Review of Later With Jools Holland: Cool Britannia

Introduction

When it comes to music releases, compilations are something of a disappointment. You have to search through vast amounts of tedium just to get to the artist you like, and then, just as you are getting into the song, it`s over and your left with even more tedium until the next track you like. It`s no wonder then that the majority of compilations are homemade. And don`t get me started on the state of modern music. The charts seem to be filled with the most annoying pap, either someone whining about their ex-girl/boyfriend or the most monotonous kind of Eurodance, which has distilled the genre into a repetitive and unimaginative Oompah, Oompah beat with some high-pitched vocals. I usually feel like I`m listening to a drug-fuelled polka. Actually, this is a common complaint, and it`s usually only with hindsight that we can sift out the true gems in the dross.

One of the institutions that have been outstanding at doing this (but without the hindsight) has been the Later With Jools Holland programme. Over the last decade or so, this has been the only programme on TV that has championed the cause of diversity in music, and most importantly of all, it has all been live. Every week, a selection of musicians are brought together in a casual studio and invited to perform at their best, and the result has been some outstanding performances. This disc, Cool Britannia looks at the last ten years and selects the Best Of British, 34 bands that have appeared on the programme, and that in some form or the other have been at the cutting edge in popular culture.

Video

The picture is your standard widescreen TV ratio of 1.78:1 anamorphic. The picture quality depends on the source. I get the distinct feeling that the earlier tracks have been cropped down from a 4:3 ratio, but if the resolution is a bit softer on the earlier tracks, there`s no significant loss of image.

Audio

While most music DVDs go out of their ways to provide DTS and 5.1 tracks, the Later disc only has a DD 2.0 track as per the original broadcast. However, having recently been subjected to a couple of Ragnarok discs, I have to say that the simple stereo track here makes the most of the live performances, and I found nothing detrimental to my listening pleasure.

Features

The extras on this disc include interviews with Doves and Travis about their appearances on the Later show. Totalling some 20 minutes, they are a nice addition to the main programme. Unlike the main programme, they are subtitled in several languages. There is also an option to play your favourite six tracks by programming them from a list. I`m assuming that the DVD inlay has a track listing, as you are presented only with a page of numbers to choose from.

Conclusion

This disc is poorly named. Cool Britannia is the last name that should be applied, especially as it brings to mind that image of Tony Blair trying to be hip and trendy by inviting the Gallagher brothers around for afternoon tea. It also brings to mind the vision of Britpop, a short lived ephemeral phenomenon that existed only in the simplistic minds of a few tabloid hacks, who preferred their music neatly categorised. This disc actually transcends these petty definitions and presents the best of British music from the last ten years, from artists like Morrissey, Paul Weller and Echo and The Bunnymen all the way up to the present day with songs from Keane, Franz Ferdinand and The Darkness. Also, while opinion may be divided on Jools Holland`s presenting style, this disc does away with it completely choosing to focus on the music only. The thing about the Later format is that while it seems fairly informal, with a selection of artists playing a couple of their songs live, there also is an incentive to excel, and for that reason, many artists sound better on Later than they do elsewhere. You are more than likely to see them at their best.

For a compilation disc, this one is pretty good, with great performances from diverse artists. I`d listen to over half the tracks without hesitation at any time, but there is truly something for everyone here. No matter what your taste, you`ll be able to appreciate some absolutely stonking performances from The Manic Street Preachers, Paul Weller and Blur, and The Darkness certainly liven up proceedings by bringing some glam forward in time.

But it does have that particular problem of compilations, that when you hear a track you like, you end up wanting to hear more from that artist. But when you find yourself lamenting the state of modern music, the more than two hours of great live music on this disc does much to easing your mind. I`ll definitely be looking out for the other DVDs under the Later brand.