The United Colors of Trouble Books

By: Charbarred | in: Music |

Trouble Books

If you find a great headphones album, hang on to it. There’s a lot of electronic bullshit out there. There are also many artists who think that layering sounds will cover the fact that their song-writing is seriously lacking. And then there’s Trouble Books.

You can try and piece together some info about them from my previous post. Their latest album “The United Colors of Trouble Books” is shear joy. It’s a moving piece of art that aims to explore ambience and mood without skimping on the actual music.

Trouble Books - CFHC

The first thing you notice when listening to it is how organic it is. There’s a noticeable hiss throughout the album that conveys the fact that it was not pieced together on a computer. Yeah, this album breathes constantly, and mostly on purpose, giving it the sort of life that is so absent on many modern albums.

Technicalities aside, Trouble Books write sweet pop fragments and layer soundscapes on top of them to create an almost religious experience. Sugary boy-girl vocals are hidden under ominous swooshes of reverberation. David Lynch comes to mind, there’s the visual aesthetic with the dark undertones, minus the pretension of course.

Trouble Books - Night of the Pelican Street Sweep

Some of songs could have been minor indie-hits but are not meant to be stuck in a playlist with other O.C. wannabes. “The United Colors of Trouble Books” is meant as a complete narrative which often leaves potentially catchy tunes to start and never end. Instead songs take surprising turns and serve the higher purpose of providing the listener with a complete musical experience. Lyrically there’s astounding frankness in the album, you’ll find heartbreaking snippets of life next to very romantic declarations - very affecting material.

This is THE album to listen to with headphones. Just close your eyes and let the guys take you an incredible journey. To complement this, Trouble Books have chosen to press their music onto vinyl. $7.50 will get the vinyl plus a CDR, and if I understand correctly it might also be hand painted. Get it here.

Bottom line: Not for the un-initiated, but if you get it, this will be the best thing you’ve heard in a very long time.

[Trouble Books on MySpace]

[Trouble Books - Official Site]

[Buy the Album]

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Posted on May 7, 2008