Reviews

The Hellacopters – By The Grace Of God

Godfathers of Scandinavian rock return with sleeker hi-fi sound

The Vinyl Countdown

Legendary single-a-month scam from indie stalwarts revisited

The Yardbirds – The Yardbirds Story

Exhaustive overview of seminal UK R&B group

Various Artists – Top Deck SKA 45s Box

Replica singles set of cuts by ska pioneers

Marshall Arts

LA Confidential director brings the best out of rap king

Festen

Thomas Vinterberg christened the Dogme genre with immense style in this 1998 Danish classic with edgy docu-drama camerawork and grainy digital video helping to supercharge a time-honoured narrative progression from cosy family gathering to shock revelation. Partly inspired by a real-life radio phone-in confession, Vinterberg's jet-black farce moves from incest, suicide and racism to cathartic redemption. DVD EXTRAS: Trailer, Dogme certificate, interview/picture booklet. Rating Star

Singles

Set in grunge-era Seattle, Cameron Crowe's quick-off-the-mark 1992 romantic ensemble comedy managed to corral members of Pearl Jam into the mix alongside Bridget Fonda, Matt Dillon, Kyra Sedgwick and Campbell Scott. Crowe falls short of his masterful memoir Almost Famous, partly as Scott and Sedgwick are too stiff for the central rock'n'romance plot, but this is still a charming historical snapshot.

Cuban Heals

One of the greatest living exponents of American roots music teams up with leading Cuban rock guitarist for 12 examples of virtuoso twanging

The Aluminum Group – Happyness

Fifth album of brainy chamber pop from Chicago-based brothers

Arbol – S

Atmospheric debut featuring past and present members of Piano Magic
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