Reviews

Serpico

One of the great Sidney Lumet's thoroughly hypnotic New York movies, where you can smell the sweat of the tension and the barely-repressed panic in the streets. An Oscar-nominated Al Pacino is in hell-for-leather form. Made in '73 and based on Peter Maas' book of the trials faced by real-life cop Frank Serpico, who ended an 11-year career by blowing the whistle on his colleagues, it follows Pacino as the committed crusader exposing corruption in the force. He's abused, ostracised, and ultimately has to flee the country.

Pavement—Slow Century

The quintessential '90s indie band take a creditable tilt at posterity on this two-disc set. Thirteen delightfully silly videos and two live sets provide the bulk, but the real gem is a detailed and affectionate documentary (reminiscent of Fugazi's Instrument) tracing Pavement from shambolic beginnings to nominally slicker stardom, of a kind. For connoisseurs: plenty of lunatic first drummer Gary Young and Stephen Malkmus interviewed in a sauna.

Lonnie Donegan – Rock Island Line: The Singles Anthology

Retrospective becomes elegy for skiffle king who died in November, aged 71

Carole King

Early '70s New York singer-songwriter in retrospect

Madness – Our House

Nutty Boys' best-of and musical tie-in

Joni Mitchell – Travelogue

Joni looks back with a symphony orchestra

Chris Potter – Travelling Mercies

Outstanding tenorist tears it up

Noriko Tujiko – Make Me Hard

Electronic siren songs

Power To The People

Eighth album from rap renegades is a 21-track jumble of new tracks, live performances and fan remixes

Various Artists – The Now Sound Of Brazil

Cool modern Brazilian sounds remixed
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