Jack Peñate - 'Be The One'
Hey, remember when you were a kid, and you had too much energy, so you could never focus on one thing for very long, and felt like you could do anything you wanted, whenever you wanted - including running around the garden with a towel tied around your neck, playing Superman - without getting embarrassed or self-conscious? Remember when your best dance moves included jumping up and down, and your favourite ever song was by the Tweenies/Bob The Builder/S Club 7?
Let's assume your answer to most of these questions is yes. Now, do you remember when that all stopped and you suddenly couldn't get out of bed in the mornings and literally everything in the world ever made you feel mortified and shy?
That's the transition Jack Peñate seems to have undergone, the poor fella...
(. No more running on the seafront. Boo!)
Where once he was a multi-coloured bundle of hyper-kinetic energy, playing off-kilter scratchy pop songs while attempting to unscrew his feet at the ankle, he's now a monochrome arena rocker, complete with anthemic brass and plodding Killers-rock.
And while plodding Killers-rock isn't necessarily a bad thing in itself, it does have a couple of drawbacks, namely a) it plods and b) the Killers already do it. So, rather than trying to win people over by sheer energy and enthusiasm, what we need is some amazing song-craft, so the whole enterprise can take to the skies.
Examples of this would be the bridge in between the first part of the verses and the chorus, that's good. Or the bit after the second chorus where the band do a series of stuttery collapses. In the video, it's the bit where the drummer realises someone has dumped a ton of glitter on his kit. Both of these things break up the monotony very well.
Sadly, this means that there is monotony to break up. In a way it's more noticeable because of Jack's hyperactive past, and if he was putting this out as his first single, maybe it wouldn't matter so much.
There again, if he was putting it out as his first single, he'd be a lot easier to dismiss entirely. Swings, roundabouts...
Download: Out now
CD Released: June 15th
91Èȱ¬ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
"Despite being a big fan, I've never said much of anything about Jack Peñate"
"Don't be put off by the horrific intro or the cringe-worthy trumpet takeover."
"It's a massive progression from 'Matinee' and its going to be the soundtrack of your summer! FACT!
"
Comment number 1.
At 11th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:Thanks Fraser for the review :-)
Yes I did once groove to the sound of S Club 7
In my opinion, this track, and the single previous really show Jack maturing as a songwriter, and I really like it
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Comment number 2.
At 11th Jun 2009, fluffyfinches wrote:Actually... it does sound a bit like the killers, but its BETTER than the killers. I love the bit when the chorus kicks in with all that vamp and flair, I love the beeping, I love the "I'll follow you in any cause/I'll fight for you in any war" bit, the breakdown (WOW) and most of all I love the did we reeeeeally... did we really faaaaaal in love? Monotony, what monotony?
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Comment number 3.
At 11th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Jack Penate- Pleasant little tune... Top 30 hit....
I am lovin even more the passion in which Fluffy Finches loves this song..
In all my years of being around music , there is always something really special about hearing someone really enthuse about the songs they love... superb !
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Talkin about enthusing about songs..... as Empire of The Sun's ... We are the people is now at number 14 and close to the top ten... I can move on , and now enthuse about the next song that strikes a chord with me emotionally and commercially...
I have banged on about this next
song on this blog for about a month now.. but until the wonderful , informative and always readable Fraser produces a thread for us to enthuse over new releases, I will have to do it here !
Mr. Hudson- Supernova
Great electro pop song... featuring the great Kanye West... who has been going on about this song to anyone who will listen, almost as much as me.....
It will surely be on the Radio 1 playlist soon... and is sure to be a big hit......
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Comment number 5.
At 11th Jun 2009, thranjax wrote:A great song, very much in the vein of the Killers electropop/rock and with a very catchy chorus. Nice one Jack. Dull video though.
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Comment number 6.
At 13th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:I'm right with you Fluffy...
The way Jack sings...
"Did we really, did we really fall in love ?
Absolutely great.. worth an extra star !
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Comment number 7.
At 20th Jun 2009, goldenbrownhalo wrote:i LOVED penate's old stuff. it was energetic, took good principals in music and turned them into his own style and lots of his matinee album still gets stuck in my head.
and i completely agree with you about this change of pace, i dont believe it is for the best, but that does not mean i do not like it.
the part that captures my imaination and makes this song for me is when he sings "we asked the church to save our souls
they said me were too early and to join the fold" with the soft plucking in the background; this perfectly binds together his new direction and element of his old album, and it is brilliant.
Also the lyrics are good, my favorite line being "sleep beneath the citrus sky"; the lyrics are slightly cheesey at parts and so too is the background brass, but it is done cleverly with some awareness of its corny-ness.
a good effort and an enjoyable song, but i ould like to see some of his old energy still!
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