Frozen Britain (New Song) - James

Although they are not the most successful band to hail from Manchester, they are almost certainly the most beloved – and to be completely honest, that probably means a lot more. There is something inherently likeable about James, they appeal to the everyman, they are masters of their craft, and have built up an extensive canon of music that is both recognisable and identifiable, as well as being profound and timeless. They are associated with writing music that “makes grown men cry” – something that not many other bands can claim. 

And now, fresh of the release of The Gathering Sound – a full career spanning box set – the band have just announced that June 2^nd will see the release of their latest album La Petite Mort (a French expression which translates as ‘the little death’ and is a euphemistic term for an orgasm).

Since reuniting, the group have released one full studio album (2008’s Hey Ma) and two mini-albums in 2010: The Night Before and The Morning After. All three of these releases have solidified the staying power of the group, and proved that their reformation was not just a temporary thing.

Echoes of those mini-albums run through ‘Frozen Britain’ (it’s more akin to tracks from the livelier of the two albums: The Night Before – such as ‘Crazy’, ‘Shine’ and ‘Hero’). The track is full of vibrant energy, despite this being their thirteenth album the group are showing no signs of slowing down. Tim Booth is not playing it safe either, but throwing caution to the wind: the repeated chorus line of “Emily come to bed” is performed with gusto and confidence. He then brings the song to a close with emotionally-charged repetitions of the album’s title, as well as references to the eponymous Emily.

This bodes well for the rest of the album. I for one will certainly be buying it, and I eagerly await the arrival of the first single – ‘Moving On’ – at the end of April.

The Walking Dead - Season Four: Claimed

With the group still scattered in the aftermath of the destruction of the prison, this episode continued the trend of following several separate groups: we caught up with Rick, Carl and Michonne, and also followed the exploits of Glenn and Tara – along with their new companions Abraham, Rosita and Eugene. That new characters were introduced, and not killed off in their first episode solidifies the fact that they will be here to stay – at least in Walking Dead terms.

The episode began with Tara getting familiar with Abraham, who actually demonstrated an aptitude for killing Walkers that made his having survived this long make complete sense. He brought a bit of humour to the art of zombie-killing, and then saved on bullets by bludgeoning three Walkers with a tire-iron and the butt of a rifle. Tara noted that he was smiling as he did it – which is unusual to say the least – to which he cryptically stated, “I’m the luckiest guy in the world”.

There was the briefest moment of light relief between Michonne and Carl, after she reflected on that fact that one of the things she missed was Soy Milk. This didn’t last long as the conversation lead onto the issue of Judith, which killed the mood instantly. The two of them then had to pair up and head out on a scavenger hunt, while Rick – who is still pretty banged up – stayed at their temporary refuge. Rick attempted to get some rest, and even indulge in a bit of recreational reading (I didn’t see what book he was reading, but I doubt it matters that much as he’ll not likely finish it). This didn’t last long at all, as Rick’s rest was disturbed by a largely unseen group of evildoers. Poor Rick!

When Michonne is the talkative one in a partnership, it’s a sign that things aren’t going so well. Chandler Riggs continues to do a good job playing Carl, but it doesn’t change the fact that the character is hard to watch or engage with – the sullen, sociopathic teenager. Michonne was fleshed out even further this week though, as she revealed to Carl that she had a three year old son (the first person she’s told since the outbreak). There was also a surprisingly poignant scene when she wandered through a children’s playroom and discovered the decomposing corpses of a whole family – who had chosen to be together. Danai Gurira once again did a very good job of acting without any dialogue.

I was really interested in Abraham’s character, and became particularly invested when he dropped the bombshell that his companion Eugene knows how the outbreak started. Unfortunately this didn’t lead to any answers, and the group’s journey to Washington D.C. was swiftly derailed; first by Glenn’s stubborn nature and desire to find Maggie, and more significantly by Eugene (the alleged ‘smart one’ of this new group) demonstrating a severe lack of survival skill.

Supposedly by this stage the zombie-apocalypse has been in effect for well over a year (somewhere close to a year and a half I think), and yet there are people who don’t know how to fire a gun properly who have somehow lasted this long. Eugene’s clumsy handling of firearms, not only wasted a load of bullets and showed off a terrible aim, but also ruptured the fuel tank of their truck. Nice job idiot!

Eugene has proved his status as a liability to the group, but he apparently knows important information, which could potentially lead to a cure. Is this completely legit? He was conveniently vague when asked about what he knows. Despite the fact that he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the viewers, the character does have a purpose, which will hopefully lead to answers later this season. Abraham proved his worth, and is an entertaining presence - so that should make Eugene's presence more tolerable (Rosita didn't do much of anything in this episode, so I'll hold off on forming an opinion on her character until a later date).

