town of Carthage. Bernie’s zest for life & empathetic personality make him the town’s most beloved person, captivating everyone with his selfless acts. Bernie even wins over the town’s richest & meanest widow Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), eventually becoming her travelling companion & business manager. But the tyrannical Marjorie’s possessive, sour demeanour & demands on his time begin to wear down the affable Bernie until one day he just can’t take it any more… Black gives a career best, perfectly pitched, performance as Bernie and the supporting cast of MacLaine & Matthew McConaughey, as Prosecutor ‘Danny-Buck’, are also spot on. However what makes the movie so unique, is that Director Richard Linklater uses a mixture of interviews with the real residents of Carthage who knew Bernie & Marjorie to structure the story & narrative, giving the film a documentary like feel. Recommended if you like something a bit different. (Mark)

Searching for Sugar Man.
If, like me, you had put this film on your ‘will watch one day as I am curious as to why everyone seems to like it but I am not expecting a lot’ list then time for a rethink. Admirably living up to the hype, this film documents an intriguing story that would be deemed far fetched if it had been made up but is even more amazing as it is absolutely true. The existence of archival footage helps enormously and the scenes of Rodriguez eventual triumphant return to South Africa are pure movie magic. For those who don’t know, Rodriquez was a failed Latino American rock star who worked for twenty years as a builder’ labourer, completely unaware that he had attained cult status in South Africa, being bigger than Elvis Presley. This is the story of a journalists’ quest and the unexpected results. (John)

End of watch.
Gritty street cops story from writer/director David Ayer (Training Day, Dark Blue, Street Kings). Ayer uses found footage from video recorders, surveillance cameras, internal car cams etc, to portray the policing & friendship of two officers, Brian (Jake Gyllenhall) & Mike (Michael Pena), as they work the streets of South Central Los Angeles. The film’s key lies in its loose narrative structure, recalling the work of police officer turned writer Joseph Wambaugh, with its focus on the day to day life of officers patrolling together, the diverse, occasionally dangerous, situations they encounter, & the camaraderie, loyalty & comedy that is central to the officer’s relationship. When the two officers cross paths with a Mexican drug cartel during a routine traffic stop, events are set in motion that soon spiral out of control…Recommended if you enjoyed Ayer’s previous work. (Mark)

Ruby Sparks.
Author Calvin has writer’s block and then suddenly a young woman called Ruby seems to appear out of nowhere – no family, no friends, no background. Has she come to help or hinder his writing – is she real or fiction? This is very clever writing and well worth seeing. (Liz)
Meta rom-com from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine sees Paul Dano as Calvin, a wonderkid novelist whose first novel caused a literary sensation while he was in his teens and who, ten years later, is still struggling to write a follow-up. He starts to dream of a girl called Ruby (Zoe Kazan), & with prompting from his therapist begins to write about her…only to wake up one morning to find she is living in his house as his girlfriend. Convinced he’s found the perfect woman who loves him unconditionally, he puts away his writing…until Ruby’s attentions start to wander & he realises he can control via his writing. Scripted by actress Kazan, the film focuses on the romantic fantasy of the perfect relationship, but manages to make some strong points on the way people control each other, and while it ultimately doesn’t take the idea as far as it could possibly have it’s a lot more enjoyable than the average Hollywood rom-com. (Mark)

Sleepwalkers.
Short lived 90’s Sci-Fi series helmed by the underrated Bruce Greenwood, playing a scientist who runs The Morpheus Institute, a research facility where he & fellow scientists (Naomi Watts, Jeffrey D. Sams, Abraham Benrubi) use technology to enter the dreams of troubled patients in order to diagnose their problems. Influenced somewhat by the Dennis Quaid 1984 movie ‘Dreamscape’, it suffers from an obviously low budget, so at times comes off like an X-Files clone or bad episodes of the Twilight Zone, but when it works wells it shows an unrealised promise & ideas that would take someone like Christopher Nolan to bring to fruition with Inception. Worth a look if you have a soft spot for 90s Sci-Fi. (Mark)

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their favourite music discoveries of April. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

II.
The sudden overnight success, via a single Bandcamp upload, of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra must have surprised ex Mint-Chick, Ruban Nielson. However, the second album from this NZ/US three piece confidently shows that they are definitely not an overnight sensation. ‘II’ is a captivating and highly enjoyable listen that manages to take influences as disparate as 70’s stoner rock, 60’s psychedelia and 80’s lo-fi indie to create a fresh, innovative and strangely appealing future pop. (John)

The show must go on.
Considered one of the great lost soul albums of the 70’s, as it’s master tapes were long tied up in an ownership dispute, Sam Dees’ ‘The Show Must Go On’ finally gets a CD reissue. Dee’s heartfelt vocals tear into a set of raw ballads & funky social commentary that almost equals the heights of Marvin Gaye’s classic What’s Going On? Dees, who has previously cut sides for Chess, would release a few more singles in the 70s, but would find most of his fame as a songwriter – penning hits for the likes of Gladys Knight, Loleatta Holloway, George Benson, Aretha Franklin, Atlantic Starr, and many others – before reviving his own solo career briefly in the 90’s, where he became a cult favourite on the UK northern-soul circuit. A great listen for anyone who’s a fan of classic 70’s soul. (Mark)

A wrenched viril lore.
‘A Wrenched Virile Lore’ (the record’s title is anagrammatic) is a remix project that finds a range of producers re-interpreting tracks from Mogwai’s 2012 release Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Those willing to sit back and let the sounds wash over them will be treated to an intriguing glimpse into an exercise in post-rock genre overlapping across a CD so stylistically varied that it shouldn’t hold together…..but somehow it does. Mogwai’s majestic tunes shine brightly across a range of electronic and analogue re-contextualisations that, at times, eclipse the original versions in beauty and complex splendour. (John)

Pedestrian verse.
After a barrelling rock ‘n’ roll moniker? Glasgow based Scots ‘Frightened Rabbit’ just used the one Scott Hutchison’s mum gave him as a kid. The singer’s pet name evokes a dimly lit picture of bluntly descriptive observations from a melancholic wall-flower. Characteristic of these indie folkster’s work. ‘Pedestrian Verse’ is number four in the bands full-length set, following on from last year’s ‘State Hospital’ EP and 2010’s playlist lingerer The Winter Of Mixed Drinks. Theatrically precise to the drum beat and string pluck they can warm you with soft spirit or Hutchison, for all his introversion, can roar at you with Scottish fervour amongst impassioned acoustic explosions. ‘Frightened Rabbit’ paint disturbingly vivid masterpieces with noise. Must listen’s: ambling key’s scene setter ‘Act’s Of Man’, the golden last EP’s title ‘State Hospital’ , “The Woodpile’, & ‘Late March, Death March’. Or the whole thing. It’ll be a folk classic. (Justin)

Hardcourage.
Falty DL, the electronic project of New York electronic producer Drew Lustman, has released a string of 12”s and one album over the past few years that encompass styles ranging across dubstep, house, garage, idm and downbeat. With ‘Hardcourage’, his first release for the London based Ninja Tunes label, he has delivered his most confident and focused release to date with an album of beautifully crafted, funky, relaxed and very cool downbeat electronica. (John)

The next day.
I’ve only listened to Bowie’s latest a few times and the first was underwhelming, sounding immediately similar to the Heathen/Reality albums of the early 2000’s, slightly plodding, whiney guitars, no real changes in tempo. BUT, being an old Bowie fan I didn’t want to dismiss it so easily and gave it another go, and I’m pleased I did because the songs are really growing on me. I’d heard the sombre single ‘Where are we now’ and seen the dour video, which didn’t instil me with excitement, but having listened a few times, it is quite lovely. The stand-out at the moment is The Stars (are out tonight) so uplifting and Valentine’s Day is sort of ‘John I’m only Dancing’ vibrant single material. But each song is quite different and individual so there is much to get your teeth into and I’d recommend giving it a good few goes if you don’t feel it’s got you first time because if not you will be missing out. After all this is not Gangnam Style, this is David Bowie. (Martin)

