Articles about Reviews
Aiming for the moon
Cazz Blase listens to Laura Mvula's debut album, Sing to the Moon, and finds there is much more to her wider output than the upbeat single 'Green Garden' would suggest
Cazz Blase // 17 May 2013
Blood and guts and liberty
A play about women working in a meat market enchants Shoshana Davidson, who finds the message compelling and the story-telling excellent
Shoshana Davidson // 16 May 2013
Categories: Reviews, Television
From street to canvas
For Lara Tutton, Deedee Cheriel's first London solo exhibition exceeds the hype with a fascinating interplay of colours, motifs and creatures amid a liberating landscape
Lara Tutton // 15 May 2013
Shaking it up
Swedish sister/brother duo The Knife returned with Shaking The Habitual in April and reviews have been both excited and mixed. David Wilkinson sees a welcome re-emergence of political pop in their new work
David Wilkinson // 14 May 2013
By water or by men
Chrissy D finds herself in the grip of the enigma of a documentary about the Bangladeshi "brothel island"
Chrissy D // 12 May 2013
The art of performance
Lara Tutton finds Sheila Ghelani's Rat Rose Bird a fascinating and liberating piece of performance art
Lara Tutton // 8 May 2013
Clara who?
Lucy Pegg explores whether Clara looks set to follow a similar traditional trajectory to other companions on Steven Moffat's Doctor Who. Will she fulfil the role of "strong character, female" Hope Dinsdale highlighted when she wrote about women on the programme back in 2011?
Lucy Pegg // 3 May 2013
Categories: Reviews, Television
The women they are: engaging with feminist ideas through women's different battles
If telling women's stories is, in itself, a feminist act then Call The Midwife qualifies in spades. Iona Sharma reflects on the second series
Iona Sharma // 30 April 2013
Categories: Reviews, Television
When spring break is over
Sarah Crawford suggests we look beyond the guns and bikinis of four eye-candy protagonists of Harmony Korine's new film
Sarah Crawford // 30 April 2013
Everlasting divas
'Rock On': Women, Ageing and Popular Music is an essay collection concerned with developing debates around ageing, both in society and within the music world. Laura Way finds it an interesting (if at times heavy) read that shines a much welcome light on a neglected area of research
Laura Way // 28 April 2013
Young Palestinian boy as a vehicle for hope
Huma Munshi admires director Annemarie Jacir for filling her film about Palestinian refugees with hope
Huma Munshi // 20 April 2013
Echoes of Virginia
Watching Viota is an almost exhausting experience for Hazel Robertson as the play examines radical culture changes in the shadow of Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group
Hazel Robertson // 15 April 2013
White Rose could fly higher
Although the story of women fighter pilots during World War Two has a lot of potential, Rowena McIntosh and Hazel Robertson find the plot frustratingly superficial
Various Authors // 11 April 2013
How far is one mile
Sophie Mayer interviews Penny Woolcock about making her last film that documents attempts at truce by members of two warring Birmingham postcode gangs
Sophie Mayer // 4 April 2013
Where miracles happen and leave things exactly the same
Bringing a play from 19th century Sweden to contemporary South Africa, Mies Julie is a fascinating and devastating exploration of power, according to Charlotte Rowland
Charlotte Rowland // 31 March 2013
Beautiful life of Alice Walker
Inspired by a biopic of Alice Walker, Huma Munshi reminds us we cannot deny race in feminist discourse
Huma Munshi // 30 March 2013
"But I'm having fun. I like it."
MarinaS argues reading In Her Own Words is more than a debate of for or against sex work. She argues that we should read it because it is a captivating story of an interesting person.
MarinaS // 22 March 2013
On UFO and Chinese women
M. Lý-Eliot praises independent Chinese director Xiaolu Guo's latest offering
M. Lý-Eliot // 17 March 2013
Two new Kirsty MacColl albums - the fairytale and beyond?
More than a decade after Kirsty MacColl's death, two albums have been released in her memory. Liz Ely asks: do they bring us anything new or different?
Liz Ely // 16 March 2013
Double Bind
Double Bind asks important questions of the cross sections of certain Muslim networks and women's rights argues Jolene Tan
Jolene Tan // 15 March 2013
This gayby is just for laughs
Megan Stodel laughs out loud at this film about an unconventional parenting arrangement but misses a more serious engagement with the subject
Megan Stodel // 10 March 2013
Delia gets her day
In January Ruth Rosselson attended a series of events held to celebrate the work of electronic composer and Radiophonic Workshopper Delia Derbyshire. She shares her experience of the Delia Derbyshire Day here
Ruth Rosselson // 25 February 2013
Wildness comes to the Silver Platter
With her neck still hurting from trying to read the subtitles over people's heads, Jess McCabe hails director Wu Tsang's sensitive portrait of one Los Angeles bar
Jess McCabe // 24 February 2013
Gender charmers
Ania Ostrowska is charmed by a conference on revolutionary gender politics. But how radical was it on the day?
