Arts & Entertainment
The latest arts and entertainment highlights, previews, reviews, music and film features and opinion pieces from The Skinny writers.
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MusicDolorean – The Unfazed
When Portland’s Al James rolls through town, he doesn’t exactly ignite the tarmac. This misspelt Dolorean isn’t going back to the future, j... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
MusicVarious Artists – 3...2...1... A Rocket Girl Compilation
Merge and Warp set high benchmarks for label retrospectives last year with their respective 20th anniversary archive-trawls. Thirteen-year-old UK label Rocke... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
Books
The Legacy by Kirsten Tranter
A literary novel that borrows elements from Portrait of a Lady and The Big Sleep sounds a bit too literary and not very novel. But The Legacy isn&rs... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
ArtThe Ethics of Encounter @ Stills
Although set within the formal paradigm of the documentary film, the works in the second part of the Stills Gallery’s exhibition are not didactic or ex... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
ArtNew Work Scotland 2010: Nicolas Party & Catherine Payton @ Collective
Successful conceptual art should (of course) contain a strong concept, but – crucially – it must convey that concept to the viewer. Unsuccessful ... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
Comedy
Crystal Baws: January Horoscopes
ARIES Oh hai Arians! Whilst watching The Room on DVD you start the new year by forming a spiritually unbreakable bond of empathy with Tommy Wiseau. Thereaft... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011
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Film
Shed Your Tears and Walk Away
Picturesque Hebden Bridge has long been a magnet for tourists and commuters looking for a rural paradise, but for a significant portion of its residents it i... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
Books
The Passages of Herman Melville by Jay Parini
Jay Parini's last novel was The Last Station, about the final days of Tolstoy. How to follow up a novel about the writer of War and Peace? With a novel about... Read more »| 05 Jan 2011 -
Theatre
New Year, New You: Creative Labs
Both Dance House and Dance Base have a commitment to supporting the next generation of dancers. The Creative Lab is how they do it Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
FilmPeter Mullan - NED: Non-establishment director
After an eight year hiatus, Peter Mullan makes a welcome return to directing with NEDS, a punchy, personal tale of urban tribalism set in 70s Glasgow Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
Music
Duke Garwood – Dreamboatsafari
As a Londoner whose musical roots lie in Delta blues and early jazz, Duke Garwood is immediately distinguishable from your average solo songsmith. On Dreambo... Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
Music
Spokes – Everyone I Ever Met
While their EP of last year wallowed rather tepidly in soft/loud guitar alchemy, Spokes' debut album proper is a far brighter affair, on which the Mancunian ... Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
Music
Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
It’s January, which means it’s time for the annual “BBC Sound of...” pasting to begin. There’s admittedly schadenfreude to enjo... Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
Music
Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
The first studio album in almost four years sees Samuel Beam continue to push his own boundaries, defying any notions that he should be categorised merely by... Read more »| 04 Jan 2011 -
Music
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
There’s something about The Decemberists’ whimsical pseudo-folk balladry that you really want to hate, but try hard as you may it seems the human... Read more »| 04 Jan 2011