- Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- 0 Comments
...It's been a nice month.
(This post is totally useless, it's only purpose being to boost the number of April posts. Well at least I'm being honest.)
Hello May!
Bev x
(This post is totally useless, it's only purpose being to boost the number of April posts. Well at least I'm being honest.)
Hello May!
Bev x
- Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- 0 Comments
I'm still writing against the clock here, so I'll make this quick. A lot of new exciting stuff is coming out in the next few months and I'm going to do a 5 minute job of compiling it all! (This feels like a mad rush, like those dreams/nightmares I get of finding out I'm going on holiday about an hour before, and having 10 minutes to pack everything.)
Ok let's roll.
Iron Man 3. In UK cinemas now!
The Apprentice. Returns to our screens next Tuesday, with this year's candidates having been announced today. Exciting stuff :)
Star Trek Into Darkness. Mmm Benedict Cumberbatch; need I say more?
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It's not out until the end of the year, and this is just a teaser trailer, but it promises to be a damn good film.
Fast and Furious 6. It's hard to think these films have been around for 5 whole instalments already, but with a gradual shift away from the typical racing cliches, it'll be good for car lovers and non-car lovers alike!
The Great Gatsby! The original film and novel have captured hearts, and, after a zillion delays in releasing this, it's finally out next month (May). With a soundtrack led by Jay-Z featuring Florence, Lana and Beyonce, there's a lot to watch out for.
And one more...
Diana Vickers - Cinderella. A new track from Ms Vickers of X Factor all those years ago. It's not a film, but it counts as new stuff!
How's that for a 5 minute post eh?
Bev x
Ok let's roll.
And one more...
How's that for a 5 minute post eh?
Bev x
- Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- 0 Comments
Dear Reader,
I am writing this against the clock. I am very conscious as to post this before the clock strikes midnight - not because I'm secretly Cinderella, but because I need to add a few more posts for April!
As of several days ago, we hit the 10,000 hits mark on Beview so this is basically a (hopefully) short and sweet message to say THANK YOU!!! 10,000 is a pretty whopping huge number and seeing as we've only really been around for a year, that is something I am extremely proud of. Thank you for reading, wherever in the world you are. (New readers from Belarus too which is SO cool!) I'm on the verge of sounding like an easily-excited schoolgirl so I'll bring it to a close soon...
But yeah. Thanks!
Here's to 10,000 more :)
All my love,
Bev
I am writing this against the clock. I am very conscious as to post this before the clock strikes midnight - not because I'm secretly Cinderella, but because I need to add a few more posts for April!
As of several days ago, we hit the 10,000 hits mark on Beview so this is basically a (hopefully) short and sweet message to say THANK YOU!!! 10,000 is a pretty whopping huge number and seeing as we've only really been around for a year, that is something I am extremely proud of. Thank you for reading, wherever in the world you are. (New readers from Belarus too which is SO cool!) I'm on the verge of sounding like an easily-excited schoolgirl so I'll bring it to a close soon...
But yeah. Thanks!
Here's to 10,000 more :)
All my love,
Bev
- Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- 0 Comments
I'm truly, genuinely, very excited to review the debut album from Josh Kumra, "Good Things Come To Those Who Don't Wait". For simplicity's sake, I'm going to simplify this to "Good Things...", or "GTCTTWDW"! If you saw the post at the start of the year with my "Ones to Watch" for 2013, you'll remember the name Josh Kumra. He's a reoccuring person on the blog and his is music is exactly my kinda music, so I may be a teeny tiny bit biased. I first heard his music when he supported Nina Nesbitt on tour, and have predicted big things ever since. A few weeks ago, I heard his track "The Answer" for the first time on the radio on Magic FM and was so excited, I stopped driving, pulled over at the side of the road, took a photo of the song on the screen, and tweeted it to him. (He replied!) I then heard it about twice daily (Magic loves Kumra), but that - and him supporting One Republic on their European tour - has been leading nicely to the release of the album. Which I will begin to review right about now.