Silent hour/Golden mile.
Grizzly Bear fan alert! This five track EP from guitarist/ songwriter Daniel Rossen was released last year with little fanfare. Despite the fact that Rossen plays everything himself this could be a Grizzly Bear record – which illustrates just how much he contributes to the band’s sound. The distinctive guitar playing is here, the sweeping arrangements and the poignant vocals. “A lot of this music comes from exiling myself,” he said in a recent interview, and we should be thankful that artist’s such as Rossen can share their solitude with the rest of the world with such meticulous style. (John)

Bad as me.
His melodic growls and lyrical genius have been compressed into song lengths to rival the Kinks. Each song takes you by the hand, spins you around. until your mind is blown. Then, with alarming charm, you’re abandoned on a highway with a sensation in your gut that you’ve travelled well and far. For those who know his work it’s like the handsome baby of the Swordfishtrombone and Mule Variations albums – that kind of mixed pleasure. Highly recommended for a stomping dance and a nostalgic relaxation time. (Alisha)

Motor : nighttime world 3.
Robert Hood is one of the legendary techno pioneers from Detroit and here presents an aural homage to the post-industrial collapse of his home town. The promise of the original techno vision is fulfilled here within these soundscapes that depict both stark alien beauty and the unexpected sensuality of the technologically generated world. There are funky repetitive beats and there is sad sweeping ambience in this masterful, painfully human machine music. Great cover art too. (John)

Bloodsports.
Following rapturous reviews after re-uniting to play a charity gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London, as part of the 2010 Teenage Cancer Trust, it seemed inevitable that UK alt-rock band Suede would at some point release another studio album. It was less certain, though, if it would actually be any good as their last original album, 2002’s A New Morning was a patchy end to the band. However, the resulting new album ‘Bloodsports’ is far stronger than seemed possible. While it’s unlikely to convert any new fans at this stage, ‘Bloodsports’ plays to all of Suede’s strengths with a tight set of 10 tracks that balance mature guitar driven anthems with fresh approaches like the spooky ballad ‘What Are You Not Telling Me?’. Definitely worth a listen if you were a fan of the band in their 90’s heyday. (Mark)

Live!
Elizabeth Cotten was the author of the folk classic “Freight Train,” at age 12. Her finger picking guitar style (left handed, and upside down) has been imitated by thousands of folk guitar players and her songs have been performed and recorded by a variety of artists including: the Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal, and Maria Muldaur. Recorded in 1984 at the age of 85, she won a Grammy for Best Folk Album with this live recording of her singing, playing and telling stories of her life. Apart from hearing her astonishing finger picking guitar style, this recording is a valuable documentation of her stories, which give listeners an idea of what it had been like to grow up as a poor, black, female musician born at the dawn of the 20th century in America. (John)

Tornado.
Not a fan of Country Music, however since discovering this band in a friends CD collection ‘Little Big Town’ have become my new best friend. Released late last year this is their fifth studio album, track 2 ‘Pontoon’ is the albums lead single, and became their first number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, their highest placing to date, and first single to receive a Platinum certification. I think I’d describe this album as Country/Pop with a bit of rock, their four part vocal harmonies ‘classic’, and each member alternating as lead singers. (Ethel)

Exai.
The ‘Warp’ in Sheffield’s Warp Records is an acronym for Weird And Radical Projects and no Warp releases satisfy that definition more so than Rob Brown and Sean Booth’s 20 year old Autechre project. Steven Spielberg’s movie ‘AI’ contains a scene that features escaped feral robots in the wilderness at night gathered around a campfire and I think that the music contained within Exai’s two discs would be the music these feral robots would be listening to. However, ‘fireside music for robots’ is not meant as a negative observation, ‘Exai’ contains some of the strangest and most challenging electronic music you will ever hear, but be brave enough to dive in and there are unexpected rewards to be uncovered. (John)

Don’t be a stranger.
Modest but iconic singer-song writer Mark Eitzel has enjoyed a stellar 30 year career. He has made more than 15 albums as a solo artist and with his legendary indie band American Music Club, and this new album should be top-shelf among them. Working with the masterful producer Sheldon Gomberg, who worked with the likes of Rickie Lee Jones, Ben Harper, Ron Sexsmith etc., he seems to be gentler and more lenient in this album. It may be due to the heart attack he suffered in 2011, but he sounds more accessible and his ‘sad clown’ songs are well crafted on the subtle sound palette Sheldon presents. Having a wonderful support by The Attractions’ Pete Thomas and the accomplished pianist Larry Goldings, it’s a small masterpiece. (Shinji)

Amok.
Thom Yorke’s latest side project has received a lot of press – there are even posters up around town about it – but those coming to this expecting the indie rock thrill of Radiohead are bound for disappointment. ‘Amok’ is a far more subtle and surprisingly unassuming affair. Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich spent a year tweaking, looping, sampling and programming the original recordings which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player, Flea, and Beck & REM drummer, Joey Waronker, to create a captivating album of atmospheric electronic/analogue driven songs. (John)

Mt. Zion : music from & inspired by the motion picture.
‘We all got our dreams to chase and we all got our mountains to climb, eke panuku, eke hiona!’ Featuring Stan Walker’s recently released chart topping hit single ‘Take it easy’, this album debuted at number one on the ‘Top 40 charts’. Featuring original tracks from Stan who plays Turei in the movie, and his band ‘Small Axe’ with a uniquely Maori flavour on Bob Marley’s reggae vibe. With a mix of songs from the late 70’s era, the likes of 10CC, Third world, Toots & the Maytals, Johnny Nash, Herbs and ‘Golden Harvest’ grace this album with ease, so if you enjoyed music from the late 70’s, and you enjoyed the ‘movie’ which also topped the NZ Box Office, then you reggae lovers out there will love this soundtrack as well. (Ethel)

All hell.
The alt country world has only just recently opened up to electronic tinkering which makes ‘All Hell’ a difficult record to categorise. Like Dirty Beaches, the spirits of Elvis Presley and Lee Hazlewood hang over the sound but only as wispy ghosts. Daughn Gibson croons his wryly observational songs in a confident baritone over instrumentation, loops and samples from a dusty dreamworld somewhere down a long desert highway. This is an intriguing, varied and highly original record that, I suspect, may signal more to come from a new electronic/country sub-genre. (John)

Dream logic.
Jazz guitarist Eivand Aaset is one of the most talented and innovative artists from Norway, which abounds with musical talents. His guitar play was essential for the hugely successful Nils Petter Molvaer band, and he has constantly issued fantastic electronica jazz and progressive rock-ish jazz albums as a leader. This, his ECM debut album, finds him in a dark, ruminative mood. Working with a countryman, sampling/programming master Jan Bang (both artists were invited by David Sylvian for his European tour which was unfortunately cancelled due to Sylvian’s health), he takes a unique sonic approach, and creates still yet astute, imaginative ethereal soundscape. It doesn’t sound like the music by the guitarist, but is an alluring, inventive ambient music. Although it’s produced by Jan Bang, not by the ECM label owner Manfred Eicher, it has an ECM-ish, subtle and profound beauty. A quiet triumph. (Shinji)

Deep water.
Sarah Hawker and Debra Clifford aka, The Lonesome Sisters, were voted Best Acoustic Duo of 2006 by Gibson Guitars. The sparse arrangements, using instruments including clawhammer banjo, tenor guitar and harmonium, which underpin their beautiful vocal harmonies, bring a traditional Appalachian feel into the 21st century. This is not hoedown music, however – this collection of traditional and original songs of loneliness, sorrow and the human spirit is slow and mournful and transcends both time and genre which means it can be enjoyed whether or not you are a fan of mountain music. (John)

MBV.
After 22 years, rumours of a new My Bloody Valentine album had become akin to an urban myth, then with little fanfare a new album arrived a year after the remastering campaign of their classic 90’s albums Isn’t Anything & Loveless. Musically it’s a bit of a grab bag. Some tracks follow on naturally from the sound evoked on ‘Loveless’, some offer a more abstract experimental sound while others have a pop-ier feel, sounding at times like Saint Etienne remixes. Endless back & forth will no doubt occur as to whether it is as good as their previous 2 albums & EP’s and if it was worth such a long wait, but still any new music from such an iconic band is a good thing…(Mark)

