Belfast 2007: what to do, what to see

"I have been listening to a band recently called The Books and they make me fucking angry. I think 'I should have done that!' That's when I know I am really impressed by something. Some of their things are a bit of a mess, but the best things they've done are absolutely outstanding. It puts everything else in the shade. That's the benchmark, that kind of originality and attention to detail." Brian Eno


Obsessive, immaculate, organic and sometime absurd, American band The Books are a unique proposition. Their confoundingly beautiful music makes references meaningless, taking in lo-fi banjo and guitar Americana, precise electronica, cut-up bluegrass and surreal samples. The Books' 2006 release, Lost and Found (Tomlab), has become an international sensation and was chosen as album of the year by both Pitchfork and The Wire.