There's a James Morrison-esque husk of Kumra's voice which has the ability to perfectly form goosebumps up and down your arm. The album, as a whole, is soulful, gentle, relaxing, and beautifully written. I'd previously heard the songs "The Answer", "Waiting For You" and "Don't Go" from his number one collaboration with Wretch 32, so had great expectations based on the fact that I really enjoyed those three. "GTCTTWDW" is great, and then some. Take the haunting vocals of "Brave Face", which strikes a personal cord with me, and the weirdly bouncy backing of "Lost Again" and it's soft "oooohs", and the chart/radio-friendly "By My Light"; there are subtly contrasting new sounds in every offering from the album. One of my favourite tracks has got to be "Where Do We Go From Here"; the lyrics are relatable, and it takes you on a bit of a musical rollercoaster (you'd understand if you gave it a listen). Also, "White and Black" makes you want to sway and bob your head (again, you'd understand if you listened), featuring other up-and-comer Maiday. The male-female harmonies are lovely and I can't really describe the sound with any word other than lovely. It's lovely.
The deluxe version of the album offers an extra 5 songs which continue the chilled out vibe of the standalone "Good Things...". I really like "Pretend" - lyrically he manages to avoid cliches (he acknowledges this too!) and it has a natural flow of storytelling, with an angelic choir-ish chorus and cool chords. This guy's, like, really good. Ultimately, however, I think the best song is "The Answer". I love love love it; you should know that by now. It's like, really good, y'know?
When I saw Josh Kumra perform live, it was just him and his guitar, in true classic singer-songwriter style. "Good Things" is understandably different in that it is a full production of things; there are layers, funky electrobeats and nod-along-with-the-bass bass. If you ever get the opportunity though, he'd be a class act to see on tour. The album doesn't seem to showcase his incredible guitarring skills enough.
"Good Things Come To Those Who Don't Wait" is a very good thing. Lyrically and melodically, it's ace and I definitely need to hear more from him in the future. I knew his voice was great even before I pressed play, but the range of tracks create a varied yet distinct sound which puts him in his comfort zone, and dares to stretch it on occasion. Yep, I waited a while for the album to come out, but good things come to those who wait too!
- Friday, April 26, 2013
- 0 Comments
And nope; it's not Jess. To the New Girl and Doctor Who fans who might vaguely understand the references, this is a post for the latter. The second half of the latest series (Series 7) of Doctor Who has been gracing our screens for a good month now, and we've been introduced to Mystery Girl Clara in her 21st century form. Oh, and if you don't watch Doctor Who and would like to in the near future, and would therefore not want anything ruined, look away now. Find another post and read that instead. Or, of course, if you watch it and aren't up to date...see the above. This beview/review by no means makes up for my shocking lack of posts in the whole of April (gasp!), but a lot has been going on lately and I'm hoping a review of 4 in 1 will make up for a little bit. (I'm counting from the second half of the series, meaning the first one is 1. instead of 6.) Here we go.
1. The Bells of Saint John
In a bizarre but oddly intriguing storyline involving sinister Wi-Fi, soul-stealing and impossible motorbikes, we finally meet Clara (Version 3.0), and this is the one who's going to stick around for at least one episode. Jenna-Louise Coleman does a stellar job in giving viewers another fresh new character, when most people would be thinking, "not again!" She's not as flirty or feisty as her previous incarnations, and there are still so many questions left unanswered, but the chemistry between her and The Doctor takes centre stage and works well. Storyline-wise, the "solution" to this week's world-endangering scenario seems a little simple (but I still didn't see it coming!), and the whole "technology is evil" is a tad farfetched, but as the start of a new Who era, it's a strong start leaving you wanting more. (And for the record, in terms of the title and the relevance to the episode, I was left baffled! Poor title choice..)
2. The Rings of Akhaten
So, the viewer is left wanting more of Clara's adventures, and we're given a hugely disappointing second installation. Those who read Beview will know I don't tend to criticise harshly often in reviews, but I have no choice but to in this instance. Sure it has elements of heart-warming fuzzy stuff, like the importance of the leaf ("this is the most important leaf in the world". Or something like that) and the relationship between Clara and the cute little girl, aka the Queen of Years. But the episode, for me, just didn't seem to go anywhere. It's slightly cheesy and feels like a sci-fi version of Glee, and I sussed out the "solution" about ten minutes in. Still, it was nice seeing a new side of Clara and obviously Matt Smith effortlessly gliding into the shoes of the Doctor. I just couldn't help feeling quite a bit underwhelmed at the end of the episode.
3. Cold War
A Russian submarine + an Ice Warrior (from the old episodes) = a well-rounded, promising episode of Doctor Who. Clara sements her role as sidekick/kick-ass assistant, becoming peace diplomat between the alien and humans. It's eery and spine-tingling in places, reminiscent of old David Tennant episodes such as 42, and any other adventure with a large spacecraft/other vehicle heading towards impending doom. It feels like one of those films/TV shows where each trapped passenger/crew is killed one by one. (Not necessarily the case here.) Skaldak, as more of a "alien monster" than "evil alien", is scary but there is more to the story. I never watched the old-school series but I hear many who did were happy to see the return of the Ice Warriors. As an overall episode, it was satisfying (much more so than ep 2!) and thoroughly enjoyable from the opening to closing credits.
