I ACTUALLY WAS A CUB SCOUT

I Was A Cub Scout - Pink Squares (Lull Mix Radio Edit) [Info*]

I expected something akin to their Bloc Party remix. When those dissonant and slightly nauseating keys came in (0:33), I thought my worst fears were confirmed. Happily, however, those notes fade out around the one-minute mark. After that, the song changes. A subtle build-up (1:19) followed by a short-lived drop-off in tension (1:53), that develops, relentlessly, into an exciting, continuous, intense, stress-inducing build-up. This reaches its peak at the four-minute mark with the entrance of the vocal line, "my shoes! are left! behind!" After that, all that's left is the gradual fall back to reality. Sometimes I'm amazed at the effect music can have not only emotionally, or psychologically, but also physiologically (I'm sure I started to half-sweat, and I know my heart-rate sped up).



Jack Penate - My Yvonne

I can't call myself a fan. In fact, every other song I've heard (by dear Jack) seems far too manufactured; ready-made happy-as-larry, sparky-got-lucky pop. But this song is delicious, and the formula works (just listen to those delectably Feist-y cooes beginning at 1:43) - this isn't just music, this is M & S music*.

*(Yes, this reference to the recent (successful) Marks & Spencers ad-campaign truly is the best way I can think of to describe this song.)

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If you like Christopher O'Reilly's covers of Radiohead and Elliott Smith, then you will probably also like this. It's simple - but as easy, laid-back piano-pop for the dinner-table it works quite well.

I Was A Cub Scout - Pink Squares (Luke Trav1s Remix) [Info]

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*If anyone knows the website for Lull I'll link to it - I just don't know it.