The Books - Thought For Food (Album Review)

 

The Books - Thought For Food

(2002)

My copy: 2016 reissue by Temporary Residence LTD.

Thought For Food is exactly as its name implies: a digital and instrumental stream of consciousness in which all sorts of samples, cracks, pops and bangs are whirling all about at once. “Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again” excellently eases newcomers into what they should expect: acoustic instruments are slapped and plucked and utilized more as a percussive element rather than a melodic presence. The Books borrow from freak-folk, IDM, and plunderphonics by constantly feeding the listener new sounds, even if only for seconds at a time. 

Thought For Food is a maximalist avant-garde electronic adventure, and yet it is grounded by its clever usage of string instruments; it feels at times like a computer attempting to generate the collective consciousness of a small rural town. Thought For Food is not always so jittery, there are moments of ambient introspection on tracks like “Contempt,” the end of “Thankyoubranch” or “Excess Straussess.” The books have expertly woven in a collection of oddball vocal samples and field recordings and it’s nearly impossible not to crack a grin at samples on tracks like “Motherless Bastard” or “A Dead Fish Gains the Power of Observation.”

Perhaps the best moments are when the duo actively utilize their own vocal melodies, the most easily memorable track is “All Our Base Are Belong to Them” (yes this is named after a meme) which tactfully incorporates all prior musical elements alongside a catchy vocal performance set to some great lines. “I was born on the day music died” is sure to stick in your head after hearing it. 

At times, Thought For Food suffers from its chaotic nature; this album is not for musical purists as it is largely a painstakingly crafted collage of aural overstimulation. The record can simply have too much going on for anything to definitively stick out, and yet it is also so dense that it draws the listener back in for repeat listens. This is the work of some genuine musical genius, from the production of the percussive string instruments to the genre bending electronic bass pulses and synth lines and the incredibly humorous samples. 

Thought For Food is the work of two highly intelligent class clowns; everything is layered under the guise of a well thought out joke, but hiding underneath the surface is a passionately crafted and unconventional work of art that doesn’t let up on creativity.

    This reissue is still really easy to get your hands on, and I definitely recommend checking out their other albums as well.