Ania Ostrowska // 24 February 2013
Towards perfection
Impressed with director Christine Beck's dedication to her first feature, Katherine Wootton praises the story of two women caught up in a quest for bodily perfection
Katherine Wootton // 23 February 2013
Seeing Sylvia Sleigh
It's too little, too late for Flis Mitchell at Tate Liverpool's Sylvia Sleigh retrospective
Flis Mitchell // 22 February 2013
In her parents' shadow
Ania Ostrowska reviews Lore by Cate Shortland, an accelerated coming of age story set amid the chaotic twilight of Second World War
Ania Ostrowska // 20 February 2013
Stories from the sea and beyond
Sophie Mayer delights in archival documentary about British seaside, masterfully put together by director Penny Woolcock
Sophie Mayer // 13 February 2013
No interaction at Silver Action
Although Shoshana Davidson looked forward to participating in Silver Action, an artwork involving the discussions of older feminists, she was disappointed by unexpected restrictions and lack of engagement
Shoshana Davidson // 6 February 2013
A taste of the 1950s
Watching the revival of A Taste of Honey, Rowena McIntosh finds that while some themes have lost their controversial appeal, others remain all too relevant
Rowena McIntosh // 5 February 2013
A cut above the rest
Although wishing at times for a more personal touch, Hayley Foster da Silva is impressed by the breadth of She Bop, the recently revised and updated third edition of Lucy O'Brien's history of women and the music industry, and is pleased to come away from the book with lots of new information
Hayley Foster da Silva // 31 January 2013
Girls and gangs
Annika Spalding felt emotional, angry and speechless but moved to action after attending awareness-raising drama She
Annika Spalding // 22 December 2012
Love and 8
Liz Ely thinks new play 8 gives an intriguing insight into the battle for marriage equality, though it's somewhat lacking in inspiration
Liz Ely // 19 December 2012
The thrill of the chase
The Mediaeval Baebe's new album, The Huntress is themed around "female energy". A mix of the classical and traditional folk song, Michelle Drury welcomes it as a return to form for the "choir and band"
Michelle Drury // 16 December 2012
Skunk Anansie come home
With Skin as their charismatic frontwoman, the "clit rock" of Skunk Anansie has a firm place in mid-1990s nostalgia. Jess McCabe attends a gig in Brixton in 2012 and finds them sounding better than ever
Jess McCabe // 14 December 2012
Arthouse cinema versus Gangnam style
M. Lý-Eliot finds respite from Gangnam style 'sexy ladies' in two central characters of The Weight, a challenging film by Korean arthouse director Jeon Kyu-Hwan
M. Lý-Eliot // 12 December 2012
Focusing on women
A new photography exhibition attempts to highlight the roles of women and society's messages to them. Shoshana Davidson finds Dorothy Bohm's work is sadly spot on
Shoshana Davidson // 11 December 2012
Hole story of Schemel not Love
Cazz Blase enjoys the documentary about Hole's drummer Patty Schemel that puts one of the most exciting bands of the 1990s firmly on the rock'n'roll map without losing intimate touch
Cazz Blase // 4 December 2012
Why Feminist Art matters now
In their interview with Judy Chicago, Andrea Berryman and Jennifer Patterson ask the artist about the continuing prevalence of sexism, the sexual politics of her internationally influential, revolutionary art and her definition of feminism
Various Authors // 30 November 2012
Nearly four hours in the desert
Confronted with one of the greatest Hollywood epic classics, Agata Frymus has her reservations
Agata Frymus // 28 November 2012
Welcome to the world?
Chrissy D reviews a documentary about the impact of poverty on childbirth around the globe, presented by DocHouse as part of Why Poverty? series, and calls for maternal health to be taken more seriously everywhere
Chrissy D // 17 November 2012
All singing, all dancing campaigning
A musical about a campaign for better asylum seeker rights may seem like unusual territory. Hazel Robertson finds that this humorous, tragic and stirring production is well worth the risk
Hazel Robertson // 15 November 2012
Making a noise about women's musical history
Hayley Foster da Silva thought she knew a lot about women musicians, but when she read Women Make Noise, a new book edited by Julia Downes, she was pleased to discover that there was still a lot to learn and plenty of all-female musical talent to uncover
Hayley Foster da Silva // 11 November 2012
Compliant with abuse
Having resisted an urge to walk out of the screening of Compliance, Charlotte Rowland denounces the film as nothing more than misogynist torture-porn that should be stripped off its aura of "edginess" once and for all
Charlotte Rowland // 9 November 2012
Subversive kitty
Bad Kitty is the third album from the politicised queer pop-punk performer and Pussy Whipped organiser Ste McCabe. Liz Ely finds him on top form
Liz Ely // 6 November 2012
The show that asks: "What do we hope for now?"
