Reviews

The Guru

Typically inane British comedy which reduces centuries of Asian culture to a Carry On joke. Jimi Mistry, not an actor you want to see doing the Macarena, is a bozo mistaken for an expert on all matters carnal. Spotting a chance to whip her kit off, Heather Graham, the 21st-century's Greta Scacchi, turns up as 'love' interest. Imagine, if you will, Bombay Dreams starring Robin Askwith.

24 Hour Party People

Madchester: The Movie, in which Michael Winterbottom proves his versatility knows no bounds. In lesser hands, the juiced-up story of Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and self-styled pratgenius Tony Wilson could've been scrawny sit-com, but the pace (and the music) makes it zing. Steve Coogan's hilarious as the north-west's answer to Warhol, and it's the first film to feature a joke about the drug dealers of Rhyl.

Scout Niblett – I Conjure Series

Unorthodox mini-album from singer-songwriter

Miracle Mile – Alaska

Gentle melodic pop and weeping pedal steels from British singer-songwriter

Art Garfunkel – Everything Wants To Be Noticed

Great singer in need of decent songs

Little Feat

Old Feats don't fail to amuse and enthral with these lavish unreleased and live double sets

The Wild Thornberrys Movie – Jive

An animated kiddies' thing which, to my untrained eye, looks scarily like Rugrats, this is set in the African wilderness. And has elephants in it. So you don't need to trouble your inner genius to work out that Peter Gabriel, Youssou N'Dour and Paul Simon will feature. "Father And Daughter" is the latter's first song for a film in 15 years, and he can still turn a lyric and craft a tune like an unlikely deft demi-god. He can even mumble "trust your intuition, it's just like goin'fishin'" and sound wry. It's no "Mrs Robinson" but it's warm as a puma's gums.

Laibach – The John Peel Sessions

Austere Slovenians' BBC recordings between 1986 and 1987

The Last Poets

Groundbreaking proto-rap at white heat

Camper Van Beethoven – Cigarettes And Carrot Juice: The Santa Cruz Years

Limited edition five-CD box from '80s US indie heroes
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