Five 100-Word Reviews

American Hustle
An all-star cast backstab anyone and everyone, including each other, to get ahead in this stylish 70s flick. Christian Bale stands out amongst royalty, earning the audience’s attention, sympathy and vote, all while being at the heart of a gripping, unique story that leaves us guessing till the very end. What makes this film stand out amongst Oscar competition is costume design. Brilliant sets that instantly transport us decades back give it a vintage feel rarely done well in Hollywood. A jam-packed con-story that fits comedy and several love stories into a feature film while sacrificing nothing. A modern masterpiece 9/10

Captain Phillips

Tom Hanks portrays yet another unique role in a story equally as original. Based on the true story that plagued news outlets for days in 2009, Captain Phillips portrays a remarkable story between pirate and Captain. Creating tension that hasn’t been seen since Apollo 13, Hanks perhaps gives the best performance of his life as he ranges from frightening anger to heart-wrenching terror. It’s impossible not to have your heart strings tugged and even the coldest of hearts will shed a tear as the story twists and turns like an insomniac. A beautiful, terrifying movie that deserves all its praise 8/10

Another Earth

A fairly lesser known film, Another Earth takes place in a parallel Universe where, you guessed it, there is another Earth mirroring our own world. A Science Fiction Drama film, it tells the story of Rhoda who, after killing his pregnant wife and son in a drink driving accident, falls in love with John. While not the most encapsulating story that often drags out events, it is the ending that is this film’s shining star. A twist that not even Shyamalan could have expected that turns the entire movie on its head and leaves our jaws lying on the floor 7/10

Saving Mr. Banks

Tom Hanks leads yet another 2013 smash-hit, this time adopting he role of dream-maker Walt Disney during the production stage of Mary Poppins. Emma Thompson brings all the attitude as P. L. Travers to a film that is as light-hearted as it is dark. The humour often comes in the form of the storyboarding sessions that include hearty renditions of songs that made it into the (eventually) animation/live action classic. A film that includes enough references to keep die hard Mary Poppins fans happy and enough drama and humour to keep the everyone else entertained. Tom Hanks shines once again! 8/10

Lucky Number Slevin

Josh Hartnett gives the performance of his career (shame it was 2006) in this crime thriller as the man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Surrounded by perhaps the most experienced cast ever assembled (Freeman, Willis, Kingsley, Tucci, Liu), Hartnett concocts his own plan to get even with the two guys who mistook him for someone else. As his and Liu’s relationship blossoms, so does his character as he becomes a lovable and charming lead man. Drowned in dark wit, plot twists and style, the film is set up for a brilliantly genius ending. And it certainly delivers 10/10

 

Top 50 Songs Of 2013!

First of all, apologies for being away so long (assuming people care, which is a silly assumption), I’ve had other, more important things to focus on like a job, University, loved ones and an Xbox One.
2013 was a sublime year for music, and in my opinion, the best year for a long, long time. Punk and rock had a great year that saw the surprise return of many much-loved and respected bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Fall Out Boy, but also said goodbye to a few too, My Chemical Romance and The Mars Volta saddening millions. Pop, dance and folk dominated the charts throughout the year though – newcomers The Lumineers took the world by storm, while Avicii’s popularity rocketed and landed him with two UK #1 singles.
It was a great year for music, and hopefully this list will remind you (if need be) just why. So where better to start, than at the bottom…
JUST A NOTE: ONLY ONE SONG FROM EACH BAND HAS BEEN PERMITTED, MEANING SOME CRACKERS HAVE BEEN OMITTED!

