#tomlab

Tujiko Noriko’s From Tokyo To Naiagara

ANOTHER excellent show happening in Anacortes, WA this week. Saturday, December 8th at Kennelly Keys. 7pm. Click-thru for tickets. Poster by Owen Ashworth.

A fascinating pastiche of deftly-manipulated found sounds and samples interpolated with sparse folk instrumentation and occasional vocals. Mixing collage and skewed composition, the Books subvert pop and folk into their own distinctive approach.   - Timothy Monger

The Books - Lost and Safe Was very lucky to find this OG pressing of Lost and Safe today. This makes two Books records I’ve found great copies of in the used bins. The other being The Way Out which miraculously had all of its stickers perfectly intact. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to this Books album but it may just be my favourite. The Books were one of those bands who showed up, released a near perfect run of records and quit at what seemed like their peak. Both members have gone on to release great solo albums (Paul De Jong has another slated for release this year) which leaves me wondering what might have been. For the uninitiated the Books make some fascinating audio collages with an almost Musique Concrete style of sample flipping. The instrumentals seem to come from just about anywhere and then thrown on top are vocal samples that could be from dollar bin records, TV, Movies, home video, answering machines or anywhere. I’ve always felt there was a great deal of mystery met with the attention to detail of a great scientist in the Books albums. Now I just need Thought for Food and heir EP, Music from a French Elevator to round of the collection. . . . . . #TheBooks #LostandSafe #Tomlab #TomLabRecords #vinyl #records #nowplaying #nowspinning #Thelinernotes #albumart #vinyligclub #recordcollector #vinylgeek #recordcollection #vinyladdiction #albumart #vinylcollectionpost #records_feature

Owen Ashworth is the only artist out there that can make insightful, emotional music by using a cheap sounding casio synthesizer. Or how toy music can be sad. Extra points for the very apt band name! 

The Books - There Is No There

Final Fantasy (also known as Owen Pallett) makes pop music with a violin. Andrew Bird does that too, but does that better. Still, “He poos Clouds” was one of the albums I really loved back then, and This Lamb sells condos is still one of the catchiest songs I know featuring a violin. 

Thee Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In (Tomlab/Castleface, 2008) Thee Oh Sees have a lot going for them, killer hooks, endless energy, killer guitaring, and male and female harmonies. I have a soft spot for guy/girl dual vocals, and these are just right for this music. 0113