New York Film Festival Review “12 Years a Slave”

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano
Directed By: Steve McQueen
Fox Searchlight
Rated: R
Running Time: 133 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

As evidenced by his first two features, Hunger and Shame, director Steve McQueen is fearless in his approach to difficult subject matters. The same is true here in his unflinching and unforgettable third feature, 12 Years a Slave.

The film is based on the true life account of Solomon Northup (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man in New York who was deceived and sold into a life of slavery from 1841 to 1853. The film opens with Northup already in this role working on a sugar cane plantation and then brings us back to his family life in New York leading up to his deception. The men who will eventually drug and betray him come in the form of Brown and Hamilton, played by Scoot McNairy and Taran Killam, who offer Solomon the promise of violin work in Washington DC. The whole sequence is reminiscent of a sort of hellish version of Pinocchio being lead off by the circus folk and it plays out with a dreadful inevitability that left my stomach churning. When Solomon is awoken in chains, Ejiofor’s bewilderment is heart-wrenching as he struggles between fighting for his identity and recognizing how powerless he’s just been rendered.

Ejiofor is at the center of an embarrassment of acting talent throughout this film with even smaller roles occupied by the likes of Brad Pitt, Michael K Williams, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, and last year’s Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild). Benedict Cumberbatch has a key role as Ford, Northrup’s first owner. Ford is initially presented as a sympathetic man, even seen as such by Solomon himself, but the way McQueen and screenwriter John Ridley disillusion us of the very notion of this idea is masterful. For all Ford’s sympathetic looks and guilt about the institution he is undoubtably a part of, he will still allow a family to be split at auction and won’t hear a word of Solomon’s story despite recognizing his intelligence. Actions speak louder than words and under Ford, Solomon still suffers through some of the harshest tortures in the film. Including selling Solomon off again to the monstrous Edwin Epps in the film’s final act.

Coming from both Hunger and Shame, Michael Fassbender successfully reteams with director McQueen again as Epps. Fassbender is fascinating to watch as his character rages against his slaves with frightening conviction he backs up with biblical scripture. He is further driven to violence by his complete inability to deal with his unhinged infatuation with his most productive slave girl, Patsey (incredible newcomer Lupita Nyong’o).

Truly however the film belongs to Chiwetel Ejifor who imbues Northup with an unwavering determination to not only survive his ordeal, but as he says, to live. To not give into despair. Moreover when it comes to his re-emancipation, we feel the weight of the time lost as much as the relief of freedom.

12 Years A Slave opens is now playing , I screened it as part of the 51st New York Film Festival, you can read our red carpet coverage from the event with an interview from the film’s star Michael Fassbender.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 12, 12 years a slave, chiwetel ejiofor, festival, film, Michael Fassbender, ...

New York Film Festival Review “Exhibition”

Starring: Viv Albertine, Liam Gillick, Tom Hiddleston, Mary Roscoe
Directed By: Joanna Hogg
New York FIlm Festival
Running Time: 110 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Set in London, “Exhibition” focuses on a middle-aged married couple, known only in the film as D (Albertine) and H (Gillick). Both artists living a spectacular modernist house, itself built by an artist, we join them at the critical moment of their decision to sell the place. D is hesitant to make the move from a home that has defined their lives for nearly two decades.

It’s surprising to learn that the two leads of the film were themselves not actors. Albertine, the guitarist for band The Slits and Gillick, who is actually a conceptual artist himself, have an amazing chemistry as a long married couple. Though much of the film finds them in a state of disconnect–they communicate with each other through a very clinical intercom system in the house–we get these small moments of levity that make their relationship feel very lived in despite their tensions. You feel a sort of united front the couple present when they are engaging with painfully chatty outsiders like their neighbor going on and on about her children or the constantly upbeat realtor attempting to reassure D they’ll find good buyers (Hogg’s former film alums Mary Roscoe and Tom Hiddleston, respectively). Albertine has most of the screentime and she goes a long way in selling her attachment to both her home and her husband through her heartfelt pleas for H not to go wandering the city at night and later her running outside to confirm the ambulance down the block has nothing to do with H. Her anxiety about a prior ‘incident’ she doesn’t wish to repeat is never fully explained in the film but the desperation you sense when D alludes to it is enough to explain her unease.

