You and Me: Things

You and Me: Things

This little song is just under three minutes long, but it may well improve your quality of life for hours (if not indefinitely). It is a childlike love duet, with very fragile and naturalistic vocals. The verse melody centers insistently around a single note which, combined with some clunky word setting ("a scribbled-in-note-pad"), heightens the delightful sense of naivete. 

James and Naomi make excellent and subtle use of different textures, with skipping guitar lines, touches of glockenspiel, and more quiet percussion around the chorus. The song is as long as it needs to be, and is all-together very sweet without a hint of saccharine.

http://www.myspace.com/weloveyouandme

9 out of 10 things

... Aaron Jay Kernis: Mozart en Route (Or, A Little Traveling Music)

Aaron Jay Kernis: Mozart en Route (Or, A Little Traveling Music)

This is a playful single movement for string quartet. The title is certainly evocative; succinct fragmentary sections seem to whizz by at the rate of rapidly traversed scenery. Not being a Mozart "nut" I find the Classical connection a little more elusive (I dare say I am missing out on one or more quotations which but for my ignorance are undoubtedly glaring). However, there is a certain gracefulness of line and exuberant joyfulness which implies that era, and is not unpleasant.

This piece certainly shows off Kernis's rhythmic vitality, and broad tonal vocabulary. A nice intro piece perhaps?

8 out of 10 Mozarts