Robin Williams: Remembered

 When I was a kid I remember I used to always say "I don't care what happens in the world, as long as Robin Williams doesn't die". I adored the man; he was one of my first favourite actors and was in all my favourite movies at that time - I wanted him to live forever.

  Robin Williams passed away yesterday at 12.02pm PDT. It has been said that it was suicide by asphyxia. When I first heard the news, I went all cold and stopped breathing; the initial emotion I felt was complete shock. Then denial. Then buckets and buckets of sorrow (and tears). It's tragic when any celebrated or honourable person dies, but the whole world's heart seems to be broken by this death. 

  He was born on the 21st of July, 1951, and grew up in the state of Michigan. He had been a quiet, timid child, until he became involved in acting. In drama classes he discovered he had a talent for picking up different dialects easily, and could improvise extremely well. 

  As well as his widely praised film career, Robin Williams has also done work in television, stand up, and theatre. Starting his full career doing comedy shows on tv, he gained a wide audience by appearing in sitcoms such as 'Happy Days', and - especially - 'Mork and Mindy'. Having been in films since the late 70s, he finally reached mainstream success in war-comedy 'Good Morning Vietnam' for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and where he impressively showed how talented he was at improvising dialogue to entertain.

  Williams starred in a bundle of many different films, gaining awards and nominations for ones such as 'The Fisher King', 'Dead Poets Society', 'Awakenings', and 'Mrs. Doubtfire'. Finally, in 1997 he got his first and only Academy Award for playing in a more serious role as therapist Dr Sean Maguire. Even when appearing in such a profound role, he still managed to sneak in some improvised light comedy, most significantly the infamous 'farting wife' anecdote. 

  Either as a teacher, a doctor, a blue genie, or an old lady - Robin Williams has been the entertainer most of us have grown up with, loved, and cherished deeply. He has made us laugh and cry, and now is the time for us to remember, and enjoy the treasures he gave to the world, and the absolute legend that he was too.

Hayley

  

I left the house one time (photo post)

Well, yesterday, I finally got out of the house. My brother's band were having a practice, and I decided to tag along for the first time. My brother's band, Hybrid Sky, practice in a 1950's museum in a town not too far from where I live, so i decided to take some pictures there, for some art homework. This post has no sole purpose, but I hope it is somewhat visually pleasing. Considering my camera isn't the most professional gadget I was pretty pleased with the outcome of these photos, I thought it'd be interesting to build up a portfolio of some sort, and it was fun to edit the photos to how I wanted them to look. Enjoy :)

- Rhianwen

REVIEW: Manic Street Preachers - Futurology

On the first of April, this year, I had the best night of my life - I saw my favourite band live. The gig was everything I imagined and even better; I can't begin to describe the pure ecstasy of those wild two and half hours. The band I saw was the Manic Street Preachers. Being from Wales and being very familiar with boredom, alienation and despair, the Manics are the perfect band for me. 

It was on this night that I had my first taster of their upcoming summer album, Futurology. The Welsh rockers played the title track and the semi-German Europa Geht Durch Mich. </p>

The critically acclaimed album was released July 7th, and after reading review after review praising it, I decided it was time for me to write one too (and Nicky Wire said he reads as many reviews as possible, so here's hoping he'll pay attention to this.) 

The reviews aren't wrong. The album, to put it simply, is fantastic.  It's practically flawless. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that it's their biggest album since 2007's Send Away The Tigers. With a futuristic sci-fi twist, the record is unlike anything they've released before; despite rumours of it's similarity to 1994's The Holy Bible. Don't get me wrong, it isn't dissimilar, the themes of both albums run parallel. However, musically, Futurology is noticeably more upbeat.

 For me, the opening and title track is full of hope. Nicky's singing has improved much since William's Last Words, as he almost murmurs &#8220;We&#8217;ll come back one day/We never really went away,&#8221; the reason I probably find comfort in this song is because it&#8217;s as though the band are reminding us - no matter how long they go away for they&#8217;ll always be back. They&#8217;ll always be here. <br/>

The leading single, Walk Me To The Bridge, is an angst-ridden rock song with a familiar pop-sounding riff that's almost a signature for the Manics since their fifth album This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours. This song leads perfectly into Let's Go To War; which Nicky Wire - the band's beautiful lanky bassist - told NME is a part of the You Love Us/Masses Against The Classes trilogy. It's funkier and seemingly not as aggressive as the previous, but you can tell it's in relation to them (I even said that before NME mentioned it.)

