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Critics' Choice

Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quoteAn awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurancequote

Andrew O'Hagan 2012 Theatre

Fiona Mountford

quoteThe show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie Cquote

Fiona Mountford Blood Brothers Music

John Aizlewood

quoteThe British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeedquote

John Aizlewood Muse

Reader reviews

Theatre

Rachel Dalziel

quoteI was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining playquote

Gilbert Is Dead Restaurants

Raja, London

quoteI totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian foodquote

Babbo Music

Katy, London

quoteAlways been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!quote

Muse

CDs of the week

Evening Standard   15.08.08

 Add your view

 

            Dandy Warhols

Refocused: Earth to the Dandy Warhols


            Michael Franti

Politics: Michael Franti's All Rebel Rockers


            The Verve

Atmospheric: The Verve's Forth


            Torsten Goods

Foreign roots: Torsten Goods's 1980


            Kiran Ahluwalia

Glorious: Kiran Ahluwalia's Wanderlust

Look here too

POP


THE DANDY WARHOLS
Earth to the Dandy Warhols (Beat the World)
***

Understandably dumped by their label after 2005's almost unlistenable Odditorium Or Warlords Of Mars, The Dandy Warhols have wisely refocused and have mostly ditched the doodling and childish shouting. The spiralling Wasp in the Lotus is their most thrilling moment of recent years and Love Song features an unlikely appearance from Mark Knopfler. All is not wholly well: the final third of the album is clogged with stodge but there's enough here to keep them going.
JOHN AIZLEWOOD

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD
All Rebel Rockers (Anti)
***

There are political musicians, and then there's Michael Franti. Instead of just singing about Iraq, the 42-year-old has actually performed in Baghdad and his song Bomb the World has become an anti‑war anthem. You might therefore expect his music to be as much fun as eating tofu, but this sixth album has an enjoyable bounce. Kingston-based producers Sly and Robbie add deep dub echo to All I Want Is You and an irresistible rhythm to Remote Control. If Franti's lyrics often descend into platitudes, thankfully any preachiness is absent.
DAVID SMYTH

THE VERVE
Forth (Parlophone)
***

Life goes on as ever on planet Verve. Sit and Wonder opens in an atmospheric swirl, then sets off down rock's dusty trail for the umpteenth time. This would be fine if it were not for the lyrics. Richard Ashcroft is unafraid to tackle the larger themes of love, pain and the universe but all he brings to the task are cliché and sixth-form poetry. The best advice is close your ears to the words. Love Is Noise, Judas and I See Houses will satisfy instrumentally. And, harking back to the good old days, Valium Skies proves that, for this band, the drugs do work.
PETE CLARK

JAZZ


TORSTEN GOODS
1980 (ACT Records)
****

Son of a German father and Northern Irish mother, this dynamic singer-guitarist speaks jazz fluently. One detects a George Benson accent, although his formal studies in the US were with Mike Stern, John Scofield and the legendary Les Paul, who dreamt up his showbiz surname. His new album focuses on the year of his birth. Crazy Little Thing Called Love, by Queen, therefore joins the set-list but it's jazz all the way. Singer Rigmor Gustufsson guests on Need You So Bad and Andreas Oberg shares a duet version of So Much Guitar. Highly recommended.
JACK MASSARIK

WORLD


KIRAN AHLUWALIA
Wanderlust (4Q Records)
*****

Ahluwalia is clearly something special. She writes beautiful music and has a warm voice that hovers its way through these ghazals — Urdu songs, full of beauty and longing. She was born in India and now lives in New York. Alongside yearning sarangi fiddle, so central to the romantic sound of ghazal, Ahluwalia has brought in Portuguese guitar. Jo Dil, the opening track, with tingling guitarra, makes time stand still. Elsewhere she duets with Pakistani Sufi singer Shahid Ali Khan. It's rare to encounter a glorious new voice and talent with such potential.
SIMON BROUGHTON


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Reader views (2)

 Add your view

She has a very nice voice. Wish her all the best in her career.

- Pammi Kalra, Toronto,Canada

So nice to see Kiran getting this much deserved attention in the UK! She is going to be playing a show as part of the London Jazz Festival in November....don't sleep!

- Ian Menzies, Calgary Alberta


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