In 2012, when Nick Zammuto, one-half of celebrated plunderphonic pranksters the Books, announced that he and musical partner Paul de Jong would be splitting up in order to work on their own projects, each member receded into what they did best: Zammuto crafted two albums that expanded on his former band's jazzy electro sound, while de Jong focused on his cello playing.
On de Jong's sophomore solo LP, You Fucken Sucker, the NYC musician has put together 14 tracks that transport the listener through a bevy of emotions and sound, creating a piece of work that properly resembles the original spirit and intention of the Books while pushing its craft even further.
Album opener "Embowelment" features reverbed acoustic guitar gently hammered over a joyful beat, before exploding into schoolyard screams and demonic chants. "Dimples" is a Wendy Carlos-style baroque pastiche, while "Pipe Dream" resembles the most dank and ambient sounds to come from the Books oeuvre, and "Wavehoven" is a simple gorgeous and stark instrumental.
And then there's the title track, a playful and riotous rendition of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," (featuring vocals from Jennifer Cavanaugh and a whole bunch of "fucks" thrown in), and the painful, maddening but captivating closer "Breaking Up," which perfectly encapsulates everything that makes You Fucken Sucker such a rewarding, engrossing and downright bonkers listen.
(Temporary Residence)On de Jong's sophomore solo LP, You Fucken Sucker, the NYC musician has put together 14 tracks that transport the listener through a bevy of emotions and sound, creating a piece of work that properly resembles the original spirit and intention of the Books while pushing its craft even further.
Album opener "Embowelment" features reverbed acoustic guitar gently hammered over a joyful beat, before exploding into schoolyard screams and demonic chants. "Dimples" is a Wendy Carlos-style baroque pastiche, while "Pipe Dream" resembles the most dank and ambient sounds to come from the Books oeuvre, and "Wavehoven" is a simple gorgeous and stark instrumental.
And then there's the title track, a playful and riotous rendition of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," (featuring vocals from Jennifer Cavanaugh and a whole bunch of "fucks" thrown in), and the painful, maddening but captivating closer "Breaking Up," which perfectly encapsulates everything that makes You Fucken Sucker such a rewarding, engrossing and downright bonkers listen.
