Murder, Mystery; Accused, Acquitted.

Yesterday Amanda Knox walked free of the controversial murder of a British student in Italy.

Four years ago, Leeds University student Meredith Kercher was found dead in her shared student flat in in Perugia, Italy, where she had been undertaking part of her course abroad. In the interim, various people have been brought before legal systems in the European state and each has been appealed amidst a growing media frenzy that now has a question mark poised above the case.

Acquitted after serving a number of years in jail, where it is rumoured that she was badly beaten and abused by both police and fellow inmates, Knox was yesterday delivered exoneration.

Addressing the gathered jurors and officiators before the verdict was heard, Knox pleaded that she was “not who they say I am” and that a combination of corrupt police evidence and media furore had painted an unfair image on her character. Also on trial, ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito added that the ordeal was a “nightmare” from which he had never woken.

Court officials were put beyond reasonable doubt when the case was reviewed this year as the evidence that had been gathered for original sentencing was said to have a number of flaws.

Contamination claims were treated with severity and the courts requested further DNA tests to be undertaken after it was agreed that the original conditions fell short of international standards. Rumours included that the police had not adhered to protocol in reviewing the evidence.

Key in the case, a kitchen knife that had been put forward as having had Knox’s DNA on the handle, Kercher’s on the blade. In addition, the accused’s genes were found on the victim’s bra.

Enormous pressure has of course fallen on both defending and accusing parties over the course of the action. Statements from examining officials claim that a number of Knox’s statements in court go against those she gave in original writing. Meanwhile, the rebuttal argument stands that the police treatment and stress of a friend dying caused any discrepancy to occur.

Indeed, so much has the argument of foul-play been brought into the courtroom that earlier in the year, Knox’s own parents were summoned to an Italian court for vilifying the police.

Now as the pardoning comes as a relief to the “broken” jailed, it advocates a serious need for further regulations and review.

Sex game or murder? The case needs further scrutiny for sure.

Meredith Kercher was found by police with her throat slashed. However, initial investigations also revealed that there was proof of sexual activity before her death. Whilst the nature of the death remains a mystery then, there is an obvious need for prudence.

Should there have been any carnal relations, the very nature of evidence found on items such as the deceased’s bra is instantly rendered rather dubious. Moreover, although the knife in question may indeed have been the murder weapon per se, student is as student does. Ergo, the genetic evidence on the handle could easily be a case of poor, or complete lack thereof, cleaning utensils after usage.

In addition, should the act have been perpetrated in the midst of erotic activity, surely the idea of murder in the first degree pushes lawful boundaries? For instance, there is a lack of mens rea: stating that a vicious crime needs a vicious will. Concordantly, the Italian justice system should have only been in the process of manslaughter charges at the most. Murder undermines both the system and nature of the case.

Although two people walk free today, another, Rudy Guede, is still serving time for the crime. We must question how many were involved in the killing of a self-sufficient and innocent English student. It does not seem logical that so many should want her dead.

Evidence being inconclusive and logic failing the circumstances, there can be no alternative but to grant freedom to Knox under current conditions. In fact, as the judge ruled that there was "no evidence of Knox having ever committed murder", there should be some compensation in the offing to appease what is a life ruined: Knox graduates prison without a degree, without friends, and without imminent prospects.

Grieving relatives may still have to trawl through the agonising details; the broken accused has to rebuild from painstaking experiences.

Kids With Beatles Wigs: Why The Kooks New Album Deserves More Praise and Less Mockery.

When indie rockers The Kooks burst onto the scene with the angsty and infectious ‘Naïve’ back in 2006, the band received critical acclaim, with the release going on to sell millions. Whilst the second offering from the band a couple of years later shot to the number one spot, this was later attributed to the reputation and premise of the first lash of material. In an attempt to repeat the formula, Konk was soon perceived as a dry and uninspired copy of its predecessor: the rockier songs had less kick, the sing-alongs had less cheer.

With great disappointment then, I read early reviews of Junk Of The Heart, that indicated the album was to be, at best, average.

