TV Review: Awkward. - "My Not So Super Sweet 16"

Season 1 - Episode 9

MTV (UK)

Awkward. is straight from the "Mean Girls" mould of high school comedy. It may not have Tina Fey on the writing staff, but it's cutting, biting and darkly funny throughout. "My Not So Super Sweet 16" continues the trend of excellent episodes, while Ashley Rickards' portrayal of Jenna is getting better by the week.

"My Not So Super Sweet 16" sees Jenna turning 16 in the worst possible way, being shunned by her best friend, and believing that the object of her affections hates her. The bad day doesn't get any better for her when demented guidance consellor Val (played brilliantly by Desi Lydic, who should have offers flooding in by now) decides to do a birthday rap for her in the cafeteria, and an encounter with bitchy Sadie at a big football game (being played in the afternoon, which goes against everything "Friday Night Lights" has taught me about high school football!) Just as things look like a total bust though, 7.32pm (the time of her birth) rolls around and everything takes a turn for the better - which should set up the final 3 episodes of the season nicely.

Awkward. has been a surprising hit for me this year, and episodes like this just cement why I love the show so much. There's three to go this season, and I'm already looking forward to more.

****

TV Review: Community - "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps"

Season 3 - Episode 5

NBC (US)

Previous Community Hallowe'en specials have given us "Introduction to Statistics" and the quite brilliant "Epidemiology", so it was with great anticipation I watched "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps". Whether it was the fact it had to follow the last episode "Remedial Chaos Theory" - probably the best episode this show has ever made, saying a lot given some of the episodes they've pulled off - or the fact that Community's themed episodes are usually so good, but "Horror Fiction..." just fell a little flat for me.

That said, this was anything but a bad episode of television, in fact, even a lacklustre esode of Community is better than most of what gets shown on TV. The theme of the gang telling a series of increasingly ridiculous horror stories to see which one of the group had tested as a sociopath in an anonymous psychological test. The story gave us Alison Brie in a variety of revealing outfits - never a bad thing - and gangster versions of Troy and Abed. And while the individual stories were funny, the whole episode lacked a real flow.

The reveal at the end was cute, they were all sociopathic barring Abed, but while previous episodes of this ilk - and the four episodes preceeding it this season - have given us positive development, "Horror Fiction..." felt like a filler. Albeit a very good filler.

*** 1/2

TV Review: Threesome - "Episode 3"

Season 1 - Episode 3

Comedy Central (UK)

Threesome started with a very impressive double bill last week, which showed great promise for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, the promise was totally lost in Episode 3, which is an absolute stinker of an episode with very few redeeming features whatsoever.

While the first two episodes painted the three main cast members as likeable, while wildy irresponsible, basically everything that made them likeable is gone in this episode. While I understand that having a baby will change people, the changes shown here are ludicrous, and the plot(ante-natal classes and a ridiculous robot baby), if it can even be called a plot is so thin that it just fails to keep any interest, which in a seven episode season is completely unforgivable.

Threesome could have been great, the premise is something new, and the cast seemed to have great chemistry. But if the rest of the season is anything like episode 3, this is a show that will very quickly find itself on the scrapheap.

* 1/2

TV Review: Wilfred - "Sacrifice" / "Identity"

Season 1 - Episode 12/13

BBC Three (UK)

As Wilfred finishes up its first season, it gets darker and more fucked up than ever, as well as being as good as its ever been. The season finale is powerful and touching as well as being darkly comic. Where they go from here is anyone's guess.

"Sacrifice" and "Identity" share an interlinked story - Jenna gets accidentally (and unknowingly) high from a tootsie pop and gets fired from her job. Wilfred convinces Ryan to act as her lawyer and get her job back. Ryan delves into the dark places he quit law in the first place to get away from, cajoled on by his merciless furry companion until a chance event involving Ryan's sister's urine being swapped for Jenna's in order to provide a clean drug test starts a chain reaction that changes the tone of the series completely.

The final five minutes of "Identity" are pure drama, and as powerful television as I've seen this year. The closing scene is genuinely heartbreaking after looking like it was going to be a happy ending, and leaves you questiong exactly what the hell is going on in Ryan's head.

"Sacrifice" had the set up, and "Identity" knocked it straight out the park. There's a good chance this show will be reviewed at US pace next year, as I don't know if I'm willing to wait for the UK to catch up.

"Sacrifice": *** 1/2 "Identity": **** 1/2

Album Review: New Found Glory - "Radiosurgery"

Radiosurgery is staggeringly the seventh studio albumm of original material from New Found Glory. Being at the forefront of the early nineties pop-punk resurgance, songs like "Hit or Miss", "Dressed to Kill", "My Friends Over You" and "Head on Collision" soundtracked my early teenage years, and those of my friends. Falling into a relative obscurity over the last few years, their latest comeback (although it has in truth only been two and a half years since their last release, the critical and commercial flop "Not Without A Fight") is a return to their early nineties sound.

Linked together by 50s radio styled soundbytes, the album's eleven tracks (15 on the deluxe version, including a very credible "Blitzkrieg Bop" cover) tell a loose story of dealing with a relationship breakup, but concept album this is not. This is a straight up pop punk blast, straight through from opening track and lead single "Radiosurgery" to the closing "Map of Your Body". Bethany Cosentino from Best Coast pops up on "Caught in the Act" and gives a nice contrast to the song, and the album's main highlight, the excellent "Dumped" could have come directly from 2000's self-titled breakthrough.

"Radiosurgery" is as big a surprise as I've heard all year, I simply did not expect an album of this quality from New Found Glory at this stage of their career.

