Reviews

Scorsese's awe-inspiring paean to a city born through conflict

The definitive Sylvester Stallone performance, full of febrile promise and bull-collar bulk, is this 1978 story (concocted by screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, with nods to Jimmy Hoffa) of Hungarian immigrant Johnny Kovak (Stallone) whose fame as a union builder is compromised by his associations with the mafia. The elegant cinematography from Easy Rider's László Kovács and punchy direction from Norman Jewison are a bonus.

Fifth album from Austin, Texas quintet

Rock'n'soul action from vocalist Shawn Smith and Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard

Two from Brighton's FatCat, fast shaping up as one of UK's leading independents

Lisa Gerrard, spiritually intense wailer and ex-Dead Can Dance member is, we'll wager, no close relation to Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool midfielder. But you never know. She's gone all Maori on us here for a New Zealand indie film, and aren't they the fellas who do those scary war-dance routines before playing thug-ball, or rugby, or whatever it's called? Lisa, after working on Gladiator, Ali and others, is now a big Hollywood soundtracks player, which is comically absurd but blissfully reassuring.

First time on CD for post-Morrison freakout album recorded in California

Compilation of mail-order metapop from people who brought us the Langley Schools Music Project

White lies at fall of the Berlin Wall

Must-see documentary puts Britpop in wider context