50. Chocolate – The 1975
Manchester’s The 1975’s debut single became an instant hit when released in January, but only peaked at #19. Perhaps no one bought it because every radio station had it on repeat. Blending a unique voice and a catchy-as-hell, jaunty guitar riff, thousands couldn’t help but replicate the sound and unconventional style of singer Matthew Healy, be it ironically or seriously (I was in the former section). It served as a nice introduction to the year that would shoot The 1975 to fame.
49. Where Are We Now? – David Bowie
David Bowie was another shock return to the world of music, releasing his first album in a decade, The Next Day. Where Are We Now? was a quiet yet powerful song that summarised just what this album was, an album that didn’t need to try and impress, because everything Bowie does is gold. A synthy, elegant yet dark tune that may not have you singing along but certainly listening with vigorous intent.
48. Lighthouse – Mallory Knox
Punk-rock is becoming more and more popular, and Mallory Knox are riding that popularity like a wave. Lighthouse combines a powerful chorus with a riff that manages to remind us of Killswitch Engage and My Chemical Romance, all while sounding new and refreshing. A popular hit on rock radio stations, teenagers everywhere would be singing the praises of Mallory Knox. It’s hard to imagine a future that doesn’t have this band at the forefront of pop-punk.
47. We Sink – Chvrches
Thanks to FIFA, this song has reached mainstream popularity as an unreleased single from the debut album The Bones of What You Believe. Lauren Mayberry’s soft vocals contrasted the harsh electro-pop to create a wonderfully imaginative track, making it sound like a more forgiving Crystal Castles. Whether it’s lying back and letting the music flow through your ears, or jumping around in a darkened festival tent, this song will leave you feeling careless and free.
46. True North – Bad Religion
Proving that punk isn’t just alive, but as thriving, Bad Religion returned with their first album for three years and remained true to their gritty sound that defined punk singlehandedly. The unrelenting guitars, violent drums and powerful vocals make it impossible not to have a good ol’ dance, although the level violence of that dance can vary from a head bop to an all out attack on every surrounding human. Listen with caution…
45. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) – Fall Out Boy
There was a mixed reaction to this song, but in hindsight it’s difficult to remain stubborn. Fall Out Boy have shown that commercialising or toning down your music isn’t always a bad thing. A more electronic, anthemic song stole the hearts of 14 year-olds and nostalgic 20 year-olds, and had the even the cynics caving. After the third listen you’ll be singing along and air-drumming, reliving those
years you spent drooling over Pete Wentz’s annoying handsomeness. Note: this song is ten times better live…
44. Cut Me Some Slack – Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear
Not even the most optimistic optimist could have dreamed this up. Perhaps the song didn’t live up to expectations, but that is an impossible feat. What we can learn is that McCartney has a voice for hard rock, and that the band members have still got it. A brilliant song that rings of 70s metal and 90s grunge. Every members influence is in there, from Grohl’s powerful drums to McCartney’s vocals and Novoselic’s and Smear’s grungy roots. If Nirvana and The Beatles had a lovechild, this is it.
43. Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys
It’s hard to ignore a band that dominates the music world in such a way as this. Their latest album, AM, had a rockier sound than in the last few years and has rekindled “guitar-music”. Still a way to go to rock, but headway is there. This song in particular just has something that makes the hairs on your back stand up, and it is that guitar. Impossible to resist air-guitaring or “du-du”-ing to, it’s a slow song that just fills you with energy and makes you want to join a band with your friends and fuck shit up.
42. She Lied To The FBI – Alkaline Trio
Before 2013 began, I wasn’t a fan. But now I’ve seen them once (sort of) and will be seeing them again soon. A great example of a band that do things their way whether you like it or not, lucky for them most do. More pop-punk than punk, She Lied To The FBI is as easy to sing a long to as it is to dance to, making it the perfect song for a long car ride or house party. A song that sounds exactly what you want it to sound like when you click play for the first time.
41. Wake Me Up – Avicii
Pouncing on the folk trend, DJ Avicii weighed in with his modern take on the genre. A foot-stomping, simple song that had millions dancing and downloading it straight to #1. Released bang in the middle of the year, it quickly became a Summer track that echoed from gardens and festivals creating a carefree, joyous atmosphere, exactly what the Summer of 2013 was about.
40. – #thatPOWER – will.i.am feat. Justin Bieber
Never did I think I would include either of those names on this list, or any list for that matter, unless that list was “People I’d Least Like To Meet In A Bar”, but this song does deserve its place. A guilty pleasure of the highest order that not only showcases will.i.am’s songwriting talent (and it is talent, his amount of hits speaks for itself) but also shows that Bieber really can sing. When he isn’t singing about utter shit, his voice is solid. Catchy, fun and carefree, #thatPOWER epitomises what modern music is. Learn to love it, because it doesn’t show any signs of going away.
39. Hey Ho – The Lumineers
It’s shocking to think that this song is barely a year old. It was still in the charts and plaguing radio stations at the end of last year. It’s easy to see why it is so popular – it’s joyous, lovely and easy as pie (that’s a Northern idiom) to sing-a-long to. It did help its popularity when it featured on several adverts too, but since then it’s gone from strength to strength and helped The Lumineers rocket to dizzying heights.
38. Royals – Lorde
Lorde came out of nowhere with her unconventional style and grabbed everyone’s attention by doing so. It’s difficult to categorise, but I’d put it somewhere between R&B and pop, so I suppose a cop-out would be to say “alternative”. 16 year-old Lorde showed that a relaxing song can also instil you with a purposeful attitude that will stick with you long after the song abruptly finishes.
37. I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift
Swift swiftly returned in 2013 with her generic music that portrays depressing subjects as joyous ones that people should actively seek out. Even if the lyrics are hopelessly bland and cliche, it’s so inviting to listen to because it really does make you feel better about yourself. Teenage girls “relate” to her and everyone else listens because it’s hilarious. That being said, the song is well produced and not only does it get you dancing and singing, but it gets you laughing and joking. It makes you happy. Perhaps my real enjoyment that comes from this song is the Nicolas Cage version it spawned…YouTube it. Also the Brock Lesnar one. There’s hundreds.
36. Bonfire Heart – James Blunt
I have a confession. Now, go easy on me, it’s taking balls to admit this. So, here we go…I love James Blunt. I think he’s brilliant, musically and as a person. There, it’s out there. So I was excited to hear his new album and am happy to report he hasn’t strayed too far from his previous stuff. This song in particular has the same melodic acoustic accompanied by the graceful, unique voice. His voice and guitar both create atmospheres that just come together to make one all-encompassing musical-hug. And it’s lovely.
35. Let Me Go – Gary Barlow
Barlow returns in solo form with a brilliantly uplifting track that has you belting out the chorus no matter where you are. You can forgive the plain music and, at times, flat voice, just to enjoy the chorus that explodes the song into a bouncy, jovial tune. It’s the kind of song that you need just as everyone is about to sit down at a party, forcing them to stay standing. If they continue to sit, they’re miserable.
34. Indian Summer – Stereophonics
The second single from Stereophonics’ first album in 4 years, Indian Summer was the perfect Summer song – shame it was released in January. Kelly Jones classic raspy voice sticks out amongst timid music that builds to a poetically powerful chorus. I’m not usually someone who listens to lyrics or takes on board their meaning, but I took my time with this track. I’m glad I did because the lyrics are emotionally provoking. The composition of that chorus is very, very good and has you feeling warm, cold, happy, sad and melancholic.
33. Death By Robot – Feed Me
Feed Me is one of my favourite dance acts around at the moment, and is absolutely stunning live. That’s how I was introduced to this song, and my God was I speechless. I realise it’s almost a sin to compare anyone to Daft Punk, but I’m going to do it anyway. This song is reminiscent of Daft Punk, but more modern and gritty. It’s what Daft Punk would be if they’d carried on the way they were instead of doing RAMs. With every listen you uncover something else to drool over until finally you combine them to produce a cocktail of dance heaven. How this guy isn’t tearing up the charts is baffling.
32. I Will Steal You Back – Jimmy Eat World
JEW’s latest album, Damage, abandoned some of the loud punk-rock for a more acoustic sound. While that alienated many fans, it brought round a new respect for them. The lead single, I Will Steal You Back, was just as upbeat in its musicality but deeper in its meaning. Towards the end of the song the tempo rises and the previously favoured guitars are back along with that divine voice we’re so used to.
31. The Sea – Swim Deep
Riding the wave of indie-surf-pop is Swim Deep, a four-piece from the land of Brum (not the car) and with it their own, slightly less aggressive, take on the new found genre. I have a love for this track in particular because it is so relaxing, so chilled and so brilliantly crafted. Every instrument is doing its own thing, and yet they all seem to mold into a magical song that keeps you entranced right until the end. It really is a brilliant song that has you wanting more and more, shame the rest of the album was pants.
30. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
The first time you listen to this, you cannot do anything else except it in. It feels almost futuristic, like this is what pop will be in 20 years. If it is then that’s great. On the next few listens you can begin to go with it, to dance, sing and clap along.
29. Hearts Like Ours – The Naked & Famous
A wonderful return for the band that took the world by storm with their upbeat electronic sound. The new album and lead single HLO isn’t as joyous as their previous efforts, but it’s just captivating.
28. Eclipse – Crossfaith
An all out assault on the ears that has melodic electro at its core, surrounding it with unstoppable guitars, ferocious drums and a voice that could burst ear-drums. Crossfaith, haling from Japan, are taking the Western world by storm, granting them high support slots and drawing energetic crowds wherever they play. If you’re angry, listen to them.
27. Holy Grail – Jay-z feat. Justin Timberlake
What makes me like this song so much is Timberlake’s vocals. I didn’t like 20/20 because I thought his voice was weak, but on this track it is so strong. Jay-z as per is on top form but for me, it’s Timberlake that makes this track. It’s impossible not to sing along.
26. A Ton Of Love – Editors
Editors made their long-awaited return in 2013 with an album so vast it’s difficult to pin down. This track, the lead single, however, is perhaps the best off The Weight Of Your Love. It fills you with a purposeful feeling to go out and just live!
25. Goin’ Crazy – Dizzee Rascal feat. Robbie Williams
A peculiar combination but a great one nonetheless. Dizzee’s rap is as witty as it is well performed and Robbie’s voice is still as strong as it was 15 years ago.
24. Loud Like Love – Placebo
Another welcome return came in the form of Placebo. With an album perhaps more jovial compared to the rest of their back-catalogue, the title track instilled hope into all who listened. One listen just isn’t enough as Brian’s voice melts inside your head.
23. Pompeii – Bastille
Perhaps the newcomers of the year were Bastille. This track in particular took the charts by storm and were sang cross-country as loud as could be. A unique voice combined with pounding, deep drums struck a chord with the public and propelled Bastille to fame.
22. Waiting All Night – Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre
A true dance anthem that seemed to be on constantly throughout Summer, which would have been fine. Carefree and upbeat, Waiting All Night allowed people who couldn’t sing to do so at the top of their voices, because those around them couldn’t care less.
21. Cocaine – FIDLAR
One of my favourite bands to really emerge in 2013, FIDLAR (Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk), brought surf-punk to new levels when they released their eponymous debut album. This track in particular resonates with me because it accompanied GTA V and it was such a good match. As soon as that guitar grumbles, you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and prepare for the onslaught that is coming. A brilliant track that makes you want to FUCK SHIT UP!
20. Losing Days – Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls
Returning with ‘Tape Deck Heart’, Frank Turner brought with it a more upbeat style. More drums, more mandolin and more shouting for joy. It is this track that really exemplifies Turner’s brilliant voice. Also, that guitar at the beginning is enough to make the most professional of drummers want to learn guitar.
19. The Wire – HAIM
It’s difficult to ignore a song that gains such popularity so quickly. This is a band that the world has needed for a long time. A genuine band that just want to make good music and have a good time. It’s a pretty simple song but that just makes it all the easier to love. The more you listen, the more you’ll enjoy it.
18. White Noise – Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge
Du du. Du. Dudududu. DU. Du du…That tune. It is so catchy it is infuriating. It burrows deep into your subconscious and wakes you at night. AlunaGeorge’s vocals are perfect for this track, sounding otherworldly. What’s most amazing is that Disclosure consists of two brothers who are 22 and 19 years-old. This duo will definitely be one of the world dominating acts in a few years.
17. Dead Man’s Shoes – The Virginmarys
Another band who broke into the frame in 2013 were these boys from Macclesfield. A band that promise to take the punk world by storm, this track in particular shows off not only their technical musical ability, but their songwriting. A great, gravely track.
16. The Unholy Hand – The Bronx
Contrary to TVMs, The Bronx are veterans of the gravely punk sound and have earned their respect through years of heavy punk. Their latest album stuck with that tradition but sounded a lot more modern. How Matt Caughthran’s voice hasn’t buckled under the stress is beyond me, but I’m thankful because what sounds like screaming, screeching and straining to some, sounds angelic to me.
15. Summertime Sadness – Lana Del Ray & Cedric Gervais
Lana Del Ray but not as you know her. A dancey track that somehow kept the mellow sound that we know and love. The title really does reflect the song, sadness in a happy time. A masterful achievement.
14. Bring Me The Head Of A Hipster – The Computers
My newfound love in 2013 were these guys. An incredible blend of pop, punk and swing combining to make a sort of punkabilly sound that I’d never heard before, and these guys are so good at it. This track really shows off how all the genres meld. The shouts, the whining guitars, the swinging drums and jazz-bass. Amazing.
13. Dreaming – Smallpools
Following in the footsteps of other bands, Smallpools found fame through FIFA. A brilliantly happy track that perfectly accompanies a sunny day or a happy moment. A whimsical, upbeat sound that shan’t leave you alone for days.
12. Came Back Haunted – Nine Inch Nails
Probably the most high-profile return of the year came with this track which really summarises their return. They’ve come back haunted. A dark, twisting track full of peculiar and almost frightening sounds. A magnificent return to form from Trent and his men.
11. State Hospital – Frightened Rabbit
From a damning bass to hopeful lyrics, this song is so full of emotions it’s difficult to listen to. Scott Hutchison’s voice rings so perfectly true throughout and creates an atmosphere that is almost uncomfortable in its beauty. A brilliant piece of music from the Scots.
10. Thrift Shop – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
One of the more ‘fun’ songs of 2013 was Thrift Shop. An uproarous blend of rap, chorus and music that created a hilarious song so quotable that it’s difficult to escape. Add that to the video and you’ve got yourself a comedy song. Macklemore’s first song made him instantly lovable and has since gone from strength to strength.
9. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke feat. T.I & Pharrell Williams
Possibly the most controversial thing about 2013 came in the form of a song about rape. I think it’s wrong to simply say “No, you can’t make music about that”, because censorship is simply ignoring a problem. Controversy aside, this song is awesome. Worryingly catchy and simple. A great example of how less is more as Pharrell and T.I. offer their talents in this brilliant tune.
8. God Is Dead? – Black Sabbath
Yet another return in 2013 with the album ’13’, was Sabbath. My God what a return. I don’t think anyone expected this album to be this good. This track in particular, almost 9 minutes long, shows off just how talented these men are, still pioneering metal to this day. Dooming, dark and above all, heavy, this is a brilliant track that may well go down as one of their best.
7. 17 Crimes – AFI
AFIs previous album, ‘Crash Love’ was a bit of a crash itself. “We want old AFI back!” screamed the masses (and my girlfriend), and so, 4 years later they have returned. As heavy and as brutal as before. They do feel slightly more mature than they did, a more sensible chaos in their music, but it’s just as good. Davey Havok’s voice is back to its brilliance and the music they’re producing is dark and glorious. A welcome return to the old AFI.
6. Fire, Fire – Heaven’s Basement
One of the best bands I saw live in 2013, Heaven’s Basement have been tearing up the rock scene with their heavy influences. An unbelievable voice that always has a heavy riff to join it, this band have already gained a huge following and promise to continue throughout 2014. Every time I think rock or metal is disappearing, I just listen to these guys, because they are well and truly keeping it alive.
5. My God Is The Sun – Queens Of The Stone Age
QOTSA’s first album in 6 years brought with it a slightly more subdued sound. However, this song is the standout track because it is the heaviest and fastest. A foot-stomping track that leaves no prisoners. Homme makes what he does seem effortless. His voice feels like a calm within the storm, standing alone, tall and strong while everyone else just loses their shit on whatever instrument they’re playing.
4. Holy Branches – Radical Face
You might know Radical Face from doing that song on the Nikon advert. That is one of my least favourite songs by these guys. I’d never listened to them before going to see them (my girlfriend loves them), and I came out of that concert utterly converted. One song stuck with me and I found it, and it’s this one. One of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard, it speaks about family and not belonging. The whole composition is absolutely staggering, it all fits so perfectly. With this kind of music, slower more relaxed, I find it difficult to engage and re-listen, but this song, perhaps the whole album, really changed that. And I have my girlfriend to thank for that…So thank you!
3. Modern Magic Formula – Biffy Clyro
To this day, this song is the most played song in my music library. It is so unforgiving and insane that it’s great just to listen to and go crazy. I was so obsessed with this song that it reminds me of so many different things. The amount of energy and power each member gets out of his instrument is staggering, especially Simon Neil’s voice. It feels honest and so full of pain and loss that it adds another layer to the song. Despite this pain and loss, he won’t give up and that rings throughout every note and beat. It sounds so desperate, but in a good way. A very, very good way.
2. Inhaler – Foals
That bass. That voice. That guitar. Them drums. Everything in this song is uniquely sublime, and when they come together they create something so powerful that I have yet to come across anything that rivals it. It echoes around whatever room you’re in, when you play it in your head you fear that people around you can hear it too. Starting off slow, building up to the second chorus when all hell breaks loose and then calming down as we started, it feels like an exercise in anger management. An unbelievable track from a band you wouldn’t expect to hear such a song from.
1. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
Was there ever any doubt? You can argue all you like. You can argue that it’s repetitive, that it’s slow and that it’s boring…but you’d be wrong. This song is possibly the most perfect song I have ever heard. It will never get old and it will plague ‘Greatest Songs Ever’ lists until the world itself dies. It has everything. A catchy chorus, a riff that is easy on the ears, a simple beat, a funky bass, a marvellous, calming voice and Daft Punk’s iconic vocals. Most people will dislike it because it was played to death, but for me, it cannot be played too many times. If this comes on the radio when I’m 80, I will get up, dance, sing and jive as if I was still 20. It is timeless. It is magical. It is truly, one of the best songs of all time.
So, there you have it, My Top 50 Tracks Of 2013 (Swear to God, ‘Get Lucky’ just came on my Spotify…perfect). I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, because I really did. Music in 2013 was absolutely unreal and I would argue that it’s the best year we’ve had in a long, long time. As per usual, feel free to comment, argue, debate, insult, whatever. I’ll post the full list below just for a recap. Thanks for reading, following and supporting!
“So let’s raise the bar, and our cups to the stars.” – Daft Punk, Get Lucky
And here’s to a brilliant 2014 and beyond.

1. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
2. Inhaler – Foals
3. Modern Magic Formula – Biffy Clyro
4. Holy Branches – Radical Face
5. My God Is The Sun – QOTSA
6. Fire, Fire – Heaven’s Basement
7. 17 Crimes – AFI
8. God Is Dead? – Black Sabbath
9. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke Feat. T.I., & Pharrell
10. Thrift Shop – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
11. State Hospital – Frightened Rabbit
12. Came Back Haunted – Nine Inch Nails
13. Dreaming – Smallpools
14. Bring Me The Head Of A Hipster – The Computers
15. Summertime Sadness – Lana Del Ray & Cedric Gervais
16. The Unholy Hand – The Bronx
17. Dead Man’s Shoes – The Virginmarys
18. White Noise – Disclosure Feat. AlunaGeorge
19. The Wire – HAIM
20. Losing Days – Frank Turner
21. Cocaine – FIDLAR
22. Waiting All Night – Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre
23. Pompeii – Bastille
24. Loud Like Love – Placebo
25. Goin’ Crazy – Dizzee Rascal Feat. Robbie Williams
26. A Ton Of Love – Editors
27. Holy Grail – Jay Z Feat. Justin Timberlake
28. Eclipse – Crossfaith
29. Hearts Like Ours – The Naked & Famous
30. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
31. The Sea – Swim Deep
32. I Will Steal You Back – Jimmy Eat World
33. Death By Robot – Feed Me
34. Indian Summer – Stereophonics
35. Let Me Go – Gary Barlow
36. Bonfire Heart – James Blunt
37. I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift
38. Royals – Lorde
39. Ho Hey – The Lumineers
40. #thatPOWER – will.i.am Feat. Justin Bieber
41. Wake Me Up – Avicii
42. She Lied To The FBI – Alkaline Trio
43. Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys
44. Cut Me Some Slack – Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear
45. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) – Fall Out Boy
46. True North – Bad Religion
47. We Sink – Chvrches
48. Lighthouse – Mallory Knox
49. Where Are We Now – David Bowie
50. Chocolate – The 1975

