Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

A decade ago, the Star Wars franchise for all intents and purposes, looked relegated to a children's television series, an expanded universe so deep and large that it was nearly impossible to grasp, the odd, decent game (and a few that should have been flung into the Death Star's core) and a series of web reviews by a senile murderer from New Jersey, which eviscerated the prequel trilogy and provided infinitely more entertainment than they ever did.

Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams Review

Whilst last year saw Coldplay release an album so mediocre, it was almost upsetting, A Head Full of Dreams sees the band return to the colourful, simple realms of pure pop and, whether it was Ghost Stories being that bad, A Head Full... is a surprising return to form on what has been alluded to as a final album.

Adele - 25 Review

It's been so long since Adele released an album, that this sporadically updated, poorly written and Freudian piece I call a blog wasn't even reviewing music releases. 

In the four year gap between 21 and 25, the twenty-seven year old became one of the only musicians to make the same money that record labels think musicians can still make, she released one of the better James Bond songs of the past twenty years (although I still like You Know My Name and I know that's wrong), but above all else; she stayed private, thus any return would salivate the press, her fans, your mum, everyone with what she had to offer.

So when Adele returned from normality with what the press dare say, a 'comeback' single called Hello, all the ISIS threats, all the social justice injustices and, well, just about everything, took a backburner for five minutes.

A Few Words on... Hurts - Surrender

I'd say I have a complicated relationship with Hurts, but that would imply I know them rather than simply enjoy their music, despite them sounding like a lot of the generic dross that refuses to leave the mainstream charts.

A Few Words on... Editors - In Dream

Before giving Editors fifth album a spin, I was pretty much settled on the idea that the record would be more of a continuation of the electronic, synth heavy In This Light and On This Evening rather than their good if sometimes flat americana fourth album The Weight of Your Love.

Ten Things Learnt from the First Ten Episodes of Dragon Ball Super

If you were to tell my younger self that Dragon Ball GT wouldn't be the end of Akira Toriyama's magnum opus and that a new series would take it's place, I'd probably write you off as one of the gullible idiots who believes in Dragon Ball AF and all the obviously fake recolours of Super Saiyan 5 (although ironically, a recolour does now make up a new power up).

If you were to tell myself that at your near thirties, you'd write an article on it because you have nothing better to do, I'd probably take up that drug addiction that always seemed out of my grasp, but alas, here we are, in 2015 with a 'sort-of' new Dragon Ball storyline in the form of Dragon Ball Super with ten points, observations and opinions of the new series (not for each episode, because we'd be here all day).

The Libertines - Anthems for Doomed Youth Review

The Libertines sit in a bizarre state of overexposed and mythical. The only band that I can think of to even come close to them is The Smiths and even that feels weird.

The foursome exploded on the NME scene with all the hallmarks of headline grabbing escapades away from the stage with the occasional glimmer of musical brilliance on it. Of course, I say foursome, but it was the song writing partnership of Barât/Doherty that was most intriguing.

Like their forefathers Lennon/McCartney, Marr/Morrissey and Sylvester/Tweety, it couldn't last and by the time their self-titled second album hit the big time, the working relationship of the pair had spectacularly exploded for all the world to see.

In the post Libertines world, the band struggled to either break their previous shackles or live up to them. Whilst it only took two years before the NME ditched their previous prodigal sons in favour of the Arctic Monkeys, Doherty kept the press entertained with his beleaguered, drug-induced antics until, they too, grew bored with him.

The View - Ropewalk Review

The biggest fault I had with 2012's Cheeky for a Reason was how familiar everything felt and in-turn, how everything had been done better before it.

Three years and a greatest hits album later (normally a death rattle unless a jealous record label cash grab), The View are back again with album five. Ironically within a week of The Libertines' long awaited return who arguably had the biggest impact in the band's aesthetic prior to Hats off to the Buskers, you know, the one that everyone likes.

Despite my...reservations due to Cheeky for a Reason, I had hopes for Ropewalk. Kyle Falconer went to rehab which from a heartless listener standpoint, meant that we might get some introspective songs regarding his condition instead of another iteration of Wasted Little DJs (that and obligatory best wishes etc).

Beach House - Depression Cherry

Beach House have always, on paper, been a duo I should like. I'm a sucker for Dream Pop and Beach House follow all the traits and stereotypes to the nth degree.

