¤ milky moon ¤

Set 1 - Pairings 1 to 6
A FINAL
Pairing A-1 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-2 - Kingfisher
Pairing A-4 - Only Skin
Pairing A-5 - Cosmia
Pairing A-6 - Sapokanikan
B FINAL
Pairing B-1 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-2 - Leaving The City
Pairing B-4 - Sadie
Pairing B-5 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-6 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
C FINAL
Pairing C-1 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-2 - Autumn
Pairing C-4 - Goose Eggs
Pairing C-5 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-6 - Easy

Set 2 - Pairings 7 to 12
A FINAL
Pairing A-7 - In California
Pairing A-8 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-9 - Kingfisher
Pairing A-11 - Only Skin
Pairing A-12 - Sapokanikan
B FINAL
Pairing B-7 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-8 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-9 - Leaving The City
Pairing B-11 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-12 - A Pin-Light Bent
C FINAL
Pairing C-7 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-8 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-9 - Autumn
Pairing C-11 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-12 - Colleen

Please cast your votes for one song in each of the following 30 pairings (or specify a tie if you can't decide). I expect to post the results and the next sets of parings at the end of Wednesday 9th December (UK time).

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - In California || Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Monkey & Bear || Emily
Pairing A-15 - Go Long || Kingfisher
Pairing A-16 - Have One On Me || Baby Birch
Pairing A-17 - Sapokanikan || Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Anecdotes || Sadie
Pairing B-14 - On A Good Day || Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Leaving The City
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne || '81
Pairing B-17 - Divers || You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Time, As A Symptom || Swansea
Pairing C-14 - Ribbon Bows || Easy
Pairing C-15 - En Gallop! || Autumn
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk || Goose Eggs
Pairing C-17 - Yarn And Glue || Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Go Long || Sapokanikan
Pairing A-20 - Sawdust & Diamonds || Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-21 - In California || Have One On Me
Pairing A-22 - Kingfisher || Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily || Baby Birch
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Divers
Pairing B-20 - A Pin-Light Bent || On A Good Day
Pairing B-21 - Anecdotes || Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-22 - Leaving The City || Sadie
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co. || '81
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop! || Yarn And Glue
Pairing C-20 - Colleen || Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-21 - Time, As A Symptom || Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-22 - Autumn || Swansea
Pairing C-23 - Easy || Goose Eggs

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - In California || Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Emily
Pairing A-15 - Go Long
Pairing A-16 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-17 - Sapokanikan
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Sadie
Pairing B-14 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - Divers
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-14 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-15 - Autumn
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-17 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Go Long
Pairing A-20 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-21 - In California || Have One On Me
Pairing A-22 - Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Divers
Pairing B-20 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-21 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-22 - Sadie
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-20 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-21 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-22 - Autumn
Pairing C-23 - Easy

Thank you, solfatara, for being our first voter in this set.

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Emily
Pairing A-15 - Go Long
Pairing A-16 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-17 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Anecdotes || Sadie (tie)
Pairing B-14 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Leaving The City (tie)
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - Divers
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-14 - Easy
Pairing C-15 - Autumn
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk || Goose Eggs (tie)
Pairing C-17 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Go Long || Sapokanikan (tie)
Pairing A-20 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-21 - In California || Have One On Me (tie)
Pairing A-22 - Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Divers (tie)
Pairing B-20 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-21 - Anecdotes || Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne (tie)
Pairing B-22 - Leaving The City || Sadie (tie)
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co. || '81 (tie)
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-20 - Colleen
Pairing C-21 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-22 - Autumn
Pairing C-23 - Easy

Sorry for the large amount of ties! And did I understand correctly that it was your birthday, Steve? Then (belated) congratulations from me, I hope you had a nice day!

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - In California & Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Monkey & Bear & Emily
Pairing A-15 - Kingfisher
Pairing A-16 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-17 - Sapokanikan
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-14 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-15 - Leaving The City
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-14 - Easy
Pairing C-15 - Autumn
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk & Goose Eggs
Pairing C-17 - Yarn And Glue

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-20 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-21 - In California & Have One On Me
Pairing A-22 - Kingfisher & Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Divers
Pairing B-20 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-21 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-22 - Leaving The City
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - Yarn And Glue
Pairing C-20 - Colleen
Pairing C-21 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-22 - Autumn
Pairing C-23 - Easy & Goose Eggs

Thank you for your votes, under a CPell and Jordan~.

Here are mine...

FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Emily
Pairing A-15 - Kingfisher
Pairing A-16 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-17 - Cosmia
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Sadie
Pairing B-14 - On A Good Day || Good Intentions Paving Co. (tie)
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - Divers
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Swansea
Pairing C-14 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-15 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk || Goose Eggs (tie: these two have a similar musical 'feel', don't they)
Pairing C-17 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Go Long
Pairing A-20 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-21 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-22 - Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily || Baby Birch (tie)
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Divers
Pairing B-20 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-21 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-22 - Sadie
Pairing B-23 - '81
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-20 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-21 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-22 - Swansea
Pairing C-23 - Goose Eggs

(I felt like I was making more 'ties' than is usual for me ... and there were some others that also came close to being ties, too).

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - Only Skin
Pairing A-14 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-15 - Go Long
Pairing A-16 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-17 - Sapokanikan
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-14 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-14 - Easy
Pairing C-15 - Autumn
Pairing C-16 - Goose Eggs
Pairing C-17 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-20 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-21 - In California
Pairing A-22 - Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-20 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-21 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-22 - Leaving The City
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-20 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-21 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-22 - Swansea
Pairing C-23 - Goose Eggs

Thank you for your votes, Alex Ysoltsev and Headless_Caboose. Some of these pairings look like they are going to be very close, with or without ties from individual voters...



I also had trouble making a choice between Go Long and Kingfisher. Both have a different, unique moment, for me: the suggestion of muted thunder that suffuses the later part of Kingfisher, and the astonishing was she sings "Kentucky" in Go Long. It was a hard decision, but eventually I went the same way as Headless_Caboose. I like the "pup in the constant barley" line, too (although it's a bit offset by the little child / little lamb part). I wonder why the barley is 'constant'?

Ahem. Don't forget, voting on these pairings closes in approximately 31 hours from now, at which point I will get the next sets posted as quickly as possible. Sorry this final is being done at breakneck speed to get it completed before 2016.

Set 3 - Pairings 13 to 18
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-13 - In California
Pairing A-14 - Emily
Pairing A-15 - Go Long r
Pairing A-16 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-17 - Sapokanikan
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-13 - Sadie
Pairing B-14 - On A Good Day.
Pairing B-15 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-16 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-17 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-13 - Swansea
Pairing C-14 - Easy
Pairing C-15 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-16 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-17 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie

Set 4 - Pairings 19 to 24
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-19 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-20 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-21 - In Californi
Pairing A-22 - Only Skin
Pairing A-23 - Emily || Baby Birch tie
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-19 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-20 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-21 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-22 - Sadie
Pairing B-23 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-19 - En Gallop!
Pairing C-20 - Colleen
Pairing C-21 - Time, As A Symptom || Soft As Chalk tie
Pairing C-22 - Swansea
Pairing C-23 - Easy || Goose Eggs tie

And without further ado, please cast your votes in each of these next sets:


Set 5 - Pairings 25 to 30
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-25 - In California || Sapokanikan
Pairing A-26 - Cosmia || Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-27 - Kingfisher || Have One On Me
Pairing A-28 - Only Skin || Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-30 - Go Long || Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-25 - Anecdotes || Divers
Pairing B-26 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive || A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-27 - Leaving The City || Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-28 - Sadie || On A Good Day
Pairing B-30 - Peach, Plum, Pear || Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-25 - Time, As A Symptom || Yarn And Glue
Pairing C-26 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie || Colleen
Pairing C-27 - Autumn || Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-28 - Swansea || Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-30 - En Gallop! || Easy

Set 6 - Pairings 31 to 36
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-32 - Sawdust & Diamonds || Go Long
Pairing A-33 - Have One On Me || Sapokanikan
Pairing A-34 - Cosmia || Only Skin
Pairing A-35 - Monkey & Bear || Baby Birch
Pairing A-36 - Kingfisher || Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-32 - A Pin-Light Bent || Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-33 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne || Divers
Pairing B-34 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive || Sadie
Pairing B-35 - On A Good Day || '81
Pairing B-36 - Leaving The City || Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-32 - Colleen || En Gallop!
Pairing C-33 - Soft As Chalk || Yarn And Glue
Pairing C-34 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie || Swansea
Pairing C-35 - Ribbon Bows || Goose Eggs
Pairing C-36 - Autumn || Easy

Set 5 - Pairings 25 to 30
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-25 - In California -tie- Sapokanikan
Pairing A-26 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-27 - Kingfisher
Pairing A-28 - Only Skin
Pairing A-30 - Go Long -tie- Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-25 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-26 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-27 - Leaving The City -tie- Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-28 - Sadie
Pairing B-30 - Peach, Plum, Pear -tie- Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-25 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-26 - Colleen
Pairing C-27 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-28 - Swansea -tie- Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-30 - En Gallop! -tie- Easy