My personal favourite is Sex, Power, Love and Money. Lyrically, it could have been on The Holy Bible - "self  created for self defence / self esteem is self indulged" - but again, the music is so upbeat you're dancing, despite the themes of the song. The reason it's my favourite is probably the reference to my favourite poem, Lament For The Moths by Tennessee Williams, in the line "lament for the weak / for they will be crushed", and Wire's singing in the chorus.

And that's a good representation for the whole album, really. It's angry, but a good dance. Funky - yet it doesn't lose what we love the Welsh band for; bitterness, and more than anything else, truth.

4/5

It's been a while...

It's been a while hasn't it? Here's a quick post explaining ourselves, as three months is quite a long time to go a-wall...

 The reason we have been away for so long is purely because of our exams, coursework, etc, therefore spending most of our time revising and worrying, but as they're finally over, and summer is upon us, we'll have more time to write, so we're back!

Coming soon we have:

- A review of the new album 'Futurology' by Manic Street Preachers
- Gig reviews of Tame Impala and Peace

- A case study of the filming techniques and symbolism used in the work of the great Stanley Kubrick

 Thank you!

- Hayley, Tilly, Rhianwen


(here's a nice photo of Damon Albarn as an apology)

FAVOURITE FEMALE ARTISTS (PART 2)

This is part two of my 'Favourite Female Artists', enjoy! (part 1 is here)

Lorde

Lorde is very new to the music scene, and although she is criticized by many, I personally love her. I love her dark style and how she isn't conventionally pretty, but her image - the wild hair, dark lips, and all black attire- is stunning. Her music is very new, fresh and catchy, and I have been listening to her debut album, 'Pure Heroine' a lot recently.

Birdy

Birdy has been a favourite of mine for a while now. I have her first album, 'Birdy', which is a cover album, but she puts her own sound and style into all of her covers. Her voice is sweet and pure, but also raw. Her music is extremely pretty and refreshing, and I've heard her most recent album is brilliant, and I'm yet to listen to it.

Bjork 

Bjork is one of the most strange but wonderful female artists of the past 30 years. Starting from her band the Sugarcubes and up until her solo career she has a very particular style of singing. She sings as though she is speaking, as though she is biting every word, with a very 'gaspy' like sound, giving a very interesting effect. Not only is her music obscure, so is her style. In the late 80s-90s, she had a very childlike messy look, with a very colourful and sometimes space like-metallic look. She is one of the most talented and definitely one of the most interesting female artists around, and I admire her a lot. My favourite album of hers is 'Debut', which is an absolutely beautiful and timeless album.

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was an extremely talented woman. Although she was very troubled, and died young, she put all of her emotions into her music, making it very raw and real, but still very easy to listen to and enjoyable. Her rich voice is comforting and easy to listen to, and I adore her album 'Back to Black', which is definitely an all time favourite of mine.

Francoise hardy 

I discovered Francoise hardy late last year, and fell in love with her and her music instantly. Her voice is sweet and effortless, and I love how tasteful and sweet her music is. At the age of 70 she is still making music, and I believe she is one of the most wonderful artists of the 20th century. My favourite album of hers is the 1968 'Comment te dire adieu?'. Her music is in French which is sometimes refreshing because instead of analyzing the lyrics and exact meaning of the songs, it's nice to just sit back and listen. Besides, everything sounds prettier in French. 

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More female artists I adore are:

Florence Welch (Florence and The Machine)

Gwen Stefani 

Paloma Faith

Thank you very much for reading!

-Rhianwen 

FAVOURITE FEMALE ARTISTS (PART 1)

Today's post is Part 1 of my top [10] favourite female singers/artists. They are in no particular order, and I hope you enjoy reading!