Sadly, I first listened to the duo in 2012 when Bloom was making rounds as a defining record but, for the life of me and multiple listens later, I couldn't understand why. Sure, Bloom had its moments and sounded somewhat distinct as much as two souls trying to create a universe on an eight track in a bedroom can, but it lacked polish, vocally wasn't too distinct, lyrically not strong at all and sadly, I fount their more mainstream contemporaries more fun.

Foals - What Went Down Review

Foals' fourth album What Went Down was a bit of surprise release for me, I expected there to be a typical three year gap for development, but the announcement was a welcome one.

Despite the fact I fount Holy Fire a wee bit disappointing, it still had some tremendous songs, some that would easily sit in a top ten list had I ever bothered to write one and after hearing the title track, I was again left pondering whether the band could deliver another shot at the converted album of the year title.

The Maccabees - Marks to Prove It Review

It feels like ages ago when The Maccabees returned with third album Given to the Wild, which surprised and enriched me with a loud and immense experience which, even years later, I can still enjoy as much as I did before.

Tame Impala - Currents Review

I always keep a note on what albums I've listened to and what are on the proverbial pile. As the year has gone on, I've listened to many good, heck, even great albums. But nothing close to outstanding and although there are some records on the pile which I'm hyped for and can only hope they succeed beyond previous releases, I didn't know where to place Tame Impala's newest record.

Like many, I heard Elephant, liked Elephant, gave the album Elephant was on a spin, gave the album before the one Elephant was on a spin too, liked most of it although felt there was room for improvement and life moved on.

I never had a chance to listen to the singles preceding Current's general release but presumed it was more of the same and would get around to it.

Jurassic World Review

Like many, I was probably too young to watch Jurassic Park on first viewing. It wasn't the raptors in the kitchen which scared me, it was the dilophosaurus exploding at Newman, then spitting venom at him and then eating him in the car which disturbed and horrified me unlike anything I saw before it.

But like all kids, being scared is the ultimate form of entertainment and that's one of the reasons why Spielberg's masterpiece is still revered today. That and the groundbreaking special effects which even today look superb no matter how many times you think rose-tinted glasses play a role in it.

Jurassic Park never got the sequel it deserved. The Lost World: Jurassic Park was a mess which saw Jeff Goldblum return to try and save another island's free roaming beasts from an evil corporation which ends on a forty minute epilogue in San Diego which, even as a youngster, felt like padding.

Jurassic Park III in the meanwhile tried to streamline and make a simple rescue mission. What we got was an annoying female lead, special effects that looked better a decade earlier and non-inspiring set-pieces which, for intents and purposes killed the franchise stone dead for over a decade.

Thankfully, in an era of superhero movies, no ideas and nostalgia and much like the resurrected dinosaurs, life finds a way and the series is back; bigger, brighter and possibly...better than ever?

A Few Words on... Christopher Owens - Chrissybaby Forever

One can't fault the output of former Girls' frontman Christopher Owens, who, despite being involved in one of the more tragic break-ups of a band, has kept himself busy. Even after quiet release of America and hints towards more music with Selfish Feelings, I didn't expect much more but was thrilled when the news broke of a new album with sixteen tracks to boot!

Batman: Arkham Knight Review

"Why don't you run?" my wife asks, puzzled by my slow pace towards saving the city. I pause and ponder for a second and internally ask the same question. Except it's not really me asking myself, it's me asking the question to the man I'm playing as.

Conjure up times you remember him running aimlessly and it's always when he's most out of character. It's Adam West in 1966, running down a street at 60miles an hour with a greenscreen. It's the end of Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, where this Batman runs towards the fourth wall with Batsignal behind; a stark contrast to the neon nightmares before it.

Then I remember Batman '89 with Michael Keaton's iteration of the character walking up a bell tower; in stark contrast to the above, he's slow and methodical. Surely too far behind to save Vikki Vale and stop the Joker, but you know he'll catch up, because he's Batman.

As I step through the airship, the answer is clear and simple

Muse - Drones Review

Three years ago, Muse delivered a miracle when The 2nd Law turned out ok. Ok, more than Ok, actually decent. Ok, that's underselling it, turned out great.

Sure, it had its problems; it was cheesy, it didn't flow very well, lyrically minus Chris Wolstenholme's penned tracks poor, but considering what was preluded to and what was delivered, The 2nd Law was an enjoyable album, one that I still listen to occasionally and tried not to think hard about.

Florence + the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful Review

It's been nearly four years since Florence + the Machine wowed me with their superb second album Ceremonials and I was looking forward to what the future would bring. Sure, I missed all of the singles for How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful because of life, the universe and everything, but I had hopes that the band could deliver another stellar entry in a congested quarter of other big releases.

