After a decade together making genre-defying, experimental music, beloved The Books called it a day in 2012. It was a bittersweet announcement for fans, but the good news was that one-half of the duo, Nick Zammuto, got started right way on his new project, appropriately titled Zammuto. But that shift in his musical career formed a moment of reflection for the musician, who opens up in the new documentary, “No Needle, Just A Haystack.”
The 40-minute film, exclusively streaming on The Playlist, was directed by Garret Harkawik, and takes viewers to Zammuto’s home and studio, where he reflects on The Books, his solo career particularly circa his second LP Anchor, and the changes in his personal life that have forced him to reassess his priorities. It’s almost like a coming-of-middle-age, with Zammuto taking a look at his journey thus far, and getting himself ready for the road ahead, as he balances his creative side with the responsibilities he carries for his family. It’s an eye-opening look into the working life of an artist, and a must-watch for anyone who has even casually followed The Books or Zammuto’s other work.
After that, you can hear “My Dog’s Eyes,” a new track from Zammuto’s forthcoming EP, Veryone, and inspired by Zammuto’s deep dive into the records he amassed during The Books’ tours from 2005-2011.
“Based on an outdated list of childrens’ favorite things, I took each image, found its rhythmic heartbeat and intrinsic melody, and put them in order of increasing tempo as a structural basis for the track,” he explained about the song. “I then composed the other instrumentation around this structure, while trying to bring out the natural cadence and harmony within each phrase.”
Watch the film and listen to the song below. Veryone is out today digitally.