I was fortunate to see this film, Hogg’s third feature, as part of a series showcasing all her work at this week’s New York Film Festival. Her first two features, Unrelated and Archipelago, established Hogg’s tremendous control over and emphasis on setting. Though Unrelated and Archipelago took place on family holidays and Exhibition is confined to the house, the sense of place feels like an additional character in her stories. Aesthetically beautiful as they are, they can also turn alienating at a moment’s notice. “Exhibition” takes this a step further through Jovan Ajder’s amazing sound design that morphs the home from a shelter from the sirens outside, to an oversize cavern with all it’s metallic creaking and huge sliding doors that dwarf D when she is on her own. Though D professes to a friend over Skype to be able to feel the love of the previous owners of the house in the walls, the audience may need some convincing. Hogg’s sound design coupled with her meticulous visuals bring us into the growing anxiety that D feels.

“Exhibition” is screening as part of the 51st New York Film Festival taking place through October 12th in Lincoln Center. For more information on it’s remaining screening, visit FilmLinc.com

 

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Convention Review “Scare-A-Con” Verona, New York

Scare-A-Con
Date: Friday, Sept. 13th – Sunday, Sept. 15th
Venue: Turning Stone Casino, Verona, New York

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Scare-A-Con is an up and coming 3 day movie/pop culture convention which is now in its second year of be held in the upstate NY area. Originally held in Syracuse, NY the event this year has moved to a larger venue which is part of the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. The con hosted a who’s who list of film/music stars, displays and vendors that gave those in attendance plenty to keep busy with over the course of the three day event.

I attended day two of the 2013 Scare-A-Con event which after a soft opening on Friday was in full swing by the time I entered the main floor of the convention. After making my way through the admission line the first thing I noticed was the sprawling layout which allowed guests some costumed and some not room to mingle freely amongst the guests and vendors. For me this is something I always notice as it’s nice to have some room to breathe when taking things in. Everything from horror house exhibits to comics and several steam punk exhibits could be found while making your way to the various celebrity signing tables which were located throughout the venue. On hand were legendary television actors like Felix Silla and Butch Patrick to more recent actors like Scout Taylor Compton and Naomi Grossman. The longest lines of the day belong to former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and the lovely Linda Blair who is still capable of turning heads other than just her own. Other notable celebs in attendance who also garnered quite a bit of attention throughout the day were Tony Todd, Ernie Hudson and Sean Whalen of “People Under the Stairs” fame.

Though some of the prices being charged by celebrities in attendance were a bit high and several celebs listed were MIA I still had a good time taking in all Scar-A-Con had to offer. A lot of times with the newer conventions you see celebrity no shows or prices being a bit higher than some of the larger conventions however that’s just the way things are. All in all Scare-A-Con was a fan/family friendly event that had a little something for everyone. My only hope is that they continue to grow and expand on all of the good things the event has going for it.

For more information on Scare-A-Con you can visit the official website at www.scareacon.com

 

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Event Wrap-Up: New York Comic Con 2012

New York Comic Con 2012
Date: Thursday, October 11th – Sunday, October 14th
Venue: Jacob K. Javitz Center, New York, New York

The largest comic convention on the East Coast kicked off on Thursday, October 11th in New York City as thousands of rabid comic/pop culture fans made their way through the streets and subways to converge on the Jacob K. Javitz Center. The sprawling 4 level convention center has been the site of the event since its inception and seems to be a fitting home. With 2011 Convention attendance being reported as over 105,000 attendees for the three days this year’s events would be sure to top that number.

This year’s con featured several highly anticipated events and booths which were hot beds of action during all three days of the convention. Square Enix was on hand to promote their highly anticipated video game reboot of the popular “Tomb Raider” game. Lines stretched for what seemed like days as costume clad fans waited to get a glimpse of the new game. The new version of the game features an archery element and to capitalize on that feature fans were given the opportunity to test their archery skills on a real life archery range. This booth along with the mega sized “Just Dance 4” display featuring the newly moved Brooklyn Nets NBA cheerleaders were major highlights for gamers. Another notable mention was the crew from “Assassin’s Creed III”. The new game will be released in November and though their booth wasn’t as impressive as others the game looks amazing and really spoke for its self.

