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zmull's review
4.0
Perfect Sound Whatever is a hybrid of music criticism and personal memoir. Early in 2017 comedian James Acaster's life began to fall apart and one way he dealt with it was to listen to music. Specifically music from 2016 which he soon decided was the greatest year for music of all time. The book is a personal story recounting his battles with mental health mixed with reviews and profiles of the musicians behind his favorite 2016 releases. The switching back and forth is clunky, but the honesty of his struggles and his enthusiasm for the music are engaging. 2016 wasn't the greatest year in music of all time but he makes a compelling case for how important it was to his life. James Acaster is a funny, talented guy. I hope he stays well.
kastygian's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Acaster takes an interesting approach to writing a memoir by focusing mainly on two specific years of his life and interweaving the history of various artists and albums of 2016. At times it feels more like a music history book, but the personal views of the music as well as anecdotes of Acaster’s life bring the memoir full circle.
James Acaster’s obsession with music released in 2016 seems to be a coping mechanism for dealing with his life seemingly falling apart. He turns to finding new music as a way to ignore deep feelings, uncomfortable situations, or instances of loneliness. He, like many others, looks to music for escape, comfort, and guidance.
The book’s thesis is: 2016 was the best year for music. Ever. And listening to Acaster’s thorough research on all the albums/songs mentioned, it’s easy to see why he feels this way. Each chapter is a reminder of music I knew and love(d) from that year and even some of my own memories.
As someone who is always looking for new music and artists, I intend to check out a lot of James’ suggestions. As a whole, this memoir is smart, funny, and even embarrassingly honest. It’s a great read for fans of: James Acaster, music from 2016, or music in general, and anyone looking to learn something new!
sohxpie's review
2.0
A book that had potential but ultimately fell flat, I was left a little disappointed honestly. The sections that focused on music were interesting, there were so many new artists and albums I was exposed to, some of which I will definitely give a try. As well as listening to the albums, Acaster clearly devoted a lot of time to researching everything, something that comes across well throughout the whole book. I wasn't so keen on the personal aspects of the novel, I understand that they are there to explain how and why this book came to be and how music helped Acaster get through an awful year in his life. However, I just got a little bored of it, after a point, I felt like it didn't add much to the book, just more words to push through. I didn't really get along with the writing style of the book, I didn't feel like there was anything that particularly gripped me, there wasn't an urge to carry on reading. At times, reading this felt a little like a chore and something I just had to finish and get out of the way. It's a shame but sadly I didn't enjoy this book anywhere near as much as I wanted to.
oliviaehrhart's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0