inthenews.co.uk: Music review - Untitled (R Kelly)

Who better than R Kelly as the central focus for my 100th article of 2009? Pretty much everyone, sure. But here he is, in all his glory, with his next music project.

Find out what I thought of Untitled by clicking here.

Self-published: Game review - Need for Speed: Nitro (Nintendo Wii)

Sadly, due to the folding of Gamezine due to the inability for it to be monetised, it looks like my last review for Need for Speed: Nitro won't see the light of day despite promises and the like, so I've decided to take it upon myself to get it done myself below. Enjoy!


It's not Mario Kart Wii, so don't get your hopes up.

Still, it's much better than you may think. While the competition from in-house competitors is always tough when producing solely for a Nintendo console, it at least sets the benchmark to go up against, and the Need for Speed series seems to have cracked it - or at least laid the foundations for a great series.

Despite the graphics on the Wii usually leading to eternal discomfort over the lack of anti-aliasing and filtering on a vast array of games, there still manages to be a level of beauty about the presentation of Nitro. The menus are polished, the car models are attractive despite being out of proportion to the real thing (which is another trick of the Wii; see Madden 10) and best of all, the frame rate doesn't really suffer. In fact, 60fps looks pretty easy at the best of times.

The choice of cars continues to delight, with the likes of the Dodge Charger representing the old-school charm while newer models - notably the Lamborghini Reventon - bring the game into a more modern dimension.

What's more, the seemingly limitless car design abilities also allow for all manner of weird and wonderful designs, showing that EA is not going to strip everything out, owing to the smaller-capacity disc. Things like this give it longevity and this customisation option is one of the best ones out there.

Sadly, the gameplay can let it down in this sense. Given that all that's needed is a few different combinations of race type and track, if not the odd reverse course or circuit extension, the career mode is stupidly short.

It makes it a bit easier in that you need to unlock things for arcade mode and so it doesn't take long to achieve this, though the fact you need to do any unlocking in the first place is pretty questionably given that the Wii is predominantly a party console and should have immediate accessibility for everything. Either the unlocking must be a long process, or there shouldn't be anything to do.

That said, the actual controls and gameplay is bloody brilliant and makes up for it. Unlike a few NFS titles that have come before it, the feeling of speed is unparalleled and the responsiveness of the controller is wonderful, though the Heath Robinson-esque contraption that is the drifting mechanic is just strange.

Either way, you get used to it and you play it to your advantage, though it feels like getting a speed boost in Mario Kart: Double Dash; easy to do, yet you play a certain system to get it right and if you don't nail it perfectly each time, you'll be eating dust.

A couple of other things dragged the game down; the soundtrack's crap, for one. That covered, the lack of Wi-Fi multiplayer is frustrating. Why not, especially with crazy car designs that you can show off to your mates and strangers?

Luckily, domestic multiplayer is made of win. Game modes are rife, plus painting the city is a treat, though mainly with a couple of mates to fight with.

It seems like it's harking back to the good old days of brightly-coloured, functional racing games from the 90s such as the series' earlier outing Need for Speed 2, Automobili Lamborghini or the surprisingly fun Cruis'n World. While it's not massively, massively enjoyable on a consistent basis, it still has a charm that keeps you coming back for more. A proper workhorse game, one may say.

And with its Wii grounding, it's also a great game to rely on for Christmas and New Year in family houses across the country. Sure, they'll likely have Mario Kart Wii and the rest, yet it's a solid alternative racer with the added bonus of having real copyright licences and crazy tracks that don't see you firing out red shells, lightning bolts or bombs that usually ensure tears before bedtime.

It'll likely be down to more of a bargain price before World Jesus Day encroaches as well, so keep your eye out - even if it just kills time over Christmas, it's still a good laugh. Don't expect the world from it, though.

8/10

Matt Gardner

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - Night Is the New Day (Katatonia)

This one looked like a bit of a write-off when I first got hold of it, though we all know that we should never judge a book by its cover. Or a CD, though it's a bit of an obvious thing to say as you have to listen to it instead.