****

Watch: "Radiosurgery"

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother - "Noretta"

Season 7 - Episode 7

CBS (US)

"Noretta" is a very busy, but very good episode of television from How I Met Your Mother. I'll forget once again that there is no progression in finding the titular mother, and focus on an episode with a premise that could have been very creepy, but ended up being very funny.

The jokes started when Barney's gay black brother James (a welcome return from Wayne Brady) points out that Barney's girlfriend Nora is almost exactly like their mother Loretta. Cue Robin's psychologist boyfriend Kevin (still very much the guy in the room - look it up) pointing out that many people end up in relationships with people that remind them of their parents. This provides some brilliantly funny moments of visual comedy when Lily pictures Marshall as her dad, and especially when Marshall pictures Lily as his dad - one of the funniest visuals that this show has ever produced.

Along with the fantastic silliness, there's some real character growth and progression for Barney, we're now finally getting to see the BArney who will be willing to get married - an arc I'm sure we're going to see properly begin at the end of the season (in fact, I already have my theories on exactly how that's going to play out).

How I Met Your MOther needs to get its story moving along, but when they do come out with episodes like this, it's easy to forgive the lack of any endgame in sight.

****

TV Review: 2 Broke Girls - "And the Disappearing Bed"

Season 1 - Episode 6

CBS (US)

I said last week that 2 Broke Girls was a show that was finally showing signs of finding its feet. With "And the Disappearing Bed", they continue to improve week on week with another strong episode with some really good progression for the two main characters.

Again, as mentioned last week, I'm really enjoying the chemistry between Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as Max and Caroline, and this week, their dynamic takes a turn, as it's Caroline who takes the lead, encouraging Max to promote her cupcakes, while deciding to build herself a fold up bed. The subplot with barman and artist Johnny is a little clunky, but has some potential to grow in upcoming episodes (and also allowed some more Chesnut based humour), while Max's other boss Peach is back, and as airheaded as ever.

I really liked the dynamic between Max and Caroline this week, their unlikely friendship is really taking a nice path, and the jokes - while still feeling a bit forced in places - are getting funnier. I hope for more to come next week.

***

TV Review: Two and a Half Men - "A Giant Cat Holding a Churo"

Season 9 - Episode 5

Comedy Central (UK)

When Two and a Half Men returned for its ninth season sans Charlie Sheen and with added Ashton Kutcher, it was always questionable how things were going to work out. While Sheen's plots were becoming more ridiculous as time went on, he was still the source of most of the jokes. As season nine began, it's been mainly up to the always game Jon Cryer to carry the show while Kutcher finds his way.

Five episodes in, and Kutcher has found his way. And while he's pretty good (although seemingly just playing an older version of Kelso, his character from That 70s Show) the writing for him is wildly inconsistent. And it's not just the inconsistencies that are the most troublesome part of the writing. The only consistent part of the writing is that Kutcher's Walden Schmidt is a loveable broken hearted loser with money. He's basically a rich version of Cryer's Alan. The two characters at times are too similar in ideology, and it seems to create situations that just seem a little out of place.

"A Giant Cat Holding A Churro" isn't a terrible episode, it has some good laughs spread throughout, but it does annoy me that the writing is so all over the place and there's been so little screentime for the long established and very funny supporting characters. Two and a Half Men has never been a show with spectacular writing, but things really need to tighten up here. This episode fails to further any storylines, and while having some good laughs, just falls flat.

** 1/2

Album Review: The Subways - "Money and Celebrity"

When The Subways burst onto the scene witH "Young For Eternity" in 2005, their spiky brand of indie-punk and male/female shared vocals won them a lot of fans, and praise for being a little different from the rest of the bands who were emerging at the time. Fast forward six years, and now on their third studio album, have the band kept the spark alive?

The answer is for the most part, yes. "Money and Celebrity" has the same indie-punk stylings as the band have always had, and the songs are as tight as ever. Lead track, and the lead single "It's A Party!" could be a Subways anthem, and the second single "We Don't Need Money to Have a Good Time" is as good a song as the band have ever recorded. In fact, apart from "Celebrity" (which has substantially "borrowed" from Bloc Party's "Banquet", though I see no writing credit suggesting as much) all the songs are pretty damn good and catchy. Billy Lunn is now very much the lead vocalist, bassist Charlotte Cooper is now pretty much just a (very audible) backing vocalist, but the contrast between their two voices manages to be enough to keep things fresh.

"Money and Celebrity" is a strong effort from The Subways, catchy, sharp and to the point. They're a band who are working hard, and providing good music while doing it.

*** 1/2

Watch: "We Don't Need Money to have a Good Time"

Album Review: The Answer - "Revival"

Northern Irish hard rockers The Answer have been together eleven years now, playing a brand of hard blues rock that has seen them tour with AC/DC and count Jimmy Page amongst their fans. Third album "Revival" is a gem of a record, which can't be seen as much of a surprise given the pedigree their first two records set.

"Revival" is a twelve track powerhouse of rock music, with Cormac Neeson's powerful vocals melding perfectly with Paul Mahon's intricate guitar work and the rhythm section bringing the thunder. The blistering "Waste Your Tears" sets things up perfectly for the fifty minutes that follow. An inspired duet with Saint Jude's Lynn Jackaman on "Nowhere Freeway" is only topped by the quite wonderful "One More Revival" which is a gospel tinged blues rock masterpiece that will without doubt go down as one of 2011's best songs.

The Answer have created a special record with "Revival", and should see themselves be noticed. as one of the best British rock bands of the last ten years.