Much Love For You Guys Who Read My Stuff, It’s Why I Do What I Do.

PS4 vs. Xbox One: A comparison…

A war like no other.

The majority of people seemed to be annoyed at both announcements really. IGN’s poll found that 75% were disappointed with the Xbox One announcement, a rather worrying amount for Microsoft. Added to this was a Twitter poll that found 88% preferred the PS4, whilst the remaining 12% were in favour of the Xbox One. But this seems slightly unjust, let’s compare!

The Name.

PS4. It’s alright. Can’t complain. It’s what we all expected.
Xbox One. Absolutely no one saw it coming. Makes little sense at first glance. Difficult to clip into a nickname.

However, should the Xbox One be mocked for trying something different, something a little abstract. The PS4 played it safe, and I suppose it should do when this battle hangs on a knife’s edge, but the Xbox One played it boldly and confidently. Playing on the idea that this console is everything you need, in One, we’re not simply being told what the console is. But what can you shorten it to? With the 360 we can shorten the name to, well, 360, but what about the Xbox One? ‘The One’, hoping no one makes some kind of joke about how it’s the only console for you? ‘The Xbox’, hoping people can differentiate between the Xbox One, 360 and original Xbox? The ‘X-One’? They all seem a bit silly or vague, so in that respect, the PS4 has the advantage.
Personally, I think Xbox One has the better name. Microsoft has actually thought about what it was they were building and poetically titled it so. Sony lazily titled it PS4, showing absolutely no inspiration.

The Controller

Not much has changed on the outside…or the inside.

This is a biggie for me. The reason I dislike the PS3 is the controller. It was flimsy, small and awkward, whilst the 360 was a perfect size, moulded perfectly to fit into one’s hands and easy to adapt to. So what about the new ones?

In regards to looks, nothing much has changed, something that can be said for every single PS and Xbox controller. However, the Dualshock 4 controller has a huge design change with the capacitive touch pad being added. Disregarding function for the moment, it sticks out like a sore thumb, something that it will ironically create. It doesn’t look very easy to press when holding the controller, meaning you’d have to forfeit one of your hands to press it. Another design change lies with the thumbsticks and triggers, which are now concave in design. This sorts my original problem with the Dualshock 3, in that my fingers would slip off, so Sony have done good there. The Xbox One’s effort, aesthetically, I think is rather pretty. Many have called it “clunky” and “stupid”, but I have to disagree. It looks slick, stylish and simple. The main problem with the 360’s controller was the directional pad. It was imprecise, prone to breaking and difficult to use. However, on the new controller, it is embedded into the pad, allowing for next to no mistakes, and ease of access. Another change lies with the thumbsticks, now sporting added texture for more grip.

Now to look at the technical aspects of each. The main change with Xbox One’s is that it is Wi-Fi connected. We’re unsure of the pros and cons, with only battery draining being reasonably suggested. The Dualshock4 maintains Bluetooth connectivity. Both will be connected to their motion sensors respectively, the PS4’s doing so via a light on the top of the controller, and the Xbox One’s through the Wi-Fi.

Both controllers look good, seem easier to handle and hold minor improvements that add to make a massive improvement on gaming in general. In my opinion, the PS4 has the upper edge with its Bluetooth connectivity and light sensor, if only it would remove that stupid touch pad…

The Console Itself

I’d love to put a picture of the PS4 next to this, but sadly, there is no such thing.

How the console looks sitting in your room, is important. It’s a fashion item, a bragging right, to some.

At this point I’d like to compare the two, but seeing as Sony bafflingly left out visuals of the console itself, I can’t. Seriously, why aren’t people more pissed about that? We have no idea what the console looks like! Anyway, the Xbox One got a lot of stick. And when I say a lot, I mean, A LOT. Some of the stick and abuse admittedly came from me. I thought it looked like a video recorder that lacked in inspiration and was anything but iconic. Whilst I still stand by all these points, I’ve actually come to like the design. Harnessing the idea of minimalism, using a basic shape and doing nothing more than it needs to, is exactly what was needed. The basic shape means it will fit anywhere, and if there isn’t a free shelf in your games cabinet, just stick it on the floor – problem solved. The Kinect 2.0 matches the console itself as well. Looking like a smaller version it should perch on top of the TV or console nicely.

Sure it just looks like a fancy video player, but that’s more than we can say for PS4…literally.

Specs

Specs are important because they make dumbasses like me sound like they know what they’re talking about. From what I can gather, the PS4’s are better than Xbox One, but only just.

Yet again, we don’t know about the PS4’s hard drive, but the Xbox One boasts a 500GB internal hard drive. It looks to be a mechanical (cheaper) hard drive that cannot be replaced. However, it looks as though you can add an external HDD, something which has saved Microsoft from certain suicide. Sony have announced that their hard drive will be built in…which is the most obvious thing anyone has ever said, ever.