Declaring war on "the big boys", Motherland goes on a journey through gender with a sense of humour and social responsibility. Caitlin Hayward-Tapp finds it thoroughly thought-provoking
Caitlin Hayward-Tapp // 5 November 2012
Medea, but not as Euripides knew it
Charlotte Rowland finds that Rachael Stirling's powerful performance in this new version of Medea leads her to forgive its other faults
Charlotte Rowland // 31 October 2012
It's a man's man's man's world... The cinema of Christopher Nolan
Anna Kessler takes a sobering look at Chris Nolan's body of work lamenting his heroines' lack of sophistication and their predominantly mirror function for the male characters
Anna Kessler // 24 October 2012
Corin Tucker is still angry
Corin Tucker won the hearts of the riot grrls in raw and gutsy band Heavens To Betsy and (later) in Sleater-Kinney. Confirmed fan Jess McCabe throws critical caution to the wind as she listens to Corin's new album Kill My Blues
Jess McCabe // 21 October 2012
"I'd rather sell my c*nt than my paintings"
Having caught two independent documentaries at the first ever London Chinese Independent Film Festival, M. Lý-Eliot considers women artists' position in China 20 years ago and today
M. Lý-Eliot // 16 October 2012
A hard issue with a soft premise
The Soft of Her Palm promises to confront our expectations of domestic violence, but Shoshana Davidson finds it falls back on damaging and unhelpful stereotypes
Shoshana Davidson // 16 October 2012
Louder than missiles
Developing in the shadow of crises both international and intimate, Sally Potter's Ginger and Rosa is a touching coming-of-age story marked by a fiery presence of a young woman in its centre, says Sophie Mayer
Sophie Mayer // 10 October 2012
Delhi delights in new Much Ado
The RSC sets Much Ado About Nothing in Delhi, with results that leave Katherine Wootton impressed
Katherine Wootton // 10 October 2012
Another record from a star storyteller
Jesca Hoop's third album combines sadness with a sense of fun while exploring new musical territory. Louise Allan finds herself digging this record
Louise Allan // 8 October 2012
The Personal is Political
What You Really Really Want and Outdated: Why Dating Is Ruining Your Love Life are anti-self-help self-help guides. They challenge the clichéd, patronising and, often, offensive advice which is usually trotted out in this genre. Katherine Wootton reviews their alternative advice, discovering it is still possible to be a feminist while navigating the minefields of dating and sex
Katherine Wootton // 4 October 2012
It's just the beginning
Greta Hughson discovers an art award she can really get enthusiastic about, with an event that supports women in contact with the criminal justice system
Greta Hughson // 1 October 2012
Edinburgh gets Pussy Whipped!
Edinburgh may not immediately come to mind as a music city or pioneer for queer activism but there is clearly a demand there for space for diverse performers. Pop punk singer and organiser Ste McCabe has helped create that in the form of the Pussy Whipped queer feminist festival. Liz Ely reports
Liz Ely // 30 September 2012
How to wear a photograph
Elaine Castillo celebrates Sebastián Moreno's City of Photographers, a documentary that puts ethics and empathy back into photography
Elaine Castillo // 21 September 2012
Mary Stuart modernised
A new production of Mary Stuart glows with relevance, and Charlotte Rowland has only good words to say about it
Charlotte Rowland // 20 September 2012
Perfume, power and popular media
After a UK premiere of Ana Diosdado's Yours for the Asking, Eli Davies wonders if it's really what we're asking for
Eli Davies // 17 September 2012
The Song of Achilles
Despite enjoying the novel, Alexandra Roumbas Goldstein has a feminist bone to pick with this year's winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction
Alexandra Roumbas Goldstein // 2 September 2012
Feeling dizzy? Hitchcock's Vertigo strikes again
Agata Frymus revisits Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, screened at BFI Southbank throughout September, and wonders why such a blatantly misogynistic film has just been voted 'best film of all time' by prominent industry critics
Agata Frymus // 31 August 2012
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Week Four
The largest arts festival in the world comes to an end! We review a few last shows from The Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Various Authors // 31 August 2012
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Week Three
As the Edinburgh Fringe Festival continues, we have another round-up of reviews
Various Authors // 24 August 2012
Brave just enough
Tricia Lowther watches the latest Pixar production together with her five-year-old daughter and finds the new animated princess stands out just enough from other children's films characters
Tricia Lowther // 21 August 2012
To peep or not to peep
A new voyeuristic exhibition at the National Gallery has hit the headlines, inviting people to watch a naked woman. Ania Ostrowska has had enough
Ania Ostrowska // 20 August 2012
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Week Two
Reviewers from The F-Word share their opinions in our second instalment considering shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Various Authors // 16 August 2012
Smells like folk spirit: The Cornshed Sisters at St Pancras Old Church
Folk harmony band the Cornshed Sisters have been steadily building up a loyal following. We reviewed their debut album, Tell Tales back in April, and late July saw the band play a highly atmospheric gig at St Pancras Old Church in London. Her appetite already whetted by an appearance by the band on 6 Music, Louise Allan went along
Louise Allan // 13 August 2012
Oh no, Yoko
A collection of Yoko Ono's work is showing at The Serpentine Gallery. Joanne Matthews found TO THE LIGHT too light
Joanne Matthews // 11 August 2012
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Week One
During August, Edinburgh hosts the largest arts festival in the world. Throughout the month, we'll be reviewing shows that we think might be of interest to our readers; here are our impressions of the first shows we saw
Various Authors // 9 August 2012
All in a day's work
With a massive five gallery takeover of the Arnolfini in Bristol, Olivia Plender has certainly been industrious, but Tom Denbigh questions whether her message always comes across clearly
Tom Denbigh // 4 August 2012
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
Published 26 years later, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal reveals the painful truth behind the fabrications Jeanette Winterson used as protection in her highly acclaimed first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Laura Brightwell considers the importance of Winterson's revelations, particularly as a building-block to mental health
Laura Brightwell // 30 July 2012
Beyond the promise of happiness: Rolla Selbak's Three Veils
Reviewing the film about three Middle-Eastern women living in the US, Elaine Castillo urges us to question mainstream happy endings and move beyond our preoccupation with 'happiness' as the end goal
Elaine Castillo // 23 July 2012
Snow White and the Huntsman
The latest version of the German fairytale stays close enough to the story we know - but makes some interesting changes, finds Ada Nkechi
Ada Nkechi // 8 July 2012
Beth's back! The return of the Gossip
With a new pop album produced in collaboration with hit makers Xenomania, disco punks Gossip are back. While they may have moved on from Standing in the Way of Control, Hayley Foster Da Silva discovers that the band are still very capable of making you dance, and that their new album lives up to its title A Joyful Noise
Hayley Foster da Silva // 22 June 2012
Gaggle: The wait is nearly over!
