Author Archives: graemelawrence

Cinema Paradiso. Bad Taste. Ghost. Dreams. Driving Miss Daisy. Fear of a Black Planet – Public Enemy. Bossanova – Pixies. Repeater – Fugazi. Nowhere – Ride. Canción Animal – Soda Stereo.

Skeleton Tree. Feels like a long time since I last listened to a Nick Cave album; possibly the precursor to Skeleton Tree, 2013’s Push the Sky Away. Though the albums are similar in the use of drum machines and synthesisers, they differ dramatically on the theme front. Cave’s poetic, grief-laden lyrics deal with loss, ultimatelyContinue reading “The Sound of 2016.”

January: Saudi Arabia and several other countries end diplomatic relations with Iran following the execution of religious leader Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr Joaquin Guzmán, the world’s most powerful drug trafficker, is recaptured following his escape from a maximum security prison in Mexico 30 people are killed and 56 injured in terrorist attacks in Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoContinue reading “The News of 2016.”

High-Rise. Dr Robert Laing occupies a dilapidated apartment in an apocalyptic high-rise tower block on the outskirts of London, gladly eating a dog to survive. Three months earlier, Laing was a new resident in the chic, state-of-the-art brainchild of architect and penthouse occupant, Anthony Royal. Other than the business people coming and going to theirContinue reading “The Cinema of 2016.”

According to James Acaster, the greatest year for music of all time. Let’s see about that. Lemonade – Beyoncé. A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead. Skeleton Tree – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Atrocity Exhibition – Danny Brown. Blood Bitch – Jenny Hval. The Hateful Eight. High-Rise. Son of Saul. Kubo and the TwoContinue reading “Week 28: 2016.”

Silent Shout. Swedish electronic duo The Knife’s 2006 record, Silent Shout, is an interesting one. After the first listen I quite liked it, after the second I hated it, but then, having given it another chance, I loved it. Now I’m in an awkward position in that I can’t listen to it in case IContinue reading “The Sound of 2006.”

January: A stampede during the Stoning of the Devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills at least 362 pilgrims NASA’s Stardust mission ends successfully, the first to return dust from a comet NASA launches the first space mission to Pluto as the New Horizons spacecraft begins a nine-yearContinue reading “The News of 2006.”

The Host. Lazy, unintelligent Park Gang-du works for his father, Hee-Bong, at a small food stand on the bank of the Han River. While his daughter, Hyun-seo, and his father watch his sister, Nam-joo, compete in a national archery competition, Gang-du, along with other onlookers, notice a large, mutated creature stirring under a bridge; theContinue reading “The Cinema of 2006.”

Munich. Lady Vengeance. Caché. The Wind that Shakes the Barley. The Host. Mr Beast – Mogwai. Saturday Night Wrist – Deftones. Silent Shout – The Knife. Donuts – J Dilla. Burial – Burial.

Peter Gabriel. Before 1980’s Peter Gabriel (thoroughly engrossing review already available) and after his solo breakout album Peter Gabriel in 1977, comes Peter Gabriel’s Peter Gabriel; also not to be confused with 1982’s Peter Gabriel. On this, the second of four eponymous albums, the artist (whose name I seem to have forgotten) takes his soundContinue reading “The Sound of 1978.”