Beach music

I do like Keren Ann's new record. It's the first one that she's made entirely in English. I'm not sure that makes me understand the sense of what she does any more. I just like the sound she makes somewhere between her voice, the handclaps, the strings and the mouth organ. Jarvis Cocker has been talking about the number of notes that "Pop Idol"-style singers feel compelled to drag their words across. This is about as far as you can get in the other direction. Peaceful, too. Perfect for first thing in the morning, which is usually when I write these things.