Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Less Rock, More Talk (in a good way), July 23, 2004
It's hard to think how anyone could follow up such a strikingly unique release as Thought for Food, The Books first masterpiece. As with their songs, the Books seem to approach their album progression with a knack for mixing subtle and drastic evolutions to startling effect.
The most immediately noticeable difference in the Lemon of Pink is the greater use of vocal tracks; indeed, many tracks even feature singing! This departure from Thought for Food initially turned me off the album, I expecting more of the eerie hauntings of Thought for Food. The more I listened though, the more I was amazed at their ability to create synergy between eclectic sound samples and organic vocal tracks.
The result is what I believe to be a much more accessible album than Thought for Food. While Thought is more immediately striking with its ommissions of many elements considered indespinsible to a modern record, the Lemon of Pink actually pushes the envelope further with its synthesis of traditional and innovative sound. While Thought for Food was clearly a product of modern innovators, The Lemon of Pink seems pulled out of some past that never was, evoking in one feelings of odd familiarity and even nostalgia despite the fantastic newness of it all. The soothing vocals on the title track evoke a long lost lover or friend whispering of mysteries wrapped in the haze of time.
The Lemon of Pink could be compared to a piece of fine sculpture. A casual glance reveals a work of startling beauty, while a careful study yields countless intricate details and attentions that establish it as the work of a master. While some tracks may seem indulgent(bonanza, explanation mark), when considered as part of the whole their place and purpose becomes apparent.
And of course, the Books trademark fascination with language and wordplay permeates the work, from the name of the album and tracks to cryptic vocal samples such as "with your eyes closed, close your eyes," and "something unknown is doing we don't know what."
I've had this album for around eight months now, yet with every listen I discover new subtleties I hadn't heard before. To give this record anything short of five stars would be criminal, and I highly recommend The Lemon of Pink to anyone with an interest in beautiful compositions at the frontier of music. Country and Eastern aficionados too.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More of the Same of the Different, October 24, 2003
I know. I know exactly what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Second album. First album was amazing. Could be it was an unrepeatable task." It was, thankfully, mercifully, astonishingly, not. There's a vocalist, Anne Doerner, singing on several of the tracks (It's really okay, I promise. I wouldn't have believed it either until I heard it.), but more than anything this sophomore offering underscores the postulate offered on their last record: that they are, in fact, more than anything, a crazy American folk band. Yes, samples abound, alongside the concomitant banjo licks. And the flavor of electronica tingles a little more shockingly on the tongue. But this, my friends, is The Books second album as only The Books (as you imagined they just might be) could have made.
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34 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How the Record Store gets your Money, April 27, 2004
I did not intend to buy this cd.
I merely walked into a record store and decided I'd take advantage of their cd players that they allow customers to use for previewing purposes. I had already bought a cd that day, and I was certainly not going to buy another so soon. I put the head phones on, and was instantly blown away under 20 seconds. Jaw dropped, eyes full open, scrambling to check the interior of my wallet.
2 minutes later I bought this cd.
This is an excellent CD. A complete classic. Its probably not very accessable, but if you are a fan of Four tet, or Manitoba, you might find this a natural extension. I'm blown away.
Damn you record store!!!
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