Rick meanwhile spent the majority of the episode trapped under a bed, trying to mask his ragged breathing in order to avoid detection. The scary group who infiltrated the house were more than happy to choke one another over minor misdemeanours (once again, how have these people lasted so long if they’re so willing to kill one another?) Rick moved stealthily through the house, trying to avoid being caught, providing some tense moments as he had given his gun to Carl, leaving himself defenceless. He managed to get out of the house, and reunited with Carl and Michonne. Luckily the guy on guard duty had terrible depth perception, as he didn’t see the man crouching below him, or the two others as they approached the house. The three of them got the hell out of there, and arrived at a sanctuary named ‘Termnius’, where they will supposedly be reunited with more of their group.

If the preview for next week’s episode is anything to go by, next week’s episode looks set to be entirely focussed on Daryl and Beth. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, indeed last week I said that I’d be willing to see them get more focus, but with all the questions raised in this episode it seems a shame to have to now wait even longer before picking up those storylines again.

The Walking Dead - Season Four: Inmates

After last week’s episode placed the focus on Rick, Carl and Michonne in the aftermath of the battle at the prison; this week’s episode focussed on everyone else. The remaining survivors have all been split into small groups, and each mini-group received roughly the same amount of focus. This was an interesting approach, as it gave some of the show’s secondary characters some much needed spotlight.

The show began with Beth providing a voiceover – a diary entry – chronicling the group’s arrival at the prison. References to Lori being about ready to give birth act as a reminder as to just how much has changed since the start of the third season – before The Governor arrived on the scene. This speech also highlighted the significance of the prison, as Beth stated that they could live there for the rest of their lives. All of this was spliced over footage of herself and Daryl running through the forest and fighting off Walkers, because… well the show can’t go too long without a moment of Daryl being awesome!

I was glad to see Beth get a bit more focus as she has been a peripheral character for a very long time – even though she’s been around since the second season. Since the two of them are isolated they are left to ponder whether anyone else even survived. For a long stretch Daryl remains sullen and silent, perhaps the ongoing predicament has hit home: what are they hoping for? What is the endgame here? They can fight and survive for as long as possible, but where will it ultimately lead?

Beth manages to goad him into tracking other members of their group, but they only find a group of Walkers feeding on the unidentifiable remains of a recent victim. Beth said at the start of the season that she was done crying, but I think we all knew that was an indication that something would occur further down the line that would lead to tears.

During their tracking they encountered some footsteps and some trampled grapes: and we learned of their origin, as well as the identity of the mutilated corpse, during the following sequence. Lizzie and her sister Micah have escaped the prison alongside Tyreese and baby Judith. This reinforces the notion that unless you actually see a character die, then they are probably still alive (although we never actually saw Lori die, but I’m pretty sure she’s dead – hence the use of the qualifier ‘probably’!).

Carrying a baby turns out to be a big problem for this little group, as Judith – unable to understand the danger they are in – simply won’t stop crying. The noise will attract Walkers, and the group have very few resources to defend themselves as it is. After telling Micah that they have to stay together, Tyreese bafflingly leaves the two girls alone with baby Judith, while he attempts to rescue some nameless others from a Walker attack. This could have gone very badly as Lizzie appears to attempt to suffocate Judith in order to stop her crying. It is an unsettling image, but fortunately it doesn’t come to fruition as the girls are rescued by Carol (nice to have you back) and together they make their way to a sanctuary. We don’t have time to find out any more about this ‘sanctuary’ though because it’s time for the next sequence.

Maggie, along with Sasha and Bob head in the direction the bus was headed in order to find Glenn. I have to say that it was mighty lucky that – aside from Glenn of course – nobody that important was on the bus, as they had been attacked and had now all turned into Walkers. The scene was well paced, and although I was fairly sure that Glenn wouldn’t have died in an off-screen incident, Lauren Cohan’s performance had me pretty convinced that something bad could have happened. Maggie slowly made her way onto the bus and encountered a Walker with similar hair to Glenn, and who was also wearing black t-shirt (just like Glenn). We didn’t see his face though, which provided enough deniability, but as far as fake-out’s go it was pretty decent.

I have no idea how Glenn was able to get so far away from the bus, especially considering the condition that he was in before everything went down. Nevertheless his prison escape was a very entertaining scene, especially the first person view behind his riot-squad visor. That was a gutsy move, running straight through a swarm of Walkers, and not firing a shot. Also Steven Yeun managed to get in on the silent-expressive acting, like so many of his castmates, before he loaded up and busted out.

Glenn then paired up with Tara, the one surviving member of The Governor’s army, who didn’t fire a single shot once she realised who she was following. Based on what she said it would seem that her sister Lily – who was last seen putting a bullet in The Governor’s head – had been swarmed by Walkers in the field. Is that true? It seems like a bit of a cheap way to kill off a named character.

Once the two of them had escaped the prison, Glenn was hit with the revelation that Hershel was killed by The Governor: he was probably the last person to find out. In the aftermath of a scuffle with a few stray Walker’s the adrenaline must have worn off and reminded Glenn that he is still unwell, as he passed out. This meant that he was unconscious for the arrival of some new characters – who readers of the comics will probably know, but since I haven’t read the comics I’ll have to wait another week to find out. They seem to be well equipped whoever they are.