Ever since Gaggle grabbed our attention with 'I hear Flies' and 'Hidden Army' two years ago, the question of when the debut album would come around has been on the minds of fans. Now that wait is nearly over and From the Mouth of the Cave will be released on 25 June. Hayley Foster da Silva gives the lowdown on her sneak preview
Hayley Foster da Silva // 18 June 2012
Dreaming a different dream
By setting A Midsummer Night's Dream in a community of Travellers, the play is transformed. Megan Stodel considers how successful the Open Air Theatre's new interpretation is
Megan Stodel // 17 June 2012
Dawn of a new talent
Melissa James's debut album Day Dawns moves through a diverse range of styles, including jazz, blues, torch singing and country. Helen G finds an understated gem from a singer with a voice able to carry all this off with assurance and maturity
Helen G // 14 June 2012
The Light Bulb Moment
Bristol based writer Sian Norris asked people to share the light bulb moment they realised they were a feminist: Abigail Rutherford reviews the stories told as a result, examining the diverse experiences and beliefs which lead people to consider themselves feminists
Abigail Rutherford // 5 June 2012
The Boys
Feminists get Garth Ennis' The Boys all wrong, argues Francesca Lewis. The sexual violence and objectification of women are satirical tools highlighting the emptiness of the superhero genre, rather than misogynist wish fulfilment
Francesca Lewis // 30 May 2012
Master of her music: Santigold adds a second album to her portfolio
Cazz Blase listens to Master of My Make Believe and finds a range of musical influences and engaging mix of moods, from the crunchy and energetic to the quietly anthemic
Cazz Blase // 29 May 2012
Joanna Hogg: a very British outsider
Paying close attention to director Joanna Hogg's creative process, Selina Robertson praises the filmmaker's two feature films as both truly independent and of great import for the British cinematic landscape
Selina Robertson // 24 May 2012
Her Noise: women creative workers and musicians exhibit and talk at Tate Modern
The Her Noise theme began as a 2001 curatorial project focused on gender imbalance in sonic art. In 2012, Tate Modern hosts the Her Noise Symposium: a day of discussion and art focused on topics such as women's voices and varied uses of technology. Joanne Matthews reports
Joanne Matthews // 19 May 2012
Avengers Assemble
It's not Buffy, but Avengers Assemble does get under the skin of Joss Whedon's fans. Imagine if the Marvel universe had more female characters, says Sophie Mayer
Sophie Mayer // 8 May 2012
The Sex Myth: Why Everything We're Told is Wrong
Brooke Magnanti wants to expose the truths behind the sex myths which provoke outraged newspaper headlines and panicked public policy. Lindsey Sheehan considers Magnanti's opinions on all things controversial, from lap-dancing to online pornography
Lindsey M Sheehan // 5 May 2012
Iron Butterflies
Carrie Spencer reviews Birute Regine's guide to modern leadership by becoming an Iron Butterfly, which, Regine says, will help women "transform themselves and the world"
Carrie Spencer // 29 April 2012
Circumstance
Iman Qureshi reviews Circumstance, screened during 2012 London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and hails its director for subtly depicting complexities and contradictions of contemporary Iranian society
Iman Qureshi // 24 April 2012
A place of rage: two black feminist documentaries
Lola Okolosie from Black Feminists reviews A Place of Rage and Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth, two films by documentary filmmaker Pratibha Parmar, and considers what contemporary black feminists have learnt from the influential black women featured
Lola Okolosie // 21 April 2012
Ancient and modern design: The Cornshed Sisters Tell Tales
Fresh from touring the UK with the Futureheads, Sunderland vocal harmony group The Cornshed Sisters are marrying British folk traditions and vocal harmonies with a mixture of ancient and modern lyrical concerns. Helen G found herself impressed by their debut album, and eager to witness the band live.
