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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MusicDamon Albarn unveils a snippet from his 'solo' debut
Damon Albarn's first 'solo' album, away from his other myriad guises and collaborative projects, could be nearing completion – today he posted a c... Read more »| 12 Dec 2013 -
MusicQ-Tip & Busta Rhymes release new heavyweight-loaded mixtape
Following on from their single Thank You, which featured guest spots from Kanye West and Lil' Wayne, Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip have relea... Read more »| 12 Dec 2013 -
FilmThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Though still brimming with some narrative bloat, the second Hobbit feature is overall a considerable improvement on its meandering, tonally scattered predece... Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
FilmFilm News: Lost Peter Sellers film found in skip, Terminator reboot gets a title, and more
A lost Peter Sellers movie found in a skip to screen at Southend Film Festival; the Terminator franchise gets a reboot; Ben Whishaw to play Freddie Mercury; plus trailers for Jupiter Ascendant and Bad Words Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
Music
Just Be Simple: Aidan Moffat revisits Magnolia Electric Co.
Both a friend and collaborator of Jason Molina, Moffat meditates on the one song he calls "the heart and soul" of his rich catalogue Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
Music
Simply To Live – That Was My Plan: Jason Molina Remembered
As Secretly Canadian ring in the tenth anniversary of The Magnolia Electric Co, the late Jason Molina's rugged work of plaintive blue-collar Americana under the Songs:Ohia moniker, Alasdair Roberts pays fond tribute to a voice that's still traveling Read more »| 11 Dec 2013
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Music
Baths @ Islington Mill, Salford, 23 November
He wears thick-rimmed frames and shorts short enough to make a modest pensioner blush. His sweet demeanour is paralleled with his boy-lost voice but don&rsqu... Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
MusicLet It Rennes: Trans Musicales 2013
Who knows whether the thousands of French music lovers who descend each year on the beautiful town of Rennes realise how incredible it truly is to attend a m... Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
Music
Burial releases new EP, Rival Dealer
Reclusive UK bass producer Burial has released his new EP, Rival Dealer, on Hyperdub today with his customary lack of fanfare and hype. With 3 tracks –... Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
Music
Factory Floor @ Gorilla, Manchester, 7 December
Factory Floor shows should come with two label warnings: not for the epileptic or weak hearted. The live serving of the debut album by this London-based trio... Read more »| 11 Dec 2013 -
Clubs
JD Twitch presents a 92 Hardcore mix from the vaults for Numbers' 10th Birthday
This week the Numbers crew unearthed a rare mix by Optimo's JD Twitch, showcasing the sounds of the fertile 1992 hardcore scene, to celebrate their 10th birthday Read more »| 10 Dec 2013 -
Books
Louis de Bernières to launch StAnza Festival 2014
Taking place in St. Andrews from 5 to 9 March next year, the annual StAnza Poetry Festival will be launched by intenrnationally acclaimed novelist Louis de Bernières, author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin Read more »| 10 Dec 2013 -
Music
St. Vincent unveils first fruits from "party record you could play at a funeral"
When we spoke to St. Vincent a few years back, she held forth about the value of music: "I think about some of my favourite records and what I would pay to h... Read more »| 10 Dec 2013 -
Music
Edinburgh's Usher Hall celebrates 100 years with Mogwai and Rufus Wainwright
Edinburgh's Usher Hall plans its 100th birthday with gigs from Mogwai, The Pastels, Remember Remember and Rufus Wainwright Read more »| 10 Dec 2013 -
Music
Ol' Dirty Bastard documentary premieres online
A planned red carpet gala premiere at the NuHo Film Festival of a new documentary about the life of Ol' Dirty Bastard was cancelled at the last minute following a legal challenge from the rapper's estate. Now the documentary is now available to stream Read more »| 10 Dec 2013