José González - Veneer

Genre rock Publisher Mute External Links Official José González Website Official Mute Records Website

Balls. Hundreds and thousands of balls. That would be the infamous Sony Bravia advert that has a considerable amount of balls bouncing around San Francisco. And the soundtrack to that advert? Why, it's José González's take on The Knife's "Heartbeats." The success of the spot has led to the release of his 2003 album, Veneer in America. And, oh, here it is!

Well...it's short.

Obviously, there's an audience for this sort of thing, the type of people who think that Travis and Coldplay covering Britney and Kylie reveals "hidden depths of shallow pop." And, in lieu of taking these people out back and shooting them, it's probably best to keep them entertained, at least until the revolution comes.

Which isn't to say that it's not a well-produced and well-made affair. "Heartbeats" is the best song here, but the others fall into a very similar vein, with light, minimal percussion accompanying José and his guitar. It's airy and mellow, designed to sound like a summer night, stashed away in a little café that you and your loved one managed to find on your tour around Europe; a hidey-hole that is shared between only you and the locals, a secret to be guarded until the next time you swing around to those parts. And their pesto is to die for.

As such, it's relatively critic-proof. Tracks like "Lovestain" and "Hints" offer up gentle platitudes that are as shallow and facile as a Paulo Coelho novel. But they sound pleasant enough delivered from González's smooth voice. It's lovely for a July evening, wafting into the setting sun. But unless it's the backdrop to a holiday kiss or a wonderful gathering of friends, Veneer will not stay in the memory. Except for the huge amount of balls, of course.