Artist Alley was a non-stop sea of comic fans waiting to meet their favorite artists and have their books signed. Several new titles were being showcased one of which titled “Gekido” written by Greg Weich and Brandon Wilson features celebrities Coco Austin and Adrianne Curry as you guessed it, super heroes! Also on hand to meet fans was the legendary Stan Lee, Claudio Sanchez owner of Evil Ink Comics and lead singer/guitarist for the music group Coheed and Cambria as well as Slipknot/Stone Sour vocalist Cory Taylor who was on hand promoting his 4 book mini series titled “House of Gold & Bones. The series being released via Dark Horse comics will coincide with Stone Sour’s next two albums “House of Gold & Bones Part 1 and 2”.

As we made our way down to the Autographing area which seemed worlds away from the constant bustle and activity happening on the main floor it was nice to get a breath of fresh air and be able to spread out a little bit as this floor of the show seemed a bit less crowed even though there were several big name stars going through sharpies like crazy. Carrie Fisher of “Star Wars” fame had impressive lines throughout the event despite the $60.00 charge which seemed to be the highest of the convention. Also signing throughout the weekend was “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton, Christopher Lloyd and Adam West. However the most impressive lines were for those of writer Anne Rice and Kirk Hammett guitarist of Metallica who was on hand promoting his new horror collection book titled “Too Much Horror Business”.

After returning from the subterranean depths of the autograph area I braved the main floor of the convention which at all points in time was shoulder to shoulder people many clad in their favorite comic/film character costumes. With this many people, exhibits and vendors crammed in to one space trying to look at the masses of comics and merchandise on hand was a bit difficult. Once here you could find everything from Lego’s and replica weaponry to the latest Marvel edition Vans sneakers. There really was something for everyone in this section of the hall. In fact there was just so much stuff to see it made my head spin and almost hurt from sensory overload.

Before making my way back home I checked out several of the impressively assembled panels which are always a highlight of these conventions. Right off the bat was the headliner of all headliners “The Walking Dead” panel. With a good number of the cast on hand to answer questions lines in to the IGN Theater stretched on for what seemed like eternity. Prior to the Q/A session fans were treated to a sneak peak of season 3’s first episode which premiered on 10/14 and only excited me and other fans even further for the shows return. Other notable panels throughout the weekend including those put on by Adult Swim, the Stephen King “Carrie” reboot featuring Chloe Grace Moretz which looks to be an interested revision and “The Following” a thriller featuring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy.

After a long and tiring weekend I can now say that I survived the 2012 New York Comic Con. Though at times the lines were long and I needed to dodge several would be attacks from costume clad attendants a good time was had by all. The organizers of the event handled everyone like pro’s and were always courteous when you had a question. If you can only attend one convention on the east coast make sure it’s the New York Comic Con.

 

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CD Review: Sweet “New York Connection”

Sweet
“New York Connection”
Produced by: Andy Scott
11 tracks
Running Time: 40 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

From the moment this CD kicks off, it rocks mega hard and doesn’t let up until the CD ends. The Sweet are well known their Glam Rock during the 70-80’s and though still they sound just as good as they ever have. “New York Connection” is comprised 11 cover songs including the 2011 single “Join Together”. There is also a revamped original recording for their 1972 b-side “New York Connection”.

If you are a fan of 70-80’s rock, then you are going to love this album easily. The album kicks off with the great song “New York Groove” and just includes on great hit after another. Some of the other great cover tracks included are “You Spin Me Round”, “Because the Night” and “Blitzkrieg Bop”. All the covers sounds really kick-ass and get your toes tapping and head rocking.

Peter Lincoln takes lead on vocals on 8 out of the 11 tracks. Andy Scott takes lead vocal for “Sweet Jane” and is a great tribute to The Velvet Underground. Bruce Bisland belts out “Blitzkrieg Bop” and doesn’t let down the Ramones. Lastly Tony O’Hora puts a new spin on Patti Smith’s “Because the Night”. Overall, the guitars are well…sweet! The music is loud and sums up a great 40 minutes you will experience with this album.