4. Hide
I'll admit it; after watching the trailer the week before, I was adamant that I could not watch Hide alone. There were five of us in the room and I still had to Hide behind my hands. See what I did there? Ha. I wasn't laughing for long though - a haunted house and a ghost. Stuff of the freaky. And those photographs of the ghost? Truly terrifying! Thankfully, this is Doctor Who and not Most Haunted on LivingTV; there's a logical explanation ("logical" in DW terms; I found the pocket universe idea as convincing as "timey-wimey...stuff" but that's ok). The camera angles were of the stereotypical horror genre, but that stuff works on me, as we've clearly established. I felt, however, more and more at ease as the episode went on. The relationship between psychic Emma Grayling and Prof Alec Palmer was cute and subtle, and there were some clever twists going on, including the identity of the ghost, monster, and real reason behind the time-travelling visit.
5, 6, 7, 8!
We've got a TARDIS exploration adventure coming this Saturday, and it looks like Clara will be going her own way for a bit. Then The Crimson Horror, bringing Madame Vastra, Strax and Jenny back into the picture (rumours of them getting a spin-off show..). Next, Nightmare in Silver says hello to our good chums the Cybermen again (can I hear an "OMG"?), and finally, The Name of the Doctor, sees the return of wifey River Song. Maybe it will set up the story for the special 50th episode? I don't about you, but I absolutely cannot wait for David Tennant to step back into his Converses and pinstripe suit. Eeeeee. (That was, for real, a fangirl scream. No joke.)
Right, this marks the end of me fully unleashing my shameless geeky love for Doctor Who onto the Web. No shame, guys.
Bev x
1. The Bells of Saint John
2. The Rings of Akhaten
3. Cold War
A Russian submarine + an Ice Warrior (from the old episodes) = a well-rounded, promising episode of Doctor Who. Clara sements her role as sidekick/kick-ass assistant, becoming peace diplomat between the alien and humans. It's eery and spine-tingling in places, reminiscent of old David Tennant episodes such as 42, and any other adventure with a large spacecraft/other vehicle heading towards impending doom. It feels like one of those films/TV shows where each trapped passenger/crew is killed one by one. (Not necessarily the case here.) Skaldak, as more of a "alien monster" than "evil alien", is scary but there is more to the story. I never watched the old-school series but I hear many who did were happy to see the return of the Ice Warriors. As an overall episode, it was satisfying (much more so than ep 2!) and thoroughly enjoyable from the opening to closing credits.
4. Hide
I'll admit it; after watching the trailer the week before, I was adamant that I could not watch Hide alone. There were five of us in the room and I still had to Hide behind my hands. See what I did there? Ha. I wasn't laughing for long though - a haunted house and a ghost. Stuff of the freaky. And those photographs of the ghost? Truly terrifying! Thankfully, this is Doctor Who and not Most Haunted on LivingTV; there's a logical explanation ("logical" in DW terms; I found the pocket universe idea as convincing as "timey-wimey...stuff" but that's ok). The camera angles were of the stereotypical horror genre, but that stuff works on me, as we've clearly established. I felt, however, more and more at ease as the episode went on. The relationship between psychic Emma Grayling and Prof Alec Palmer was cute and subtle, and there were some clever twists going on, including the identity of the ghost, monster, and real reason behind the time-travelling visit.
5, 6, 7, 8!
We've got a TARDIS exploration adventure coming this Saturday, and it looks like Clara will be going her own way for a bit. Then The Crimson Horror, bringing Madame Vastra, Strax and Jenny back into the picture (rumours of them getting a spin-off show..). Next, Nightmare in Silver says hello to our good chums the Cybermen again (can I hear an "OMG"?), and finally, The Name of the Doctor, sees the return of wifey River Song. Maybe it will set up the story for the special 50th episode? I don't about you, but I absolutely cannot wait for David Tennant to step back into his Converses and pinstripe suit. Eeeeee. (That was, for real, a fangirl scream. No joke.)
Right, this marks the end of me fully unleashing my shameless geeky love for Doctor Who onto the Web. No shame, guys.
Bev x
- Thursday, April 25, 2013
- 0 Comments