**** 1/2

Watch: "Vida (I Want You) (live)"

TV Review: The Middle - "Bad Choices"

Season 3 - Episode 6

Sky 1 (UK)

When The Middle first came onto television screens a couple of years ago, I was hesitant to watch, as I feared it would be a low rent rehash of the similarly named Malcolm in the Middle. A few months ago however, I saw a few episodes of season 1, and decided to give it a proper go. What I've found is a surprisingly warm family sitcome, with some really good characters and performances, and found it well worth giving a watch on a regular basis.

This week's episode sees Frankie and Mike contemplate moving from their dilapitdated family home into a new rented apartment complex, while trying to decide if it's the right thing to do. The main thread of the episode sees the two patching up their house, while simultaneously falling in love with the much nicer, newer and cheaper apartment. The final scene of the episode is fittingly touching and shows exactly what the show is all about.

Elsewhere, Axl tries to skip a Spanish test while still being able to attend a party and play in a football match, Brick wanders around quoting Shakespeare (and very little else in the episode) and Sue plans an educational skit with one of her geeky friends. The theme of choices is present throughout, and makes for an enjoyable episode of television.

An episode like "Bad Choices" showcases what The MIddle is all about, and is a fairly good starting point if you haven't seen the show before.

*** 1/2

TV Review: Modern Family - "Go Bullfrogs!"

Season 3 - Episode 6

Sky 1 (UK)

Modern Family's wonderful ensemble cast has always benefited from stellar writing. In two of the three stories in tonight's episode that is highly evident.

"Go Bullfrogs!" sees Phil (Ty Burrell has this character nailed, Phil is in the top 5 characters on television right now) taking Haley to his old college campus to get her excited about continuing her education. Chaos predictably ensues and of course Phil manages to embarrass his daughter profusely. But it comes full circle as they have a touching father daughter moment to close out the episode. This is what Modern Family is all about. Elsewhere, Gloria worries that Manny may be spanking the monkey in his bedroom, and enlists Jay to give him "the talk". Watching Jay get engrossed in a Columbian soap opera was an absolute delight, and the pay off to the thread was a fantastic piece of visual humour. Only on Cameron and Mitchell's storyline (this week with added Claire) did thigs weaken slightly. The payoff that the "gay" man Claire had been buddying up with all night was actually straight could be seen a mile off, and there seemed to be very little character progression in the arc.

Modern Family's format means you can dip in and out without missing any storyline if you skip a week. A little more serialisation could be a way to improve this excellent show further. However, even in it's current format, I wouldn't recommend missing a week anyway!

****

TV Review: The League - "The Au Pair"

Season 3 - Episode 3

FX (US)

When I was notified of its existance just a few short months agao, The League very quickly became one of my favourite shows. I burned through the 19 episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 in a little over a week, and was taken in by the exploits of the five friends (and one of their wives) in a fantasy football league, and the chaos they got up to during the season. Season 3 has so far featured Sidney Rice with a saxaphone, Seth Rogan directing a porno movie and said porno being shown at a Jewish party. How can any of this be bad?

"The Au Pair" starts with a dating video starring Andre that Taco has inexplicably been charged with directing. Andre's ridiculous attempts at manliness, coupled with Taco's ridiculous direction (scenes of animals mating spliced in, and him entering an operating theatre while eating a bag of tortilla chips) sets the hilarious tone for a good episode, filled with the type of nonsense you would expect from a group of grown up, yet still pretty immature friends. Effectively, Ruxin has hired a hot young nanny for his son, and the guys come round to his house under a variety of rubbish pretences in order to ogle her. (Only the tag scene actually made this a little creepy - the girl was meant to be just out of high school - but we'll forgive that for being a pretty funny joke).

The other plots featured Pete stealing Andre's dates while Taco cracked one liners and shagged waitresses (basically just being Taco) - and Kevin "cheating" on his wife and former team-mate (now rival, but still wife) Jenny with fantasy guru Matthew Berry (sadly not the English comic actor Matt Berry - what a treat that would have been!). The three plots this week interweaved nicely, and there were some really good jokes throughout.

The League is a show that you don't have to be an American Football fan to enjoy, but it does help with some of the jokes. But on episodes like this, when it takes it straight back to basics, there are few betetr sitcoms out there.

****

TV Review: The Big Bang Theory - "The Rhinitis Revelation"

Season 5 - Episode 6

CBS (US)

Following a sloppy fourth season - the undoubted highlight being the introduction of the delightful Amy Farrah-Fowler (portryed by the real life PhD Mayim Bialik), The Big Bang Theory has really picked up in season 5, with episodes harking back to the first two seasons in terms of episode quality. "The Rhinitis Revelation" sees the return of Sheldon's fundamentalist Christian mother, Mary Cooper played by the excellent Laurie Metcalf, and sees Sheldon revert to a child. In a way only Sheldon can.

Metcalf absolutely shines as Mary, a devout believer, who hasn't formed a grasp of political correctness one little bit. Every scene that she's in is completely stolen, a combination of acid sharp writing for the character and sublime delivery from the actress. The scene where she has the gang praying in a local church is absolute gold, and her delivery of a line after Leonard offers to make her a list of inappropriate things to say is utterly superb.

But the episode isn't all about Metcalf, there's some good story development for Leonard and his relationship with Priya, his girlfriend and Raj's sister, currently living in India. The seeds of doubt are planted in Leonard's head that this may no longer be able to be called a relationship. This is a development which will hopefully play out well, and not be rushed, as it could be a real turning point for the character, and will hopefully be managed in a way that doesn't see him straight back with Penny - clearly the endgame that Chuck Lorre has in mind.

