Reviews

The Hives – Tyrannosaurus Hives

Swedish garage dandies return

Gozu

More weirdness from Japanese maverick

Venom

Enjoyably hammy sub-Hitchcock suspense thriller from 1982 in which Klaus Kinski's plan to kidnap the grandson of a wealthy American explorer is thrown into chaos, placing him and co-conspirators Oliver Reed and Susan George under siege by a black mamba. Kinski is suitably unpleasant, as is the wince-inducing moment when Ollie receives a fatal snake bite where no bloke wants to be bitten.

Comandante

It was inevitable that Oliver Stone's trip to Havana to shoot 30 hours of interview with Fidel Castro would unleash a storm of controversy. Hawkish US commentators couldn't miss a chance to condemn Stone, and HBO, having bought the film, then decided not to show it. There's no doubt the director, who shares centre stage with Fidel himself, looks a little too pleased with himself for landing this coup, and as he develops a chummy camaraderie with his host, issues like Castro's human rights record and his laughable claim that Cuba is in some way democratic go without scrutiny.

A Mani Splendid Thing

Two-disc set celebrating Manchesters baggy-trousered dance-rock primates

Ian McNabb – Potency—The Best Of Ian McNabb

Welcome solo career retrospective from former Icicle Works man

Nina Nastasia – Dogs

"Unassuming and grandiose" lost classic, according to producer Steve Albini

Black Strobe – Chemical Sweet Girl EP

Parisian duo invent "gay biker house" on EP of singles and remixes

Nouvelle Vague

Post-punk classics reworked as wine bar subversion

David Mead – Indiana

Delicate pleasures from New York-via-Nashville pop craftsman
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