I enjoyed this episode, particularly the sequences involving Beth and Daryl, and Glenn. I actually wouldn’t have minded if their scenes had received more time. I really like the desperation brought about by the group’s new situation, and the fact that a lot of these characters are not part of the main-cast (those who appear in the opening credits) creates a greater sense of risk concerning their safety. I am very interested to learn more about this ‘sanctuary’ and also these new characters. Are the two connected? We’ll have to wait and see.

The Walking Dead - Season Four: After

The fourth season of The Walking Dead has finally resumed, and this latest character-driven episode demonstrates the consequences of all that has happened thus-far. In the aftermath of the mini-war at the prison, the group are all scattered, coping with their losses, and the feeling of hopelessness is really sinking in.

The opening scene has parallels with the ending to the very first episode of the series (‘Days Gone Bye’) with the image of a large group of Walkers swarming around a tank, and a dead horse that has been gutted by the scavenging undead. Any wild speculation that The Governor was still alive was completely laid to rest with the image of his dead body with a bullet wound in his forehead. Michonne wandered amongst the desolation, decapitating a few Walkers along the way, before luring a couple of stragglers into being her new ‘pets’ (for want of a better word). She is about to leave when she encounters the re-animated head of Hershel (I had been afraid something like that might happen – it was a sad sight) which she put down. There is no dialogue in this opening scene – which sets the tone for the majority of the episode – allowing for the weight of all that has occurred to be felt. The group had made an effort to re-establish some form of society, but that’s all over now – everyone is now reduced to a primitive fight for survival once more.

This intimate episode only follows three of the survivors: Carl, Rick and Michonne. The relationship between Carl and his dad is in a very tense state, with Rick in a very bad way, and Carl harbouring a great deal of pent-up resentment towards him. Michonne meanwhile is finally given some backstory as she has been something of a mystery since her first appearance.

With Rick barely able to stand, emotionally bereft, and heavily battered and bruised after his near-fatal encounter with The Governor, Carl decides that enough is enough, and begins to rebel against his father. Ignoring his father’s commands, and disregarding his authority before really twisting the knife with a mention of his temporary father-figure (and Rick’s former best friend/old rival) Shane.

Rick’s breathing is choked and ragged, and during a scene in which he looks into the mirror, he has even started to look a bit like a corpse. He spends a large section of the episode completely unconscious. This allows Carl to let-loose on his Dad, blaming him for all that has happened, and everyone they’ve lost. He then declares that he feels that he is capable of surviving on his own, and that he doesn’t care if Rick dies. It is a powerful scene, for which Chandler Riggs deserves praise; the character has undergone such a huge transformation since the start of the series, and the actor has grown up alongside the role. With Carl at the centre of this episode, this seems like the first proper chance to see just how much he has changed.

It takes a couple of close-call encounters with Walkers to make Carl realise that going-it-alone is not the best course of action to take. These scenes did a very good job of making it seem as though Carl was really in danger, I was fairly sure he wasn’t going to die, but when the possibility of a timely intervention is removed from the equation the tension-levels increase. Carl then realised that he didn’t really want his father to die, when he found himself incapable of pulling the trigger when he thought that Rick had turned. 

Overall it was a tough episode for Carl, although he did at least get to eat a whole tin of chocolate pudding!

Michonne meanwhile is a more capable lone-survivor than Carl, and she returns to the way she was when we first encountered her: leading a pair of armless, toothless Walkers around, in order to hide amongst the undead hordes undetected. Things have changed though, and in an eerie dream-sequence we are offered brief glimpses into her previous life – in which we learn that she had, not only a boyfriend, but also a son. This sequence was unusual as it blended elements of flashback with elements of dream/nightmare style. All taking place in a flashy apartment, but showing the gradual breakdown of her friend and lover as the effects of the apocalypse wore on them. The assumption is that these two much have been her original ‘pets’ from when she first arrived in the season two finale.

She spent a large amount of this episode wandering along with a small group of Walkers, until eventually flipping out and killing them all – including her new ‘pets’, deciding that she’s not going to face this world alone again. She then took a moment to herself when she cried over the memory of her lover and her son. I don’t know if we’ll learn more about Michonne’s past, but I would be interested in seeing more. Danai Gurira did an excellent job in this episode; moments of heightened emotion have always been used sparingly with her character, so they always feel significant when they occur. With a glimpse into her past, and a visual sign of exactly what she has lost, this episode brought us closer to Michonne on an emotional level, than perhaps we’ve ever been.

The episode was deliberately paced, and did not contain much dialogue – which really allowed for the characters and the world itself to shine through. It was the right decision to follow up an episode like ‘Too Far Gone’ with one like this, as the extent of damage done to these characters was really showcased, as well as heightening the desperation of everyone’s situations now that their stronghold has been destroyed. Next week the focus will be on the other survivors, and while I doubt their characters will get as much individual focus as the ones in this episode, I will be interested to see where they’ve ended up.