Something which I felt was crucial to the next-gen consoles was Blu-Ray. Both have announced that they will have Blu-Ray players. Xbox One’s camera will be better, but that’s to be expected as they use it more for Kinect 2.0. The real winner in the battle of these two gaming giants, seems to be AMD. Both will use AMD processors, PS4s being slightly better. So graphics-wise, PS4 looks to have edged it again, no surprise.

In terms of raw processing power, PS4 comes out on top, just. Of course, that isn’t to say Xbox One is shit and will have terrible graphics, far from it. Chances are that Microsoft made a sacrifice in terms of gaming power to add to the entertainment aspects.

Games

These look to be the official boxes. Xbox One wins on design I feel.

Not many games have been announced for either, but more are being either announced or hinted at each day. Here’s a list of confirmed games so far:

XBOX ONE:
Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Destiny
Dying Light
FIFA 14
Forza Motorsport 5
Madden 25
NBA Live 14
Need For Speed Rivals
Quantum Break
Ryse
Thief
EA Sports UFC
Watch Dogs

PS4:
Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Blacklight Retribution
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Deep Down
Destiny
Diablo III
DriveClub
Dying Light
EA Sports UFC
FIFA 14
Final Fantasy 14
Infamous: Second Son
Killzone: Shadow Fall
Knack
Madden 25
NBA Live 14
Need For Speed Rivals
Primal Carnage: Genesis
Sniper Elite 3
Thief
War Thunder
Watch Dogs
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witness

Some of the PS4 may be announced for Xbox One, and vice versa.

Something which not many people got excited about, which surprised me, was the announcement made by Microsoft. They said that there would be 15 exclusive titles in its first year, 8 being completely new franchises. This is something that every gamer wanted, yet no one got excited about. They were all too busy being keyboard warriors…

The games don’t look incredible at the moment, with the exception of Diablo finally traversing to console and Bungie’s latest effort, Destiny. There are a few more, unconfirmed titles that might as well be; a new Spec Ops and Cyberpunk 2077 among the list. For now, we must wait until E3, which is bound to be one of the best E3s ever.

OVERALL

Best to wait until E3 before we make a full judgement.

Xbox One aimed at the entertainment aspect more than any other, whilst PS4 went for the social and gaming aspect. It’s difficult to compare the two because of this. In a way, they are completely different consoles. Why can’t we have both, or none? Xbox One has live TV, voice control and many other entertainment aspects. Whilst PS4 has its share button and hop-in hop-out feature. Both look to be brilliant, magical consoles offering all ages an immersive experience like no other.

Personally, I’d buy an Xbox One, but that’s because I’ve had an Xbox for 10 years. Just the same as most people who have a PS3 and its predecessors will get the PS4. At the moment it looks like the games will be deciding the victor of this never-ending war, and for that we will have to wait until E3.

5 Bands To Watch/Listen Out For.

The last couple of years have seen bands shoot to stardom earlier than ever before. Alt-J and Bastille achieved fame without even releasing an album, cleaning up at awards ceremonies across the UK. However, there are bands much more deserving of this fame, this stardom. Some you may have heard of, some you mightn’t have, either way you should get to know them better.

5. The Computers

If a band can pull off maroon suits, they deserve recognition.

Self-proclaimed “saviours of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, The Computers made a splash with their 2013 album Love Triangles, Hate Squares, blending a fantastic punk energy with swing and a preacher-like attitude. Lead single ‘Disco Sucks’ is a great sing-a-long that is nowhere near the best song on the album, begging the question why it was released as the lead single. ‘Bring Me The Head Of A Hipster’ and eponymous track, ‘Love Triangles, Hate Squares’, offer head-banging chorus’ and melodic intros that’ll have you dancing in no time. But to really appreciate them, you have to see them in concert. How lead singer Nice Ron can keep up his screaming voice, energetic dancing and fantastic guitar-playing is baffling. An icon in the making, a band rearing its raw and powerful head.

4. FIDLAR

Oppose them, I dare you.

Standing for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’, FIDLAR really are a band making a name for themself. Securing spots at Reading & Leeds, T In The Park, Download and some of the most popular European Festivals, they’re becoming recognised in all the right places. Riding the surf-rock wave straight from LA into a world desperate for a “fuck it” attitude, their debut album, released this year, received great reviews from BBC and The Guardian, and with good reason. It is their diversity within a genre that makes them as good as they are. One second you can listen to a melodic, calm ‘poppy’ song, and then be launched into a barrage of scratchy vocals and pounding guitars. A band perfect for Summer guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

3. Turbowolf

I don’t know whether to throw up, or kneel at their feet.

Hailing from Bristol, they are hard to pin down into one genre. They range from psychadelic-funk to metal to prog-rock. ‘Let Die’, for example, lulls you into a false sense of electronic security, only to be torn down and stamped on by a riff so strong it’ll blow your face off, if you haven’t already torn it off headbanging. Turbowolf have found it hard to gather momentum, mainly because they have only released one album, back in 2011, but have gathered a loyal fanbase in doing so, all of whom are chomping at the bit to see them live. If the music isn’t good enough for you, just take a look at the band themselves, as funky as anyone; and their name screams awesomeness too. You have to admire them, even if it’s just for being ballsy enough to play under the name Turbowolf. Let the idea of an actual TURBO WOLF set in…awesome.

2. AWOLNATION

The oldest trick in the book to gain fans…wear a Metallica t-shirt.

It’s difficult to say that they haven’t achieved fame, because they have. ‘Sail’ has racked up almost 60 million hits on Spotify and they played a, for the most part, sold out tour in early 2012. However, they shouldn’t be pinned-down as a one-hit wonder band, for their album Megalithic Symphony is belter after belter. ‘Not My Fault’, ‘Soul Wars’ and ‘Burn It Down’ are all brilliant, stomping tunes full of emotion and meaning. They seep with honesty in every word and chord, delving into many-a-genre, from rap to metal, and pop to electro. They’ve even managed to use all of those genres at the same time. A very, very technically gifted band. They’re destined to become cult favourites.

 

 

 

1. The Heavy

“Go on, mention that Strongbow advert once more…”

We’ve all heard that song, ‘How You Like Me Now?’, even though many of you will be thinking, “What, I’ve never heard that? Who the hell are The Heavy?” YouTube it, you’ll recognise it. Taken from the album The House That Dirt Built, it’s a fun-filled track filled with coarse vocals that are as catchy as the latest export from South Korean pop. But The Heavy deserve to be known for so much more than just that song. With ‘Short Change Hero’ featuring on Borderlands 2 and ‘Don’t Say Nothing’ featuring on FIFA 13, they’re slowly but surely rising to prominence. Their most recent album carries on with what they established early on their lifespan. As funky as Samuel L. Jackson doing Gangnam Style, as contagious as the latest STD epidemic and as refreshing as a can of Lilt on the hottest day of the year. The Heavy should be selling out stadiums worldwide, but they’re still confined to smaller venues, and that, is a crying shame.

20 songs that immediately transport you to your 10 year-old-self – Ready for the ultimate nostalgia trip?

Obviously, this list can’t apply to everyone, for example, Wishbone Ash won’t make people my age think of their childhood, just like One Direction won’t – I’m sorry, One Direction will not be on the list, I know how excited you were to see them on here. No, the kind of bands on here were part of the whole pop-punk phase that pretty much ruled the world for about 3 years and were found mainly on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games. Alas, let us reminisce!