Helen G // 18 April 2012
The Hunger Games: film
After much anticipation, Vicky Brewster reviews The Hunger Games and celebrates not only a strong female protagonist but a film that does her justice
Vicky Brewster // 17 April 2012
The Hunger Games: book trilogy
The Hunger Games - the latest fad in the teen fiction market or an incisive examination of our society? Jessica Blunden finds that Suzanne Collins' world offers more than easy escapism
Jessica Blunden // 17 April 2012
Celebrating Sisterhood! Viv Albertine, Gina Birch and Helen McCookerybook perform in Hyde
Three punk pioneers reunite for an evening of rage, honesty, playfulness and sound experiments. Cazz Blase attends the show and talks to the acts backstage
Cazz Blase // 12 April 2012
The Reinvention of Love
Sian Norris finds herself approving of the subversion of traditional sexual roles in the portrayal of Charles Saint-Beuve - "a man like no other" - in Helen Humphrey's novel The Reinvention of Love
Sian Norris // 8 April 2012
Her version of events: Emeli Sandé
Emeli Sandé's debut single 'Heaven' was a big urban dance tune last summer, and the path to debut album 'Our version of events' has been a long one. A mildly disappointed Holly Combe ponders the largely middle of the road results, and finds herself musing on the nature of celebrity and experiences as products
Holly Combe // 8 April 2012
Save EMA
A few years ago in the UK the acronym EMA would have been most commonly associated with the Education Maintenance Allowance. Nowadays it belongs firmly to Erika M. Anderson, a 22 year old singer/songwriter from the US Midwest whose debut album Past Life Martyred Saints was released in 2011. David Wilkinson detects the ghost of 1990s grunge in its confessional soundscape, and muses as to whether this particular branch of nostalgia is always a good thing
David Wilkinson // 31 March 2012
A greatly overlooked talent
Headed by singer and writer Emma-Lee Moss, anti-folk act Emmy the Great have achieved cult success, but have yet to be embraced more widely. Described as a lyricist who can talk about emotion without resorting to blunt clichés, Moss's intensely personal songs use the voices of archetypal female protagonists and her lyrics are said to be the act's secret weapon. Vicki Ell reports on a live performance at the Women of the World Festival 2012, London Southbank
Vicki Ell // 27 March 2012
Walk like a panther
With her positively geeky enthusiasm for the making of her music, eccentric costumes and abundant charisma, Barbara Panther is an unforgettable performer. Her distinctive voice has seen her compared to Bjork, Grace Jones and Fever Ray but she has a style all of her own. Cazz Blase checks out her self-titled album and finds Panther to be an artist with imagination, an ability to tell stories and musical inventiveness
Cazz Blase // 24 March 2012
Made in solidarity: The Selecter in the 21st century
The Selecter brought us their 2 Tone sound when right wing politics was dividing a nation. Helen G reviews their most recent release Made in Britain and finds their music -new and old- to be as relevant today as their most famous tracks were in the 1980s
Helen G // 20 March 2012
The Princess and the Frog
Amy Tuckwell skilfully makes classic psychoanalytic feminist film critique by Laura Mulvey palpable and applies it to a recent Disney's retelling of the frog prince story. Popular Hollywood cinema, also in its animated version, still has a long way to go
Amy Tuckwell // 18 March 2012
Heartbreak soup: washed ashore by Boy Friend's Egyptian Wrinkle
Texan all-woman duo Boy Friend occupy the space between shoegazing and post rock with ease. Cazz Blase follows up on her updates on the blog with a review and speaks to the band to find out about their influences and plans
Cazz Blase // 16 March 2012
Categories: Interviews, Music, Reviews
"It's like being in a never ending hen party!" Robots in Disguise play The Lexington
You might recognise them from The Mighty Boosh but electropunk act Robots in Disguise have plenty to offer beyond being cool in a television programme, including a feminist anthem! Hayley Foster da Silva joins the party and catches the band for a quick chat
Hayley Foster da Silva // 12 March 2012
Categories: Interviews, Music, Reviews
The First Time
Kate Monro set out to ask as wide a selection of people as possible - men and women, old and young, gay, straight, Christian and Muslim - about their personal experiences of virginity. Through her findings, Katherine Dunseath discovered that the definition of virginity, and virginity loss, isn't as straightforward as she'd previously thought
Katherine Dunseath // 9 March 2012
Bringing Oregon to Soho: Laura Gibson live
Having checked out Laura Gibson's latest work La Grande, Kaite Welsh heads to The Social to catch a performance and have a chat with the singer
Kaite Welsh // 2 March 2012
Categories: Interviews, Music, Reviews
Sylvia's Lovers - Elizabeth Gaskell's anti-romantic novel
LucindaE rereads Elizabeth Gaskell's Sylvia's Lovers not as a sentimental love story, but rather, a merciless tale of flawed love and thwarted ambition
LucindaE // 27 February 2012
Flying the flag for women who rock
Wild Flag are a highly credible all-woman line-up with roots in some of the coolest bands in the last 20 years, but can they cut it live? Lydia Harris checks them out at Camden's Electric Ballroom and discovers that, yes, they absolutely do!