The four seasons/ Vivaldi ; recomposed by Max Richter.
The most recent release in German classical label Deutsche Gramophone’s ‘Recomposed’ series is Max Richter’s take on Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’. Previous releases have seen Carl Craig & Moritz Von Oswald’s electronically re-composing Ravel & Mussorgsky and Matthew Herbert electronically re-sampling Mahler. According to the cover notes, Max Richter began by re-sampling but found that he could not get down to the notes level of the work, so he has edited, rewritten and recorded the work, featuring Daniel Hope on solo violin, and discarded about three quarters of the original in the process. Purists will be horrified but Richter’s re-composition, but with its subtle addition of electronic bass and atmospheres and deep engagement with the original, brings a beautiful work refreshed and sparkling into the new millennium. (John)

Earlier this month, we asked our colleagues what their favourite New Zealand book was – here are the results:

Dreamhunter / Elizabeth Knox.Dreamhunter
“I think I would have to say it’s Elizabeth Knox’s Dreamhunter, I read it when I was 17 and still remember parts of it vividly, and keep wanting to read it again!” (Ottilie)

Reach / Hugh Brown.
“It is such a wonderful story about growing up in NZ” (Dani)

Potiki / Patricia Grace.
“For me, it would probably have to be Potiki by Patricia Grace. It opened a window into a different world for me, one I have been learning about ever since. It is beautifully written and I’ve reread it 4 times, which is very unusual for me!” (Pippa)

The kindness of strangers : (kitchen memoirs) / Shonagh Koea ; with illustrations by Peter Wells.
“I’ve read embarrassingly little New Zealand literature but my favourite so far would be In the Kindness of Strangers: Kitchen Memoirs by Shonagh Koea.” (Beth)

Work in progress / by Paul Thomas.
“I really like Paul Thomas’ “Work in Progress”. Its an old one though. What I like about it is the way he writes about day to day things with wit and humour and ravishing honesty.” (Kim)

Dear sweet Harry / Lynn Jenner.
“Fantastically diverse collection of poetry from a super-naturally talented writer.” (Monty)

It’s love, isn’t it? : the love poems / Alistair Te Ariki Campbell and Meg Campbell ; with an introduction by Joy MacKenzie.
“Poetic tit for tat as Alistair and Meg, often on opposing pages, write poetry on the same events in their life but from, of course, differing and often completely opposite points of view. Affirming and heartbreaking.” (Monty)

Mr. Allbones’ ferrets : an historical pastoral satirical scientifical romance, with mustelids / Fiona Farrell.
”Currently mine is Mr Allbone’s Ferrets by Fiona Farrell. Wonderfully written, quirky and fun.” (Sara)

Soundtrack : 118 great New Zealand albums / Grant Smithies.
“Why? Because the author’s choice of records highlights the eclectic range of music that NZ is famous for……and because he writes about each album in an engaging and highly entertaining style.” (John)

Faces in the water
“I think Faces in the Water by Janet Frame needs to be on the list if it’s not already!” (Emily)

Memé : the three worlds of an Italian-Chinese New Zealander / Memé Churton.
“A NZ book that I enjoyed reading and was really touched by its narrative is the biography titled, ‘Memé: the three worlds of an Italian-Chinese New Zealander’ by Memé Churton.  Memé married a New Zealander after the 2nd WW and ended up settling in Auckland in the 1950’s. Her life story is set against a dramatic backdrop of history and was shaped by her dynamic personality and the lives of the people who crossed her path. The story has impressed me as I can so very much relate to Memé’s insights into the European lifestyle and family upbringing, and , I can also share her thoughts related to the culture shock that she experienced, when she first arrived in New Zealand. I would recommend this biography to those who love history, politics and intercultural relations.” (Celia)

The Halfmen of O / Maurice Gee.
“I really like the Halfmen Of O series by Maurice Gee. I remember listening to them on the radio when my children were small and they were just great stories.” (Sylvia) (Raewyn & Tamadea’s picks too)

The scarecrow / by Ronald Hugh Morrieson.
“My pick for fiction would have to be “The Scarecrow” by Ronald Hugh Morieson. It’s a savagely comic look at murder, sex, adolescence and family in a small New Zealand town during the Depression. Unlike a lot of New Zealand literature, it’s not dour or po-faced. The characters are brilliantly written, despite some of them being quite grotesque. It is also has probably the best opening line of any NZ novel: “The same week our fowls were stolen, Daphne Moran had her throat cut. ” It really sets up the wonderful mixture of murder and the mundane that run through the entire novel.” (Nicola)

The Godwits Fly by Robin Hyde
“A wonderful work of New Zealand literature which evocates a vivid image of early 20th Century Wellington with all its sights, smells and characters.” (Gabor)

Daylight / Elizabeth Knox.
“Randomly, probably something by Elizabeth Knox, probably Daylight (everyone else would say The Vintner’s Luck maybe – I even prefered The Angel’s Cut to TVL).” (Bridget)

Sons for the return home / by Albert Wendt.
“My new favourite is already a classic – Sons for the Return Home, by Albert Wendt, which despite having two degrees in English I read for the first time only this year.  I like it for its vivid and bittersweet romance (I’m a sucker) and also the specificity of the largely Wellington / Victoria University setting. Although named locations are kept to a minimum in keeping with the book’s light touch, it’s easy to follow the characters as they move from Rankine Brown quad to the Mount Street Ceremony, drive out to Newtown and catch the cable car to Upland Road – the very same streets we tread!

Unlike Australia and Canada, New Zealand as a post-colonial country doesn’t have much city-specific literature, but Sons for the Return Home does something to address that. It never makes the city ‘home’, however, and a large part of the story is addressing the issue of where, with whom, immigrant communities and the Pasifica protagonist can be at home. I loved it. ” (Frith)

Six little New Zealanders / by Esther Glen ; illustrated by Els Noordhof.
“If I’m allowed to mention two – I also recommend the mostly-forgotten Black Boots and Button-hooks series and Six Little New Zealanders – childrens’ books written in the first half of the 20th Century and set in pioneer and colonial times. Black Boots and Buttonhooks is much like a New Zealand version of Little House on the prairie – based on the real childhood of the authors mother in the un-colonised King Country. It’s well worth a read!” (Frith)

Plumb / Maurice Gee.
“Changed my life” (Neil)

Further picks:

Lonely margins of the sea / Shonagh Koea. (Joy)
Purple heart / by Andrew Fiu. (Magalie)
The foreign woman / Fiona Kidman. (Ada)
No left turn / Chris Trotter. (Tamadea)
The changeover : a supernatural romance / Margaret Mahy. (Tamadea)

Shinji’s Picks:

Live / Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin.
Nik Bartsche’s Ronin plays regularly at the live house in Zurich on Monday night, unless they are out of town on tour. It’s their ‘dojo’, where they train and discipline their skills and music, and Bartsche calls a concert ‘meditative and explosive from collaboration’. This live album, which is their 4th outing from ECM, is a collection of their live performances from their world tour between 2009 and 2011, and is a best-of album as well as a great introduction to what they call ‘ritual groove music’. There may be shadows of Steve Coleman and Steve Reich, but this ascetic groove, which is often played in an irregular time, is totally original and unique. It may be described as a fusion of modern minimal music and funk, and always brings cool air with it even when the performance gets hot and high. That is why some call it ‘zen funk’. One and only best.

Lux.
Since moving to Warp label in 2010, Brian Eno has been very creative and productive. The previous two albums (Small Craft on a Milk Sea and Drums between the Bells) are wonderful efforts and here his first ambient music in this century proves once again that he is the master of its kind. This is the latest project of his ‘Music of Thinking’ series and is a sound image of ‘time’ and ‘light’. Four parts, ample 75- minutes-long-composition plays seamlessly, and it’s like an utmost ‘discreet music’ which he pioneered. Melodies are melted into the sound scape and images are constantly drifted, as the leaves of a tree change their colours and brightness by the effect of the light. Although there is nothing radical, it’s a masterful work.