"The Rhinitis Revelation" is a great follow up to last weeks's "The Russian Rocket Reaction", the two being the best episodes the show has produced in over two years. The Big Bang Theory seems to be right back on form, and hopefully will keep the quality up.

****

Album Review: Lou Reed and Metallica - "Lulu"

When Metallica announced that they were releasing a collaborative album with Lou Reed, it was met with an equal sense of anticipation and dread. While Reed has released some classics in his time, he's had probably more stinkers. And as "St Anger" proved, Metallica aren't adverse to releasing shite. When the first 30 second clip of "The View", this album's first single was released, the dread overtook the anticipation. It was nothing short of shocking. The subsequent release of the full song did nothing to calm those fears. So, it was with tripidation I cranked up this album this morning.

The good news is, "Lulu" is much, much better than I thought it was going to be. The aforementioned "The View" is by far the worst thing on this vast collection (the ten songs run almost 90 minutes), and while it will never be classed as easy listening, the two artists have made an interesting record, which, while challenging, could be seen as enjoyable. A big part of this not being a disaster is the music. Metallica is made up of four very talented musicians, and the instrumental side of this album is very good indeed. While not containing anything that hits the heights of "Ride the Lightning" or "Master of Puppets", there's enough here to show that Metallica haven't phoned it in.

It's in the vocals that the record takes a slight fall. We all know that Lou Reed is about as hit and miss a vocalist as there is (although this Stone Roses reunion may give him competition) and his whole "range" is evident for all to see on this album. When he actually bothers to sing, it's really not that bad, and actually suits the heavy instrumentals that are going on behind him. It's when he goes almost spoken-word that the problems start. His talking vocal style unfortunately sounds like he's found a CD of some instrumental Metallica demos and decided to have a ramble over the top of them. Thankfully, he doesn't resort to this style too often. James Hetfield is pretty much relegated to a backing vocalist, but perhaps unsurprisingly, it is his vocal contributions that are the best - even when he's inexplicably bellowing "I am the table", on "The View".

Album highlights are the opening track "Brandenburg Gate", the baiting "Cheat on Me", and the epic - if overly long closer "Junior Dad", all surprisingly good songs in their own right.

Before listening to this album, I fully expected to be awarding it one, or maybe two stars. After listening, I'm highly surprised by the rating I'm about to give it. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but "Lulu" really is a worth a listen, even if just out of morbid curiosity.

***

Album Review: Steel Panther - "Balls Out"

When "Feel the Steel" was released back in 2009, the world was introduced to the parody 80s glam metal band Steel Panther, who had been a popular fixture on the Vegas Strip for years before. What was often overlooked, was behind the sexually explicit, and often hilarious songs, was a very talented band. Satchel is an extremely talented guitarist, and singer Michael Starr had previously (briefly) fronted LA Guns.

"Balls Out" the second album proper from Steel Panther follows the same formula as its predecessor, but evolves their sound into encompassing the entire glam metal genre rather than focusing on specific bands for specific songs. The lyrics are as sex driven and funny as ever (a "Community Property" reference even pops up), and while the subjects (Tiger Woods, anal sex and cougars) are pretty obvious, it doesn't stop the songs being very good pieces of glam metal music. There's even a surprisingly superb guest vocal from Nickeback's Chad Kroeger, aided by Nuno Bettencourt on "It Won't Suck Itself" which doesn't really need an explaination into its content.

"Balls Out" is an album full of fun, full of nonsense, and full of good tunes. Steel Panther haven't really grown up yet, and I kinda hope they never do.

****

Watch: "17 Girls in a Row"

TV Review: Happy Endings - "Of Mice & Jazz-Kwon-Do"

Season 1 - Episode 7

E4 (UK)

Despite the episodes being shown in (an even more than ABC did in the US) bizarre order, Happy Endings has been a very enjoyable show so far in its first season. The comparisons to Friends are inevitible (six friends, including a married couple and a former couple) all hanging out together almost exclusively, but the similarities pretty much end there.

In this episode (which we'll call Episode 7, as it's the 7th that E4 have shown, and in production order, but the 6th on ABC), Dave and Alex both think the other wants to get back together, but the truth is they actually just find something useful about the bizarre arrangement they seem to have made for themselves. In the end all is sorted out, and this strand ends up being the strongest Dave and Alex plotline of the season so far. The show is pretty much split in three this week with Penny and Jane (the always delightful Eliza Coupe) joining a Krav Maga class, and Max trying to out Brad as a gaycist (insisting that Brad believes all gay men are attracted to each other).

It's another strong showing for Happy Endings, which is now into its second season in the States. The characters are fun, the writing is tight, and the show keeps going from strength to strength.

*** 1/2

TV Review: Up All Night - "Birth"

Season 1 - Episode 6

NBC (US)

The main strength of Up All Night so far in it's highly impressive early run has been the sheer likability of the two main Characters Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett). While it seems to have become commonplace in sitcoms to set up a character or characters as being flawed, eccentric or just downright bizarre, Chris and Reagan are just normal (although upper middle class) new parents, struggling but coping just fine while being aided by Reagan's best friend, TV presenter Ava (Maya Rudolph) the token eccentric.

Episode six shifts the pace a little by flashing back to the birth of baby Amy, and how Reagan's perfect birthing plan went completely wrong - setting up the sweet mild chaos that we've already seen. While everything that Reagan had planned is falling apart, Chris is contemplating not taking paternity leave, as his colleague at his law firm believes he could be made partner by Christmas. This part of the story closes with a really sweet scene in the birthing room, and even though we knew where the scene was leading, it was still a really warm and lovely moment.

