Fantastic Man - David Beckham

In issue number 13, the semi-annual 'gentleman's style journal' Fantastic Man features David Beckham. The photos look superb and they've got loads more notable names like Chris Dercon (the new director of the Tate Modern) packed into their mag that suggests life begins at a later age. In a discrete manner Fantastic Man takes the emphasis away from fashion and simply celebrates good men in nice clothes.

Death Cab for Cutie - You Are A Tourist

In his search for 'something else entirely unexpected' the ever inventive LA visual creator Tim Nackashi is directing Death Cab's live, scripted, one-take music video shoot for their new single 'You Are A Tourist'. Tune in next week (7pm EST means midnight in the UK).

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Fleet Foxes have just uploaded 'Grown Ocean' the latest track from the forthcoming album 'Helplessness Blues'. Have a listen and watch the beautiful video that flickers from face to face, smile to smile, giving an insight into these guys travelling and recording.

adidas is all in. are you all in?

The teasing is over, they have dropped their big campaign 'adidas is all in'. I like the statement, it's clear, simple and bold; 'Heart over head. Inclusion over ego. United by passion, we go all in. Go all in.' The usual faces of adidas feature and the music is 'Civilization' a new track from the French electro duo Justice. Check out the adidas website to see how you can play a part in upcoming adidas events.

500 days until 'the greatest show on earth' - Sir Steve Redgrave

Applications for London 2012 Olympic Games tickets opened today and you can sense the hysteria that will descend upon the nation as the magic of the Olympics gets ever closer. You can apply for tickets at anytime before 11.59pm on 26th April 2011 so no need to hurry as they are not allocated on a first served basis. Once you've selected what you fancy sit back, cross your fingers and revel in the mystery of the ballot whilst hoping you get an email saying you've successfully got tickets to your favourite event. Big hype sessions: Athletics on Sunday 5th August (Bolt), Cycling on Monday 6th August (Hoy) and Diving on Saturday 11th August (Daley).

FORTY FOUR BUTTERFLY BEARS hosts 'An Island' at Circle Bar, Carlisle

Back in August 2010, French filmmaker Vincent Moon and Danish band Efterklang met up on an island off the Danish coast. The objective was to shoot a film. A film that lasted as long as an album and was full of experimental collaborations. During an intense 4 days Efterklang collaborated with local muscicians of all ages creating new interpretations of songs from their Magic Chairs album. It was all filmed by Vincent Moon.

The result is a 50 minute music performance film and abstract documentary about a band and an island.

An Island premiered on February 1st in Brussels and has since been shown around the world at 'Private-Public Screenings'. On Tuesday 22nd March at 8pm Circle Bar in Carlisle is hosting a private-public screening of 'An Island'. Check out the trailer below and if you're in the vicinity come along.

AN ISLAND - 3rd TEASER - Vincent Moon & Efterklang from Rumraket on Vimeo.

Alex Turner - Piledriver Waltz (Submarine trailer)

Richard Ayoade's debut feature film Submarine is playing in a cinema near you as of Friday. You should go see it, I caught it at the Glasgow Film Festival last month and I'm looking forward to seeing the refreshing comedy-drama again. Here is one of the songs Alex Turner wrote for the film:

Spike Jonze - Scenes From the Suburbs

Spike Jonze's short film 'Scenes From the Suburbs' is being screened at SXSW's film festival this week. Previously the only shots from the film was Arcade Fire's 'The Suburbs' music video but a trailer has surfaced, check it out:

David Horvitz - Everything that can happen in a day

Almost every day during 2009 David Horvitz put up an idea on a tumblr blog. Born out of his curiosity of what was possible during a day he played with the notion that nothing will happen unless you first start something. At the end of last year a selection of his 'tumblr instructions' were published by mbp. Below is one of my favourite posts, why not make yourself a sign this weekend (feel free to change the destination).

The Temper Trap - Love Lost

The Temper Trap resurfaced this week announcing their return to the studio, whatever your stance on the Australian 5-piece band all can surely embrace the video for Love Lost. Shot on Walthamstow Marshes and directed by sought after director Dougal Wilson it is a beautiful tribute to Ken Loach's 1969 film Kes. Watching it reminds me of the determination to not let your spirit be broken.