Pour une âme souveraine : a dedication to Nina Simone.
Despite being admired as an influential black female artist as well as a social activist, Nina Simone may be still underappreciated. She never stopped searching for her artistic expression and experimenting with something new. It perhaps makes it difficult to understand her music. The same could be applied to Me’Shell Ndegeocello, who is highly talented but refuses to be categorised, and this tribute album makes perfect sense in that regard. Although Ndegeocello invites notable guests including Lizz Wright, Cody ChesnuTT and Sinead O’Connor, she takes a low-keyed, ascetic approach in her usual manner. The mainstay of this beautiful, dark-ambient world is Ndegeocello’s bass play. It seems as though her deep, blackness bass sound represents the Simon’s spirit, that is, the independence of black women.

Port of morrow / The Shins.
Almost James Mercer’s solo project, this The Shins’ new album was the most joyous find in 2012 for me. The key of this project is the producer Greg Kurstin (from The Bird and The Bee and the producer of Lily Allen, Sia etc.). His pop-sense and multi-instrumental, colourful arrangements bring fresh insight into Mercer’s songs. It’s simpler than the previous albums but larger in scale, and this music seems to last. This could be a new departure of this much-loved indie act.

Mark’s Pick:

The idler wheel is wiser…
While new artists emerged that seemed either influenced by her style, or happy to stake-out her position in the music spectrum (Feist, Regina Spektor, Florence & the Machine), none seemed to possess the edge or rawness that made Fiona Apple’s work so interesting. ‘The Idler Wheel’, her first release in 7 years, is even more of an exposed nerve-ending than her previous albums; a ragged journey through her tortured psyche which, from any one else, would come off as an exercise in pretension. However, Apple manages to weld dark minimalist arrangements to even darker lyrics focusing around inner doubts, turmoil, & fractured relationships without sounding self-indulgent. It sounds distinctly un-melodic, even atonal, at some points; however the songs sink under the skin after a few plays and, as a whole, the album has a raw power that few other artists can manage. Uncomfortable, chaotic, intense, but ultimately rewarding.

Jeremy’s Pick:

Big inner.
‘Big Inner’ is the first record from Matthew E. White’s own label Spacebomb, which was set up in the style of 60s soul labels like Motown. That means a house band with a horn section, and a house arranger and producer. The result is what sounds like a soul record sung by a soft-voiced, portly, young white man. A bit like the Four Tops meets Yo La Tengo.

Monty’s Picks:

Mr. M.
Lambchop continue to deliver their own eclectic brand of pop/lounge/jazz/soul but Mr M gains extra emotional force and lament from its dedication to anti-folk anti-hero Vic Chesnutt.
Songs like ‘If not I’ll just die,’ and ‘The good life (is wasted)’ seem to reference Chesnutt’s early self inflicted demise but never obviously, whilst instrumentals ‘Betty’s Overture’ and ‘Mr Met’ get into that effortless, soulful Lambchop groove you wish would never end. So, we’re left with careful, intimate, reflections on the darker side of life and taken as a whole, the effect is cathartic, even spiritual in the widest yet most personal sense. The album ends with ‘Never my love,’ possibly Kurt Wagner’s least ironic and complete statement on the potential of love to sustain and a fine end to a complete album.

Valtari.
After a four year break and threats of disbanding, Sigur Ros have released this lush and occasionally transcendent selection of songs.  Valtari is dreamy and ethereal, ambient and touching and Jonsi Birgisson’s delicate, immaculately controlled vocals have never sounded better. It’s an album that is consistently and uniquely Sigur Ros and sometimes you wish for greater intensity but the intension and execution are clear – this is elemental, thoughtful music and if you miss the exultant, tribal version try brilliant third track ‘Varuo.’ A plaintive, immersive collection of songs that will happily sustain Sigur Ros fan’s till the next.

Home Brew.
I love Home Brew. I think I’ll keep loving Home brew too, because their funny and their serious. Here are my top eight favourite bits:
1. The beautiful piano at the start of ‘Listen to us’ and Rob Muldoon’s evil mastermind laughter to end.
2. Good God being fearless on religion and building up from funky anger to a choir-like insistence for something greater because, ‘I don’t wanna go…’ and the almost perverse gospel piano – talk about irony.
3. This line from State of mind – ‘If prison is a state of mind, I’m doing time – Misery is a mate of mine.’
4. The unbelievable, unsettling groove and deep, deep tension of ‘Plastic Magic.’
5. Track ten, side 2 – Space. That Miles Davis trumpet. Not the first time space has been used as metaphor for isolation and existential uncertainty but never better than here.
6. That jazzy ‘Dedicated to’ is dedicated to ‘the hustlers scabbing off of the government, wandering in the street playing cricket with the rubbish bins,’
7. The way the chorus for the delicious Datura/White flowers slides up an octave on the words, ‘So Higgghhhh…’
8. That Home Brew by Home Brew is two albums, instead of one – man!

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Mark’s Picks:

Safety not guaranteed.
Overworked Seattle magazine intern Darius (Aubrey Plaza, Parks & Recreation) tags along with journalist Jeff & fellow intern Arnau to investigate a bizarre classified add seeking a companion to ‘travel back in time with’, expecting to find the kind of wacky story that would make a good piece for the magazine. Tracking down who placed the add, they find local supermarket clerk Kenneth (Mark Duplas). When Kenneth rebuffs Jeff’s attempt to become his time-travel companion, Jeff recruits Darius to step in. Expecting to find nothing but a crank weirdo Darius slowly finds herself drawn to the paranoid Kenneth & his oddball charm. As Kenneth initiates more serious ‘training’ & mission preparations, the journalists become more drawn into his story when they discover that the ‘Government Agents’ that Kenneth claims are following him…are in fact real. Just who is Kenneth, & can he really travel back in time? Completely charming indie film sees great performances from Duplass & Plaza. Worth 100 cookie-cutter Hollywood rom-com’s.

Moonrise kingdom.
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, 12 year old Sam resigns his commission as a ‘Khaki Scout’ and disappears – to run away & live in the wild with his secret pen-pal Suzy. Their disappearance throws the close-knit island community into chaos & the local police Chief (Bruce Willis) joins forces with the Khaki Scout Troup Leader (Edward Norton) to track the duo down – while a violent storm brews off shore, adding more danger to the situation. Wes Anderson is back in top form on ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, with his patented style of subtle humour, quirky characters & deadpan dialogue. The two young leads are great & more than hold their own against a top notch supporting cast that also includes Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, & Jason Schwartzman. With its focus on adolescent coming-of-age it may lack the broader appeal of something like The Royal Tenenbaums, so while some may delight in its quirky style, others may scratch their heads & think it all a bit silly & not really funny at all. Maybe not for all tastes but greatly enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.

Shinji’s Picks:

Le Havre.
Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismaki is known for his peculiar, offbeat style, and his latest film ‘Le Havre’ offers everything expected from him. Set in a small port town in French Normandy, it deals with an illegal immigration. This sounds unusual for one of his films; but from the beginning to the end, from one end to the other of the screen in every scene, it’s distinctively Kaurismaki. A local old shoe-shiner somehow befriends a young African refugee and hides him to help his escape. Police are after him and his beloved wife becomes ill. Although the film touches serious issues, it’s droll and funny with deadpan characters. It’s narrated with his trademarked retro manners, and best of all, has a double happy ending. Quirky yet heart-warming.

Le quattro volte.
This is a mysterious, yet charming little gem. It’s about reincarnation, life and the universe, but the Italian director Michelangelo Frammartino has no intention of making any assertions. This wordless, fiction/documentary may defy your preconceived notions about movies. Avoiding a people-oriented view, life in the mountainous village in South Italy is portrayed by only footage and sounds of nature. Although it has warm humour, nothing much is happening but it interestingly stimulates your imagination. Apparently Frammartino used to create installation works a lot, and this could be his new interactive work of art. Be open minded. It’s a delightful watch.

