Blog: A Review

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For the past few years Marvel Comics have had a line of comics called ULTIMATE MARVEL, in which they've reinvented their major iCONS for the current AGE. THUS Ultimate Spiderman has Peter Parker as a Teenager NOW (NB the regular comics series has him AGES to nearly 30 now, married and working as a TEACHER which is NOT necessarily hugely exciting for THE KIDS). This was they get to get rid of 40 years confusing continuity, return the character to his ROOTS, and give the character a MODERN TWIST. They can use tell NEW stories to a NEW audience, about things that matter to them NOW rather than relying on a history of stories that mattered to the OLD audience, who would rather see a SPIDERMAN still dealing with the same problems as THEM.

It's a GOOD IDEA, and I mention it because I've been listening to the new Chris T-T album this week (A LOT). It really is BLOODY GRATE - i have mentioned on previous occasions how much i like the SONGS on it, having heard them LIVE, but on the album itself they sound even better. It's MUCH more confidently and ROBUSTLY produced than his other records, and the PASSION and SINCERITY of the songs come through. It talks about issues that nobody else can be bothered to talk about anymore with WIT and PANACHE, it's FUNNY without being DAFT, and USES humour to make elegant points, and VITALLY it does it all with huge singalong choruses.

He has become, rather brilliantly, ULTIMATE BILLY BRAGG! All the excitement, passion, belief, TUNES, and SMILES as the old version, but with newer politics relevant to TODAY, EMBRACING modern technology and SOUNDS and USING them (instead of coming over like Embarrassing WOMAD Dad) and just all round GRATE. "Preaching To The Converted" IS "Waiting For The Great Leap Forward" 2005!

I'm not sure it was NECESSARY to also include an Acapella Song That Most People Will Dutifully Listen To Once Or Twice And Then Skip Past but HEY! It's there!

So yes, it is BLOODY FAB, everybody go buy!

Anyway, have a good weekend all, and if you're coming to the gigs in Northampton or Stoke Newington i shall seeee you there!

posted 4/11/2005 by MJ Hibbett

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