The vicious civil war between the army and Islamic extremists throughout the 1990s in his native Algeria is the backdrop to Boualem Sansals (pictured) fifth novel the first to be translated into English; the story stems from one of the wars many civilian massacres, albeit a fictionalised one. Among the victims were the parents of the two Schiller brothers of whose diaries the novel is composed, Rachel, a successful international businessman, and Malrich, a teenage dropout living on a Parisian sink estate. Yet on returning to his parents village to pay his respects, Rachel discovers evidence his father was a Nazi war criminal, taking the scope of the novel far beyond Algerian troubles. The narrative moves seamlessly between Rachels agonised meditations on guilt and Malrichs life on an estate increasingly controlled by Muslim extremists. Rachels writing about the Holocaust, done in an attempt to understand his fathers acts, is chilling in the extreme, the novel a powerful corrective to the Holocaust denial that persists in parts of the Arab world. Best of all, it whets the appetite for more Sansal No two records by Magnetic Fields are quite the same yet, nine albums in, their music has the undeniable ring of familiarity. Realism counterpoints the bands deliberately fuzzy 2008 album Distortion; its real instruments are skilfully varied (from tabla to brown paper bag) and its melodies dusted with high camp. Founder/auteur Stephin Merritt reels off barbed couplets so lithely on numbers like You Must Be Out Of Your Mind that you barely sense the sting until hes reached the next verse. As ever, the sour emotions are sweetened by his vocal foil, Claudia Gonson, and the heartache balanced with uproarious funnies. There is possibly less to collectively bind these songs than previous LPs rather than a standalone album, Realism feels like a speck in the universe that is Merritts musical fantasy. Arwa Haider D Tuesday, January 26, 2010 metrolife 13 Mediocre Mr Mesrine? DVD OF THE WEEK Mesrine Parts 1 and 2 Momentum, 15, 29 BOOK An Unfinished Business by Boualem Sansal Bloomsbury, 20 GAME The Simpsons Arcade iPhone, 3.50 The worlds most loved dysfunctional 2D family comes to iPhone and, while The Simpsons Arcade manages to be completely authentic to its comic roots, it never really matches the playability of some of the very best and cheaper iPhone games. It does, however, look incredible one of the most graphically impressive games launched to date on Apples beauteous and desirable platform and the gameplay is immediately accessible. As a side-scrolling platform beat-em-up game, its competent enough, and the idea that Homer has somehow managed to get hold of a USB stick filled with top-secret doughnut information is perfectly nuts. But theres a lack of power-ups, you can only play as Homer (although you can call on the help of other family members, who offer excellent variety with their special moves) and the game is a little on the short side. Theres also no Wi-Fi multiplayer action. Overall, its just about worth the money but only just. Steven Fox CD The Magnetic Fields: Realism Nonesuch Film Of The Day Full Metal Jacket TG4, 9.05pm Stanley Kubricks genius lay in taking a genre and making a film unlike any other within it, and this study of the Vietnam War is no exception. Following a conscientious young man (Matthew Modine) from basic training under the scene- stealing Sergeant Hartman to his first experience of combat, this is a truly exceptional film full of action, drama and a surprising amount of humour. Adam Hyland No matter how many solo albums he releases or how many genres he dips a toe into, rumpled New Yorker Adam Green will be forever known as one half of early noughties anti- folk duo The Moldy Peaches, whose threadbare lullaby Anyone Else But You has enjoyed a weird afterlife thanks to the movie Juno. Green, though, seems not to notice the ball and chain attached to his ankle and continues to bravely slog in the margins of alternative pop, releasing record after record, each more distinctive than the last. His latest, Minor Love, sees him renouncing anti- folks lo-fi zaniness and going all classic rock. Channelling the spirit of Lou Reed and Chelsea Hotel-era Leonard Cohen, the LP feels like some long lost paean to New York, with its Strokes-flavoured guitars and gritty slice-of-life lyrics. Post-Juno, Green has felt it necessary to clarify that there is absolutely zero chance of him ever performing Moldy Peaches songs in public again. For anyone who has charted his progression from self- satisfied peddler of all things quirky to articulate singer-songwriter, this is good news indeed. Eamon de Paor