Mysteries of Lisbon.
It is said that Chilean filmmaker Raul Ruiz (1941-2011), who was exiled to France after the 1973 coup, made more than 100 films in his career. A lot of them are low-budget B-movies and unseen. However, he is a true genius, and this film (which was originally a TV drama in 6 one-hour episodes; the DVD is a 4 and half hour-long movie version) ‘Mysteries of Lisbon’ offers the finest example of this utterly unique filmmaker’s work. Primarily it’s a story about an orphan boy Joao, but also about his curator Father Dinis, and a lot of characters – who are nestled in others’ memories – come and go over several countries and generations. Many elegantly twisted, melodramatic events unfold throughout, and they are all related in some way and come together like a Mobius strip. This enigmatic, multifaceted drama is not the easiest to get your head around, but it gives you a mesmerising cinematic euphoria.

This is not a film.
Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Abbas Kiarostami, Bahman Ghobadi to name but a few – Iranian film makers have surprised and inspired the world with their unique perspective and innovative way of making films, but most of them have now left their country to avoid the pressure from the current regime. Jafar Panahi, who is perhaps the most political, stays but has been held under house arrest. ‘This is not a Film’ was secretly filmed to document a day in his life in his Tehran apartment. Despite the limited conditions, the film is engaging and has plenty of originality and ingenuity, and a lot of humour as well. This was shot on the day of the Persian New Year and the noise from the city and the fireworks is ominous, making us wonder if they imply what will happen to him in the future. This film was smuggled from Iran to France on a USB drive inside a cake, and premiered at Cannes in 2011. This is a strong statement from this extraordinary filmmaker.

Kate’s Pick:

Brave [3D].
Brave took home the award for Best Animated Film at the Golden Globes and also won Best Animated Film in this year’s Academy Awards. Pixar Animation Studios, the creator of Toy Story 3, whisks you away on an astonishing adventure in the Scottish Highlands full of mystery, magic and tradition. Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor defies an age-old custom; where she competes against (and defeats) each of her suitors in an archery contest during the Highland Games, by which she states she is “shooting for her own hand”, much to the outrage of the lords of the land and causes a rift between mother and daughter. Merida then acquires a magic spell from a witch. The witch agrees to give Merida a spell to “change” her mother (into a bear) in the form of a cake. When chaos is unleashed in the kingdom as a result of Merida’s actions, she must harness all of her skills and resources to break the beastly curse before its too late, mend bonds “torn by pride”, and discover the meaning of true bravery. From the kilt-wearing lords, to the bagpipe music, traditional Highland games, Merida’s triplet brothers’ pranks (7 ingenious attempts to steal sweets), this is a very entertaining mother/daughter movie and a celebration of Scottish culture.

Sue’s Pick:

Salmon fishing in The Yemen.
Want to see beautiful shots of the land of the lochs and the glens? Want to enjoy wide panoramic vistas if the sands of Morocco? Want to see some beautiful people and enjoy sparkling and witty dialogue – then see this film!! I love this movie and hold myself personally responsible for any box office success it enjoyed in Wellington. I had not realised what a lot of cognisance was given to critics’ caustic comments. Many people persuaded to see it are now very glad that they did. What can be said against it? That: It’s a bit cheesy? – true, but it’s so charming you will forgive the fact. That: It’s not true to the book? – true too, but a very good thing. The book, while very well written and perhaps more true to life, is very serious and doesn’t have a happy ending. Now that autumn’s approaching take this movie home and let some sunshine in to your soul.

Monty’s Picks:

Bobby Fischer against the world.
Turns out Bobby Fischer was neglected somewhat as a child (his father left and his mother was always absent fighting for some cause or other) and that he immersed himself in chess partly because it was his nature to be intense and obsessive but also because it was his way of compensating. Your tolerance for Fischer and his unhappy beginnings may begin to wane though as this excellent documentary progresses. Fisher leaves the United States (for any country that will have him), holds court on anti-Semitic conspiracies and insults every and anyone that could be of value to him. The famous chess matches with Spassky are covered in highly dramatic and intensely edited footage, with expert commentary that often compares chess with art, or even life. Fischer lived out his final years in Iceland, scene of the Spassky triumph, unknown or known and tolerated. The movie continually revisits footage of Fischer on a park bench just before the 72 championship answering questions on life he has no answer to, or little insight of. The question – was Fisher’s life one that never really begun?

The cabin in the woods.
Unsettling and entertaining combination of horror, comedy, brutal black slapstick and end of the world silliness that never takes itself or any of the genres it satirises seriously for even a second. My quickest, most enjoyable 95 minutes of cinema for 2012.

American horror story. The complete first season.
Once you have got past spotting all your favourite scenes lifted from horror films of years past (think The Shining, Rosemary’s baby, An American Werewolf in London, any haunted house flick…) there is much fun to be had in this tale of broken families, horrific murders and ghostly possession. Jessica Lange, playing the malevolent southern matriarch to end all southern matriarchs steals every manic, beautifully written scene she’s in. Twists come thick and fast – some surprising, some predictable – and the real question might be; how can season two possibly proceed from here? Look forward to more shocks, sensations, revelations, dark humour and especially, the outrageously fantastic Jessica Lange, in season two!

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There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. At the beginning of every year, we round up our favourite film and television released on DVD over the past year in one blog post. This year we had a LOT of staff favourites, so we’ve split them into two parts. Our first part features librarian and film enthusiast John’s picks – enjoy!

John’s Picks:

Boardwalk empire. The complete second season.
HBO maintain their high standards of quality TV, and this series is a good example as Steve Buscemi continues to lead the cast onwards in an engrossing and increasingly complex story set in the days of prohibition in 1920’s America.

Treme. The complete second season.
Music, food, drama and political intrigue set in post Hurricane Katrina New Orleans makes a recipe for an exceptional series.

The spice trail.
Kate Humble traces the history of six spices in this fascinating three part BBC series that traces the original spice routes and reveals the dark underbelly of colonialisation on the way.

Michael Wood’s story of England.
Those whose ancestry includes the British Isles will find this series especially interesting as the history of England, with its waves of conquerors, is revealed through the historical records of one British village.

Mad men. Season five.
‘Madmen’ may or may not be ‘the best TV show ever’, but it certainly remains the most stylish and Series 5 continues to deliver on every level.

Project Nim.
This story of a 60’s animal psychology experiment that goes horribly wrong is intriguing on several levels as we see both the dark and light side of human nature and witness the mystery of the chimpanzee world.

El bulli: cooking in progress.
This doco about the world famous restaurant in Spain that is booked out for each year’s season before it opens its doors explores the very odd world of master chef, Ferran Adrià, who is widely considered the best, most innovative and craziest chef in the world and for whom art and food inhabit the same domain.

This is not a film.
What do you do if you are a film maker under house arrest and banned from film making? If you are Iranian director Jafar Panahi you make a film in your flat and have it smuggled it out of the country on a memory stick to be premiered to international acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival.

Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard.
Australia has not produced a lot of legendary artists, but recently deceased Howard S. Rowland, Nick Cave’s guitarist for years, whose idiosyncratic style influenced both My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, must come close, as illustrated in this lovingly crafted doco.

Looper.
Sci-fi movies that deal with the paradox of time travel often fall flat; however Looper is clever, doesn’t demand too great a suspension of disbelief and credibly manages to pull off a story that involves someone battling wits with their future self.

The ides of March.
George Clooney has become an accomplished director and he also stars in this very well crafted and nicely understated film that nevertheless makes a strong statement about political intrigue in the current USA.

Moneyball.
Brad Pitt seems to choose interesting roles and he doesn’t disappoint in this intriguing true story, set in the world of baseball, which is, believe it or not, actually about the power of data analysis.

The trip.
Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden are nothing short of totally hilarious in this comedy about rival TV personalities on a food tour of Britain.

We need to talk about Kevin.
Lynne Ramsay’s adaptation of the best selling novel stars Tilda Swinton in a film that is not light viewing but nevertheless rewards in its telling of a provocative story of very deep family dysfunction.

A dangerous method.
David Cronenberg’s first historical drama is set in 1900’s Europe and tells the true story of Sabina Spielrein (played by Kiera Knightly), a patient of both Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, whose ideas influenced the start of the pioneer psycho-analytic movement.

