Reviews

Rough Trade bands celebrate the label's 25th birthday by covering songs from the catalogue

Initially dazzling, largely frustrating 11th from moustachioed Swiss electro duo

White city blues on the rocks

Engagingly oddball debut from erstwhile member of Add N To (X)

Mining the same classical chamberpop as contemporaries Procul Harum, Alex Spyropoulos' and Patrick Campbell-Lyons' charges cut... Simon Simopath in 1967, a science-fiction pantomime a-flutter with silken strings and baroque delicacy. Part Greek myth, part L Ron Hubbard. Even better was follow-up All Of Us, though—with the exception of "Rainbow Chaser"—it failed to ignite a public weaned on less fragile acid fare.

Contrived whimsy from first-time Danish director

Full of incident and introducing a slate of new characters, including Alan Cummings' edge-of-camp Nightcrawler, this workmanlike sequel plays less thrillingly second time round on a small screen. In addition to the expected commentaries, the second disc has more info about the film's making, the comic's history and what Ian McKellen had for tea on Day 28 of shooting than even a diehard fan could possibly want.

The controversial director of Kissed, Lynne Stopkewich, throws the fearlessly versatile Molly Parker into another harrowing role. Here she's running a seedy Nowheresville motel, selling her body to guests and drifters. She wants out, and the latest stranger may have the ticket. But in this director's world, nothing's tender and most things are brutal. Mesmeric and coldly Lynch-like.

The seemingly ageless Chrissie Hynde storms her way through 26 songs on Pretenders Loose in LA EAGLE VISION , recorded at the Wiltern Theater in February this year. The run-in is particularly impressive as she turns the clock back almost a quarter of a century to the band's spectacular debut album with a sequence that includes "Tattooed Love Boys", "Precious", "Mystery Achievement" and the mighty "Brass In Pocket".

Debut from NYC trio featuring ex-Jeff Buckley band guitarist Michael Tighe and drummer Parker Kindred