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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I don‘t think I‘ve ever written an actual review on goodreads before but this book was amazing. It gave me a new appreciation for new music and listening to whole albums as a work of art instead of just singular tracks. It also gave me a new appreciation for genres and artists I might not have listened to before (though not all of them vibed with me, but that‘s okay). I‘m currently still listening to all the recommendations he gives us in the book and I don‘t think I could have picked a better time to read this book than during the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic. I also had to come back home from a trip to Australia and New Zealand that was cut short due to the pandemic (I never made it to NZ unfortunately) and this book and listening to the albums gave me a way to be distracted from feeling sorry for myself. And it gave me the possibility to experience the feeling of learning something new/experiencing something new every day that I listened to a “new” 2016 album, during a time where I wasn’t allowed to leave the house.
Now this review is probably a bit long and it’s all about just me enjoying the music. But the book itself is a great read too! I feel like even people who might not know James Acaster that well, would enjoy this book, because the way he writes about the artists and albums is very engaging and it makes you want to immediately listen to all the albums you just read about. I also think his descriptions make you appreciate the music a bit more, even if it’s a genre you wouldn’t normally listen to.
Anyway, enough of me rambling! Go read the book and listen to some 2016 masterpieces!
Now this review is probably a bit long and it’s all about just me enjoying the music. But the book itself is a great read too! I feel like even people who might not know James Acaster that well, would enjoy this book, because the way he writes about the artists and albums is very engaging and it makes you want to immediately listen to all the albums you just read about. I also think his descriptions make you appreciate the music a bit more, even if it’s a genre you wouldn’t normally listen to.
Anyway, enough of me rambling! Go read the book and listen to some 2016 masterpieces!
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
2017 wasn't a great year for James Acaster. Recently split from his partner and with his relationship with his agent rapidly souring, he threw himself into music to distract himself from his worries. For a long time he had enjoyed a few favourite albums but during 2016 he had started to listen to new music for the first time in years. In true Acaster style, enjoying rummaging through best-of-2016 lists quickly became an obsession and then a full-scale project as he set out to convince the world (and particularly Ed Gamble) that 2016 was the greatest year for music. Ever.
Perfect Sound Whatever is an account of the events of 2017, interspersed by descriptions of the music that Acaster was discovering at the time. Sometimes there is a clear connection between his state of mind and the music he seeks out, but other times the sudden jump from highly personal soul-searching to a music review jars discordantly. But as he is using the quest for the very best of 2016 as a distraction from his woes, perhaps that is fitting.
His taste is wide-ranging and eclectic - I expected references to a dozen or so middle-of-the-road bands as a device to string a story together (sorry James) but this is much more interesting than that. He is frank, honest, self-deprecating and funny. The albums he seeks out are not generally particularly mainstream and he writes about them and the bands with passion, insight and understanding. One thing is clear - if he ever gets bored of comedy, music journalism has to be a potential second career.
Perfect Sound Whatever is an account of the events of 2017, interspersed by descriptions of the music that Acaster was discovering at the time. Sometimes there is a clear connection between his state of mind and the music he seeks out, but other times the sudden jump from highly personal soul-searching to a music review jars discordantly. But as he is using the quest for the very best of 2016 as a distraction from his woes, perhaps that is fitting.
His taste is wide-ranging and eclectic - I expected references to a dozen or so middle-of-the-road bands as a device to string a story together (sorry James) but this is much more interesting than that. He is frank, honest, self-deprecating and funny. The albums he seeks out are not generally particularly mainstream and he writes about them and the bands with passion, insight and understanding. One thing is clear - if he ever gets bored of comedy, music journalism has to be a potential second career.
funny
informative
medium-paced
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
funny
medium-paced
Part memoir, part musical odyssey. This book manages to tear through relatable dread and self-questioning before disarming you with laugh-out-loud lines, then segueing into considered and detailed insights into Acaster’s favourite albums from 2016. Sounds like a weird read, but the narrative always fits neatly with the albums’ themes and they never feel shoehorned in. A wonderful book.