Page 9 - GO ents and lifestyle - Thu, June 22, 2017

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MYWEEK
www.halifaxcourier.co.uk Friday,June16,2017
music
Standard Deviation
by Katherine Heiny
After the success of short story collection Single, Carefree, Mellow, Heiny’s debut novel delves into the lives of a New York couple as they negotiate the stresses of modern family life. Graham has been married to glamorous, spontaneous second wife Audra for 12 years. Audra’s effusive personality, combined with her need to make useful acquaintances everywhere she goes, leads
to the couple reconnecting with Graham’s ex-wife, hosting
a handful of lodgers and at- tending a trail of play dates for socially awkward son Ma hew. As daily life and it’s challenges pass by, Graham ponders
his life choices. Although the novel takes a pedestrian pace through the lives of Graham and Audra, it is anything but boring. Heiny’s observational humour almost turns the pages itself.
DiRT4; PC, Xbox One, PS4; Racing; £44.99
DiRT 4 is either a forgiving pow- erslide festival or a serious sim- ulation - it’s up to you. With two distinct game difficulty modes and a host of se ings to tinker with, it’s possible to create exactly the sort of racing chal- lenge that appeals to you. It’s also quite an achievement that the game feels just as thrilling, whether you’ve ramped up the realism or dialled down the demand for disciplined driving. The main disappointment is in the randomised rally tracks,
which lack the personality
of real world or handcrafted locations, and many of the circuit courses feel bland and too short. Yet the variety of vehicles keeps Career Mode in- teresting, with championships for everything from classic Eighties rally cars to 900bhp super karts and everything
in between, plus the special events and races in multiplayer provide even more reasons to remain in the driving seat.
Skip to the end: Both exciting and exacting, the best of the series so far.
London Grammar
Truth Is A Beautiful Thing Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dot Major, aka London Gram- mar, first came to prominence in 2013. Their album, If You Wait, was a critical and com- mercial success. It went on to sell more than two million and led to awards, including an Ivor Novello. So it’s fair to say that expectations are high for their sophomore album.
It opens with Rooting For You, which is solely Reid’s haunting and distinctive voice for the first half before a sparse musi-
cal accompaniment is introduced. This sets the tone for the record with its gentle beats, swooning synths and otherworldliness. Oh Woman Oh Man has one of the album’s strongest choruses and most likely will do well on radio. The title track is a piano-led ballad full of contemplation and soul- searching. It may take some time to absorb this collection, it’s not immediate to the ears, but what unfolds is beautiful and cinematic.
Our 7 ra ng:
(out of 10)
Our ra ng: (out of 10)
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Heritage music trail
Various locations
Halifax has a surprising and rich history of music. From the late 1950s through to the 1970s, the town’s many music venues hosted visits by some of the top pop music artists of the day.
And on Sunday, June 25 at 2pm Michael Ainsworth and
Trevor Simpson will be leading a walk round Halifax Music Heritage Trail from the Grayston Unity pub. For tickets go to h p:// www.musictrailuk. com
Among those who have played here are Dusty Springfield,
Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop, Pulp, Joy Division, The Jacksons, The Cure Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Billy Fury and Dave Berry,
Blink 182
First Direct Arena, Leeds, July 5.
The pop-punk band is back! Featuring Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Ma Skiba, the band will be performing tracks from their latest number one album California. www.leedsgigs.co.uk
wing Commanders
Square Chapel Theatre, Halifax, December 9
The Swing Commanders are a vibrant Lancashire quintet whose mission is to promote sophisticated harmonies, hot solos and pre y dresses. What’s not to like! www.squarechapel.co.uk
Routes Fes val
Orangebox Young People’s Centre, Halifax, June 24.
Now in its fi h year, Routes Festival returns with another day of the best in unsigned and underage music at Orangebox Young People’s Centre, Halifax.
Tickets: £3.50
Seth Lakeman
Hebden Bridge Trades Club
A Mercury Music Prize nominee and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner, Seth Lakeman is at the forefront of the British folk scene. Don’t miss out on this solo show. www.thetradesclub.com