(Fiction)
****
It was no reflection on the Maccabees' 2007 debut, Colour It In, that few expected the London/Brighton indie outfit still to be around five years later. The whimsical pop record was catchy and inventive, but the group was somewhat unfairly tarred with the "landfill indie" brush that signalled the end for so many of its contemporaries.
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However, the band surprised everyone with 2009's Wall of Arms, which added a darkness and intensity to their tightly sprung creations. Given to the Wild sees the Maccabees moving further in this direction and also increasing the scale of their sound-to-epic proportions.
The album's centrepiece, Forever I've Known, demonstrates their new approach best. It begins with the band taking their time as the singer Orlando Weeks bares his soul with remarkable fragility. Then comes an exhilarating crescendo worthy of the rockers Explosions in the Sky, followed by Weeks's gorgeous "nothing stays forever" lament.
The first single, Pelican, opens up with a slightly jarring post-punk refrain, but morphs within seconds into a thing of tremendous beauty. The hushed Glimmer shows off the band's most gorgeous chorus to date, and its wonderfully melancholic spirit doesn't relent until the yearning closer Grew Up at Midnight.
With their humble beginnings now a fading memory, the Maccabees have become one of the most consistently overwhelming guitar bands around, somehow capable of sounds that are both gigantic and understated.
artslife@thenational.ae
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Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The biog:
Favourite book: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma
Pet Peeve: Racism
Proudest moment: Graduating from Sorbonne
What puts her off: Dishonesty in all its forms
Happiest period in her life: The beginning of her 30s
Favourite movie: "I have two. The Pursuit of Happiness and Homeless to Harvard"
Role model: Everyone. A child can be my role model
Slogan: The queen of peace, love and positive energy
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
SPECS
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
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