Route Irish.
British social realist director Ken Loach made his first film in 1964 and shows no sign of letting up. Route Irish is as hard hitting and chilling as anything he has done as he uses the Iraq war to explore the overlap of the military and big business in a tale of revenge.

Margin call.
Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons shine as soul-less corporate executives in this story that, quite plausibly, depicts what may have gone on behind the scenes in corporate boardrooms on the eve of the 2008 financial melt down.

The way.
Road movies are a dime a dozen but Martin Sheen’s performance as a bereaved father who takes a pilgrimage along Spain’s famous ‘El camino de Santiago’ helps to make this genuinely warm film something quite special.

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their best music discoveries for 2012. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

John’s Picks:
Lonerism.
Yep, he deserves the hype. With what is essentially a bedroom production, Australian wunderkid Kevin Parker has managed to introduce a whole new generation to psychedelic, hypno-groove melodic rock.

Bloom.
Not that the previous three weren’t great, but four cds along and Beach House nail their lovely sound to perfection.

Shields.
Those lucky enough to see them live at Wellington Opera House will nod sagely. Grizzly Bear lead the way into uncharted, melodic indie grandeur.

Tender new signs.
Ex Kiwi Tamaryn re-invents shoegaze in her own distinctive style and further explores the very cool sonic template mapped out on last year’s The Waves.

An awesome wave [2CD].
It’s a mystery how a record so wonky and left field could win the Mercury Prize and gain such popular success; however that’s entertainment for you. Those curious enough to persevere with Alt-J will discover surprising musical delights within Alt-J’s highly original take on alt-pop.

Nocturne.
Wild Nothing’s Gemini was a glowing homage to 80’s indie pop that became a cult hit and the follow up ‘Nocturne’ expands upon the sound to create something quite stunning in it’s maturity and sheer confidence of delivery.

Beams.
This fifth album exploring the crossover of pop and electronica finds Mathew Dear in less cold mode than Black City but no less inventive as he boils everything he is emotionally, musically, and creatively to its most essential.

Lux.
Twenty years on, Brian Eno completes the trilogy of beatless mesmerising ambient releases that began with 1985’s Thursday Afternoon followed by 1993’s ‘Neroli’. This is true ambient music with notes that hang in the air like incense.

Reform club.
It was the mission statement of the first Detroit techno pioneers to reveal the “soul of the machine” and Mark Stewart, in his Claro Intelecto guise, fulfils that mission perfectly with this standout electronic release.

Aimlessness.
Jimmy Tamborello pretty much invented the indietronica sound with his 2001 release Life Is Full of Possibilites and ten years on finds him continuing to explore possibilities with an electronic release that is as subtle as it is complex. Largely overlooked by the indie media this is an understated, innovative and fascinating sound.

Four.
Michael Upton has been a mainstay of the Wellington electronic music community for twenty years now and this, a standout NZ electronic release and his first in a decade, shows that he has lost none of his original and very cool take on sound design.

Olgamikks.
Remixes are a dime a dozen these days but what makes this remix compilation stand out is Robag Wruhme’s distinctive style. He remixes some highly regarded producers here, including Gui Boratto, Modeselektor and Dntel, and creates something fresh from each that is as playful as it is funky.

Black radio / Robert Glasper Experiment.
Jazz pianist Robert Glasper enters the world of hip hop, soul; and R ‘n’ B and delivers an exceptional album difficult to pin down. Guest vocalists include Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway and Mos Def and featuring highly original cover versions of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and David Bowie’s ‘Letter To Hermoine’, this album presents an exciting glimpse into current jazz/rock fusion.

Interludes after midnight.
Ninja Tune beatmeister, Blockhead, has been making instrumental hip hop since 2004 and has become a dependable producer, gradually improving his craft with each release. His fine ear for samples and love of the album format mean that his albums are always an entertaining and immersive listening experiences and this, his latest, is no exception.

Passing place.
Cinematic is an overused term for describing music but for UK band Loka, whose sound is equal parts space jazz-fusion, post-rock jam, prog-rock flourish, and spy-movie soundtrack, it is a perfect fit. A wide array of instruments are used to create these immersive and emotive soundscapes which are embellished on several tracks with brass arrangements by ex-Coil member Thighpaulsandra.

There are a lot of keen film-watchers at Wellington City Libraries and there are also a lot of great films, docos and TV series lining our shelves. So here’s a selection of the best, recent and not-so-recent DVDs taken home and watched by librarians, compiled for your viewing pleasure.

JSA: Joint Security Area.
‘JSA’ one of Korea’s most successful films, tells the story of a Security incident in the DMZ separating North and South Korea. Two North Korean soldiers have been killed & one wounded, with the North Korean soldier believed responsible captured. It’s a political powder keg, so a neutral Swiss/Swedish team of investigators are brought in to uncover the truth. However, beyond their initial statements -which lay the blame for the incident on each other – both the North Korean killer & the surviving soldier refuse to speak, and a disparity with the number of bullets found & the magazine capacity of the assassins gun soon reveal that some kind of cover-up is at play. The film plays out in a series of flashbacks, as the truth is slowly revealed. Both a peon to a shared humanity that triumphs over political ideology & a tragic indictment of the institutionalised hatreds that divide culture, ‘JSA’ is a powerful movie, well worth watching. (Mark)

Limbo.
Another rich character study from John Sayles (Eight Men Out, Lonestar). Set in a small town in Alaska, faced with the closure of its mill & change & uncertainty in its future, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio plays Donna, a travelling Nightclub jazz singer, whose teen-age daughter is tired of her mother’s revolving-door of loser boyfriends. When she begins a tentative relationship with Joe (David Strathairn), a local handyman with a troubled past, things start to look up. However when Joe’s brother arrives in town asking for his help crewing his boat to a ‘business’ meeting, Joe brings along Donna & her daughter, and things take an unexpected turn… ‘Limbo’ is one of those movies that’s almost impossible to define. A drama with elements of romance, a psychological survival thriller, a Northern Exposure-esque character study of the kinds of people that end up in the Alaskan frontier…its all that & more. The ambiguous ending may not suit everyone’s taste, but it’s definitely an engaging film with some great acting (& singing by Mastrantonio, who does her own vocals) & recommended if you like something a bit different than the usual style of film-making. (Mark)

Project Nim.
Nim was a chimpanzee who was unlucky enough to be chosen as the subject of an experiment by an American linguist in the swinging sixties. This bizarre experiment involved Nim being raised as a human child (including being breast fed) and taught sign language from an early age in order to investigate how far cross species communication could be taken. When funding was abruptly stopped for the project, Nim’s future became perilous. To tell more would be to give the story away of this moving and intriguing Doco about animal rights, the folly of science and the strange foibles of human nature. (John)

Sleepless night.
The French love their thrillers & ‘Sleepless Nights’ is another solid entry in the genre. Vincent is a seemingly solid cop, but he & his partner are also robbing drug dealers at gunpoint. When a job goes wrong he is recognized, and in retaliation the local mob boss kidnaps his estranged teenage son and demands he return the bag of cocaine to his Nightclub. Vincent heads to the nightclub & prepares to make the trade, but he is on the radar of the Internal Affairs police who complicate the exchange, leaving Vincent with nothing to trade…and only the rest of the night to make good on the exchange, or his son dies. The majority of the film plays out in the confines of the various levels of the Nightclub as Vincent tries to retrieve the bag of drugs, while avoiding Internal Affairs, rival drug factions & crooked cops…It’s all somewhat contrived but the French excel at immersing you in the lives of desperate characters, & it has plenty of frenetic paced thrills & action. Recommended if you enjoyed Tell No One, Point Blank or Anything For Her. (Mark)

Rabbit-proof fence.
British colonialism at its worse. Aboriginal children were taken away from their families to give them a “better” life. Three children set out to get back home by navigating the 1,500 miles rabbit proof fence. Will they make it? (Liz)

