Jack of all trades?

It's true what they say you know, context is everything. A few years back the music scene greeted a clutch of posh young things all singing about apples and pears whilst being descendants of royalty and living off the family name. Amongst this well-spoken rabble was one Jack Penate who adorned the front of the NME only to receive a 5/10 review of his frenetic debut, Matinee. Despite this, and with even Kate Nash selling by the bucket load, the album peaked inside the top 10 and the single 'Torn On The Platform' did the same.

A couple of days ago bezzie mate Adele stated in an interview that she's contributed backing vocals on Penate's new album and that, wait for it, people are going to be shocked at the new direction he's gone in. Yeah, yeah, we've heard that before; Keane go gabba, Franz Ferdinand go techno, Razorlight go Simple Minds (oh, that last one actually happened).

So, what has the boy Penate done? Well, if 'Tonight's Today' is anything to go by then gone are the frantic guitar riffs in favour of a more relaxed, Vampire Weekend-esque vibe, all steel drums and shuffling percussion.



It's not reinventing the wheel of course - and sounding like Vampire Weekend is hardly tantamount to reinvention - but the song's going to be all over the radio and should see Penate extending his career by at least one more album.