Tonight, Academy, 57 Abbey Street Middle D1, 8pm. 17.50 Tel: 0818 719 300. www.adamgreen.net GIG Adam Green My interior designer pal wasnt enamoured of the 1990s-style dcor, whereas I quite liked the bright red leather seats, dark walls and smoky mirrors, though not the ugly chef painting. Meanwhile, we had good craic with the serving staff, including the cheeky maitre d who didnt tell us until after our meal was finished that the credit card machine wasnt working. As a result, I had to walk to Costcutters ATM (which decided halfway through my transaction that it was out of service), before traipsing to Dunnes Stores for funds a recession- defying 200 including a 12.5 per cent service charge. But despite the folly of opening an upscale restaurant during a recession coupled with Gallaghers dodgy track record my friend chirped, that was the best meal out Ive had in ages. And, sure, Salon Des Saveurs will be good while it lasts. Lucy White 16 Aungier Street D2. Tel: (01) 475 8840. www.salondessaveurs.com TV Pick Of The Day Shameless Channel4, 10pm NET RESULT They dont make gangsters like they used to, judging by Jean-Franois Richets stylish two-parter charting the rise and bloody fall of Jacques Mesrine. The French bank robber/kidnapper/ murderer is apparently a quasi-mythical figure in his homeland 30 years after his death gunned down by les flics in a burst of summary justice, as these films have it. In a 20-year international criminal career, he fitted in four prison escapes, an autobiography, a string of women and a canny media campaign. Plenty, then, for Vincent Cassel to get his teeth into, and it is his performance that makes these films so much robust fun. Cassel has an instinctive grasp of his characters mercurial temperament, lethal charisma and psychopathic insistence on proving his superiority. Mesrine: Killer Instinct shows the middle- class youths brutal coming of age in the Algerian war, then his involvement in the Parisian underworld under the mentorship of Grard Depardieus gang boss. Spasms of violent crime are interspersed with attempts to go straight until Mesrine finds the Bonnie to his Clyde (played by Ccile De France) and runs riot in Canada. Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One has our increasingly podgy protagonist back in France, defying authority in rocknroll fashion; his posturing swells along with his celebrity status, signalled most amusingly by his attempts to get people to pronounce his name right (Thats Mey-reen). Despite Mathieu Amalrics impressive presence as Mesrines jailbreak accomplice, this part feels less satisfactory. All the chases and shoot-outs become one sensational blur that blots out attempts to penetrate Mesrines bluster, making this sprawling biopic sleekly entertaining but surprisingly unmemorable. Extras: making-of featurettes. Siobhn Murphy taste? WINE NOTES Marqus de Riscal Rueda 2008, Spain You may associate Marqus de Riscal with great red wines from Rioja, but they also produce excellent white wines. This one from Rueda, south west of Rioja, is made from the Verdejo and Viura grapes. If you like sauvignon blanc, youll enjoy this. It is fresh with lots of vivid citrus character, tropical fruits and a delicious herbaceous character. Available nationwide in Superquinn, Supervalu/ Centra and Independent Off Licences at 11.95 approx. Three cheers for the return of the Chatsworth Buccaneers: Frank is now 50, doing community service and still lacking in basic parenting skills, Liams decided he needs a hero and everyone else is thinking about sex (or stealing stuff). Some promising new plot threads emerge though, chief among them being Franks love-at-first sight encounter with a librarian called Libby (Pauline McGlynn, pictured). Sharon Lougher www.placefy.com This game tests your knowledge of buildings around the world. You have to guess which one of the four cities mentioned is home to each photo shown. If you choose the right city you move on to the next level but if you dont you start again. The buildings are a mixture of popular landmarks and lesser known ones, and you can show off high scores by tweeting them to friends or placing it on Facebook. www.ourstage.com Get together with music lovers on this online community and discover new music. Users can listen to and judge or rate songs in order of preference. Its easy to find what you want, plus users can share the music they discover. Current popular acts include Vancouver singer-songwriter Alexandra Maillot (pictured). Add to that a radio station and competitions, and this site may just have the next big thing. Anthony Gibson index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html