Reviews

Judy Collins – Shameless

Intriguing, literate return by '60s folk icon

The Who

Classic albums re-released with many bonus tracks

Dram’n’Bass

Fine if sometimes obscure music-making from fiery Scots legend

Sly & The Family Stone – The Essential Sly & The Family Stone

Lavish best-of for classic late-'60s funk band

The Last Great Wilderness

Meaty debut from Tartan Tarantino

Novocaine

Steve Martin darkens his usual screwball comic persona for Novocaine, playing a suburban dentist implicated in drugs and murder charges in a noir-tinged comedy thriller which turns increasingly Hitchcockian as it unfolds. Helena Bonham Carter's femme fatale, Laura Dern's dental assistant and Kevin Bacon's hilarious cameo appearance lend extra clout to a patchy but commendably accomplished feature debut from writer-director David Atkins.

Bill Wyman’s Blues Odyssey

Two years ago, Bill Wyman published a superbly researched history of the blues. Now bearing the same name comes an unmissable visual companion to the book. The commentary is instructive, and Wyman's knowledge and passion for his subject is palpable. But the real thrill lies in the archive footage. There's Leadbelly and Bessie Smith, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Jimmy Reed and lots of evocative footage of the Delta.

Alice In Wonderland

Jonathan Miller's 1966 adaptation of Carroll's fantasy masterpiece has a sitar soundtrack from Ravi Shankar, a dreamlike Victorian atmosphere and a cast to die for (Peter Cook, John Gielgud, Peter Sellers). Totally far out.

The Postal Service – Give Up

Loungy electronic sophisti-pop

The Matthew Herbert Big Band – Goodbye Swingtime

Brit glitch techno bod tries jazz to disappointingly muted effect
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