20. What’s My Age Again – Blink 182

You may be thinking, “Only number 20?!” and I get why, but there is a reason for this. We all still listen to this song. It doesn’t remind us of when we were 11, it reminds us of pretty much all the years between 10 and 20. Why would anyone stop listening to this song, it’s pure gold and only made better by the video which is also pure nostalgia as well as funny as hell. The title and general theme of this song kind of justifies its place on the list, but it shouldn’t be on top because many more memories will be made and associated with it.

19. Megalomaniac – Incubus

I’m not sure many people will remember or have even heard this, but for me it is a pure nostalgia trip. A brilliant track that only seems to have got better with age, much like a fine wine, only this doesn’t have a bad taste. It’ll have you jumping round your room like a crazy person in no time at all.

18. Molly’s Chambers – Kings of Leon

Like many bands, KoL’s old stuff is so much better than the more recent stuff. I’d rather listen to this than Sex on Fire any day. It really kicked off the indie phase that was slowly pushing pop-punk out of the charts and was given even more popularity by its appearance on FIFA. An anthem that seems outdated when you listen to it today, but was mind blowing at the time.

17. Foundations – Kate Nash

This is a track I recently rediscovered and is somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Along with Pumpkin Soup Kate Nash was a phenomenon for a couple of months. The mixture of the upbeat piano and rather blunt lyrics appealed to everyone and was played on every radio station non-stop for days on end. What happened, Kate, what happened?

16. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm

I know it’s not the original but this version will always be a classic. Who can forget coming home from school, slinging their bag on the floor, flicking over to Kerrang and seeing Dryden Mitchell screaming whilst holding his crotch on top of a car? What is even more surprising is that this song was made in 2001…let that sink in. I was 8 when this came out…8! Nevertheless, I will always have time for it and welcome it when it occasionally comes on the radio or music channel.

15. In The Shadows – The Rasmus

I only need to say one word that will sum up this song…introduction. That klaxon followed by the guitar followed by a rather awesome “woah-woah” was so ridiculously catchy that even my nan had time for this song. I remember her coming round and playing it to me. We had a good sing-a-long, something that was shared by millions of teens across the country. A brilliant, catchy tune that will live forever.

14. The Middle – Jimmy Eat World

I could just put Jimmy Eat World  here but I feel like this was their most well-known track. Kerrang played it to death but with good reason. The lyrics pretty much appealed to everybody around the age of 14 making it so relatable that people adopted it as “their song” and played it non-stop. JEW is considered to have created the “emo” genre, something I agree with to some extent. They did in the following they amassed but their music actually provokes a positive feeling, something that emo music rarely achieves. JEW did the impossible. You’ve also just realised that their initialism is jew, haven’t you?

13. Aerials – System Of A Down

Any SOAD song can teleport us back to the skater days, but this one in particular does it for me. Not the most popular song they ever did, but arguably the best. It was the kind of song that would be on your phone, taking up about a third of the memory, and never skipped. The intro is haunting, the video is creepy (that weird child sent shivers down my spine) and the vocals are passionate. SOAD were one of the driving forces behind the nu-metal movement, and I for one am glad to see them back.

12. Danger! High Voltage! – Electric Six

E6 are one of the most under-rated bands around. Sure people love this, Gay Bar, and perhaps Synthesizer, but their other stuff is just as impressive. That being said, this song propelled them to the heights and fame that they still hold today. In fact, the video pretty much did all the work. Glowing genitals, breasts and a strange romance between Dick Valentine and mature women clad in barely anything was both creepy and hilarious. You can’t take away from the musicality of the track though. It’s catchy and fantastic to sing-a-long to. I also must say I’ve seen this live…it was epic.

11. Superman – Goldfinger

Okay, this is one that really owes its fame to Tony Hawk. This was probably the anthem for the PS1 game. Sure there were better and even more popular songs, but if you say to someone, “Name a song from Tony Hawks,” chances are this one will be the most common reply. This track gets the award for “Best Song To Bop To.” It’s upbeat and the intro instantly lifts your mood. Instead of trying to talk the man about to hurl himself from a building out of it, the police should just play this…loud.

10. Kiss Me – New Found Glory

Another cover, another classic. I had the pleasure of seeing this live at last year’s Leeds Fest, and whilst the set was pretty poor, this song was a highlight of the whole weekend. Ska was ridiculously popular back in the early 00s, so a ska cover of a well-known song was always gonna be a hit. Well done, NFG, well done for exploiting my childhood.

9. All Star – Smash Mouth

Okay, looking back, this was one of the cheesiest songs of all time. If anyone dressed as Smash Mouth did today, they’d be executed on the spot, and the lyrics are pretty crap, but my God that song was brilliant. We all know the chorus, and some know the verses, but the verses don’t matter because it was all you needed. It’d come on your Sony Ericsson Walkman phone on the park, and everyone would stop what they were doing and bop. Just bop – until the song finished. Also, they were in Rat Race…so that’s pretty cool.

8. Ready for the Floor – Hot Chip

I have very specific memories of this song. I remember someone playing it just before going into Art class, and everyone sang along. That really summed the song up, a track that despite being pretty shit, brought everyone together. It’s become a kind of hidden gem, along with Hot Chip’s other known song Over and Over, which is a shame, because they would really suit the kind of music that is popular today. Way ahead of its time, Ready for the Floor was a proper dance track that anyone could dance to because it itself, was awkward.

7. Just A Day – Feeder

The ultimate feel good song, Just A Day rocketed Feeder to fame, and all because of that intro. More people sing along to the guitar riff than the actual words, perhaps because it’s quite hard to understand what’s being said, but also because it is THE CATCHIEST THING EVER! It’s catchier than chlamydia, and that shit’s everywhere. The video also popularised it. Filled with fan footage of people singing to the song on webcams there are some truly special moments in there. Some lovely moments and some hilarious moments, it shows just how much this song means to people. It can make even grumpy cat stop being miserable…but I think that’s just a myth.

6. In The End – Linkin Park

I could have just written Hybrid Theory there but this song pretty much summed that album up. It was all so new to us kids. Rap…and metal…IN ONE SONG?! Obviously we’d heard Limp Bizkit but they lacked the power and electronic sounds that were becoming ever more popular. Every young teen knew the words, including the rap, and proceeded to belt it out in the playground or parks. Seeing how much LP has changed is rather sad, after Meteora they went in a radical direction, one that I didn’t like, but one that others did. For me, LP will always be characterised by this song, just like my childhood.

 

5. Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne

A true one-hit wonder, Fountains of Wayne struck pure gold with this track about a boyfriend who had the hots for his partner’s mother. I’m not sure why we loved a track so much when it’s about an absolute bellend of a man, though I would hazard a guess at it being because we loved songs that were fun and didn’t take themselves very seriously. This is backed up by Bad Touch and Gives You Hell, two tracks that won’t be in the list but deserve mentions. The fun days of our youth may be slipping away, but the soundtrack is not. The memories that it conjures up are only happy ones because it is impossible to frown whilst this is playing.

4. Heaven is a Halfpipe – OPM

Another song that owes most of its popularity to music channels, and Kerrang in particular, Heaven is a Halfpipe fitted with the skating craze. I’m also sure it fitted with the drug craze that I’m pretty sure was going on but I was too young to notice. Back then it was a funny song, now it’s a song that is so chilled that Mr. Freeze couldn’t handle it – except Arny’s version of him, he could. Mellow, joyous and dance-provoking, it really is a stone-cold classic that makes time stand still.

