By now, most readers have heard of Keane, but this review is for
those who haven't discovered that the whole album, Hopes and
Fears, is one of the best of the year. They write gorgeous songs
with soaring vocals and piano, bass and drum backing. There have
been, and will continue to be comparisons to Radiohead and Coldplay.
The comparisons aren't unwarranted, but Keane is more soothing and
(for lack of a better word) dreamy.
Opening song ‘Somewhere Only We Know’
evokes a green English countryside and succeeds in conveying melancholy
and romanticism without being too cheesy. The band has been huge
in the UK for a while and their popularity
is growing fast around the world with good reason. Verdict: There are songs on here that will
be classic for years to come. Vocalist Tom Chaplin's voice is one
of the most delicate and incredible instruments out there right
now. Buy this and listen to it.
Doves: Some Cities
Dove’s last album, The Last Broadcast, was an amazing
album and one of the best of 2002, but one that sort of got overlooked.
This latest offering, their third album, is not quite as strong
as Broadcast, but still a complete joy.
The album is almost a concept album in that the
majority of the songs are about cities and towns, particularly the
northern UK towns the band members
are attached to. It's sort of an album of loves songs to places
rather than lovers. This three-piece manages to mix guitars and
rough edges with epic strings and synth sounds without sounding
contrived. Their first single, ‘Black and White Town’,
is my personal favourite on the album, but, like their previous
offerings, every single song is enjoyable, so take your finger off
that skip button. Verdict: If you're familiar with the Doves
sound, you are in for more of the same, but if you don't know Doves,
pick up both this album and The Last Broadcast.
More than a bet
Growing up as a kid, Saturday mornings
meant an early morning of breakfast cereal and a full day of cartoons
and freaky programme provided by Sid and Marty Krofft. While you may
not want to wake up early on Sturday to watch them, shows such asLand
of the Lost and H.
R. Pufnstuf are now available on DVD. Not the highest
quality of television, but it will definitely bring back memories.
If you're not looking for sea monsters or talking
flutes, the DVD release of A
Very Long Engagement may be more your speed. A romantic
film starring Audrey Tatou, of Amélie fame, the two-disc
DVD was just released and is a great
epic set in wartime, a devoted love and spanning years; all the
necessary ingredients for a classic romance.
Women may not be that into the sports aspect
of it, but with plenty of Matthew McConaughey shots and a cast that
contains Al Pacino and Rene Russo, Two
for the Money is about more than just sports betting.
It's a well acted film about addiction in general and what it takes
to "feel alive". Well worth checking out.
Lucire has reviewed Freaks
and Geeks before and even though it was cancelled after
one season, you can see a sort of continuation of the series in
Undeclared. Written and produced by Judd Apatow, producer
of Freaks and Geeks as well as 40 Year Old Virgin,
it is a touching and hilarious look at the first year of college
life and will bring back memories both good and bad for anyone who
went through the college experience. The DVD
of the first and only season is out now.
Devin Colvin may be reached at devin.colvin@lucire.com.
DVD | Jack Yan
The streets of San Francisco, and then some
Bullitt (1968), starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset,
Robert Vaughn; dir. Peter Yates
A CLASSIC and probably the pinnacle
of film-making for fans of both cars and McQueen. Most car nuts
will have already seen this film—its Mustang v. Charger car
chase is the best this side of Ronin—but the two-disc
set released by Warner Bros. reveals more about the background,
and McQueen himself.
The trailer is probably obligatory in such a
compilation, and isn't that impressive; but what makes the
set worthwhile is a documentary on McQueen. It places Bullitt,
and his many other films, into context—in 1968, McQueen
was the world's most bankable movie star.
The other feature, on film editing, only has
a tiny part on Bullitt, and a featurette on Steve McQueen’s
Commitment to Reality are just extras that don't add to the
overall enjoyment of the film. However, it is a pleasure to see
Bullitt in widescreen, rather than the cut formats often
shown on cable and network TV. •
April 18, 2024
Devin Colvin/Entertainment Editor 
/
Bullitt (1968), starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset,
Robert Vaughn; dir. Peter Yates
