Ever find yourself at a loose end? Not sure what's what or who's who or where's where? Let Winston be your guide.

In the start of what may become an occasional series, Winston picks stuff that's floating his boat this week, in the hope it might make your schooner similarly shipshape.

Gig of the Week: It's a somewhat quieter week than usual but there's one interesting gig happening, over at the Mount at Imbibe Bar on Saturday night, May 23, where Auckland band Jackal will be – after nine years and five albums – playing their final gig.

The band, formed in late 2006 and began writing their own material immediately, inspired by bands such as Dinosaur Jr and a love of Black Sabbath and 1970s hard rock.

They have just released their fifth album ‘Sparkle', which covers a diverse range of bases – alternative, funk metal, hard rock, and psychedelic.

Muzic.net.nz gave it a five star review.

But now guitarist Will McGrath is moving to the United States and the band has decided it's best to not continue without him.

They did a farewell gig in Auckland last weekend; now it's the final final gig at Imbibe. Price? Time? Who knows. I've had no response from their record label, their Facebook page doesn't have it and Imbibe has neglected to mention it on their website. So, useless promotion, but it should be a good gig!

Album of the Week: Mumford and Sons' ‘Wilder Mind'. The English folk revivalists have given everything a bit of a kick in the teeth with their new set.

Discarding stripped-back drums, banjo and Marcus Mumford's more folky leanings – which were heard to such effect on the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack and his work on the Dylan project Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes.

This instead finds Mumford behind a full drum kit and electric guitars in ascendancy. There're still the obligatory highbrow literary references but this is a definite departure and a worthwhile one.

Movie of the Week: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road'. All I can say is...wow! The trailer wasn't quite spectacular enough to fully erase the embarrassment of that last outing with Tina Turner, but, fear not. This is Mad Max in an alternative universe, an adrenalin-charged comic book come to life, as mad as a meat axe, silly, over the top, and stripped back to the bare bones of an action flick.

Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are great and barely speak but the prize goes to the guy on a truck in a red spandex one-piece playing a double-necked guitar that shoots fire. Yes, it's that good.

DVD of the Week: American Sniper. Okay, so it's out next Wednesday not this week. But give it a chance. Being the story of America's most deadly sniper, many thought it would be a jingoistic celebration of American fire-power.

Forget that. If you want to see the ruinous effects of war look no further than Bradley Cooper's haunted eyes as his tours of Iraq increase. So well done it's hard to believe that Clint Eastwood directed.

Food of the Week: Mandarins. Hell yeah! They're ripe, they're cheap, and if you live out of town you can probably get them from the side of the road direct from the people who grow them. Yum!

Drink of the Week: Espresso martini. This is a dead simple one. Take one measure each of coffee – espresso, instant, anything really – vodka and a coffee liqueur like Tia Maria or Kahlua. Shake with ice, strain, serve. How easy is that?

However, there is a secret ingredient which will lift your espresso martini to rapturous new heights: salted caramel sauce.

You can make it yourself or buy a small bottle from the supermarket at a ruinously high price – but, damn! It's good! And a couple of teaspoons converts this into a near-religious experience. Just remember – drink responsibly.

Word of the Week: rumblegumption. No, I didn't just make that up. But what a cool word. Roll it round your mouth for the sheer pleasure of it. Probably originating from the wilds of Scotland, it means good judgement or common sense. Aren't you glad you know that?

watusi@thesun.co.nz