3. When Your Heart Stops Beating – +44

Featuring two thirds of Blink 182, it was guaranteed to be popular, and it was. For some strange reason it was only popular for a couple of months, as everything else they did was shit. They kind of ruined their own fame by doing more songs. The drumming is out of this world, Hoppus’ voice was actually rather good and the words were very easy to memorise. Everyone’s favourite track for a couple of weeks in 2006, the song ran out of steam when people realised that Blink were well and truly finished…only for them to reform three years later.

2. Want You Bad – The Offspring

The Offspring were the soundtrack to my youth, partly because of my brother. Not that I’m complaining, they were fucking brilliant, and still are. I remember Chris (Yoreet, bro?) giving me Conspiracy of One and me staring blankly at him. He just said “listen,” so I did. That album is one of my favourite albums of all time, and this song was the outstanding track from it. Dexter Holland’s voice was as punk as it gets and the guitars were heavy and powerful, I salute this track. It’s still popular, especially among The Offspring fans, and with good reason. A true punk classic that is 13 years old and still sounds like it was made yesterday.

1. The Adventure – Angels & Airwaves

I remember this being possibly the most anticipated thing ever. Kerrang had the first showing of the video and playing of the song and I remember sitting on the couch waiting a good couple of hours waiting for it. I was not disappointed. Featuring Tom Delonge and representing the other third of Blink, A&A, sometimes referred as AVA (the initials of DeLonge’s children) produced something mesmerising and uplifting to the point of becoming the feel good hit of the Summer. It is the ultimate memory holder. Lazing on a field in the sun with speakers, barbequing in the back garden or just lurking as kids do, this song was in the background. I would be happy if this was the only song played for the rest of my life. Something that baffles me is that A&A are still going, and going strong. Last year they played Reading and Leeds Fest…and I was there. You know when you see girls screaming at All Time Low, and you think “What the fuck is the big deal?” Well times that by about 4000 and you get something close to the feeling of excitement that I felt watching and listening to this. Laying back in the field of thousands of others who I knew were feeling the exact same feeling. Every face was smiling, every thought was of the past and everyone was silent. No words could describe it, and they didn’t need to, because we all felt the same thing. This song truly was a song of such epicness that it felt like it came from another universe. It may seem like I’m fanboying too much, but if you listen back to it you’ll realise what I mean. I love this song and I love the memories it brings.

The Top 10 Cover Songs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard.

Ahhh the cover song, helping unsigned bands gain fans and signed bands produce something when they really can’t be arsed doing anything on their own. However, some covers are actually pretty good, very good in fact, so good that they’re actually better than the original. This rare phenomenon only happens when the cover is significantly different to the original, like Anne Hathaway singing “I Dreamed A Dream”…oh wait that sounded just like every other version. When a band takes a song and completely changes it, that’s when covers become good and acceptable. Imagine a heavy metal version of Britney Spears, how crazy would that be? This crazy…

10. Children of Bodom – Oops I Did It Again (Britney Spears)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGtXlBbWeB4
Children of Bodom are a Finnish heavy metal band that, clearly, don’t take themselves too seriously. They did an entire album of covers, including a very good cover of Rebel Yell by Billy Idol, but this Britney cover really is something special and epitomises exactly what a cover should be – a re-imagining of a song that brings something new to the table.

9. Scary Kids Scarring Kids – Losing My Religion (R.E.M.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdATtJ88iE
Another heavy reworking of a classic song that changes the entire mood conveyed in the original. I think what really makes this cover work is the vocal harmonies. The shouting behind the lead vocals scream (pun intended) desperation and feeling. Also there’s a fucking awesome guitar solo in there too.

8. Placebo – Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KEEXyRL0qE
I was lucky enough to stumble upon this about a month ago, and since then I’ve become a huge fan of Placebo. It sends uncontrollable shivers down the spine and contains an ambience that even the original found difficult to capture. Brian Molko really shows how insanely graceful his voice is. Personally, I believe this is better than the original.

7. Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marvin Gaye)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXJQOWsp6f4
Clocking in at an impressive 11 minutes 11 seconds (I don’t expect you to listen to it all) CCR showed dedication and determination in transforming this classic. Again the vocals take centre stage, Jon Fogerty really does have a fantastic voice, and it is perfectly suited for this song. He also plays the solo a few minutes into the song, showing he’s a man of many talents. As far as production goes, this cover is challenging for the top spot.

6. Gary Jules – Mad World (Tears For Fears)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR91Rj1ZN1M
Possibly one of my favourite songs of all time, this cover was actually a fortunate accident. During the production of Donnie Darko, director Richard Kelly told his long time friend Gary Jules to have a go. In one take it was recorded, used in the film and made Christmas Number 1 when it was released two years later. Even today, it is used widely within films, TV and video games, most notably in Gears of War. One of the most elegant and damning songs of all time.

5. Editors – Road To Nowhere (Talking Heads)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdW2FSrsneQ
Editors really are the masters of the cover. With fantastic renditions of Feel Good Inc. (Gorillaz), Lullaby (The Cure) and Orange Crush (R.E.M.) they have had a fair few stabs at it, but with this version of the Talking Heads classic they nailed it. Released as a B-Side on their single Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors, it got a bit lost in their back catalogue, luckily it’s easy to find online if you look for it. A true, lovely rendition that begs the question, “Why don’t Editors do more acoustic stuff?”

4. Reel Big Fish – Take On Me (A-HA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHpU0ZfXZ_g
Reel Big Fish have produced many a good cover, just like Editors. Versions of New York, New York (Frank Sinatra) and Hungry Like The Wolf (Duran Duran) could easily have made this list, but I’m difficultly limiting myself to one per band. Ska is quite an obvious genre to look to for fantastic covers, and Reel Big Fish are arguably the biggest Ska band around, and it’s easy to see why. Everything about this song is impressive, from the guitar solo, the adaption from synth to brass and the stupidly high-pitched note in the chorus, though not quite as impressive as the original, are all top notch. A song that injects youthful, energetic life into a classic “dad-song”.

3. Powerman 5000 – Should I Stay Or Should I Go – (The Clash)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPgM-KkCG-0
Powerman 5000 are an Industrial Metal band that produced such classics as Bombshell and When Worlds Collide, that flew into popular culture via the Tony Hawk’s video game franchise. Since then they’ve been rather quiet, until 2011, when they recorded a covers album. Whilst this cover isn’t the best thing on there in terms of listening, in terms of producing and adaptation, it is by far the winner. They transformed a high-energy punk classic into a mellow and creepy electronic track that seems to bubble below the surface like a shark.

2.. Anberlin – Enjoy The Silence – (Depeche Mode)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpD5695Kfis
Anberlin are, in my opinion, one of the most underrated bands ever. Their own stuff is unique and catchy as hell, but this cover is the best thing they’ve done. Depeche Mode’s original was good enough, but I prefer Anberlin’s version. More gritty, more in your face than the 90s hit (and this is most prominent at 1 minute 45 seconds) it really is a fantastic modernisation of a song that at the time of its release was one of the most forward thinking songs around.

1. Taking Dawn – The Chain (Fleetwood Mac)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6PNZLehuGU
It is a crying shame that this cover is not more widely known. It gets some airplay on the heavier radio stations, but that is nowhere near the amount of attention it deserves. Of course, the original is one of the greatest songs of all time, but this cover is even better. Once again metal has transformed a rather withdrawn song into a force of brutality, but not the kind seen with the Children of Bodom cover. This brutality is like that of a Terminator marching towards you. It fills you with adrenaline and makes you want to shout and fight and live life as if the Terminator was about to rip your throat out. It gathers momentum after the famous bassline and fires into a double-pedalled frenzy that cannot be imagined, only heard.

