At Least For Now
Benjamin Clementine
(Virgin EMI)
Five stars
If you don't know Benjamin Clementine, you should. He possesses one of the most distinctive voices of his generation. At Least For Now ranks easily among the most compelling debuts we are likely to hear this year.
The once-homeless 26-year-old British singer, songwriter, pianist and poet has been turning important heads for close to two years now. His impassioned live shows – typically performed barefoot, dressed all in black – have attracted influential fans including Björk, David Byrne and Paul McCartney.
Released in his home country in March, At Least For Now hit shelves in the United States last Friday, on July 31. The secret may finally be out.
Clementine’s singular artistic voice relies on five distinct gifts. A self-taught pianist, musically, Clementine is a restless searcher, switching from lush minor chords to rolling, restless gallops in a way that has been compared to Nina Simone. The sonata-like Condolence features elegant, Erik Satie-esque patterns swelling tenderly over a six-minute cresting catharsis.
As a composer and visionary, Clementine is an omnivorous magpie. His piano work typically backed minimally by strings and occasional electronic beats, Clementine’s compositions are both tightly wound mini-operas and freewheeling exorcisms.
Adios begins as a bleak, vaudeville vamp in waltz time, before breaking into a brief spoken-word passage, and a sparse, neoclassical bridge.
As a lyricist and poet, Clemantine is insightful and unafraid. He describes himself as an “expressionist” – autobiographical lyrics scatter and spill in jagged rhythms.
Opener Winston Churchill's Boy bravely reimagines the legendary British prime minister's wartime speech: "Never in the field of human affection/Had so much been given for so few attention."
Clementine notably spent three years busking and gigging in bars in Paris, and the sense of shouting above a crowd to be heard is still evident in his attuned sense of musical theatre.
St-Clementine-On-Tea-And-Croissants, a brief call and response over a marching beat, is a nugget of street theatre on record.
What hits hardest however is the versatile gift of Clementine’s voice. Whether offering spoken confessions, off-kilter raps or the searing operatic exaltations that mark the climax of many performances, Clementine never sounds more than a few metres away, in possession of an urgent lesson to be implanted into the soul of the listener.
When, on London, he bellows "London, London, London is calling you", one feels the city's dirty, throbbing streets sounding a wailing klaxon of invitation. One imagines a cascading tear when, on Cornerstone, Clementine repeats "I've been lonely, in a box of my own".
It’s that realness that marks Clementine’s work as truly special. His empathetic delivery is both joyous and melancholy, unnervingly humane but never less than profound.
The outlandish comparisons to the greats – Simone, Edith Piaf – ring true precisely because, just as one can imagine the wretched lives of those talents in their work, one hears Clementine’s singular struggles in every note of his music.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 0
Stoke City 0
Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh132,000 (Countryman)
Company%20Profile
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Company%20Profile
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