Up All Night is probably the best new comedy series this season so far, mainly due to the two leads, but in no small part down to the smart writing. Episodes like this just heighten the appeal even more.

****

Album Review: Serengeti - "Family and Friends"

David Cohn, aka Serengeti has been releasing albums at an alarming rate since debuting in 2002. Racking up ten solo albums, and a further nine in collaboration with other artists in those nine years, he has established himself as one of the premier artists in underground hip-hop, known for his intelligent lyrics and innovative productions.

"Family and Friends" is no departure for Serengeti, in that he changes his style once again. Most of the album sits over a sparse, simple electronica style allowing his flowing lyrics to shine through. Clocking in at just over half an hour, the record is short, sharp and to the point, never letting itself get too complicated. The album's highlight is "The Whip", the story of a broken down (fictional) UFC fighter, looking to make something of his life again. A stunning song and story, it sits in deep contrast with the upbeat tone of the other ten tracks.

With "Family and Friends", Serengeti has created yet another album of sublime lyrical hip-hop, up there with his previous best work "Dennehy" and "Gasoline Dreams". If he can keep up this quality, another two albums next year won't go a miss.

**** 1/2

Watch: "The Whip"

TV Review: Wilfred - "Doubt"

Season 1 - Episode 11

BBC Three (UK)

Wilfred has been fucked up since episode one. The premise is Elijah Wood's Ryan sees his neighbour's dog Wilfred as an Australian man in a dog suit. The two have a bizarre relationship, best friends who drink and smoke together, but it's Wilfred who is in charge of the friendship.

"Doubt" sees the introduction of Bruce, a drifter who claims to have had a similar relationship with Wilfred in the past. His stories cause Ryan to mistrust Wilfred, which in turn, of course, makes Wilfred plot his own bizarre brand of revenge. The episode from about half way gets really fucked up. Even for Wilfred. I really did not see the twist coming - an utter act of mindfuck which proved Wilfred as the darkest "comedy" ever to hit mainstream television.

With only two episodes of the season to go, it's difficult to see where Wilfred is going to go. But whatever way they do go, it's going to be a sick and twisted ride.

****

TV Review: Fresh Meat - "Outward Bound"

Season 1 - Episode 5

Channel 4 (UK)

Fresh Meat has been a refreshingly funny comedy drama about a group of six freshers living in a shared house. The show has set up a dynamic of the group's blossoming fucked up friendships, which have been tested through a series of sleeping with each other, their teachers, and their general anti-social, yet social behaviour.

"Outward Bound" sees the gang jump on a coach to London to take part in the student protests. Naturally things don't go according to plan, and chaos ensues. Vod manages to become a cult figure after hitting her head on a table and saying it was the cops, while also managing to find out about Oregon's affair with their professor. Kingsley gets caught up in a bizarre love triangle. Howard infiltrates a vet school protest. JP gets stuck helping a disabled student, much to his chagrin, and control freak Josie ends up as the leader of the protest. All sorts of chaos manages to happen before they board the coach back to Manchester, with equally touching, awkward and funny results, which could lead to a number of scenarios next week.

Fresh Meat has filled a void where there were no student comedies. While its definitely no Young Ones, I'll hope it has done enough to merit a second season.

*** 1/2

Album Review: Mastodon - "The Hunter"

Simply put, Mastodon are amazing. There's not many more words that can describe them. So amazing that I named their 2009 album "Crack the Skye"

the album of the decade. Two years later, and is their follow up album "The Hunter" a worthy follow up? Yes. In a very different way.

Gone is the album long concept and the ten-minute plus songs. In are thirteen hits of progressive sludge metal so hard hitting that its almost

too easy to miss the sheer complexity of the songs. Trail single "Curl of the Burl" is the most radio friendly the band have ever been, yet the

song has so many layers that I'm still hearing new ones on the umpteenth listen. Accessability seems to be the aim on this album, the lack of a

concept allows you to drop in and out much easier than before, but listened to as a whole, this is a quite wonderful feast for the ears.

Mastodon seem incapable of making bad music. Even their instrumental soundtrack EP to the much maligned "Jonah Hex" was highly listenable. "The

Hunter" is a totally different beast to "Crack the Skye", but five albums into their career, they continue to make spectacular music.

**** 1/2

Watch: "Curl of the Burl"

Album Review: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds -"Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds"

After 15 years as the driving force behind Oasis, Noel Gallagher's first solo outing was either going to be a rehash of his former band's glories, or something completely different altogether. Remarkably, "High Flying Birds" ends up being both, at times even on the same song.

Sitting somewhere between Oasis' early output and their more psychadelic influenced early noughties albums, this is most definitely a Gallagher record, but where Beady Eye went full on Oasis while homaging the Beatles even more, Noel takes a more electronic influenced route, with dance beats creeping in and psychadelica playing a big part in the album's structure. In fact, only on album closer "Stop the Clocks" (which incidentally has been floating around as an Oasis demo for the past 10 years) does he produce a true "Oasis sounding" track. And a top level one at that. Songs like the two singles "The Death of You and Me" and especially the Vauxhall soundtracking "AKA... What a Life!" take his simple lyrics and melody format, but progresses it into something more, something - not new - but different.

"High Flying Birds" doesn't reach the heights of "Definitely Maybe" or "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" but very few albums do. What it does stand as, is Noel Gallagher's best collection of work since those two. While the later Oasis albums had high points, this is a consistantly good rock record, and a pleasantly surprising return to form for one of Britain's most enduring singwriters.

