All posts tagged: Hits

Elvis Costello’s debut still hits hard — and this box set proves it

Elvis Costello’s debut still hits hard — and this box set proves it

Published by Sam Flores

When it comes to box sets, Elvis Costello’s 49th-anniversary edition of his debut album “My Aim Is True” is a dream compilation for completists. The original 12-song LP clocked in at a swift 33 minutes, while the special edition features a whopping 104 tracks, along with Costello’s 72-page essay about the album’s origins. It’s a veritable feast for the ears, and “My Aim Is True” is a worthy subject for all of the attendant attention. Released by Stiff Records in 1977, Costello’s debut took full advantage of the burgeoning punk movement. To commemorate the anniversary, such as it is, “My Aim Is True” features a fully remastered edition of the album. Stateside listeners will be delighted to learn that the edition concludes with “Watching the Detectives,” the searing track that was appended to the American release. The balance of the LP was recorded at North London’s Pathway studio with Clover, a California-based country rock band, and produced by Nick Lowe, Costello’s fellow Stiff Records colleague. As presented here, “My Aim Is True” is every bit …

I Tested 2026's Toy Advent Calendars With Kids – These Were The Big Hits

I Tested 2026's Toy Advent Calendars With Kids – These Were The Big Hits

Published by Sam Flores

Advent calendars have really come on in leaps and bounds. While they tended to be mainly chocolate-filled back in my day (big up the Cadbury Dairy Milk classic), nowadays you can get them stuffed with all manner of things – from toy cars to Lego sets to books, magnetic tiles, collectible characters and even fidget gifts. Whatever your child’s interest, chances are there’s an advent calendar out there for them.  Given that there are so many out there nowadays, I decided to road test some of the newest releases with the help of two children under the age of six. We staggered it out over a period of three weeks to save my fingers from the ordeal of opening each cardboard door get an idea of which ones stood the test of time (aka, which ones my kids returned to again and again). Here are some of the best we opened. The best toy advent calendars Related… The 15 Best Food And Drink Advent Calendars For Chocolate, Cocktails, Cheese And Festive Treats Perfume Lovers, This Fragrance …

‘Ink’ Finally Hits Its Native U.K. Audience at London Film Festival

‘Ink’ Finally Hits Its Native U.K. Audience at London Film Festival

Published by Daniella Wilson

Ink has hit London. Danny Boyle and his starry cast, led by Jack O’Connell and Guy Pearce, took to the BFI London Film Festival carpet for the U.K. premiere on Monday night, around a month after it opened the Venice Film Festival. “I expect the difference to be palpable,” began O’Connell, star of Sinners and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, to The Hollywood Reporter about finally putting Ink in front of its native audience. “It’s a London film. If it doesn’t work here, it’s not going to work anywhere.” The movie, adapted from James Graham’s stage play, depicts Pearce’s Rupert Murdoch as he enters the British newspaper scene, acquiring the then-failing tabloid The Sun in 1969. Hiring Larry Lamb (O’Connell) as editor, the two combined far-right political reporting and populist rabble to turn the paper into a dark force in British media. Murdoch would take the lessons learned at The Sun and apply them to build his U.S. media empire with The New York Post and Fox News. Backdropped by the smoky, seedy journalistic …

Dan Levy hits out at Shane Gillis over ‘misogynist’ comments in SNL monologue

Dan Levy hits out at Shane Gillis over ‘misogynist’ comments in SNL monologue

Published by Daniella Wilson

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Dan Levy has hit out at comedian Shane Gillis for saying women dressed like “wh***s” in the gym on Saturday Night Live. Comedian Gillis – who was hired to join SNL in 2019 but swiftly fired after videos of him using homophobic and racist language resurfaced – returned to host the US version of the sketch comedy show for the third time on Saturday (10 October) night. In his opening monologue, the controversial stand-up comic, 38, said that women at the gym “dress like wh***s now”, adding: “Look, I’m sorry there’s no other way to describe it.” The comment was met with intense backlash online, with Schitt’s Creek creator Levy, 43, sharing a video to Instagram on Monday (12 October) criticising Gillis’s comments. Gillis hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ for the third time, seven years after he was fired from the comedy show (NBC/YouTube) “Women wearing short shorts at the gym …

Gaza Documentary on IDF Hits 0K at Box Office, Faces Protests

Gaza Documentary on IDF Hits $500K at Box Office, Faces Protests

Published by Daniella Wilson

The weekend’s box office saw a strong sophomore frame for NAZA, the self-distributed documentary examining Israel‘s military operations in Gaza. Filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who were both credited as directors on 2024’s Oscar-winning No Other Land, helmed the new film that expanded to 85 North American locations in 30 cities after debuting the week prior at the IFC Center in New York City. NAZA looks to gross $378,250 domestically for the four-day weekend, averaging $4,450 per screen. This pushes it past the $500,000 mark, as its domestic sum is expected to reach $504,074 by Monday. NAZA premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival, where it won the special jury prize after receiving a record-setting ovation that surpassed 20 minutes. NAZA is being released independently in the U.S. with the support of The Guardian and MK2, and the movie is set to add more theaters in the weeks to come. It holds a sterling 100 percent critics approval on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan Mintzer deemed NAZA a “sober …