Set 6 - Pairings 31 to 36
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-32 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-33 - Sapokanikan
Pairing A-34 - Only Skin
Pairing A-35 - Baby Birch
Pairing A-36 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-32 - A Pin-Light Bent -tie- Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-33 - Divers
Pairing B-34 - Sadie
Pairing B-35 - '81
Pairing B-36 - Leaving The City -tie- Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-32 - Colleen
Pairing C-33 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-34 - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie
Pairing C-35 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-36 - Autumn

I love those musical moments that you mentioned, too, Steve. Especially "Kentucky", what she loads into her delivery of that one word, one of my favorite moments of HOOM. There are so many on the new album, too, too many to name or remember now, but I do love the way she sings "double hulls" in Divers, the way she says "honey" in Waltz, "recently" in Goose Eggs.... I guess - is there anything that isn't an astonishing moment, really? Oh, this is obvious, but, wow - the way she sings "sky" in A Pin-Light, Bent.

Set 5 - Pairings 25 to 30
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-25 - In California & Sapokanikan
Pairing A-26 - Cosmia
Pairing A-27 - Kingfisher & Have One On Me
Pairing A-28 - Only Skin & Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-30 - Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-25 - Anecdotes
Pairing B-26 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing B-27 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-28 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-30 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-25 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-26 - Colleen
Pairing C-27 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-28 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-30 - Easy

Set 6 - Pairings 31 to 36
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-32 - Go Long
Pairing A-33 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-34 - Only Skin
Pairing A-35 - Monkey & Bear
Pairing A-36 - Kingfisher & Emily
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-32 - A Pin-Light Bent
Pairing B-33 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-34 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing B-35 - On A Good Day
Pairing B-36 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-32 - Colleen
Pairing C-33 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-34 - Swansea
Pairing C-35 - Goose Eggs
Pairing C-36 - Easy

Is it almost time for you to do your mysterious witchcraft to the numbers and find out which song won?

Thank you both for your votes, butterbean and Jordan~.

I always enjoy reading comments when you vote, so feel free to keep them coming! As for the "mysterious witchcraft", Jordan~ - well, we've had a decent quantity of votes now, but - as Joanna herself cautions, "What is this sample proving?" Only time will tell.

On that subject, I have mapped out some provisional closing dates for the remaining sets:
The current pairings, Sets 5 & 6 - should close as Monday 14th December turns into Tuesday 15th
Sets 7 & 8 - should close as Saturday 19th December turns into Sunday 20th
Sets 9 & 10 - should close some time during Saturday 26th, but this may be any time from about 1am until very late at night (UK time, as ever. I was going to put a time on it, but I'm not sure what's happening on Boxing Day, so rather than reserving the right to repeat my mistakes, I'll leave it deliberately vague).
Set 11, the last one, I intend to leave open until the last moment of 2015 in any part of the world, and then to post the final results as soon as possible thereafter, with an analysis following after that.

Apologies that some of these times are a bit fluid: I hope no-one misses out on voting because of this.

Predicting the positions may well be less easy than in previous years. We only have about eight people voting regularly, so it is more susceptible to one or two unexpected choices. There are likely to be more ties, or at least more close results, which means that the destination of the 10 win-points in certain pairings can be finely balanced. Another effect to consider is that my own perceptions of the 'Divers' songs is changing as I become more accustomed to the album, and I am sure I am not alone in that. For instance, I had originally thought of Anecdotes as something of an overture, hinting at what was to come, but without any great substance of its own: I am now liking this song more and more each day, and revelling in its subtleties. On the other hand, A Pin-Light Bent was initially getting much love on MM when the album first emerged, but is performing less well than I'd have expected in Division 2. I suspect this is because other songs have caught up in people's affections, rather than any lessening of love for Pin-Light, but it demonstrates how fluid our preferences are at the moment. Meanwhile, Only Skin actually had a slight 'wobble' during one of the earlier rounds: not enough to be a major shock, but just a hint that it may not win JNST *every* year!

Also, just looking as Jordan~'s and butterbean's votes in Division 1, it's noticeable that they are very close to being exact opposites of each other! The fact that Joanna's songs are so intricate, and appeal to us all on many different levels, will, I guess, always mean that there will always be shifts in our personal and collective favourites, thus keeping JNST interesting even in quiet years, and - more importantly - keeping her work fascinating for ever.