The informers.
Fairly faithful adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ loosely linked 80’s short story collection, featuring an array of L.A highlifes & lowlifes, from movie executives & trophy wives, to rock stars, con men, & rich disillusioned teenagers. Has a great cast & some great performances (Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke etc) but failed miserably at the box office, & with a lot of critics – probably because it’s extremely seedy, has no real beginning or end, and is full of genuinely morally bankrupt & completely loathsome characters. But being Bret Easton Ellis that, of course, is the point of it all. Ellis is a satirist and moralist & the movie works his continuing themes of desperation, moral & social decay. Definitely not for everyone, but worth checking out if you’re a fan of the authors work. (Mark)

Nero Wolfe. The complete classic whodunit series.
Nero Wolfe is a period murder mystery series focussing on a brilliant but eccentric detective, Nero Wolfe, who never leaves his chair if he can help it, and his dapper leg-man Archie Goodwin, who uses charm, wits or his fistS to get Wolfe the necessary information. But the more interesting thing about this series is that it decides not to shy away from the fact that it is a TV series, not real life. Rex Stout, author of the books that the series is based on, never aged his main characters, writing them as the same people from 1934 until his death in 1975. Following his cue, the series never specifies the date — one story revolves around a sound recording on a wax cylinder, another has egg chairs and miniskirts. Rather than going with naturalistic dialogue, they use the snappy and somewhat stylized patter of the gangster film and screwball comedies; and instead of replacing the majority of actors for each story, they have the same actors in different roles, in the way that a repertory theatre would use the same actors for different plays. Both light-hearted and sincere, this is as enjoyable a set of murders as you could ask for. (Celeste)

The Moderns .
From writer/director Alan Rudolph, a protégée of Robert Altman & creator of some cult-ish films such as Mrs Parker & the Vicious Circle, Choose Me, Trouble In Mind & ‘Love At large’, comes this movie, set amongst the ‘Lost Generation’ of 1920’s Paris cafe society. It’s 1926 on the Left Banke & talented painter Nick (Keith Carradine) can’t get a break, earning a living sketching caricatures for his friend’s newspaper column and buying drinks for Ernest Hemingway, when things get more complicated with the re-appearance of old an flame (Linda Fiorentino), now married to a dangerous & jealous businessman (John Lone). Rudolph’s off-beat sense of humour & stylism may not be to everyone’s taste, but he creates an atmospheric take on the romantic complications & life of the bohemian art & literary set of the time. Worth watching for anyone who enjoyed Woody Allen’s recent Midnight In Paris. (Mark)

Downfall.
Not a new film but this 2004 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film has stood up over time very well. Each generation continues to struggle to understand the social and political phenomenon that was the Third Reich and this engrossing film, set in the Berlin bunker where the remains of the Nazi high command took refuge during the final days of WWII, attempts to shed some light on the underlying psychology of Hitler’s followers. Told through the eyes of a 19 year old secretary (played by Alexandra Maria Lara of Control fame), and beginning with excerpts from a real life interview, this is a brave and powerful film. (John)

Stander.
‘Stander’ is definitely a case of the truth being stranger than fiction, in this movie based on real events in Apartheid ruled South Africa in the late 1970. Thomas Jane plays Andre Stander a Police Captain forced to participate in lethal ‘Riot Policing’ of the black population, & who allegedly begins to rob banks as a bizarre form of revenge for his increasing moral disillusionment. Eventually captured & sent to jail, he finds two willing partners while inside. After a clever escape they begin a further spree of robberies, gaining notoriety as the ‘Stander Gang’; and as their escapades become more daring the pressure mounts on the South African authorities to close in on them. Definitely something a bit different, offering up an atmospheric sense of time & place, and the conditions for Africans under Apartheid. While the film never quite penetrates the enigma of Stander’s character, Thomas Jane’s extremely charismatic, accent-perfect performance is definitely worth seeing. (Mark)

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their favourite music discoveries of November and December. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

Beams.
Mathew Dear is a multi instrumentalist, DJ and electronic producer who records under different aliases. In 2003, he released ‘Leave Luck To Heaven’, on which he sang, under his own name, and the four ‘Mathew Dear’ releases since have seen his gradual development as a kind of skewed, synth-pop, dance floor crooner. To imagine a stream of alternative pop that could have grown from David Bowie’s Low period gives some indication of what this music is like. He performs his surreal songs using a solemn vocal style that has been described as “a cross between a sexed-up Stephin Merritt and a modulated Leonard Cohen” with the whole thing propelled by 80’s influenced dark synth grooves that could have been made for the first disco on Venus. His last release Black City also comes highly recommended. (John)

Desert etiquette.
Desert Etiquette is the follow up to Floating Action’s self-titled album. Like that record, Desert Etiquette was written, performed and recorded by Seth Kauffman. This time however, all the songs were written during a two day period of flu-induced fever, and then recorded in a further 48 hours. There are less catchy hooks than its predecessor, but it is a much more focused, unified-sounding album. It has a more stripped-back sound – save for a few droning sitars and other Eastern instruments – and lyrics that probably made far more sense mid-fever. (Jeremy)

Shields.
Anyone fortunate enough to have seen Grizzly Bear live at Wellington Opera House recently will need no enticement to listen to this wonderful record. The Brooklyn band, indie icons for very good reasons, are currently going from strength to strength and ‘Shields’ does the seemingly impossible and matches 2009’s Veckatimest for inventiveness, song quality and musicianship. One of the best things about this band is that the music demands, and rewards, close attention. It takes a few listens before the sound starts to sink in – and what reveals itself is music impassioned and wide-screen that defies categorization. No-one else is making music quite like this band. (John)

Fetch.
Ex-percussionist of the new wave band, Moritz Von Oswald has been a driving force of the German techno / electronic music scene and is one of the most influential artists in the field. Since 2009, he teamed up with fellow techno giants (Vladislav Delay and Max Loderbauer) and they have been very active as a trio. Their third release ‘Fetch’ finds them in a dark, driving mood. They and three additional jazz musicians present a long-formed, abstract but elaborate ensemble. It’s the music of techno, minimal and dub, but their music develops spontaneously and the groove and mood somehow resembles modal jazz or one-chord funk. In the 80s, Miles Davis often played long-formed, medium-tempo jam and their music seems to be an extension of that. This is a supple, astute music, and this kind of approach may expand jazz’s horizon in the future. (Shinji)

Nocturne.
Last year’s Gemini was a surprise hit – a beautifully rounded collection of indie pop gems that were like a love letter to the 80’s appearing fully formed and seemingly coming out of nowhere. Consequentially, ‘Nocturne’, Jack Tatum’s “difficult second album”, is released under heavy scrutiny and nicely proves that ‘Gemini’ was no fluke. With ‘Nocturne’ he ups the production values (‘Gemini’ was recorded in his dorm room) and maintains the high standard of musicianship and songwriting. What results is an excellent and remarkably mature dream pop record full of glistening guitar hooks, sweet vocals and power pop rhythms – gauzy, vaporous and shamelessly lovely. (John)

Not bleeding red.
Former ‘Front 242′ members return with a new project, far removed from their industrial past. This is one for fans of seventies analogue synthesizers – a warm, sprawling double album of lengthy, hypnotic electronica perfect for that late night trip to the twilight zone. (Neil)

Silencio.
With ‘Stereolab’ on indefinite hiatus, fans of that band’s particular take on post rock can find some comfort in Laetitia Sadier’s releases. Singer and lyricist for the band over their 20 year history it becomes apparent from her solo releases just how much of the band’s “Marxist background music” she was responsible for. On ‘Silencio’ the politically orientated lyric quotient is ramped up a bit and the actual sound, employing elements such as vibraphones, samba rhythms, kooky horns and cool lounge vibes, leans closer to Air than Stereolab. Long term fans may miss the motorik jams and the post rock edges of her old band but Ms Sadier confidently explores a musical trajectory both unique and rewarding. (John)

Rising tide.
A young Zimbabwean band from the Victoria Falls area of the country, Mokoomba have produced a joyous debut album that encompasses local grooves as well as funky rap, reggae, pop and even Latin rhythms, to create an irresistible Afro-fusion beat. (Neil)