Click here for my review.

The Latest: Skateboarding is the works so let's keep it going

A little while ago, I was faced with a dilemma and a tough one at that: cutting down one of my best articles from around 1,300 words to 800 in the space of a night for the sake of publication with Leeds Guide. Luckily I was able to pull it off, with the final article making the magazine and website.

However, my original article was still worth a lot in that it captured a more human side of things, particularly with those who skate at the park, whose quotes I had to remove.

Following a redesign of The Latest, I decided to post the original there and restart my posting with the website, which became limited following deadline commitments to music and game reviews.

The full piece (with edits) can be found here at The Latest, though the raw original is also below.


With a place as big as Leeds, it's no wonder that a lot of the city's major hubs of activity go unnoticed. Sadly, one of these hidden gems - the holder of a national record, no less - may no longer be around in 12 months time.

The Works skate park, which sits just outside the town centre hidden away in a former railway engine factory on an industrial estate, is England's largest indoor centre of its kind, treating kids and adults alike to over 25,000 sq ft of ramps, rails, bowls and epic drop-ins whether their discipline is skateboarding, rollerblading or BMXing.

Housed in a building over 120 years old, The Works takes its name from the former railway engineering workshop that was once inside. It has a charm which many of Leeds' many landmarks seem to lack: atmosphere. Alongside the history behind the warehouse, it's totally unique, with a complex upstairs café area complementing the vast array of snaking structures designed for riders.

Of course, with a park of this magnitude, people from around the area travel far to get in on the action, sometimes driving up to 80 or 90 miles to practice in the boarding sanctuary it provides. As a result, a strong community element has been created between regular attendees and rookies alike.

Despite this, the park doesn't have the support it needs. Although it has proactive bonds with the NHS, initiatives such as Change 4 Life alongside plenty of liaising with schools in the area to teach kids how to ride safely, local authorities, charities and lottery funds still overlook what's crucial to the park's longevity: financial support.

However, the show must go on. On Saturday 19th September, The Works hosted a Nando's-led three-part nationwide skating event known as the Xperi-mental Skate Jam, the brainchild of Marcel Khan, a Nando's managing director and affable skateboarding enthusiast who understands the importance of corporate social responsibility. Marcel shared the goal of The Works: creating a community gathering.

Elliott Turnbull, the park's manager, shows nothing but commitment to the cause of community spirit within Leeds. After diligently working with the event's organisers and skateboarders alike alongside his equally invested staff, much like he does on a day-to-day basis, he spared time to talk about the strong points of the park and, crucially, what Leeds could miss out on if vital funding does not reach the facility. Should this not happen, it could be closed for good within 12 months.

"It's grungy but it has genuine charm. If you build a new facility, it'd take away this element," Elliott explained. "People fall in love with the facility but it's just too expensive for them. People love what we're doing, they love what we're doing for the kids as well, it just needs subsidising from somewhere to drive prices down and make it more accessible to skaters."

Rodney Clarke, a professional skateboarder touring with Nando's, is the perfect ambassador for the sport and its community element. Speaking on the same level with fellow skateboarders nearly half his age and making many friends along the way, he belies the attitude which has been known to surround his peers at a similar level in other sports.

A highly-awarded and eloquent skater, Rodney is a remarkably young-looking 37, which he attributes to the healthiness that skating promotes. He highlighted the necessity for The Works to continue its efforts in sustaining the community.

"You can go to any skate park in the world and after five minutes you've got ten new friends that you've never seen before," he explained. "It's the same for any skateboarder anywhere in the country and that's why skate parks like The Works are so important. Culture, colour, background, creed, race, that's all gone. There's no racism or bullying in this sport."

However, one of Rodney's primary concerns is that regarding the image of skateboarding as an anti-social menace to society. This, he feels, is probably the last thing it ought to be branded.

One woman who knows a lot about the societal perceptions of skateboarding is Deborah Lea, whose son Matthew has found much joy in skating - one of the few things he has gained acceptance through after being bullied. Matthew was born with a bilateral cleft palate - something which, 18 operations later, is now behind him.