Lydia Harris // 23 February 2012
Persepolis
Laura Sneddon extols this provocative graphic autobiography as an unmissable read for feminists
Laura Sneddon // 23 February 2012
¿Which Side Are You On?: Ani DiFranco keeps things political
Feminist icon Ani DiFranco has released 17 studio albums over the last three decades and, with Righteous Babe Records in 1990, became one of the first independent artists to launch her own label. Ruth Rosselson listens to her first album to be released in over three years and finds that DiFranco is still not afraid of tackling thought-provoking issues while making us smile and sing along
Ruth Rosselson // 20 February 2012
The Fearless Frame: Barbara Hammer at Tate Modern
Sophie Mayer hugs, shares, learns and grows with Barbara Hammer's Active Cinema during the latter's retrospective at Tate Modern in London
Sophie Mayer // 19 February 2012
Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World
In her first book, Lisa Bloom urges women to disengage their minds from gossip and celebrity trivia and focus on more consequential topics instead. Leonie Taylor reviews this social-critique-cum-recipe-book, which appeals for women to spend more time considering sex trafficking and good literature and less time worrying about getting fat
Leonie Taylor // 15 February 2012
9 Bob Note: short films showcasing new queer cinema
Selina Robertson reviews the queer shorts programme shown during this year's London Short Film Festival and finds all the mini-flicks passing her rigorous selection
Selina Robertson // 8 February 2012
Laura Gibson's grand return
Kaite Welsh listens to Laura Gibson's latest album and finds her recalling the musical quirks she is best known for but also exploring new territory
Kaite Welsh // 27 January 2012
The cultural narratives they are a-changin'?
An unpleasant incident with a fellow cinema-goer notwithstanding, Chrissy D left a screening of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in high spirits and hopeful for a change of the tide in Hollywood's take on female leads in action movies
Chrissy D // 19 January 2012
Bedroom dance like it's 1995! Wild Flag shake their shimmy
Wild Flag are a supergroup comprising Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Helium's Mary Timony and The Minders' Rebecca Cole. Sophie Mayer examines their formation and delights in their debut self-titled album
Sophie Mayer // 16 January 2012
The brilliant and the eclectic: Gaggle preview their forthcoming debut album
All woman punk choir Gaggle are a diverse group who integrate openly feminist concepts into their performances. Their radical reworking of The Brilliant and the Dark at the Royal Albert Hall was sold out in September. Hayley Foster da Silva reports on their all-too-brief follow-up performance at Hackney New Empowering Church on 15 December 2011
Hayley Foster da Silva // 11 January 2012
The sweet and sour world of Annie Clark: St Vincent's Strange Mercy
Annie Clark began her career with the Polyphonic Spree, has released two albums of dark but sweet left-of-centre pop, and has been touring her new album Strange Mercy across sold out venues around Europe. Louise Allan reveals that Clark hasn't lost her taste for the disturbing and the angelic
Louise Allan // 9 January 2012
Florence: the next instalment
Cazz Blase reviews Florence + the Machine's latest album and finds Welsh's ability to follow her own path and confound people's expectations, while soaking up diverse musical genres, to still be in full force
Cazz Blase // 29 December 2011
Hey, Shorty!: A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment and Violence in Schools and on the Streets
Girls for Gender Equity, a not-for-profit organisation based in New York City, work to empower youth, fight sexual harassment and address gender violence. Sara Clarke reviews their guide for young people - and those working with them - on exactly what is sexual harassment, and what needs to be done about it
Sara Clarke // 27 December 2011
Twilight: Breaking Dawn (Part One)
At pains to defend the latest chaotic and confused installment of The Twilight Saga, Mathilda Gregory reads it as a transgressive anti-fairytale about perils of femininity
Mathilda Gregory // 12 December 2011
The Opiates: Billie Ray Martin returns!
