Dowswell

Ottobre 1940. Mikhail Petrov, detto Misha, ha 15 anni e una vita apparentemente fortunata: suo padre è segretario particolare di Stalin e la sua famiglia è stata trasferita all'interno del Cremlino. Ma nessuno può dirsi al sicuro neppure lì; infatti sua madre un giorno sparisce senza motivo e Misha sa che di questo non può parlare neanche con suo padre. I mesi passano e la vita di Misha continua: c'è la scuola e ci sono le attività del Komsomol (il gruppo dei giovani comunisti) ma l'atmosfera a Mosca, soprattutto tra le mura protette del Cremlino, diventa sempre più pesante: eliminazioni di persone influenti, confessioni estorte, paura diffusa e la voce ormai certa di un'invasione tedesca.

The welcome given to refugees from fascist Europe is part of our fond nostalgia for Britain’s role in the Second World War, nestling in our imagination next to images of evacuees clutching teddy bears, and milkmen picking their way through bomb rubble during the Blitz. But there is a darker side to this story. Then, as now, there was great suspicion, resentment and fear towards new arrivals, much of it kindled by the tabloid press. Then, as now, politicians dealt with a reluctance to accommodate refugees by hiding behind bureaucratic hurdles and obfuscation.

Ask any artist why they make music and chances are they’ll say that, at least in part, it’s a form of therapy. That was definitely true for Darcy Windover as he made his latest album whose title,Cope, pretty much says it all.

The Canadian singer / songwriter Mark Martyre is famous for his raw vocal style. His lyrics are well thought out and already found their way to four studio albums. His debut made his debut in 2012 with 'Down Record', which was followed by 'London' in 2013, followed by 'Red Letters' in 2014. Mark then lost a year, but in 2016 he stood there again with 'Bluebird'. And now one year later he releases 'Rivers' on us. He himself plays Mark Guitar and Harmonica, and further guides himself to piano, electric guitar, drums, bass, accordion and violin. Let us know immediately, 'Rivers' is not a happy album, you're well-groomed. It causes you a disturbing feeling, the same feeling you get when the rain is falling out of the air all day while you like to go outside.