Track listing:
1. New York Groove
2. Gold On The Ceiling
3. All Moving Faster
4. New York Connection
5. Shapes Of Things
6. You Spin Me Round
7. Because The Night
8. Sweet Jane
9. Blitzkrieg Bop
10. On Broadway
11. Join Together

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The Film Society & IndieWire’s Special Screening/Q&A of “Mary Last Seen” (Martha Marcy May Marlene) with Director Sean Durkin and Cast

“Mary Last Seen” was the short that Durkin wrote and directed prior to the full feature. It introduced the world of the film while also working as a standalone story. Fortunately it didn’t have to stand alone and now it makes for an eerie precursor ‘Martha’. The short screened prior to the “Martha Marcy May Marlene” Blu-ray release at New York’s Lincoln Center. In attendance for the IndieWire sponsored event were director Sean Durkin, producer Antonio Campos, cinematographer Drew Innis and actress Alexia Rasmussen (Mary).

In discussing the short, the filmmakers emphasized that if ‘Martha’ was a feature about exiting a cult, ‘Mary’ was about entering it. The connective character between the short and the feature is Brady Corbet’s Watts. Here we get to see how he goes about luring the cult women onto the isolated farm, cutting them off from the world. It’s disconcerting just how much damage the loss of a cell phone can do. “It’s the numbers” Mary laments, accentuating the modern reliance on automated contact lists. If nothing else, the short serves to help understand how Martha in the eventual feature film could have fallen off the face of the Earth to her family.

Click here for our DVD review of “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

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Blu-ray Review “Page One: Inside the New York Times”

Directors: Andrew Rossi
Starring: David Carr, Carl Bernstein, Richard Perez-Pena, Tim Arango, Bill Keller, Brian Stelter
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 92 minutes

Overall Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I guess this film interested me because I definitely am a believer that print newspaper is dead or if not dead dying. Don’t get me wrong The New York Times itself is not dead especially with social medias like Facebook, Twitter and now digital subscriptions. I was hoping for a real inside look into the New York Times and the end of the newspaper debate but what this film was about was more the David Carr story. David is a drug addict turned newspaper journalist. He is interesting at first being knowledgeable and such but grows old fast.

“Page One” gives an inside access to The New York Times newsroom and it’s Media Desk. Some of the issues that are presented are the growing internet, which is surpassing print as the public’s main news source. We get to see some debates and discussion about that issue but not enough. Basically we get an inside look at people complaining about what to print and how they are concerned for their jobs. I guess every documentary needs a star and a focus so for this one they chose David Carr. He is very well spoken but not an interesting choice for this documentary.

The extras on the are ok but not great. They include over twenty minutes of additional scenes, with some that are entertaining and worth a watch. There are also some extended interviews which work better edited in the film. The next feature “Journalists React to Page One,” is the impressions from media moguls as they leave a screening…nothing special. There is brief 15 minute edit of Q&A with the Cast and Filmmakers” from various festivals and screenings. There is a feature called “Tim Arango with Joao Silva in Iraq”, which goes into more detail from the film about Arango. I thought the storyline in the film didn’t fit well and seemed too short. This feature is decent. Of course a Magnolia Pictures release would be the same without a bunch of sneak peaks.

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Marvel Studios to Present Exclusive Look at Marvel’s “The Avengers” at New York Comic Con

MARVEL STUDIOS TO PRESENT EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Producer Kevin Feige and Select Cast Members to Appear Saturday, October 15th in the IGN Theater – Presented by Sprint!

Norwalk, CT, October 4, 2011: New York Comic Con (NYCC) is proud to announce Marvel Studios, for the first time ever, will participate in this October’s NYCC. Marvel Studios will present a special event in NYCC’s IGN Theater – Presented by Sprint on Saturday, October 15th from 6:30-7:30 PM, a high-profile panel focused on the upcoming feature film Marvel’s The Avengers. Marvel Studios will debut never-before-seen footage from The Avengers, and panelists will include Kevin Feige (Producer), Chris Evans (Captain America), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), and Cobie Smulders (Agent Hill). The Avengers is scheduled for release on May 4th, 2012.