With a career spanning over 25 years, Hamburg-born singer, DJ and label owner Billie Ray Martin is a woman with an impressive history in both dance and soul music. Holly Combe salutes her return
Holly Combe // 6 December 2011
The skin we live in: the mad, bad world of Pedro Almodóvar
Remaining spooked and preoccupied, Mhairi Guild still appreciates density and creativity of Almodovar's latest grotesque fairytale of not-only-gender identity, desire and power
Mhairi Guild // 30 November 2011
Shattering seas: Tori Amos at the Royal Albert Hall
Tori Amos' recent performance at London's Royal Albert Hall served as an emotional reminder for Sophie Mayer of the power of song, and of teenage memories
Sophie Mayer // 25 November 2011
Penny Red: Notes from the New Age of Dissent
Laurie Penny's new book brings together a diverse collection of her writing from online content to newspaper columns. Sarah Graham reviews the works of one of the most prominent voices of the new left as she provides analysis, interviews and first-hand accounts of everything from the UK student protests to vajazzling
Sarah Graham // 21 November 2011
Living in the ice age: Kate Bush's 50 Words for Snow
Six years after Aerial, Kate Bush's latest offering sees her continuing to write, perform and produce music that is out of this world. Debi Withers previews the release, equipped with a healthy appreciation for the ridiculous and a love of Bush's work, tempered by a critical eye for some of the problems inherent within it
debi withers // 20 November 2011
Abi Wade - And Blood and Air EP
At a time when folk music is enjoying plenty of exposure, new blood Abi Wade's brave and disarmingly simple first EP is a fitting addition. Cazz Blase reports
Cazz Blase // 18 November 2011
Music for wintertime: Zola Jesus' Conatus
Nika Danilova -AKA Zola Jesus- grew up training to sing opera whilst listening to Throbbing Gristle and the Dead Kennedys. As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, David Wilkinson reviews her third album Conatus
David Wilkinson // 14 November 2011
The 21st Century Motherhood Movement
Andrea O'Reilly argues that activist mothers are creating an autonomous and distinct social movement. Adele Jones reviews this first anthology of its kind, which profiles organisations who are all fighting for a shift in the value given to the roles and responsibilities of motherhood
Adele Jones // 14 November 2011
Beware the betrayal of women in politics
Taraneh Ghajar Jerven is disappointed with George Clooney's new film which renders women insignificant both on-screen and in politics
Taraneh Ghajar Jerven // 4 November 2011
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Brit Award winning musician Laura Marling's latest album sees her going beyond her nu-folk roots and taking on a looser, lustier and more sophisticated style. Louise Allan reports
Louise Allan // 2 November 2011
In Other Worlds
Katherine Wootton reviews Margaret Atwood's new work of non-fiction which explores the importance and vast potential of science fiction - a much ridiculed and underestimated genre - in the literary canon, and delves into the significance it holds for Atwood as both a reader and writer
Katherine Wootton // 27 October 2011
Tyrannosaur
Finding Tyrannosaur an unremittingly upsetting film, Chloe George salutes its ability to avoid clichés in the portrayal of violence against women
Chloe George // 24 October 2011
Be the same; be the change: Maple Bee and her world
Cazz Blase reviews the career of Maple Bee (AKA Melanie Garside from Mediaeval Baebes), taking in the albums Hello Eve, Home and Chasing Eva along the way
Cazz Blase // 23 October 2011
Blue Roses
David Wilkinson salutes the talents of Laura Groves, otherwise known as Blue Roses, and finds much to marvel at in her precocious debut album
David Wilkinson // 21 October 2011
Falling for Me
Anna David devoted a year of her life to following the advice set down in a classic book from the 1960s, but Diane Shipley questions the self-empowerment message in a book bogged down with regressive ideas and strict gender-roles
Diane Shipley // 13 October 2011
She Monkeys
Hailing the coming-of-age story of adolescent sexuality and fierce competition between female equestrians, Ania Ostrowska has her heart set on the youngest of three heroines
Ania Ostrowska // 13 October 2011
The Future of Feminism
Sylvia Walby's book provides a comprehensive rebuttal of the notion that feminism is dead. Rachel Benson reviews this definitive account of feminism's present and future forms, and the progression of feminism into the mainstream
Rachel Benson // 7 October 2011
From riots to riot grrrl: Heavens to Betsy revisited
Are you a fan of Heavens to Betsy or riot grrrl? Artist Katie Hare has put together a sound and video installation based on the seminal band's 1993 album Calculated, to appear in London on 14-16 October. Cazz Blase reports
Cazz Blase // 5 October 2011
Radical rockers UT at The Lexington
Famously name-checked by Le Tigre in 1991's 'Hot Topic', feminist rock pioneers UT originally came from the downtown New York no-wave scene in 1978. They moved on to London, touring with The Fall in the early 1980s and releasing four albums that decade, before disbanding in 1990. Hayley Foster da Silva witnesses their return
Hayley Foster da Silva // 3 October 2011
I don't know how she does it
This Hollywood blockbuster's heroine is a high-flying finance executive, but Diane Shipley argues that women across classes and careers share parts of her predicament and can applaud her small victories over a lazy husband and an over-demanding boss
Diane Shipley // 2 October 2011
Cambodian Space Project - 2011: A Space Odyssey
