Him & Her

I know a lot of people are already aware of this BAFTA award-winning BBC sit-com, but I still think it is criminally underrated.  Him & Her may have been dismissed by some as being a little uneventful as television goes, but if you stick with it there is so much to enjoy.

Him & Her happens to fall into the exact genre of subtle, character-based comedy I really enjoy so it might not be for everyone - if you like Gavin & Stacey definitely give it a go.

It follows the relationship of Steve and Becky, whose sole aim in life is to stay in their pokey flat, watch telly and have sex - whose isn't? - but a select number of family, friends and neighbours seem intent on sabotaging this plan. Their blindness to the couple's lack of enthusiasm is the source of a lot of humour, particularly Joe Wilkinson's fantastic performance as Dan, their socially inept neighbour who wanders around the flat at the least possible opportune times, sneaking biscuits and swigs of Advocaat.

As brilliant a comedy show Him & Her is, the further into the programme you get the more involved in the characters' lives you inevitably become. The unwavering realism and excellent character development mean that even though nothing much tends to happen, when events like Shelly's outburst in series 3 (and basically every moment of the final series) occur, the viewer is on tenterhooks.

The main catalyst of drama is Becky's sister Laura, played by Kerry Howard, whom I think I hate more than any other fictional character I have ever come across - rivaled only by Professor Dolores Umbridge.

Steve & Becky serve as a beacon of casual and unglamorous, yet aspirational, love. Sarah Solemani is pretty much my hero and Russell Tovey is just great in everything. Yet although they are the eponymous main characters, the real drama comes from the relationships around them. Paul's suppression of his true self and resentment of the hateful Laura; Shelly and Dan's tentative romantic affair; and Laura's relentless bullying of Shelly. On further analysis, the programme reveals itself to be quite a dark, humanistic performance. And the most affecting thing is that these events and feelings are so commonplace. I am always a fan of art which celebrates the nuances of the everyday, and Him & Her embodies that sentiment.

Everything comes to a head in the final series, wherein Becky and Steve's relationship experiences vulnerability for the first time, physically reflected in the fact that this is the first time they are shown as having left their flat. Out in the real world they face challenges and my attachment to the characters made me feel genuinely and quite strongly protective towards them.

In conclusion, I want to be Becky, I want to murder Laura. If you have watched Him & Her, this will seem perfectly reasonable.

Django Django

After another lengthy break (sorry!), I'm going to cover a relatively new band for a change.

I heard Django Django's single Hail Bop on Radio 6 Music last year and immediately wanted to check out their album because it sounded like exactly my kind of thing. And if atmospheric, slow build-up indie with electronic influences is our mutual bag, I'd definitely advise you do the same.

Their self-titled debut is a chilled out, psychedelic roam through the desert, reminiscent of some of my favourite bands growing up. Their harmonies are a bit Beach Boys at times, which was my prevailing impression at first listen, especially in the track Firewater. Their drummer is actually the younger brother of The Beta Band keyboardist John Maclean, which makes a lot of sense if you're a fan of theirs. A lot of parallels are there to be drawn. The sound effects sampled in Zumm Zumm spring to mind for instance.

A very summery album, the robot beats keep it bouncing along nicely and it's really accessible. I loved it from first listen rather than it being a grower, despite the complexities apparent in DD's song writing and playing. You'll also most likely recognise their song WOR from the BT Sport advert.

I'm sure these Mercury nominees have a pretty hefty fan base already, but if you haven't heard them you should think about looking them up, I've become pretty fond of them since first discovering this album and I think most people would enjoy it.

Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next Series

So! After a lengthy hiatus I've got my arse in gear and decided to review what I've read of Jasper Fforde's work, which begins with The Eyre Affair. I was given this book for free by a passer-by, volunteering for World Book Night and was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed it.

It's a little difficult to explain with any kind of brevity the premise of the Thursday Next series. They take place in a parallel universe, essentially quite similar to our own except that steam power prevails over any other technological advancements, the Crimean War is still being fought, time travel is possible and literature is arguably the most important commodity of the human race. It is particularly significant for the protagonist, Thursday, at any rate.  As a law enforcement agent for SpecOps, she works to prevent relatively petty crimes such as forgery -  that is until she becomes swept up by much more bizarre events.

I am currently reading the third of Fforde's seven (and counting, with an eighth to be released soon) book series, entitled The Well of Lost Plots, and although they are not the best written texts in the world - lacking the depth of character that I would count on to make a book really special, and sometimes erring on the side of simplicity, language-wise - I do enjoy them.  Considering how complex some of Fforde's ideas are, including pretty abstract notions such as being able to hear and communicate via footnotes whilst residing within Wordsworth's Daffodils, I personally think that the plainness of his writing is often necessary. If he got too flowery, these books would be very dense and difficult indeed.

On another positive note, the character of Ms Next is extremely likeable. No-nonsense and human, she shoulders the role of a 'strong, independent woman' - clichéd as it sounds - simply by being a regular person. She is funny and competent and caring. She also brings a note of normalcy to the strange, occasionally very far-fetched, world that she inhabits. Being able to relate to the protagonist is the key to my fondness for these books, aided by the elements of science fiction and the supernatural which make appearances throughout.

Finally, I would definitely recommend this series for anyone who considers themselves a bit of a literature geek. As an English graduate, I really appreciated the many references and jokes which rely on a knowledge of literary works, the English language and writing itself. And who doesn't love something that makes you feel smart? I really admire the ability of a writer not to talk down to their readers, and that's another thing Fforde's got going for him.  If you're not into your classics in a big way, it isn't essential to follow the plot or anything, but be warned - you may not enjoy these books as much as the next bookworm. In conclusion, perhaps not the most accomplished saga you will ever read, but some interesting concepts and, above all, a lot of fun.