A cover becomes great when the covering artist stays true to their style and doesn’t conform to what will make them popular. No band does that quite like Taking Dawn, a relatively unknown band that has found fame from melding a golden-oldie into a raw, pounding anthem. Fair play to them, I say.

P.S. Taking Dawn’s other stuff is really rather poor so they’re not really worth an investigation.

P.P.S To anyone who was disappointed, here’s a brilliant cover that was not included by Bill Murray!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53DQgbj2mIc

My top 5 Disney Pixar films – I have yet to see Cars 2 and Brave, so they won’t feature. I doubt Cars 2 would anyway by the looks of it.

Disney Pixar is arguably the greatest film studio of the last decade, and probably will be of the last two decades. It’s been 18 years since the release of Toy Story, yes, 18 impressive years. Whilst Disney was busy making great films like Tron:Legacy and Avengers Assemble (Great film; not-so-great title) Pixar was busy making even better films. It’s difficult to place the films in any sort of rank order, simply because they all have their arguments for being the best, but I’m going to give the top 5 a go, starting with 5:

5. Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 was my favourite one of the trilogy, meaning neither the first or last instalment will make it into this list. The reason I prefer this story of toys to the others is simple. It’s more fun. The dialogue is wittier, the plot is more lighthearted and the characters are more engrossing. None more so than Jessie. Her revealing moment when trapped in the weird chicken guys apartment when she sings “Jessie’s Song” is one of the best musical moments of any film, ever. It is beautiful, touching and masterfully directed. That moment alone deserves to put this film into the top 5. These moments of revelation are surrounded by funny as hell moments too, like Rex trying to play a video game with his tiny arms, tour guide Barbie, and of course the traffic cone scene. A shining example of comic timing.

4. Monsters Inc.Monsters Inc. was once my favourite Pixar film. It came to the big screen when I was 8 – perfect timing. I was still a bit afraid of my wardrobe but was still too proud to admit it, so Monsters Inc. allowed me to be comfortable with saying “I am shit-scared of my wardrobe!” The animation took a giant leap forward in 2001, as incredible detail became an important part of Pixar films. The next time you get chance, watch the fur on Sulley’s body, and notice how it moves perfectly in reaction to his bodies movements. Or, if that’s a bit too tedious, rewatch the door factory scene. Every child in the world’s door, all in one factory. That is a brilliant concept, made even more brilliant by the scene within the factory. Treated like a rollercoaster, it has action, comedy, and what some kids would consider horror when Randal is beating up Sulley. By the end we’re left with tears of sadness that quickly turn to tears of happiness. A generally brilliant idea that has turned an age old myth on its head. I cannot wait for Monsters University!

3. Finding NemoSimply put, Finding Nemo is the funniest animation film ever. No question. There are more laugh-out-loud moments in this fast paced film about a dad’s desperate search for his son, than there are in most live-action comedies, and that’s quite impressive. It mixes slapstick humour with one of the funniest scripts around to create a modern classic that can and will always be rewatched. It’s hard to choose one single scene that defines it, so I won’t. Instead I’ll rattle off words that will make you chuckle to yourself as you remember them. Dory speaking whale, “Mine!”, “Awwww you guys made me ink!”, “Now what?”, “P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney”, Flo who when you think about it actually has some issues and just every scene with Dory in it. If you haven’t had your fill, Finding Nemo 2 will be released in 2016, whether it’ll work or not is another question entirely. I, for one, hope it will.

2. UpUp is an example of a masterpiece, in particular the scene that is narrated entirely by music. More people cry at that scene than any other, and yet not one word is said. Of course, everyone who has seen the film knows exactly which scene I’m referring to – the story of Mr. Fredricksen and his wife Ellie. What promised to be the greatest love story ever told, became one of the greatest tragedies. People were crying, laughing and sometimes both at the same time, within the first 10 minutes. After that, it was all smiles as characterisation took hold. Mr. Fredricksen’s grumpy attitude, Russel’s optimism, Doug’s love for squirrels and Kevin’s…Kevin-ness, turned a lonely old man’s journey into an adventure. Hilarious moments, usually involving dogs, were few and far between, but when they happened they caused belly-aching laughs. Up is not a comedy, it is a love story told after one person’s love had died, a truly epic story shown with magnificent imagination, colour and characterisation.

And so we arrive at the greatest Pixar film ever…was there any doubt? Oh there was? There shouldn’t be!

1. Wall-EIf there was only one film I could watch for the rest of my life, this would be it. Wall-E combines a shocking truth, a robotic romance and magnificent visuals to create what is the greatest film ever made. As Earth has drowned itself in rubbish, ‘Wall-E’ units are disposed (No pun intended) to clear up the mess, but they have since gone too. Fallen into disrepair they are all gone…all except one. Our little hero himself. Wall-E. With only a cockroach as company, Wall-E survives by dancing, scavenging and trying on bras. After what could have been years of solitude, he spies a robot called Eve, sent to Earth to see if plants can grow again. Wall-E immediately takes a shine to Eve, despite finding it difficult to pronounce her name. His best attempt being “Eeeeeeeeva!” As the story takes us to a spacecraft inhabited by human survivors, a nasty plot is unearthed (Pun intended that time) and only one robot can stop it.

Wall-E truly is the greatest story ever told, particularly in film. His determination, naivety and utter cuteness make him the most lovable character ever. Yes, the most lovable character is a waste disposal unit. Eve on the other hand provides Wall-E with chances at bettering himself, which usually fail to our amusement, whilst a robot uprising gives us a moment of action and an idea of what a robot battle would look like. It’s a lot funnier than you’d think.

As well as characterisation that again impresses, the film  boasts one of the most amazing backstories ever. People seem to think that the world will end with the apocalypse or global warming, whilst Wall-E brings a looming danger to the forefront of our minds. We are going to kill ourselves. The panoramic shots are awe inspiring, whilst the detail taken to ensure it is still believable is superb. Engagement rings tossed aside, a car alarm and, well, everything that clutters Wall-E’s crate attaches ourselves to this desolate world.

However, it is not these things that earn it its place at the top of the list. It is the romance between Eve and Wall-E. Wall-E’s utter determination at getting Eve to like him back seem all but lost when she shuts down awaiting pickup from Earth, but not even that deters him. He pries her hand from her body, covers her in christmas lights and protects her from the rain, all without her knowing. Now that is a gentlemen. Even his appearance just makes him hard to dislike. The big eyes that manage to show every emotion, his terrified quivering body and his general junky look make us root for him all the way. By the end, many are in tears, many are in disbelief but all are in love with little ol’ Wall-E.

Whilst these films are the top 5, every Pixar film is brilliant in its own way. Ratatouille again turned a stereotype on its head and gave us a close insight into an unknown life, whilst The Incredibles revamped the superhero genre. Everything they do is golden, it’s just that some are more golden than others. I’m hoping for many more golden moments, and I don’t think I’ll be disappointed with titles such as The Good Dinosaur, Monsters University, Finding Nemo 2, Toy Story 4, The Inside Out and an as yet untitled film about the Spanish holiday of Día de los Muertos. I’m most excited about the untitled film that was described as a “trip inside the mind,” that has had a screenshot released. Excited doesn’t describe it.

^The film that sets to take us inside the mind.

^Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) sets to be full of colour and excitement.

^The Good Dinosaur looks to be beautifully created with a heartwarming storyline.

^Monsters University, prequel to Monsters Inc. is set to release July 2013!