Lana Del Rey 

Lana Del Rey became known in late 2011/early 2012. Some people dislike her, some love her, I personally am a very big fan of hers and I find her music very entertaining and soothing. Although some may see her voice as dull, the low tone of her voice contrasts beautifully with some of the more upbeat backing tracks, such as 'Diet Mountain Dew' which also includes an interesting mixture of higher pitched backing vocals. She extremely versatile in this sense, as she can also pull off a higher pitched voice which flows beautifully, sometimes hauntingly, in songs such as 'Yayo'. In my opinion, she is one of the best female solo artists around at the moment. Her album 'Born To Die' is one of my favourite albums, and in my opinion, is definitely worth the hype. I am still yet to buy her most recent version of 'Born to Die' (Paradise Edition) or listen to any new releases, but her song 'Young and Beautiful' for the wonderful Great Gatsby soundtrack mid last year is stunning.

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor is one of this generation's best talents, in my opinion. Her voice is strong and pure, and is accurate for both happy and sad songs. She is not so popular that everyone is obsessed with her, but her songs are loved by many. There're  songs such as 'Eet' and 'Hero' which are incredibly moving, to songs such as 'Us' (featured on 500 Days of Summer) and 'The Calculation' which are bubbly and uplifting, showing her versatility. I admire how her songs tell stories, and are not the typical love ballads. She is not afraid to try something new, and her most recent album 'What We Saw From the  Cheap Seats' is, in my opinion, a masterpiece.

Ellie Goulding

After being a fan for years and seeing her live last Autumn, I adore Ellie Goulding. She has influences such as Bjork, and I have noticed very early on that her singing style is similar to Bjork's, as it is more like speaking than singing. Her first album 'Lights' is my favourite, as it was the first album I ever bought independently, and is definitely a fresh and original sound to the music scene. Her music and voice is not to everyone's taste, but I'd give her a chance if I were you, as she shouldn't be judged because of her music being in the charts. It seems that many of the more alternative music fans dismiss her because she is in the charts, not thinking about her actual talent, and the fact she may have better songs than 'Burn'. Her cover of 'Your Song' by Elton John is one of the songs that shows her pure talent, her sweet and high voice gave the song its own twist, without ruining it. She is a true talent, on the records and on stage. 

Grimes

Grimes (or, Claire Boucher) is a Canadian solo artist who works a lot with synth and has a very techno sound. I adore how fresh and unique her sound is and how she uses modern technology in her music, bringing a very new sound to the music scene. Her extremely high pitched voice contrasts very interestingly with the bass in her music. Although I love songs such as 'Genesis' and 'Oblivion' I admit it took me a while to get into her music properly, but as the album 'Visions' became more familiar to me, I enjoyed it more and I now listen to it a lot. It's definitely one of my favourite albums, I'm still yet to discover her earlier work, but I am a huge admirer of hers and I suggest you give her a listen!

Sky Ferreira 

Sky Ferreira is one of my favourite singers, and people in general. Although she is young and quite petite, her voice is incredibly rich and strong, and I love how she can literally go from one genre to a completely different one, (such as 'Sad Dream' and '108') and her voice still has the rich, soothing tone. Her songs stay with you and are definitely catchy, but rarely annoying, and I would recommend her music to anyone looking for something new. Her music is very refreshing and comforting, and I listen to her very often. Her debut album 'Night Time, My Time' has recently been released in the UK and includes the hits 'I Blame Myself' and 'You're Not the One'.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. I will be doing a part 2 for next week's post, so stay tuned for that!

- Rhianwen 

The Brutal Hardships of War Expressed In Film

 Recently, I have discovered that I have become slightly (no, deeply) obsessed with war films. It all started when I was eleven years old, when I saw films such as Saving Private Ryan and The Hurt Locker (yes I might've been a little too young to watch these, but whatever) I instantly became hooked. So, after watching many many many other war films over the previously weeks, I've decided to celebrate them by creating a list of the top ten greatest of all.

10. Inglourious Basterds 

 Okay, so Inglourious Basterds isn't exactly your typical World War Two film, one thing being that what happens in it... didn't actually happen. Although, it is still a very highly acclaimed, wonderfully entertaining movie, and shows a terrific twist where the Jews of the Holocaust fight back and win against Hitler and the Nazis. It has all the controversial violence, loads of quality acting, an extraordinary plot and its director is one of the greatest of all time: Quentin Tarantino. If you want to see a war film with style and substance, then this is the one to see.

