Song of the day: October 21, 2009

With "Too Young to Love", this London duo demonstrated they had style to burn, pitching their drum loops into a bonfire of ambient noise. Certainly, it was impressive, albeit from a distance. "Velvet", by contrast, generates a different kind of heat. Truth is, the classic sensibility always lurked beneath their songs' harsh exteriors; the only real shock is that they would pull back the covers so soon. "Velvet" is undeniably immense, but it's a tribute to the Big Pink's skill and maturity that it still manages to sound intimate.
 

The Big Pink - Velvet