Having hidden themselves away in some obscure location for several months, this album was to be a return to form for a group who has now suffered line-up changes and severe delays to production.  Critics however gear negatively towards the offering claiming that “[The album] is a series of half-formed, indifferently performed tracks” [Andy Gill, Independent], or mock the group as “boys next door who've got hold of a guitar and some Beatles wigs” [Caroline Sullivan, Guardian].

After listening, we can all breathe a sigh of relief: the donned Beatles wigs, per se, are rather of the experimental type, and those who regard the album in such an unfavourable light have obviously missed the depth and showcased talent in the new hash.

True, nothing on this album stands out as ‘She Moves In Her Way’ as a summer anthem, nor does it excite rebellious teenagers: but then this album is a passage to adulthood for the band; songs featured are troubled and tinged with first regrets and a desire to regain youth. 

In fact, the third effort is a spine-tingling showcase that plays like an extended version ‘Seaside’, vulnerable and lonely, crossed with an apathetic ‘Ooh La’ (forgotten gems of their debut).

Opener ‘Junk of the Heart (Happy)’ echoes the group’s efforts in reacquainting themselves with their diverse influences. Twisting a sixties swing element, the track amply denotes the guitarist skill within the band, alternating between the relaxed acoustic sounds and the heavier and darker breaks of the electric guitar. Throw in the warbling of lead Luke Pritchard, which was the original source of the band’s uniqueness, and there is established a real sense of melancholy. This blurring of the boundary between positive and negative haunts the album throughout, and separates it from other indie albums in its quest to revive 60s, 70s and even 80s mainstream.

Should Beatle wigs be uptaken in such numbers as the softly reminiscent ‘How’d You Like That?’ they are only for influence and quickly shook off. Rather than a quirky throwaway pop track of love, the sound shifts to tribulation and trepidation. Elsewhere, David Bowie masks are simply skin deep in ‘Runaway’ and ‘Mr Nice Guy’, both alternating dark synths with scathing lyrics: obsession of “Seeing your name on the wall again” in the first, played against the deceit of “Believing in things that don’t believe in you”.

Tracks such as ‘Rosie’, wherein the band are prophetically “followed by the same old cloud again”, and ‘Petulia’ highlight the loss of innocence for the band: love’s fragility and hurt consuming “Be careful with me”. These sentiments are best framed by short ‘Taking Pictures of You’, which merits every moment an individual showcase of both beauty and disgrace.

Regarding the arrangements and instruments that grace the album, there has been some consideration in how to best achieve this revival feel. Credit should be given to the ethereal use of strings in ‘Time Above The Earth’, introducing a stripped back approach that is rarely used in the genre. Lead single ‘Is It Me?’ almost strays into drum n bass territory before switching abruptly to moody 70’s rock ‘n’ roll. A smattering of synths offers a dark edge to many a track; the contrast and clash between the guitars and electronica is to unsettle the listener and reaffirm the changing and unstable emotions and feelings in each piece.

Incorporating such a plethora of influences however means there is a hard balance to achieve. Whilst The Kooks should be praised for their indie stamp on some classic 80s sounds which takes a main segment of the album, the straying inclusion of 60s swing and post millenium drum almost sounds unconsidered in its measure.

Arising from this problem is that none of the tracks offer the simple happy Brit pop that featured on the first two albums. Whilst this is an interesting expansion into other territories, perhaps there has been too wide an area covered too thinly.

With this in mind, it is easily understood how Natalie Shaw, and many others, mistook lack of direction for scribblings: “[The album is] just a messy selection of meandering verses that surely can’t be the product of three years’ work.” [Natalie Shaw, BBC]. However, each track has some reference point to a dark experience: a regret, a mistake, a love lost. The meandering verses serve as a mental riddling of whether the right or wrong was done.

In fact that a majority of the individual pieces lifted from this album is not going to storm any mainstream chart in a hurry is true testament to the quality of the Brindie Pop to be enjoyed.