‘Allelujah! Don’t bend! Ascend!
It is always a great thing when a band emerges after 10 years to deliver a record that sits perfectly alongside their best work. With little warning and no hype, Montreal’s nine member post rock collective, ‘Godspeed You Black Emperor’, announced a new record and a world tour. The indie press went into raptures offering quotes such as “immeasurable breadth and depth”, “a truly unforgettable experience”, “a modestly magnificent record that entirely validates the band reforming”, while Mark Richardson of Pitchfork Media finished his review by calling this “an album of music that is both new and old from a band that we thought we might never hear from again, one we should appreciate while we can.” PS. They play Wellington one show only in February 2013. (John)

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their favourite music discoveries of September & October. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

Algiers.
After 20 years Calexico are by now a fully established musical force, performing their unique version of Tex-Mex music worldwide to dedicated fans. ‘Algiers’ is their first release since 2008’s Carried To Dust, and in that time they have provided soundtracks for two films – the film festival documentary ‘Circo’ and the popular comedy The Guard. ‘Algiers’ is named after the area of New Orleans in which this recording took place and this is classic Calexico with smoky bar-room ballads, Tijuana trumpets and widescreen Morricone style instrumentals, the New Orleans influence serving to broaden and deepen their sound. (John)

Light years.
Holding the #1 spot on the NZ Charts into it’s third week since it’s release, and four years in the making since their last album self titled Kora, we have ‘Light years’. Aptly named I think, the tracks take us on a galactic adventure, light years away. I love these guys; they have the most amazing falsetto voices, the four part harmonies of brothers Laughton, Francis, Stu and Brad Kora, are totally off this planet, and their funky mix of RnB, Reggae, Rock, Electronica and electro funk (if there is such a genre) and anything in between remains the same like the Kora we’ve come to know and respect – thankfully no surprises there. Pictures of planets and galaxies on the studio walls to visually stimulate where they wanted to go with this album, took their music to the next level beyond the atmosphere and out of this world, keeping with the theme, ‘Space is the place’. My favourite tracks ‘Little star’ ‘Galaxy express’ and ‘Story ain’t over’. Can say that again. (Ethel)

In motion #1.
Ninja Tune’s Cinematic Orchestra have forged a sound pretty much of their own that incorporates elements of jazz, electronica and film soundtracks. Group leader, J. Swinscoe has an ongoing interest in the link between sound and vision and for this project he invited some of his favourite musicians and producers to provide soundtracks to or musical re-imaginings of works by great avant-garde film-makers. The Cinematic Orchestra provide three of the tracks, with four other artists each contributing one track each. The results are a submersive and engrossing journey through dreamscapes that incorporate elements of chamber music, modern classical, jazz and electronica. (John)

Floating Action.
Floating Action is the recording project of Seth Kauffman from Black Mountain, North Carolina. He combines sixties pop, soul, folk, world music and catchy hooks to create songs that manage to sound simultaneously familiar and new. Every note is played and produced by Kauffman in his home studio and piped through his vintage “Full Tone Tube Tape Echoplex,” and the result is a collection of warm, lo-fi, intimate-sounding recordings full of rich harmonies, melodic bass-lines and memorable choruses. (Jeremy)

Until the quiet comes.
Steven Ellison aka ‘Flying Lotus’ is jazz harp player Alice Coltrane’s nephew. Avant-garde jazz sensibilities must rub off because ‘Flying Lotus’ has pursued a singular vision through the world of downbeat instrumental music taking it closer to the extremes of abstract jazz than anyone else. He pretty much worked himself into a corner with 2010’s Cosmogramma, a groundbreaking release that packed beats, rhythms, samples and melodies into dense and challenging blocks of sound. With this, his follow up, he has returned to a more user friendly, stripped back approach, reminiscent of early abstract trip hop, the emphasis is on mood, simplicity and accessibility which he manages without sacrificing any of his impeccable credentials. (John)

Let it roll.
I love this CD as it shows his poetry in the lyrics ‘Something’ and ‘My Sweet Lord’ are classics but I also like all those years ago. He was a lovely human being too. (Max)

Rispah / The Invisible.
From London, ‘The Invisible’ were nominated for a Mercury Prize for their debut album and this, three years later, is their follow up released on the esteemed Ninja Tune label. This is a stately and atmospheric record that lead singer Dave Okumu describes as a “love letter to grief” following the death of his mother while the album was being recorded and the album is largely inspired by the traditional Nigerian spirituals sung at her funeral, some of which are sampled. This trio of vocals/guitar, bass/synthesizer and drums create a captivating sound – bold, meditative and serious. The musicians are all jazz trained but these are songs that come close to Radiohead in their chin stroking mode and that find an excellent balance of musical poise and emotional force. (John)

Bouger le monde!
There is a back story about this band. The band members suffered from polio in their youth and four of them are paraplegic. They lived and played together, using hand-made instruments, on the grounds of the Kinshasa zoo in Congo. These disabled street musicians’ lives were featured in an award-winning documentary, and their first album Tres Tres Fort (2009) amazed the world with its freshness and funkiness. They became a world phenomenon and one of the most successful bands from Africa. Their music is rooted in Congo rumba (Cuban influenced Afro music) like their mentor Franco & le TPOK Jazz, and abounds in modern African blues feeling. This sophomore album (the title means ‘Make the World Shake’) was recorded in the studio and has much better sound quality (the first one was a field recording). Their skills also seem to have improved, and create a colourful, feel good groove. The highlight of this listen is an incredible one-string-tin-can-guitar solo by Roger Landu. It may blow Derek Trucks away. (Shinji)

The ghost in daylight.
Bristol’s Nick Talbot, the only “singer/songwriter” on the roster of Sheffield’s electronic music label Warp Records, remains criminally under recognized and continues to release one quality record after another. For this, his follow up to 2007’s excellent The Western Lands, he moves slightly away from his loosely psych folk influences to frame his songs within a more haunting and hallucinatory sound. Not for parties, Talbot’s unique blend of icy chill and soothing balm, creates music for solitary listening deep into the night. (John)

Greatest hits.
James Gang are a long-lost power trio from the early seventies, notable for being the first band of Joe Walsh, later of the Eagles. They only made three albums before Joe left, taking his guitar, coke habit and trusty chainsaw with him and this compilation covers this period of their history, demonstrating their mastery of a range of musical styles, from hard rock to boogie to country-rock. The album is worth a listen for the epic multi-part “The Bomber” alone. (Neil)

The inner flame : a tribute to Rainer Ptacek.
Originally released in 1997 following the sad early death of the Arizona based guitarist/songwriter, this tribute features contributions from renowned artists including Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, PJ Harvey, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams plus Ptacek himself on six tracks. Rainer Ptacek’s distinctive guitar technique which incorporated slide, finger picking and tape manipulation, earned him the reputation of a “musician’s musician”. He formed the original Giant Sand with Howe Gelb and went on to record several solo albums, never achieving popular recognition outside of his Arizona homeland. This excellent tribute makes good that omission, if a little late. (John)

Hipology.
A harking back to the golden age of hip hop, this is Marc Mac paying tribute to the funk, jazz and soul-enriched sound of the late 80s and early 90s, when sampling was young and fresh and anything and everything was permissible. No bling, no limousines, but joyous summer sounds through the hazy lens of nostalgia. Oh, and a Stereolab cover. (Neil)

Tinsel and lights.
Few Christmas albums manage to stand on their own, but Tracey Thorn’s ‘Tinsel & Lights’ is definitely one of the exceptions. The ex-Everything But the Girl vocalist has crafted a charming album of original songs & offbeat covers, with a variety of instrumentation so it never sounds samey backed up, of course, by that golden voice. A nice one to m mellow out with as the crazy Christmas season quickly approaches. (Mark)

Jack White’s blues : the original versions of 15 classic songs covered by Jack White.
An Uncut magazine compilation that features the original versions of 15 predominantly blues songs that Jack White has covered over his career by artists such as Son House, Howlin’ Wolf, Hank Williams and even Marlene Dietrich. Going back to the roots is usually a good thing to do, the original versions of songs offering not only perspectives on where a current artist is coming from, but also insight into eras long gone. This collection is worth listening to if only to hear Son House’s ‘Death Letter Blues’, just one standout from a great collection of songs from the deep underbelly of the American dream. (John)