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - 'I'll Take Care Of You'

In 2010 Gil Scott-Heron released 'I'm New Here', it was his first album in thirteen years. Fresh off the back of the highly acclaimed 2009 debut album 'xx', Jamie (xx band member/producer and childhood Gil fan) could not resist the temptation of remixing some of the soul legend's sounds. The result is a relevant thirteen track treat. The second release 'I'll Take Care Of You' from Jamie xx's astonishing Gil Scott-Heron remix album is in full-flow now with a powerful accompanying video. Young photographer Jamie-James Medina and music video director AG Rojas have successfully teamed up to produce a compelling story of a female boxer based in New York balancing her commitments between training and raising her son.

Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes

Robin Pecknold, lead singer and guitarist from Fleet Foxes just posted three new acoustic songs online. You can have them for free by clicking here. In Robin's words "One is a duet with my friend Ed Droste from the amazing band Grizzy Bear [I'm Losing Myself], one is just a new solo jam [Derwentwater Stones], and one is a cover [Where is my Wild Rose, a song from 1974 by NZ folk singer Chris Thompson]." Enjoying the superbly titled Derwentwater Stones and wondering if their is any Lake District connection? The stripped back sound of Pecknold is a warming gift ahead of Fleet Foxes second album 'Helplessness Blues' due out on May 3rd this year.

Human Planet

Last week the phenomenal Human Planet series came to an end but worry-not the BBC have kept the episodes accessible on their website. The 8-part series visits the extremes of our world: oceans, deserts, the arctic, jungles, mountains, grasslands, rivers and cities. Below is a taster of the highly-distinguished, awe-inspiring series that is regarded as pioneering in its field of nature documentary. Human Planet provides a truly cinematic experience whilst delving into some of our worlds unknown stories.

Jamie Woon @ The Cockpit

It is all well and good enjoying what is available of Jamie Woon's vocal-led songs on the internet, but live music has that magical unknowing brilliance. Last night the atmospheric sounds matched with the infectious shoulder-shrug head-bounce beat that echoed beneath the train tracks at the Cockpit, Leeds were fantastic. The debut album 'Mirrorwriting' is out on April 11th and promises good things, but for now I am still not bored of Night Air, so here it is...

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Yesterday was 'World Book Day' a whole 24 hours designed to encourage children all over the globe to read. Teachers & students across the UK were dressed as their favourite characters and specific lesson time was aside to allow imaginations to run riot amongst words. I took the time to re-visit the work of Roald Dahl (I'd forgotten how much he despised a man's beard).  Once out of school and sat in the luggage compartment of an overcrowded friendly TransPennine train to Leeds I got lost in the final parts of 'The Book Thief' a story told by death. I came to this conclusion: Death is a very likeable, confident and honest type. You wouldn't think it. Australian author Markus Zusak did though.

EF - Live The Language

Language-teaching company EF have teamed up with cinematographer Niklas Johansson and Barcelone-based designer and art director Albin Holmqvist to produce some superb promos that capture the beauty of four great cities & their mother tongues. The videos have the sense of a nervous youthful summer as the camera wavers speculatively around newness, this freshness is something that unlocking a new language can create for all. The films are gorgeous but it's Holmqvist's typography that is the true beauty.

Sshhh - Silence was sweet in Bangalore

Andrew Strauss is becoming one of England's finest leaders. He was left with mixed feelings on Sunday as England finished tied with India on 338. Strauss' 158 was the highest ever score from an English captain in World Cup history. It is easy to forget that in the 2007 Caribbean World Cup Strauss was dropped after scoring only 83 runs in 4 games. Strauss has now silenced critics that felt he was a 'one-dimensional' batsman and has developed an authority that his fellow players admire and succeed under. It is clear to see that whilst Strauss is on the field England play calm and confident cricket. For the final 7 overs of the game Strauss could only watch from the boundary. Having spent 321 minutes on the field with only 20 minutes break between innings Strauss was pivotal in silencing the lively Bangalore crowd on several occasions, unfortunately India had something to cheer as they salvaged a tie. Anyways England are back in contention in the competition. So let's get the support up and running, this clip should help:


Cue an Irish surprise!