Travelling through from St Helens, where she is also petitioning for an indoor skate park after her son was threatened with an Asbo for his suburban skating, this was the first event she had attended and she was immediately taken in by it.

"Everybody takes care of each other," Mrs Lea emphasised. "They're so friendly and relaxed in an easy-going atmosphere. It can't cost a fortune to keep a place like this going for the good it does for the community.

"My son has never been so confident. Skating to him is his freedom. He feels normal, he's one of the gang, one of the crowd and nobody gives him grief. There's nothing for him and people like him if places like this shut down, especially away from the summer weather."

Fellow skaters Jonny Hanson and Ryan Paul Swain are firmly in agreement. Chased from town centres for their sport, the amiable pair were quick to defend The Works. "Indoor skate parks like this? In the long run the money's always worth it," Jonny said.

Ryan also highlighted the negative side of outdoor areas, asserting: "Indoor parks close the door to the people who visit outdoor areas in gangs to cause trouble, leaving the skating to people who want to invest time in their own abilities."

One thing is for sure: in one event alone, The Works showed that it is the perfect base for faultless community spirit. Without it, a major culture within Leeds could disappear, along with the hard work and tireless dedication of staff to schools, learners and other initiatives pioneered or supported by the institution.

What's more, a major group of people in Yorkshire - one which has grown irksome, seemingly unfairly, to local authorities and citizens alike - no longer has a home, thus bringing back the unfairly-perceived problem to other areas and completely undoing hard work from both sides of the argument.

Yet while Elliott and his co-workers are concerned about the future and the current economic climate's effect on custom, they continue to soldier on. The manager wants to prove society wrong and defy trends, eventually creating the biggest park in Europe with classrooms, training facilities, gyms and, of course, more ramps, rails and funboxes.

"It's an uphill slog," he said. "I like a challenge, though!"

Rodney concluded: "See how indoor parks work. You'll see all the good points and you'll want to get involved in the place. The council and the government would probably want to throw money at it, if they visited and truly realise their importance."
Matt Gardner

The Works
Phone: 0113 2446015
Web: www.theworksskatepark.com

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - Full Circle (Creed)

A vanilla genre: that's what Creed operates in. But after an eight-year hiatus, do the guys in the pseudo-Christian rock band have anything going for them? Will they stand out from the rest of the (packed) crowd?

You can be the judge, obviously, though I was as well; click here to read my opinion!

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - NME The Album 2009 (Various Artists)

A mixed bag, this one: the flagship NME release for the year aims to be the stocking filler that many clueless mothers, fathers, couples and teenagers are looking to buy.

Is it a good mix? Obviously you can be the judge, though my view on it can be read here.

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - The Performance (Dame Shirley Bassey)

Sure, it sounds like a bit of a weird album to cover, though as my 50th music review, I decided to go for something a bit different - an album that will likely catch a lot of people of guard.

But how? How?! Find out by clicking here, etc.

inthenews.co.uk: Interview - Kippi Kaninus

After getting the chance to review his album as well as listen to his other work on a compilation by Brainlove Records which I also reviewed, Kippi Kaninus was able to grant me time to interview him, with the Icelandic star getting across his ethos on his profession.

Read what he had to say to me here.

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - At The Ferranti Institute (Sisters of Transistors)

This strange offering looks like it has some pedigree behind it, with 808 State's Graham Massey at the helm of an interesting project involving vintage organs.

Does it carry on the prestigious music career, though? Click here to find out.

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - Phantom Limb (Phantom Limb)

This self-titled offering from the Bristolian soul/blues/country band is making waves everywhere, but what about Inthenews Towers?

Click here to find out how it fares by my ears.

inthenews.co.uk: Music review - Gorilla Manor sampler (Local Natives)

It's not often that I get samplers, so this is not a full representation of the finished product. Nevertheless, it's still a pretty solid effort for what's been submitted.

Find out what I think about Local Natives by clicking here.