****

Watch: "AKA... What A Life"

TV Review: Awkward. - "The Adventures of Aunt Ally and the Lil' Bitch"

Season 1 - Episode 8

MTV (UK)

Awkward. (including that pesky full stop) is a strange little show. I must admit to stumbling into watching it when there was nothing else on one night, and have been hooked ever since. It also helps that this seemingly sweet high school comedy drama is viciously biting, dark and cringingly funny. And it's getting better with every episode.

"The Adventures..." sees Jenna throwing (with the help of her mum and her mum's BFF) a wild, drink and drug fuelled party in order to impress the object of her affection, Matty. Of course, things don't go to plan, as she wakes up knowing that she kissed someone, but has no idea who. Matty? Jake (the other popular guy she accidentally shared a kiss with previously) or someone else? Ashley Rickards plays the part extremely well as Jenna experiences flashbacks before a Facebook photo reveals the secret.

While this episode was nowhere near as cutting as previous ones have been, the progression in the narrative has taken this show a long way. Awkward. is one of the surprise packages of the year, "The Adventures..." carries on the promising trend.

****

TV Review: Bored to Death - "Gumball"

Season 3 - Episode 2

HBO (US)

After last week's cliffhanger with Jonathan hanging from a giant clock having been framed for murder, it was difficult to predict what direction this episode would take. Ray's heroic rescuse followed by Ray, Jonathan and George in bed together wearing matching pyjamas gave a great idea (as well as one of the single funniest images I've ever seen. Then the next twenty minutes twisted and turned all over the place, never dropping a beat.

This is the best episode that the consistantly funny Bored to Death has ever done. The central trio of characters are an eclectic bunch, each with their own brilliant character traits - Ted Danson's portrayal of a paranoid, stoned George riding a bike up to a large carousel being everything that character should be - and each one of them adds a little something to the tale (and it's always nice to see Patton Oswald as the spy dealer Howard too).

The plot of this episode is gloriously silly, the 50s noir style seems to have been turned up a notch this season (which gets no complaints from me) but it really works, and keeps you guessing - and laughing - until the end. Bored to Death has had a strong start to its third season, let's hope it continues.

**** 1/2

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother - "Mystery vs History"

Season 7 - Episode 6

CBS (US)

How I met Your Mother is now a show a quarter of the way through its seventh season. And guess what, we're no closer to finding out who the mother is, or how Ted met her. While the early episodes of the season seemed to hint that this may be coming, the last few weks have shyied away from the idea again. However, this can be excused when they produce good episodes. Which this thankfully is. For the most part.

The main plot of Ted realising it's now almost impossible to date without the internet, and how technology rules us all is both funny and irritatingly true. With his friends having done background checks on previous potential partners with disasterous results, Ted wants nothing to do with such checks. While on his date, he finally concedes... and the outcome is disasterous. But not in the way you think.

The b-plot (by default because it just seemed to be the second in the order, although both got pretty equal times) resulted in the rest of the gang (plus Robin's new boyfriend Kevin, played by a charming, but underutilised Kal Penn) painting Lily and Marshall's nursery. Painting it a rather disgusting yellow, because they don't want to find out the baby's gender before it's born. Barney (still wearing the ducky tie - the longer he wears it, the funnier it's getting) of course wants to know. While this leads to a touching scene at the end when the two stories come together, parts of this plot seemed forced - especially the Robin flashbacks (although it is always nice to see Ray Wise as Robin's dad).

All in all, it's a pretty successful episode of a show which is still managing to be funny despite seemingly having lost its entire premise long ago. A bit more focus, and we can maybe get back to the glory days of seasons 2-4.

*** 1/2

TV Review: 2 Broke Girls - "And the 90s Horse Party"

Season 1 - Episode 5

CBS (US)

2 Broke Girls has had a solid, if unspectacular start to its run thus far. It's been funny without being hilarious, and while many of its jokes have been good, there have been almost as many that have fallen flat. That didn't happen this week in its best episode yet, and is showing signs of a show finding its feet.

The chemistry between the two lead characters (the titular broke girls) played by the remarkable Kat Dennings and the highly game Beth Behrs has been fantastic from episode 1, and continues to be the strongest part of the series as a whole (barring Kat Dennings' chest). While the regular supporting cast are (admittedly funny) stereotypes, Dennings' Max and Behrs' Caroline are a great pair. Contasting completely, with more in common than they'd like to admit.

The premise of this episode, that they throw a 90's themed party and offer horse rides (oh yeah, they have a horse, Chesnut. He's amazing) to hipsters in order to earn money to pay off Max's student loan is a little ridiculous, but the chemistry between Max and Caroline, and the first really solid writing of the season helps it become more than what it probably should have been. The two gender bending party loving hipsters for example are absolutely fantastic, and a couple of characters that I really wouldn't mind seeing again.

2 Broke Girls seems to be finding its stride now, the jokes are getting better, and even the support cast are improving. It's never going to be a classic, but if they keep churning out episodes like this, it's definitely worth tuning into every week.

***

Album Review: Chickenfoot - "Chickenfoot III"

Chickenfoot's second album - titled "III" simply to confuse - is a strange beast. While the supergroup's (Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Joe Satriani) was a fun filled record featuring bluesy numbers, hard rockers and a couple of tracks touching on heavy metal, the follow up sticks squarely to the hard rock mould. It feels at times that the band just haven't challenged themselves on this record.

