D Monday, January 25, 2010 metrolife 13 er life A haunting from inside her head CD OF THE WEEK Charlotte Gainsbourg: IRM Because Music DVD It Might Get Loud Universal Pictures, 23, PG Low key, musos-only rockumentary in which innovative guitar virtuosos from three generations, Jack White, Jimmy Page and The Edge, extol their love of electric guitars then unite for a rather awkward afternoon jam session. Its a neat enough idea, if unexcitedly executed by director Davis Guggenheim no surprise, perhaps, given his Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, mainly consisted of Al Gore pointing a stick at various graphs. However, there are charming moments as we delve into each musicians formative guitar moments. Highlights include so-called sonic architect The Edge returning to the site of U2s first public performance (a ledge in a playground). Meanwhile, fat vampire lookalike Jack White goes all Blue Peter on us by proving you can build an electric guitar out of nothing more than a piece of wood, rusty nails, an empty Coke bottle and string. Extras: deleted scenes. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh TV Pick Of The Day Charlie Birds American Year RT1, 9.35pm Just before Barack Obamas inauguration, Charlie Bird arrived in the US to take up his post as RTs US correspondent. This two-part series follows him through the first year of his new role and gives a frank and revealing view of his experiences in the American capital and beyond. His shaky, shocked-old-lady approach to the years main events may not be to everyones tastes though. Adam Hyland Back in the early 1990s, Natalie Merchant was one of alternative musics leading ladies. Her band, 10,000 Maniacs, looked set to follow the example of REM and Nirvana and step up from the underground to the mainstream. She herself had all the hallmarks of a star in the making there was something of Patti Smiths punk wispiness about the New Yorker, juxtaposed with a very grungy determination to do things her own way. Such was the stature of 10,000 Maniacs an entity almost entirely forgotten today that they were invited to participate in the MTV Unplugged series, an honour only bestowed on bands in the commercial fast-lane. Just as things appeared ready to take off, however, Merchant quit the line-up and, after creating a moderate splash with 1995s Tigerlily, gradually faded from the limelight. In the intervening time, she has released the occasional solo album, the last of which appeared in 2003 (shes recently been occupied with raising her children). Now she is ready to return with new record Leave Your Sleep, a dreamy, contemplative project based on the work of Victorian writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti and Edward Lear. If that sounds too high concept for you, take comfort in the fact shell almost certainly be uncorking her enviable back catalogue too. Eamon de Paor Tonight, Whelans, 25 Wexford Street D2, 8pm, 20 (returns only). Tel: 1890 200 078. www.nataliemerchant.com GIG Natalie Merchant GAME Dark Void Xbox360, 47 (also on PS3 and PC, 35) The promise of mid-air combat, vertical combat and cover-to-cover shooting facilitated by a spine-mounted rocket- pack sounds great. Unfortunately, this promise never really gets realised in Dark Void, a third-person action shooter that has all the right ingredients but just cant deliver the variety youd expect. Set in a battle between humanity and alienkind in a mysterious realm called The Void, you take on wave after wave of enemies both in the air and on the ground. The camera is twitchy, to say the least, providing a frustrating experience through much of the gunplay, which all too quickly becomes repetitive. There is a lot of freedom and fun to be had with the jet-pack, which is satisfyingly responsive and really makes you feel like youre flying at a million miles an hour. But, just as the awful Iron Man and the even worse Superman Returns have proved in the past few years, you need some meat to the flying fun. Its also a short game so dont expect it to take you too long to finish or for it to have massive replay value. Steven Fox A fter Dublin, Haunted embarks on a UK tour while autumn marks Blethyns return to the small screen with a crime series pilot playing a detective with a difference. If its a success, itll be an ongoing role but before then she hopes to spend time at home in Ramsgate with her partner of 30 years, Michael Mayhew. We bought a house there last year so itll be nice to actually spend some time in it. She adds breezily: Someone broke in my garage last night, though. I dont think anything was taken but the door was wide open apparently. So long as they didnt take my trolley though, you know, a porters trolley? I bought myself one for carrying heavy goods! I love that trolley! Haunted opens at the Gaiety on Feb 4 and runs until Feb 13. www.gaietytheatre.ie If anyone was born to be a pop icon, it would surely be the Anglo-French offspring of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. That doesnt mean that Charlotte Gainsbourg has taken any easy career routes; her film roles have created shockwaves, from 1993s incest-themed The Cement Garden to last years torturous Antichrist. Her music has seemed flighty in contrast, but its involved a few enchanting highlights and high-end collaborators so far, including her outrageous papa, Jarvis Cocker and Air (Cocker and Air both featured on her 2006 album 5.55). On IRM, Gainsbourg strikes a new creative chord in US maverick Beck, who writes the songs and plays multi- instruments including guitar, recorder and marimba. What elevates this album above a muse-and-muso showpiece is the intensely personal nature of the material; IRM was inspired by Gainsbourgs recovery from a near-fatal brain haemorrhage in 2007 (its title is French for MRI scan) and its melodies draw on every part of her experience. IRMs clatteringly rhythmic title track samples the sound of hospital machinery (medical/industrial fans might also want to check out Tom Greens 2001 work Music For MRI Scanners), and the effect is unnervingly funky and eerily gorgeous. The albums track-listing also flows absorbingly, taking in the edgy pulse of Greenwich Mean Time and the lush downtempo symphony of La Collectioneuse. Gainsbourg isnt a conventionally powerful singer, but she has few vocal parallels (except arguably her mother), slipping from laconic English lines to murmured Gallic reverie. IRM is a consciously arty project that never forgets to be a great record it grips you, and it lingers. Arwa Haider Die Slow by Health: I saw these guys at Pukklepop last summer and couldnt believe my ears. This song is the one I stick on when a party needs an injection of energy its banging once it kicks in. Sovereignty by Japanoids: A staple on the ASIWYFA bus, this is the sort of music you want to edit a best buddies montage to. Its just two guys who are nothing special on their instruments playing a super low-fi, noisy song that shines. 1800 Ghost Dance by Hella: This is the musical equivalent of getting a hiding whilst trying to solve a really difficult maths equation enjoying every minute of it and not knowing why. The kick drum at the start and that groove they go into rocks. Fine For Now by Grizzly Bear: My biggest regret of last year is missing Grizzly Bear at a festival we were playing in Europe. We could hear them playing outside the tent and thought they were just finishing their set so legged it back to the bar; it turned out wed got the times wrong and they were only starting. Heartbreaking. Trying People by De La Soul: There are no references to guns or bling or greed on this track. Its just two guys wearing their hearts on their sleeves talking about their lives and what theyve done with them. Its got a good message to keep in mind: things mightnt always work out, but at least you gave it a go. And So I Watch You From Afar are one of the acts nominated for this years Choice Music Prize. www.choicemusicprize.com ON MY iPOD Rory Friers of And So I Watch You From Afars five-track mix index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html