Butterbean - you pick some wonderful moments in your comments. (In fact, I think there used to be a thread about that very phenomenon somewhere on here).
That 'Recently' comes as such a wake-up call, as does "Not you, Honey: you I know" in the same song, and those moments are endearing Goose Eggs to me more and more now that they feel such an integral part of the song, rather than the slightly awkward feel they had (to my untrained ears) when I first heard it/them.
Likewise, in Waltz, the "Honey, where did you come by that wound", as you suggested, is just so arrestingly marvellous.
I almost wrote about the 'double hulled' line from Divers, too, in an earlier post about the song. It's certainly one of the (many) high spots I look forward to in that song, which - to me - is even starting to rival the 'big ones' in that respect (for me, they include: both versions of En Gallop, Emily, Only Skin, Sawdust, the EP version of Cosmia, Have One On Me, Baby Birch, and Kingfisher .. and wow, I was only going to put three there but I found it hard to stop once I got started, and even now I am tempted to add others like Kite ...). Most of those are more of a musical nature than a lyrical one, although clearly they all excel in both categories; an exception might be En Gallop where it is the stunning changes of tempo, and the play-off between hesitancy and confidence that make it an absolute stand-out for me, and one I always hope will do better in JNSTs [I'm not trying to influence anyone's votes, though ... honestly! Perhaps those moments in this particular song are not easy to 'get': they had to be pointed out to me before I really appreciated them, and I wonder whether many people overlook them, as I did for a long while]. Anyway - what I was going to say about the 'double hulls' line, and it's an odd point, but I really like how the end of that line ('double masts') sounds: for me - and I don't know if it's generic to southern English speakers, there is generally something very slightly grating about the American 'a' sound when words like 'masts' are sung, especially when they are emphasised or at the end of a line. However, here is a rare exception: Joanna pulls it off perfectly, and it's a stand-out line in the song for me. (I have no way to explain my prejudice, which is in no way meant to be derogatory towards anyone's accent: in fact, I appreciate accents as a rule. I should also add, though, that attempts by singers to mitigate it, or substitute southern English pronunciation in their songs are usually doomed to failure. The classic case is Lady In Red by Chris De Burgh, when he contrives to pronounce 'dance' as I would - with a long 'aa' - and it sounds dreadful, and then he attempts to rhyme it with 'romance' which does naturally have that 'a' sound as in Alabama. Anyway - well done Joanna for navigating round those offshore rocks in this great line. And, I feel her pain but she does really well with the initial unstressed 'a' sounds in "flight Attendant" and "anelectric and Alone", too.

The one I hadn't especially picked up on is 'sky', so I am now going to head off and listen to Pin Light again to experience it for myself.

UPDATE: Pin Light:
'Sky' - super.
Better: breathy 'but' beforehand — brilliant!

I also forgot to say happy birthday, Steve! Hope you had a lovely evening :>

Set 5 - Pairings 25 to 30
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-25 - In California
Pairing A-26 - Sawdust & Diamonds
Pairing A-27 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-28 - Only Skin
Pairing A-30 - Go Long
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-25 - Divers
Pairing B-26 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing B-27 - Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne
Pairing B-28 - Sadie
Pairing B-30 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-25 - Time, As A Symptom
Pairing C-26 - Colleen
Pairing C-27 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-28 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-30 - Easy

Set 6 - Pairings 31 to 36
FIRST DIVISION
Pairing A-32 - Sawdust & Diamonds || Go Long (tie)
Pairing A-33 - Have One On Me
Pairing A-34 - Only Skin
Pairing A-35 - Monkey & Bear || Baby Birch (tie)
Pairing A-36 - Kingfisher || Emily (tie)
SECOND DIVISION
Pairing B-32 - Peach, Plum, Pear
Pairing B-33 - Divers
Pairing B-34 - You Will Not Take My Heart Alive
Pairing B-35 - '81
Pairing B-36 - Good Intentions Paving Co.
THIRD DIVISION
Pairing C-32 - Colleen
Pairing C-33 - Soft As Chalk
Pairing C-34 - Swansea
Pairing C-35 - Ribbon Bows
Pairing C-36 - Easy

Thank you for your votes, solfatara, and for your kind comment. My sister came to visit (with food) - this is the same sister who I invited to accompany me to the concert last mont . She asked who was playing, and when I SMS:ed her that it was Joanna Newsom, I didn't get a reply. Oh well, tastes differ I suppose. Some people have them, and others just don't . the food was nice though.