Book/Spirit Are Onto Something

Book/Spirit have been doing their thing quietly in Brooklyn, and "Hammock" is the kind of single that makes you pay attention. Built around a dead-simple refrain (We're just coasting along) and the image of the earth as hammock, it shouldn't work as well as it does. But it does.

The track is leaner than anything on their 2024 debut Easements, which moved at the pace of a long walk through the city. Sprawling, jam-rooted, in no particular hurry. This one pushes the chorus up front and gets out. It feels immediate in a way that recalls used CD bins more than algorithmic playlists.

Drummer Garrett Troy brought in the melody and chorus lyric; the band shaped the rest around him. Producer Colin Mohnacs (The Roots, Lee Fields) recorded it at GB's Juke Joint in Long Island City. Bassist Micah Evans makes his full-member debut here, his post-punk sensibility giving the low end more shape and push. There's also a 12-string guitar and a guitar solo from former member Pierre Ratzki — his final session with the band.

The upcoming LP apparently pushes further. On the strength of this, that's worth tracking.

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