9. Black Hawk Down

 This is a tale of modern warfare, and really takes the audience into the events which happen in Black Hawk Down. The film was controversial, and can be incredibly difficult to watch through, as a mountain of gore and violence takes place throughout it. But it will keep one at the edge of their seat, feeling as if one is actually part of the destruction and degradation. Director, Ridley Scott, is successful as the its realism takes us to a new era of war film. 

8. The Thin Red Line 

The Thin Red Line is a haunting phenomenon, which dives into the memories of the Second World War. It's theme is how bloody combat, men with their big guns, can destroy the nature around the battlefield they're fighting in. The really interesting thing about this film is how there are moments of such beauty in it, when it ironically touches such horrid events. The sense of depth inside it fascinates anyone who watches it, and toys with the mind even after one has watched it. 

7. Platoon 

 This film, a winner of four Academy Awards, is a terrifyingly realistic drama which shows devastating chaos and horror in the Vietnam War. So much trauma is expressed throughout it, although the worst is the iconic scene of the death of Sgt. Elias, played by William Dafoe. The deep emotive bloodbath, when the character is defeated by the Vietcong, falls on his knees to the jungle terrain, and throws his arms into the air in an act of a 'too-late' surrender, bullets seen busting throw his chest. With a mesmerising soundtrack too, watching this is an experience one would not want to miss.

6. Saving Private Ryan 

 In this 90s epic starring Tom Hanks, one witnesses love, friendship and determination, but one also witnesses grief and bloodshed. Saving Private Ryan is about the gruesome combat of the war, all wars. It lays the cold, brutal truth of the violence, which is perfectly expressed in the very first, gut-wretching scene full of mass destruction. It's a film which will pluck at anyone's heart strings, and will make one cry in agony with the men experiencing all that pain throughout it.

5. Schindler's List

 Steven Speilberg usually creates films for all ages to enjoy, but this film was completely different, and shows how talented and diverse the director was. Even when it was made in the 90s, the film was shot in a black and white median, to further emphasis the dark themes throughout it. It's based on a true story, of a hero called Oscar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson), and the helpless Jews who had to experience the Holocaust in World War Two. Schindler's List shows the evilness of some people during the war, but it also shows the deep goodness of others, and I would say it's one of the director's best work to date.

4. Full Metal Jacket 

 Stanley Kubrick's war time masterpiece could definitely be higher above this list, and personally, it is one of my favourite films ever. To watch this, one must have actual bravery, because many scenes throughout it can leave someone feeling so emotionally distressed. Full Metal Jacket is an anti-war film: it explores the mind of a soldier and shows how good men are turned into natural killers. Although it portrays a soldier's strength and determination, it also shows their deep lunacy inside. Throughout it a message is given: that war is not as glamourous as it is expressed to be, and instead it is one (literally) soul destroying, heart breaking and mind busting trauma. 

3. The Deer Hunter

 Yet another film about the Vietnam War, The Deer Hunter is astoundingly vicious and powerful. Unlike most war films, this one focuses on surviving a game of torture: Russian Roulette. Robert de Niro and Christopher Walken play two soldiers who were captured by the Vietcong, and are forced to play the horrific game. Seeing this onscreen is one of the most intense things, completely chilling to the bone. This film, with so many memorable moments, won 5 Academy Awards, and will be considered one of the best in cinematic history. 

2. Paths of Glory 

Yet another anti-war film from the infamous Stanley Kubrick. Released in 1957, it's the oldest film on this list. Although unsuccessful when first released, the movie is now considered one of the all-time greats. It stars Kirk Douglas, who acts out some outstanding performances throughout it and following the events of World War One, it can be known to be one of the darkest war films ever made. Kubrick was only 29 when he directed it, but the movie portrays such a harsh and stark setting that it shows the real mature perfectionist the director was.

1. Apocalypse Now 

 "I love the smell of napalm in the morning!" Based on Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' and directed by the legendary Francis Ford Coppola, this film has to be the best. Watching it is an atmospheric and twisted rollercoaster of insanity and brutality. It roles into the life of the psychotic character Colonal Kurtz (played by the timeless Marlon Brando), whose use of monologue and intensity makes sure that one can't take their eyes off the screen. Even though it was a beast to film (and film it brilliantly) Coppola still created it into the classic it is, and that we won't forget about it ever.

- Hayley