Riaan Wolmarans

<strong>CD of the week</strong>: The Narrow: Self-Conscious

“There’s an old Italian saying: you fuck up once, you lose two teeth,” growls crime boss Tony Soprano in the hit drama series The Sopranos. Fans of this tough but troubled character (played so well by James Gandolfini) and his two families — his wife Carmela (Edie Falco) and kids, and his gun-toting crime associates […]

<strong>CD of the week</strong>: Mettalica: St Anger

It’s the ‘Lord of the Rings’ of music concerts. The cast is stellar, the sets dramatic and the costumes fancy, and it carries on for hours.

Michael Buble has already done remarkably well in bringing the style of the crooners of olden days to a new generation. Now the young Jamie Cullum sets down the same path on <i>Twentysomething</i>, keeping to the jazzy, easy-listening style that has been given a shot in the arm with the popularity of the likes of Norah Jones, Buble and Diana Krall, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

She’s young, she’s a babe and the booklet of her debut CD, <i>Got to Have It</i>, folds out into a sexy mini poster. She sings upbeat R&B pop. Jerusha Naidoo could easily have been just another clone from the overproduced Christina Aguilera mould, another young South African starlet desperately trying to make it on to the charts. But look closer, urges Riaan Wolmarans.

<i>Sweet-Thorn</i> is as gentle and tender as Gito Baloi’s death was violent. Riaan Wolmarans listens to Baloi’s last project, co-written and co-produced with Nibs van de Spuy.

Not much has been left to fate as the yearly Oppikoppi music festival approaches once again, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK</b>: Riaan Wolmarans reviews Taliep Petersen’s latest offering, <i>Deur Dik en Dun</i>, as well as other new releases on the shelf.

<b>NOT QUITE THE CD OF THE WEEK</b>: Riaan Wolmarans reviews former Verve vocalist, Richard Ashcroft’s latest offering <i>Keys to the World</i>.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> On her new album, <i>Wildflower</i>, Sheryl Crow is not quite the rock chick any more. And though the instant likeability of past Crow hits occasionally shines through, this is an album that’s hard to care for, writes Riaan Wolmarans. Also reviews of the Foo Fighters, DJ Jazzy D, Ry Cooder and others.

One of the many thrilling items on this year’s Arts Alive programme in Johannesburg is Freedom to Dance, a huge party that brings together house, hip-hop and kwaito, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> A new Red Hot Chili Peppers’ album is certainly an alluring event, especially after a four-year hiatus, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

Old favourites Live have a new album out, and newcomers Fall Out Boy and Hard-Fi make the headlines too, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

Riaan Wolmarans asks Arno Carstens about the Samas, gigging in Britain and working with the Nudies again.

Endless queues and a very thirsty crowd in a jam-packed stadium made Riaan Wolmarans give up on seeing Metallica live.

At Christmas, it was handy to give best-of CDs to friends as gifts: easy to find, easy to please. Now, after the long month of January, payday has come again, so why not spoil yourself in the same way? Riaan Wolmarans has more.

Nine concerts, 150 bands, two million spectators, three billion viewers — and one message to eight men in one room. Riaan Wolmarans reviews the Live8 concerts DVD.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK</b>: The Canadian Timmins clan’s trademark wistful, forlorn sound sprawls over their latest release, <i>Early 21st Century Blues</i>, writes Riaan Wolmarans. Also read new reviews of Limp Bizkit, Frank Black, Clout and others.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> She’s dropped the political posturing that grabbed headlines when she did <i>American Life</i>; <i>Confessions on a Dance Floor</i> is Madonna for the party people, writes Riaan Wolmarans. We also review Franz Ferdinand’s new release.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> Jamie Cullum delivers a slightly more modern sound on his new album than on his previous two, and his subject matter is also a bit more hip — possibly to inject some life into his somewhat staid fan club, writes Riaan Wolmarans. Also new reviews of Jill Scott, Hugh Masikela, Leela James and more.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> Few bands come with such a sterling reputation for emotive music as that of the Dave Matthews Band, so there are always high expectations of any of this award-winning and often-touring group’s new albums, writes Riaan Wolmarans.

<b>CD OF THE WEEK:</b> For their new album The Parlotones have borrowed from Brit-pop and Brit-rock, but didn’t let these styles dictate the direction of their creativity, writes Riaan Wolmarans.