New Release: Gazelle Twin- Black Dog

Just in time for Halloween, or Samhain if you’d rather, Gazelle Twin is back, with a new album titled Black Dog. As Elizabeth Bernholz explains, it’s inspired by nightmares going back to childhood trauma, and essentially,”It’s all about confronting fear”. The title track is out now, with Bernholz’ trademark pitchshifted growls and whispers set againstContinue reading “New Release: Gazelle Twin- Black Dog”

The Future’s Here Today: Miso Extra

Not just a witty pseudonym, Miso Extra is a brilliant artist who sings as sweetly as she raps. With bilingual lyrics which reflect her dual heritage and thought processes, she’s part of the new wave of British hip hop that draws from eclectic sources. Creating her own “Misoverse”, the young eccentric wears vintage Japanese footballContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Miso Extra”

The Austerity Era Hogarth

Christopher Spencer, who makes wonderful collage art as Cold WarSteve, is a Birmingham artist who I adore. He’s the austerity era Hogarth as far as I’m concerned. The main image (above) is his Coronation postcard, created to celebrate the best of the UK. It’s got everyone from Bowie to The Clash, Laura Mvula to LilyContinue reading “The Austerity Era Hogarth”

Overlooked Classics: Night On Earth (1991)

Among Jim Jarmusch’s many films, I feel two are often overlooked, Ghost Dog (Way Of The Samurai) and Night On Earth. The former, I’ll get to later, but I often wonder why this is the case. Night On Earth has all of the JarmuschIan qualities you’d expect: deadpan humour; strangers thrown together by circumstances outContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Night On Earth (1991)”

Film Review: #Unfit

Directed by Dan Partland, #Unfit :The Psychology of Donald Trump is a compelling, thoroughly absorbing and sobering documentary from 2020, which posits that the Orange Menace may in fact be, as many have long suspected, a malignant narcissist, who is not merely unfit for office, but a global threat. It does allude to The GoldwaterContinue reading “Film Review: #Unfit”

Pee Wee V Letterman

Few comic characters were ever as fully-formed as Pee Wee Herman. Based on “the most annoying kid in my class at school”, Paul Reubens’ character was a kitsch mash-up of everything that makes children so fascinating and hard to box in. He was capricious, silly, smartass and extremely odd, existing in his own little bubble,Continue reading “Pee Wee V Letterman”

Lost In Music: Sinead O’Connor – Troy

It was a ‘meh’ kind of summer in rural Scotland – the kind of sticky oppressive day of boredom and heat that induced ennui in anyone, let alone adolescents in a drab town. I was sitting in my cousin’s living room with her. She’s brilliant,no-nonsense and funny, the closest to a sister I’ve had. WeContinue reading “Lost In Music: Sinead O’Connor – Troy”

“The Idiots Are Winning”: Part Three

What did Nathan Barley ever do for us? Well, he anticipated apps; Dapper Laughs, cloutrage, posho influencers, hipsters, and trending. He was making random, faux-artistic and pointless #content before pretty much anyone at the time…at least, on TV. His cruel viral pranks on poor timid Pingu (Ben Whishaw) arrived at the time of ‘happy slapping”Continue reading ““The Idiots Are Winning”: Part Three”

” The Idiots Are Winning “: Part Two

Watching Nathan Barley again, there’s an episode (episode 5: Vice) where Barley reveals his true colours. He’s a scumbag, like Tate, Mizzy, or any manosphere jerk -off. This is the dark side of Nathan, and one of the darkest sitcom episodes ever made. Is it even a sitcom? Probably more of a satire, really, andContinue reading “” The Idiots Are Winning “: Part Two”

Worst. Music. Documentary. Ever.

What a howler music documentary Madonna: The Name Of The Game, from 1993, is. Presented by Troy McClure alike (albeit with Ned Flanders’ stylist) Mark Bego, it’s got all the insight of a tabloid article, and the production values of an Alan Partridge corporate video. And nothing says Madonna like an ABBA hit for aContinue reading “Worst. Music. Documentary. Ever.”