Gomez

These aren't so obscure, particularly not to me. I was brought up listening to Gomez alongside such greats as Van Morrison and The Eagles; to me they're a classic and therefore it seems like they should be to everyone else.

Gomez are pretty successful, more so in America I believe (a song of theirs features in the movie American Beauty) - but quite a few people aren't aware of their music and  this is a sin, which I am here to rectify.

I'd say their best albums are Liquid Skin and Bring It On, the latter of which contains perhaps their most famous song, Whippin' Piccadilly. They're a British Indie band whose use of electric mixing and sounds mingle with jazz influences to create a unique style, funky and bluesy but also modern.

Ben Ottewell's voice is fantastic; powerful and gravelly - and the variety of voices and instruments they employ along with their imaginative, if occasionally nonsensical lyrics ("open hearted surgery never works" ... except it does, doesn't it lads?), are a joy to listen to. From the soulful sensuality of Rosalita (Liquid Skin) to the bouncy energy of Detroit Swing 66 (In Our Gun) and Get Myself Arrested's pure coolness (Bring It On), Gomez are consistently wonderful.

Check them and their entire back catalogue out, you won't regret it.

Transition

Iain Banks is a very well-known writer so this may not seem an appropriate book to review, but as a science fiction novel (not written however, under his sci-fi moniker of Iain M. Banks), this one may have slipped through the cracks slightly; none of my friends who are fans of his have read it.  Even if it's not obscure enough I don't care - anyone who hasn't read it, should.  And since the recent news about his terminal cancer diagnosis, it seems germane to pay tribute to one of my favourite British authors.  The world will be a lesser place without him.


Transition is set in a world wherein the existence of parallel universes had been proven.  Selected people are able to travel, or transition, between these universes with the aid of a drug developed by the inhabitants of an adjoining Earth known as Calbefraques.  These people are overseen and governed by an all-seeing and corrupt parliamentary council known as The Concern.

The characters followed during the novel are largely from the aforementioned version of Earth although they flit between various universes, including our own.  The main protagonist is a hired assassin called Temudjin Oh, enlisted by The Concern to perform tasks of varying skill, violence and size to aid the manipulation of history in multiple worlds.  Through the eyes of those with a clear view of the Concern's overall intentions (such as the mysterious Mrs Mulverhill and the psychopathic Madame d'Ortolan) as well as relatively ignorant outsiders like the cynical entrepreneur Adrian Cubbish of London, Earth (ours), we see the effects of The Concern's actions and the uprising of those intent upon bringing them to an end.

With a twisting and turning plot entangling Temudjin in a battle of political interests, revolutionaries, dangerous experimentation and lethal missions, the storyline gradually unfolds, drawing you in.  Iain Banks has achieved that rare quality in a work of fiction - a storyline rich and complex enough to intrigue and entice the reader, without alienating them with unnecessarily convoluted descriptions or back stories.  It is as complicated as it needs to be without it becoming a negative thing (a fine line often tripped upon, especially by sci-fi and fantasy writers).

Fun, exciting, sexy, filled with action and interesting characters, Transition fulfils everything you could want from a sci-fi novel.  Perfectly crafted and brilliantly written, it's definitely worth a read even if you don't usually go for this genre.
               

Iain Banks

                             

Songs of Love, Loss and Debauchery

Now here is a band that is criminally underrated.  And again, one about whom no-one except my good friend Jayne, who introduced me to them, seems to have heard (in my experience).  Even the guy we got talking to when we got to see them live was there to see someone else. 

Kill It Kid are fantastic, and this is one of my favourite ever albums.  Produced by Eels and PJ Harvey producer John Parish as a teaching exercise at Bath University, its complex riffs, grinding bluegrass-style guitar and heavy beats are right up my alley.  To go along with those, there's folksy harmonies, beautiful lyrics and - in my mind - an incredible violinist (Richard Jones, who unfortunately left the band after this album).

Lead singer Chris Turpin's vocals are bluesy and unique - the power of his voice only became fully apparent to me when I saw him perform on stage.  I wondered how that sound didn't damage him on its way out.  And it's perfectly complimented by the other singer/keyboardist Stephanie Ward, whose delicate feminine tone harmonises wonderfully with his throaty timbre. 

An evocative album, it always puts me in mind of dusty desert roads and the deep South - even after the surprising revelation that it's creators are a group of English university students.  

I urge you to listen to this album - I cannot fault it and I never tire of it.  

Darlings of the Splitscreen

For my first music related post I thought I'd go uber-obscure with a band whom nobody (save the person who introduced me to them years ago - and I suspect he may have known them personally since they are from Sheffield) seems to have heard of: Darlings of the Splitscreen. I used to listen to them constantly despite their limited back catalogue and still go back to them regularly. 

They spout a brand of funky electro-pop with more energy than much else out there at the moment - with fun and clever lyrics epitomised in the track In/Out and computer based robotic riffs like that of Juxtaposed, they offer a low-budget, up-tempo bubblegum style that I feel is lacking in pop music.

I am espousing their merits now as there seems to have been a bit of a dearth in their material in the past few years and I fear that their already negligible fame will slide into nothingness pretty soon. And I feel they're talented enough to deserve a bit of exposure.

The best place to hear most of their songs is on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/darlingsofthesplitscreen/
and their EP This Is How We Roll is available on iTunes.
They also have at least one music video on YouTube.

So go and check them out, I hope you enjoy. Here's the only song of theirs I could find on SoundCloud; the WTF Panda Club remix of one of my favourite DOTS song, Hiroshima:


https://soundcloud.com/massnerder/darlings-of-the-splitscreen-hiroshima-wtf-panda-club-remix