The Books & Monkey Swallows the Universe Reviewed

on Sunday 2 September 2007
Posted on 2007.09.02 at 19:55
Current Music: Battle of Mice - A Day of Nights
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The Books – Lost And Safe (Tomlab)

Few bands have managed to come close to The Books in mixing experimentalism with perfectly acceptable and hospitable pop, perhaps Tunng would be the exception to the rule but to be honest The Books are several furlongs ahead in this particular race. Songs like An Animated Description of Mr Maps and Be Good To Them Always have an almost EMO appeal to them, like the postal service with double the IQ. Charming and inventive, the lyrics echo the samples to amazing effect.

I only realised today, despite having the album a good couple of years that the inner sleeve of the gatefold vinyl contains both the lyrics and samples.
It Never Changes to Stop is thought provoking and ever so slightly disturbing, the Books are geniuses and let’s hope they’ll have a new album for us soon.

An Animated Description of Mr. Maps

He is forty two, five-feet-eight-inches tall,

normally wears his curly hair long.
He has a ruddy complexion, broad shoulders and is barrel-chested,

is unusually strong.

He frequently wears a full beard and sometimes glasses.

He is a college graduate, a talented artist, and sculptor.

Now, Maps is a soft-spoken loner, who resents society and all organizations.

Maps fancies himself a ladies' man.

He is an avid chess player, smokes cigarettes, and a pipe.

He is a beer drinker and loves to eat.

Maps is a man of widespread interests, who might very well be living abroad.

He willed away the miles while quixotically attempting to reclaim his inner child, he was embrangled and enmeshed in something far too loud to comprehend:"I want all of the American people to understand that it isunderstandable that the Americanpeople cannot possibly understand."





I can’t stop listening to… Matter Honey…by Monkey Swallows the Universe. Where my musical tastes tend to veer off towards electronic and post rock meanderings I had previously and still have a soft spot for Belle and Sebastian, all things indie pop and songs as sweet as honey. Matter Honey as the title suggests is a song of such sweetness, reminiscent of the first time I heard Camera Obscura’s 80’s Fan, a song so special and instantly, unknowingly engraving itself on your subconscious mind, one to sing in the shower, in the car and just about anywhere you like.

This is spine tinglingly brilliant with an ace video and cowbells to compliment it.



Monkey Swallows The Universe - Matter Honey





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