Never did I expect something like this.

The Vaccines - English Graffiti Review

Three years ago, I was more than pleased for The Vaccines. I was a massive fan of their debut album and Come of Age was seen as a step in the right direction, delivering a superb follow-up album with a subtle, but needed change in style that proved the band could do more than their then stereotypical short and sweet rock songs.

If Come of Age was, at the time, The Vaccines biggest evolution, then new album English Graffiti is the equivalent of man sprouting wings. Fuzzy, noisy wings.

Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect Review

Slap bang in the middle of the first Killers hiatus, frontman Brandon Flowers released his debut solo album Flamingo. A decent record with far more in common than Sam's Town than Day & Age, the album was a tad too long and the second half of the record was no where near as impressive as the first making it a decent if forgettable debut.

Blur - The Magic Whip Review

Despite Blur's beloved back catalogue, the band has never stuck to a distinct sound. Starting off as plastic Madchester before offering a critique of the influx of American grunge with Modern Life is Rubbish before creating the southern England dose of Britpop but then embracing the American Indie scene and letting Graham Coxon take near full control and finally, for twelve years, settling for what has become the standard of Damon Albarn; world music.

It raises the question of why Blur became one of the biggest bands of the nineties? Was it the fact that in the midsts of Britpop that Blur was the thinking man's contender as opposed to the lumbering but reassuring oaf called Oasis? 

Was it Damon Albarn who was capable of telling stories with his lyrics instead of trying to simply finding words that rhymed? Was it Graham Coxon, one of the most underated guitarists trying to break out? Was it the sum of all parts for that magic period of a year with Modern Life... and Parklife?

Or maybe they were simply consistently good and the decade long absence has made the heart grow even more nostalgic for the whatif? What could Blur do next and can it top everything they've done before it?

Sure, we've had some sprinklings of new music in the gap between the band's 2009 reunion and The Magic Whip's release, all rekindling what made Blur so enjoyable in the first place but the question remained, how well can an entire album twelve years after a split possibly be? 

Doubly so because one of the more influential members was absent for then final album Think Tank? How does this change the dynamic and what kind of album could be crafted in this new world of music?

A Few Words on... Villagers - Darling Arithmetic

The third album for Villagers, Darling Arithmetic was not only on my radar as a potential album of the year. Don’t get me wrong, I was looking forward to it, {Awayland} grew on me far more than my original 7/10 ranking would indicate so I was looking forward to what direction the band would take and bits and pieces in my life made Conor O’Brien’s dark introspection seem oddly comforting.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) Review

With recent life events, I've been thinking about my childhood and the events and programming that moulded me into the guy I am today. Ask my four year old self what I wanted to be and, apart from telling you I don't talk to strangers unless bribed, I'd likely tell you I wanted to be a Ghostbuster when I grow up.

Needless to say, this didn't inspire me to get into the pest control business, much like that no matter how much I loved the eighties cartoon adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or Hero Turtles in the UK because the word 'Ninja' was deemed too violent) I didn't turn out to be a ninja (although I do eat far, far too much pizza).

Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase. Review

I hate to bring up the subject of Porcupine Tree within a review like this, considering they've been gone for years now, but the band made such an impact to me, that every time founder and frontman Steven Wilson releases or produces an album, I find myself wishing for a grand reunion before returning to normality and the grim reality that it probably never will happen.

Why 2015 is the Year You Shouldn't Buy a Wii U

*Copypasta first four paragraphs from previous post*

However, the system has some, shall we say, quirks and Nintendo's practices from the last generation have come back to bite them hard.

This post will look at the various reasons why you shouldn't slap an indeterminate amount of monies on Nintendo's current generation release and perhaps stick with your old console...or new console...or a gaming PC.

Why 2015 is the Year You Should Buy a Wii U

Haha, the Wii U. Look at it, with it's second screen, it's lack of graphical prowess, it's a last generation console that thinks it's a current generation console. How we laughed when the shovelware reared it's head in the form of NintendoLand , how companies dropped support when they realised selling 3rd party titles simply didn't happen and how the everything was falling apart at the house of Mario.

I've given Nintendo's black or white box of tricks and tablet controller a hard-time in private, although on the blog, it's mostly boiled down to how little an appearance the console has made on my E3 posts since it's inception.

However, like the monstrous hypocrite I am and like every console generation I've been alive for, I always end up coming around, although it took far less persuasion than the Wii.