Fresh Squeezed: The Books

The Books "The Way Out" (Temporary Residence Limited, July 20th, 2010)

There are many perks to writing about something you love as much as I love music, and receiving the new album from The Books over two months early is a big one. I've decided to try to give you a track by track account of my thoughts on what will probably be my favorite album of 2010.

"Group Autogenics I"
"Greetings and welcome... welcome to a new beginning" Beginning with samples galore, The Books are back after a five year hiatus from the studio. This first track is a mediation-ready song that attempts to prepare the listener for the journey that is about to begin.

"IDKT"
A brief track, 1:42, that begins the wind-up to the meaty album that is coming. It's a slow build that begins with a cranking sound and ends with almost a full-blown symphony before dropping off into track three.

"I Didn't Know That"
Here is the new beginning, the "way out" sound, the push forward for The Books, and it is funky. Yes, I said funky, well it's chopped up funk to be exact. The multiple layers on this track include, organ, sampled-funk tracks, big bass lines, and a sampled vocal track that is chopped and speed-up so it becomes an instrument. There is also a slight turntablist element to this track. It shows that the duo influence base has expanded to allow for many varied types of music.

"A Cold Freezin' Night"
Filled with a variety of children's voice waging war on each other verbally. This adds a fun, but disturbing element to the track. It exposes the native instincts of kids, and feuds that can occur. My favorite part is the girl that keeps wishing she was a boy because she feels boys are tougher than girls.

"Beautiful People" (mp3)
This is a return to more of what you may have expected from The Books. Oddly processed guitars picking, finely structured rhythms, and the beautiful harmonies. This track is the pinnacle and one of the finest songs I've heard in a long time.

"I Am Who I Am"
"Nuttiness" One words and then a full on launch into faux-techno, heavily electronic music. It is almost like they are laying it all out there, and saying "I Am Who I Am"... love it or leave it.

"Chain of Missing Links"
A cool down of sorts compared to the previous track. A mini-mind-trip that allows you to float a little. The track a few heavy electro-bit that give a subtle nod to Aphex Twin.

"All You Need Is A Wall"
"You don't feel a thing when your drinking from the springs of living water"
A continuation of the meditation theme, this is trembling and fragile folk ballad that floats in and out of focus. It is almost like the radio dial they had been twisting finally broke off and they are streaming Heaven directly.

"Thirty Incoming"
It begins with a lonely voicemail longing for a receptive ear, and winds into a swirling journey of sound. As Mary continues to play her voicemail the song swells and soars.

"A Wonderful Phrase By Gandhi"
"I do dimly perceive that whilst everything around me is ever-changing, ever-dying, there is underlying all that change a living Power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves and recreates."

"We Bought The Flood"
"Focus on the pain, focus on the way to get out"
This is the second track that the duo really sings on and it is also really beautiful. It continues the crackle of the Gandhi quotes as it slowly builds into a tribal dirge. The ending of this track is haunting and so fitting.

"The Story of Hip Hop"
The Books do hip hop? Yes, and it is a perfect marriage of elements. They already have the sample theory down, and beat seemed to come so easily. The do it through a children's story about a little rabbit named Hip Hop. This sound could be compared to RJD2, Prefuse 73, Wax Tailor, and others, but Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong have put their own spin on it.

"Free Translator"
Looking at the title of this track I thought it would be a jumble of languages blending together repeating phrases from around the world. This track could not be any further away from that thought. With lone sample, somber trumpet, and hushed vocals, this closest the album comes to straight-forward songwriting. I am not sure what they are trying to say, but I love listening to it.

"Group Autogenics II"

This is an album that is wonderfully intricate, but does not take itself too seriously. Just like with other Books' album you will find something new with each listen and you won't want to stop listening.

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