The sixth annual New York Comic Con will take place October 13-16, 2011 at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan. NYCC, which attracted 96,000 attendees in 2010, celebrates comics, movies, television, toys, games, and the popular arts from around the planet. Tickets are now on sale via the website www.NewYorkComicCon.com, with limited 4-Day tickets remaining.

“I am incredibly honored Marvel Studios has decided to participate in New York Comic Con in such a significant way,” notes Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for ReedPOP and Show Manager for NYCC. “The center of our show is creating exclusive opportunities for fans to meet their favorite stars and creators. The Avengers presentation is exactly this kind of once-in-a-lifetime event. We’re very excited to be able to host cast and crew from The Avengers and know our fans will be on the edges of their seats. As always, we want to present the very best that the pop culture world has to offer in art and entertainment, and The Avengers panel is at the head of that list!”

As previously announced, Marvel will also be bringing high profile comics guests to New York Comic Con including Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, Axel Alonso, Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief, and notable Marvel creators Jason Aaron, Matt Fraction, Kieron Gillen, and Stuart Immonen.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

 

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effectswhen “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.

“Marvel’s The Avengers,” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures.  The film is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Patricia Whitcher and Louis D’Esposito. Marvel Studios’ Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce. The film will be released May 4, 2012.

For further information about all ReedPOP shows and activity, please visit Lance Fensterman’s blog, www.MediumAtLarge.net. Convention organizers note that many more guests will be announced over the next few weeks leading into the show and fans should keep their eyes on NYCC’s website and blog for additional comics, entertainment and anime announcements.

ABOUT MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT:  Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit www.marvel.com.  Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark.

ABOUT REEDPOP: ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions which is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) East & West, Star Wars Celebration V, New York Anime Festival (NYAF), and UFC Fan Expo. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion. ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

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Go Behind the Scenes of America’s Most Trusted News Source “Page One: Inside The New York Times”

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF AMERICA’S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE

PAGE ONE: THE INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Revealing Documentary Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD On October 18 From
Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Label

“A potent and provocative documentary…Page One is a vital, indispensable hell-raiser.”
Rolling Stone

“Page One offers a respectful, most flattering glimpse inside the Times newsroom…”
–Variety

“Slick, fun, and surprisingly sexy”
–Vanity Fair

“An important document of the paper of record at a crucial, make-or-break juncture in its long, glorious history, and a love letter to the dying art form that is the great American newspaper.”
– The Onion’s AV Club

“Something akin to The Social Network for the news business” (Reuters), Page One: The Inside The New York Times hits stands on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18 from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Label. The “riveting film,” (Slate) gives viewers an inside look at one of the country’s most well-known newspapers in a time where print media is dying and the Internet news business is booming. Through interviews with notable journalists such as Brian Stelter, Tim Arango, Bill Keller, Bruce Headlam and David Carr, the film “effectively brings us all around the campfire” (Los Angeles Times) to reveal the inner-workings of The New York Times newsroom.

From Andrew Rossi, the director of HBO’s Le Cirque: A Table In Heaven, Page One:The Inside The New York Times follows the reporters for The New York Times Media Desk as they work through a tumultuous time in journalism and face new players and platforms such as WikiLeaks, Twitter, tablet computers and more. Editor David Carr “steals the show” (The Village Voice), while offering unprecedented access to the inner workings of the newspaper as well as his personal life. New-media wunderkind Brian Stelter plays the “stolid Sancho Panza to Carr’s Don Quixote” (Slate) and shows the importance of having the ability to straddle the worlds of both old and new media, while colleagues Bruce Headlam, Bill Keller and Tim Arango fight to hold onto the solid reputation of The New York Times.

Page One: The Inside The New York Times Blu-ray Disc and DVD offers even more insightful commentary and extended interviews and will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis
Page One: The Inside The New York Times deftly gains unprecedented access to The New York Times newsroom and the inner workings of the Media Desk. With the Internet surpassing print as our main news source and newspapers all over the country going bankrupt, Page One: The Inside The New York Times chronicles the transformation of the media industry at its time of greatest turmoil. Writers such as Brian Stelter, Tim Arango and, and the salty but brilliant David Carr track print journalism’s metamorphosis even as their own paper struggles to stay vital and solvent. Meanwhile, their editors and publishers grapple with existential challenges from players like WikiLeaks, new platforms ranging from Twitter to tablet computers, and readers’ expectations that news online should be free.