Kelly Clarkson hits back as shopping row takes another twist: ‘You’re a liar’

Kelly Clarkson hits back as shopping row takes another twist: ‘You’re a liar’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Kelly Clarkson’s weekend shopping trip has turned into a very public disagreement, and the singer is standing firmly by her version of events. The 44-year-old issued a fresh response on Sunday 11 October after Brooklyn shop Art of Play challenged her account of an encounter she had compared to Julia Roberts’ famous shopping scene in Pretty Woman. Writing on Instagram Stories, Kelly accused the person involved of being dishonest: “So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it.” © Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via GKelly hit back at the claims Kelly Clarkson describes her ‘Pretty Woman’ shopping experience The disagreement began on Saturday, when Kelly told her followers on X that she had travelled to Brooklyn specifically to visit the shop. She explained that she had already spotted things she wanted to buy, but claimed the interaction left her feeling judged over whether she could afford them. Kelly called the shop owner a ‘liar’ Kelly said she was offered an alternative item, which she interpreted as a dismissive response rather than helpful shopping advice. Her …

Portugal hits Ronaldo with provisional suspension for walking out on national team

Portugal hits Ronaldo with provisional suspension for walking out on national team

Published by Sam Flores

Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended after the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced on Saturday that it had opened disciplinary proceedings against the 41-year-old over his decision to walk out on the national team. Ronaldo apologised to supporters earlier this week while criticising Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and said he would accept any punishment that was imposed. Watch morePortugal’s Ronaldo walks away amid tensions with coach “Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo,” said the federation in a statement, classifying the case as “urgent” and confirming Ronaldo is currently suspended pending a decision on the final punishment. Ronaldo left Portugal’s squad after first being made to warm up as a substitute against Norway on September 27 and not brought on, and then finding out he would not start against Denmark in the match on October 1. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker is Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer and record appearance-maker. On Tuesday, Ronaldo accused Portugal coach Jesus of breaking his word about giving him game time in Nations League matches but said …

Trump hits International Criminal Court with new U.S. sanctions

Trump hits International Criminal Court with new U.S. sanctions

Published by Sam Flores

The Trump administration imposed aggressive sanctions on the International Criminal Court Friday, just hours after a former judge on the court was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. While the Trump administration has repeatedly clashed with the ICC, which it deems corrupt and illegitimate, the move marks a significant escalation with the global justice body that investigates war crimes and other crimes against humanity. Source link

Treasury Hits Remaining ‘Shadow Fleet’ Shipping Iranian Oil To Asia With New Sanctions

Treasury Hits Remaining ‘Shadow Fleet’ Shipping Iranian Oil To Asia With New Sanctions

Published by Jenni Sidey

The Trump administration is late this week moving to identify, punish, and cut off remaining tankers in Iran’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ which are still engaged in shipping Iranian oil to Asia. Thursday saw the US Treasury impose sanctions on 17 vessels and their owners involved in transporting Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and petrochemicals – with these being mostly aging oil tankers which conduct ship-to-ship transfers and other evasive, concealment tactics. via Shutterstock The Treasury Department hailed the action as effectively neutralizing the vast majority of the Islamic Republic’s remaining shadow fleet, through which Tehran still rakes in potentially billions in foreign oil sales, circumventing the ongoing US naval blockade of its ports. However, it’s commonly estimated that some 20 million barrels of Iranian crude remain aboard ships which are far outside the reach of the Persian Gulf-centered US naval blockade, sitting off southeast Asian ports. “Treasury is starving the tyrannical regime in Tehran of the money it uses to wage war in the region, and we will continue exposing those who enable the regime’s oil …

Singaporeans mask up, cut back on outdoor activities as haze level hits season high

Singaporeans mask up, cut back on outdoor activities as haze level hits season high

Published by Sam Flores

Mr Peter Wang went to a Best Denki outlet on Thursday intending to buy an air purifier. The 68-year-old was looking for one with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that can remove smaller particles in the air. “You just get a little bit nervous when the reading goes up,” he said. “You’re smelling it. Once you smell it, you’d think it’s really bad.”  “LIFE AS PER NORMAL”, F1 FESTIVITIES CONTINUE  While some people were taking extra precautions, others largely carried on with their usual routines. Ms Pearlie Toh, who was waiting outside Nan Hua Primary School for her son, has yet to send him to school with a mask. Her son, who is in Primary 3, has not complained of any breathing issues, but she will send him to school with a mask if the haze gets worse, she said.  “For now, life as per normal for us. I can feel it, it’s quite choking, it’s quite bad. I’m sure they’re looking at monitoring the situation,” the 40-year-old said.  F1 race-goers who were at …