It's not that the songs are bad - save for the atrocious semi spoken work mess that is "Three and a Half Letters" - it's just that they seem to have phoned them in. Nowhere does Joe Satriani rip out one of the solos he's famous for. Nowhere does Sammy Hagar show the vocal range we all know he has. Maybe these songs will come to life in a live arena, but on record, they don't sparkle. Only "Come Closer" and "Big Foot" - as well as the hidden track "No Change" - come near to the quality that the band's exciting debut came to.

As I said, this is by no means a bad album, it just feels like four such talented guys could have done a lot more. Chickenfoot XXXIV - or whatever they title their next album - will need to be better than this.

***

Watch: "Big Foot"

Album Review: Jane's Addiction - "The Great Escape Artist"

Eight years after their last album, and following their latest reunion, the godfathers of alternative rock are back with their fourth studio album. The bassist may have changed (again) but the core of Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins are back, playing music that could have been on any of their previous 3 albums - incredible when you think that each Jane's studio effort has been released in a different decade.

Lead single "Irresistable Force" is an absolute juggernaut of a song, among the best songs of the year, and highlighted that this was indeed going to be a classic Jane's record - much the way "Just Because" trailed "Strays" way back in 2003. The quality doesn't falter over the album's ten tracks, with the songs harking back to all three of their previous albums while still managing to be modern and have their own identity completely.

This is a classic Jane's Addiction album, melding genres and not nailing themselves down to one style. We can only hope that the band stay together long enough this time to follow it up pretty quickly.

****

Watch: l

Album Review: The Union - "Siren's Song"

"Siren's Song" is the second album from The Union, a band featuring former Thunder guitarist Luke Morley, and former Winterville frontman Peter Shoulder. Their 2010 self-titled debut was a well received slab of blues-rock, and "Siren's Song" builds on its predecessor well. The guys have crafted an intelligent blues and folk influenced hard rock record, which not only withstands multiple listens, but more than merits them too.

"Siren's Song" opens well with it's title track, the acoustic intro slowly fading into a powerful blues-rock riff that wouldn't have felt out of place in either man's previous bands. From there on, the band mix acoustic and electric guitars throughout the album, with Shoulder's voice soaring over the top of them beautifully. An album highlight is "Cut The Line", a mainly acoustic song, with a piano played the entire way through, and a killer solo, with Shoulder's vocals as emotional as anywhere on the record.

The Union have made a very good album here, and with a permanent bassist and drummer added, will be able to really turn it up in the live setting. "Siren's Song" may not sell a million copies, but anyone who does listen to it is going to enjoy it immensely.

****

Watch: "Siren's Song"

Album Review: Cerebral Ballzy - "Cerebral Ballzy"

There's something to be said about a band who just rock up into the studio, put down some three chord hardcore punk songs and then fuck off to the pub to drink beer, pick up girls and eat pizza. That's what Brooklyn's Cerebral Ballzy have done with their self titled debut, a fast furious blast of balls out punk rock.

With the twelve tracks clocking in at a commute friendly nineteen and a half minutes (only two songs even make it to 2 minutes), it seems silly to go off on a long winded review. Instead, all I'll say is that this is hardcore punk done well by a bunch of guys who are having fun doing what they do.

Bands like Sick of it All and Trash Talk (stay tuned for a review of their new EP) may have been doing it longer and louder, but Cerebral Ballzy are a welcome addition to the hardcore punk ranks.

*** 1/2

Watch: "Don't Tell Me What To Do"

Album Review: Skeletonwitch - "Forever Abomination"

"Forever Abomination" is the fourth album from Ohio thrash/black metal journeymen Skeletonwitch, who return with their unique hybrid style after a two year break. A brutal assault to the senses, "Forever Abomination" is loud, brash, and everything you would expect from Skeletonwitch.

The first thing that you notice about the album is the sheer strength of the drumming compared to the band's earlier output. New drummer Dustin Boltjes, who replaced Derrick "Mullet Chad" Nau at the tail end of 2010, is a more powerful and consistant drummer than his predecessor, and the songs benefit from this added power. Opening track "This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)" is the finest song of the band's career to date, and sets the album up perfectly.

Unfortunately though, from there on it all gets a little predictable. There is very little variety over the ten tracks that follow, and only the 32 minute running time stops the record from becoming boring and repetitive.

"Forever Abomination" is Skeltonwitch's tightest sounding and most powerful album so far, a little variety would have helped it be their absolute best.

***

Watch: "This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)"

Album Review: Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - "Don't Explain"

When you hear that one of the greatest guitar players in the world is making a collabarative album with one of the best rock singers currently around, your ears perk up. Joe Bonamassa (on what is remarkably his third studio album of the year following his solo "Dust Bowl" and Black Country Communion's "2") and Beth Hart do not disappoint on this collection of soul covers, which will sit atop the blues charts for quite some time.

"Don't Explain" sees Hart take lead vocals, while Bonamassa handles guitar duties. Simple concept, the singer sings and the guitarist plays guitar, but the outcome is truly fantastic. Bonamassa's soaring and intricate guitar sits behind Hart's rich, soulful voice and the two melt together into a marriage made in heaven. "I'll Take Care of You" somehow manages to be an even more incredible recording than Gil Scott-Heron's previous definitive version of Brook Benton's classic, Bonamassa's guitar solo on the track is one of his personal finest. And when Joe makes his solo vocal contribution, on a duet of "Well, Well" it makes your crave for another collabaration between these two.

It's so often the case when two highly talented musicians come together that the results are a disappointment. "Don't Explain" shuns the egos and focuses on the songs. Truly outstanding.

