Listen to: The Books
The first time I heard the song “The Lemon of Pink” from The Book’s same-titled album, I practically stopped in my tracks (where my tracks are me sitting at my computer at work listening to SomaFM’s Indie Pop Rocks).
I’m not exactly sure when I heard it first (I purchased the CD last fall), but I remember remarking to some friends afterwards, “This is what I imagine the music of the future sounds like.” Equal parts found audio from diverse sources, banjo-y guitar, and electric cello, they combine it all in a sometimes dissonant, heartbeat-skipping way that sounds unlike any other music I know.
Stephanie and I managed to see them play at the Great American Music Hall last April, and what surprised me about their performance (granted I had no idea what to expect) was how much they actually played and sang: a lot. Adding to the experience was the fact that almost all their audio samples come from video sources—which they projected on a giant screen behind them.
Here’s a taste:
The Books - Take Time
The Books - There is no there
i also like this record.