song with underlying guitars that accent the friendly techno beats provided by keyboard player Franny Griffiths. The effect is one that gives each song a distinct atmosphere while seldom giving away too much control to either techno or rock. Electronic blips are not overused and show up only to give songs more character." There are also found sound elements to the album; Parle explained: "When we were in Hong Kong, we heard these children saying prayers, it was like a mad wailing sound. Straight away we got out a dictaphone and started taping it. If something's going to make a track sound better we'll use it. As long as it's not contrived." Although the band and the album have been considered Britpop, the band and several music critics have disavowed the connection to the genre; Consumable Online said the band "bears relation to their Britpop neighbors only in their decidedly British accents and their country of origin". Similarly, Dotmusic said the band has "never fitted into any of the post-Britpop guitar band moulds". Although the NME noted the band were seen as "weirdly comic relief from Britpop and Noelrock," they also said they were "as much, if not more, in keeping with a classic British pop lineage as any of those bands"." One reviewer noted how the band were out "to destroy retro-gazing Britpop from within". Lyrics The lyrics of the album are mostly written and sung by Scott, with five other songs written and sung by Murphy; the unusual lyrics have been described as "blood-stained" and "writing madness". Scott said "I get my ideas from Quentin Tarantino movies and Looney Tunes cartoons. We'll never write ordinary love songs. We're more likely to write 'I met a girl and she's in love with me so she poisoned my entire family'." Much of Scott's childhood was spent watching violent American movies on television, which were an influence on the lyrics, but "instead of just relying on the sadistic imagery," the band "go for the full subversive effect by placing those images within the context of upbeat, chipper melodies". "I see the songs I write as soundtracks for particular stories in my head," Scott said, "Musically I like old stuff like Roy Orbison, and some new stuff like Tricky, but movies are the big thing for me. I've never really had heroes in music". Scott commented that "'tis one of life's sweetest