**** 1/2

Watch: "I'll Take Care Of You (live)"

Album Review: Machine Head - "Unto the Locust"

Following up "The Blackening" was never going to be an easy task. When you've defined a genre and released one of the greatest albums of all time, the follow up could quite simply pale in comparison. A four year touring cycle could stall things further. We needn't have worried. "Unto the Locust" is another modern metal masterpiece from Machine Head, a band who can seemingly do nothing wrong these days.

Opening the album with Rob Flynn multi-tracking himself singing in Latin is a bold, bold way to open any album. But this is no gimmick. The three part "I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)" - the longest of the album's seven tracks at a modest eight and a half minutes - is a straight up thrash metal blast, with depth that most other bands can only dream of. And that's only the start. Throughout it's 49 minutes, "Unto the Locust" throws up complex song structures, carefully thought out lyrics, and the kind of guitar duelling that we've now come to expect from Flynn and Phil Demmel. (The album's liner notes even specify which guitarist plays each part of the solos).

And the songs. The advance single "Locust" is even more powerful in the context of the album, "This Is the End" is classic Machine Head, and the closing track "Who We Are" takes another bold step by featuring a childrens choir. Which is promptly taken over by thundering drums and guitars. But the centrpiece of the album is the simply exquisite "Darkness Within". This is this album's "Halo" or "Descend the Shades of Night" and is quite possibly the best song the band have ever recorded (and the acoustic version, contained as a bonus track on the digital version of the album is even more haunting).

I will admit to being nervous about "Unto the Locust" before release. But there really was nothing to be nervous about. It may not have been as instant as "The Blackening", but a few listens in, it's clear just how deep this record is. The can't keep topping themselves like this. Can they?

*****

Watch: "Darkness Within (Acoustic)"

Album Review: Iced Earth - "Dystopia"

Matt Barlow has once again left, so welcome Canadian, former Into Eternity singer Stu Block as Iced Earth's fifth lead vocalist for "Dystopia" the tenth studio album from American have metal troopers Iced Earth. "Dystopia" is everything you would expect from an Iced Earth release, with Block's vocal range bringing the band into territory that they've never quite reached before. Block doesn't sound unlike Barlow, but his voice is much more powerful, with a bigger range, and brings a new sound to a band who have been accused of stagnating in the past.

Not to say that "Dystopia" is a wild departure for Iced Earth though, as even on a first casual listen, it's very obvious who you are listening. But again, that's no bad thing - no-one wants to hear Iced Earth do a black metal album for example - as the songs feel instantly familiar, and there are tracks on this album which sound like they could be live staples for years to come.

"Anthem" is just that, an anthemic heavy metal song reminiscent of the original "Something Wicked..." album (the "Something Wicked" saga continues on the album's opening and closong tracks if anyone's keeping score by the way) while "End of Innocence", a song written by Block about his terminally ill mother, has all the hallmarks of a classic Iced Earth metal ballad in the vein of "I Died For You" and "Watching Over Me". In fact, Block's lyrical contributions to eight of the twelve (on the special edition) songs on the album give another songwriting dimension to the band whose lyrics have been dominated by Jon Schaffer's (admittedly very strong) contributions over the years.

"Dystopia" is not a perfect album, but well over 20 years since their first release, it is highly impressive and inspiring to see this band still producing material of this quality. The members may be a revolving door, but the music never seems to suffer.

****

Watch: "Dystopia"

Album Review: The Civil Wars - "Barton Hollow"

Singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John-Paul White met in a Nashville recording studio in 2008. "Barton Hollow", their debut album sticks lightly to their Nashville roots, but offers up so much more than the country that would be expected, in a forty minute acoustic journey of emotion and harmony.

Plucked from obscurity to appear on "Greys Anatomy" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in the States, The Civil Wars first album, released independently, and sparsely produced by Grammy winner Charlie Peacock has sold over 100,000 copies. Listening to it, it's not hard to see why. The folksy vocals, alternative country instrumentation, and delightful two-part harmonies light up any speakers that play it.

From the gorgeous opener, "20 Years", through the outstanding title track, to the sombre closer in "Birds of a Feather", Williams and White offer up beauty, grace and raw emotion from start to finish. An unexpected acoustic delight.

****

Watch: "Barton Hollow"

Album Review: Reckless Love - "Animal Attraction"

Reckless Love wish it was 1985. On their sophmore album, "Animal Attraction" they make this fact very clear. Channeling the spirit of early Def Leppard and Motley Crue, this record is not only every bit as fun as their self titled debut set from last year, it is an all round more balanced body of work and shows off a band highly comfortable with what they're doing.

And what they're doing is making rock music straight out of the mid 1980s. Clearly influenced by bands such as Def Leppard - they even did a fantastic acoustic cover of "Hysteria" as a b-side last year - the opening three tracks genuinely would not sound out of place on "Pyromania" or "Hysteria", the seminal 80s classics from the Leppard. Yet Reckless Love are so much more than a simple tribute act. Songs like lead single "Hot" and the painfully infectious "Dirty Dreams" are just fun, high enrgy singalongs, while the band aren't afraid to go more introspective with "Born to Break Your Heart" and the glorious five minute epic "Fantasy". It doesn't seem to matter if they're going at 100 miles per hour, or cruising in the slow lane, the music is good, and you're having fun listening.

"Animal Attraction" is never going to win any awards for originality, that's a given, but listening to the quality of the music produced on the album, it's certainly no crime that this isn't breaking any ground. Reckless Love know thier audience and they know what their audience likes. Exactly what they like themselves. And that's exactly what they give.

****

Watch: "Hot"