Srey Thy is a singer with a story to tell. Louise Allan discovers this album from Thy's band, Cambodian Space Project, is a mixture of Thy-penned Kmer rock and tributes to a golden age of 60's Cambodian pop
Louise Allan // 16 September 2011
Heavenly Creatures
Revisiting the film she loved unconditionally as a teenager, Jess McCabe still finds its portrayal of two young perpetrators of a horrific crime highly compelling
Jess McCabe // 11 September 2011
Romcom roundup: the friends with benefits phenomenon
'Friends with benefits' is not such a novelty as a recent series of Hollywood films is trying to present it, says Evelyn Krampf, debunking the phenomenon as a mere plot device serving the usual goals of good ol' heterosexist romcom
Evelyn Krampf // 6 September 2011
Choices Women Make: Agency in Domestic Violence, Assisted Reproduction, and Sex Work
Carisa R. Showden argues in her latest book that victim and agent are not mutually exclusive categories. Anna Edman considers her belief that survivors of domestic violence, women using assisted reproduction and women in prostitution are still able to assess their situation and wrest some control
Anna Edman // 6 September 2011
Unhitched
Richard Ganly reviews a book which challenges the notion that a monogamous, heterosexual marriage is truly superior to all others
Richard Ganly // 21 August 2011
Electrelane at Scala
Louise Allan gives an overview of the 10 year career of Electrelane and attends a gig at Scala on 21 July, one of their first after a three year break
Louise Allan // 10 August 2011
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Catherine Elms finds Lady Gaga's latest album something of a mixed bag, but remains optimistic about the stars ability to vary her sound and stay strong on sex and sexuality
Catherine Elms // 8 August 2011
Break my fall
For those who can appreciate an at times painful study of relationship falling apart set in contemporary Hackney, the latest Harry Potter will be no competitor for Kanchi Wichmann's Break My Fall, suggests Selina Robertson
Selina Robertson // 28 July 2011
Feminist Media History: Suffrage, Periodicals and the Public Sphere
Red Chidgey reviews a book focusing on the feminist periodicals which emerged from the campaign for women's right to vote, highlighting the central role of grassroots publications to engage the wider public
Red Chidgey // 27 July 2011
Game of Thrones
Elaine O'Neill explain why HBO's new swords and sorcery epic isn't just a man's game
Elaine O'Neill // 22 July 2011
Categories: Reviews, Television
Y: The Last Man
Set in a world where all beings with a Y chromosome have been wiped out, this is one of the most remarkable comic book series of the first decade of the 21st century, says Maura McHugh
Maura McHugh // 18 July 2011
'Because sex workers shouldn't have to be dead to be on film'
Ania Ostrowska reviews the first ever London Sex Worker Film Festival and argues that sex workers' rights are a feminist issue
Ania Ostrowska // 14 July 2011
How To Be a Woman
Ava Jackson reviews Caitlin Moran's book of the moment; a laugh-out-loud, light-hearted look at the day-to-day obstacles which await women in a modern world, from plastic surgery to tiny knickers
Ava Jackson // 13 July 2011
Biophilia - Björk returns
Ruth Rosselson attends the world premiere of Björk's live show, one of several performances at Campfield Market Hall that are her first UK dates in over three years
Ruth Rosselson // 10 July 2011
tUnE-yArDs at the Manchester Deaf Institute
Ruth Rosselson gives the lowdown on a show from Merrill Garbus, a big-voiced artist who exudes confidence on stage through her music, rather than her outfits or dancing
Ruth Rosselson // 10 July 2011
The Wilder Life
Wendy McClure immerses herself in the world of her beloved childhood hero Laura Ingalls Wilder. Diane Shipley follows this journey as McClure separates fact from fiction and is forced to examine why her childhood obsession has only deepened
Diane Shipley // 2 July 2011
Kitty Wells Dresses: Songs of the Queen of Country Music
Helen G reviews Laura Cantrell's collection of covers of songs by Kitty Wells, the first female country star to release a long-playing record
Helen G // 10 June 2011
Portal 2
Jess McCabe celebrates a refreshing break from the objectification of women in video games with Portal 2
Jess McCabe // 2 June 2011
Categories: Reviews, video games
Granta 115: The F Word
Despite being The F-Word's namesake, Iman Qureshi argues that Granta 115: The F Word misses the mark
Iman Qureshi // 31 May 2011
Generation Indigo
Cazz Blase reviews Poly Styrene's final work, an angry album with socially biting lyrics but an overall optimistic theme
Cazz Blase // 29 May 2011
Under an Emerald Sky
Lukela Aimmado explains why Under an Emerald Sky, a novel by black, queer, feminist activist Olukemi Amala is essential reading for all
Lukela Aimmado // 26 May 2011
Ruth
Katherine Wootton examines how Elizabeth Gaskell's daring novel Ruth, a new edition of which is published this month, challenges our prejudices and suggests how it is still relevent today
Katherine Wootton // 19 May 2011
Bloody marvellous
Horror films can be slash-fests that linger over torture of female victims. Or they can be feminist and subversive. Mathilda Gregory reviews the Bloody Women strand at this year's Bird's Eye View Film Festival
Mathilda Gregory // 8 April 2011
Women's Liberation Movement @ 40 - Reflections
Catherine Redfern gives some personal reflections on the Women's Liberation Movement @ 40 conference
Catherine Redfern // 18 March 2010
The Feminine Mistake
When Leslie Bennetts urged women to stay in the workplace after starting a family, she outraged millions of Americans. JC Sutcliffe reviews the lessons we can take away from her book - and its limitations
JC Sutcliffe // 2 May 2007