Bonus Features

Extended Interviews

Commentary

 

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The Humans (ft. Bill Rieflin Of R.E.M.) Play New York At Highline Ballroom On 9.27

THE HUMANS are an innovative, three-piece, contemporary rock band comprising Toyah Willcox, Bill Rieflin and Chris Wong. The group brings together three lifetimes of musical experience, experimentation and craftsmanship. The band are the brainchild of Toyah Willcox.

THE HUMANS were formed in 2007 after Toyah was invited by the Estonian ambassador to tour Estonia. Highly experimental, the band reflects the distinctly different musical backgrounds and life experiences of its members. This creative formation marked a radical departure for Toyah who comments: “The songs are deconstructed down to the bones of raw experience, exposing human nature and irony”. Dispensing with the conventional rock band line-up, the DNA of The Humans consists of the voice (taking much more of a role as instrument) flanked by two bass players, with no designated drummer or guitarist. Although recorded and live work can include programmed drumming, beats or guest guitar, the intention is to allow space for the vocal to sit above and alongside the sound scape rather than compete with the noise of a rock band.

Before they had ever set foot into a recording studio, The Humans premiered their material in 2008 with a sell-out series of concerts in Estonia attended by the Estonian president. These songs then formed the basis of their debut album We Are The Humans, which was recorded in Bill Rieflin’s home ground of Seattle. Produced by Rieflin, the 10-song album was mixed by Don Gunn & Rieflin and mastered by Simon Heyworth (Tubular Bells, Brian Eno). It was released in May 2009 to coincide with the band’s return to Estonia to headline at ‘Tartufest’. Album highlights include the eerily, ambient Quicksilver, the majestic, Demigod and the live band-groove of Icarus. The Humans quickly carved out their sound as European experimental meets West Coast American grunge with overarching avant-garde and filmic qualities.

The album received its UK digital release in September 2009 along with the band’s first single, ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’, a provocative, 21st century twist on the Nancy Sinatra classic, featuring guest guitar from Robert Fripp. This track was recently used by the BBC on their television
coverage of the World Cup football final matches, reaching a substantial audience of worldwide viewers and listeners.

The Humans marked their first ever live UK appearances with a series of warm-up concerts in the very intimate and beautiful surroundings of St. Michael’s & All Angels’ Church and St. Anne’s Church, Worcester. These were followed up by dates across the UK, featuring special guest Robert Fripp playing live with the band.

They also appeared on the bill of acts invited to perform at The Roundhouse for the Helping Haiti fundraiser concert. The Humans tour culminated in a headline date at London’s Scala, yielding a 4-star review from the Financial Times who concluded it was an “intriguing, often terrific, show” with “programmed beats, sinewy, rumbling rhythms, a kind of twisted funk”.

Their set included a presentation of the entire debut album, newly written songs and their unique interpretations of These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ alongside the Hendrix classic, Purple Haze.

THE HUMANS have dedicated three years to establishing their sound, songs and performance. Crystallizing what is at the core of The Humans’ manifesto, the album Sugar Rush bears a cinematic density with stirring moments of exhilarating energy (Sugar Rush) tender contemplation (Love In A Di¬erent Way) and brooding soundscapes (Sea Of Size). The album also features guest guitar on all tracks from Robert Fripp.

Concerts are being lined-up to include UK, Europe and USA and may include cinemas, theatres, churches and other unusual spaces alongside traditional rock venues.

The End Records are proud to announce the September 27, 2011 release of the album Sugar Rush which will be supported by US concert dates.

East Coast Tour Dates
September 25th – Church – Boston, MA *
September 26th – The World Cafe – Philadelphia, PA *
September 27th – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY *
* w/ Kid Savant

Tracklisting

1. Titanium Girl
2. Love In A Different Way
3. Sea Of Size
4. Pebble
5. Small Town Psychopath
6. Sweet Agitation
7. Playing In The Dark
8. Snow At 10:23
9. Sugar Rush
10. This Reasoning
11. Fragment Pool
12. Put A Woman On The Moon
13. Small Town Psychopath (version) [Bonus Track]

www.thehumansofficial.com
www.theendrecords.com

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