Book M

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album| | name = Book M | type = studio | artist = Secret Chiefs 3 | cover = Secret Chiefs 3 - Book M.jpg | venue = | released = {{Start date|df=y|2001|9|11}} | recorded = {{Start date|2001}} | studio = {{Collapsible list|title=Various|titlestyle=font-weight:normal;font-size:12px;background:transparent;text-align:left|{{Plainlist| * Coast Recorders * {{small|(San Francisco, CA)}} * Feast or Famine * {{small|(San Francisco, CA)}} * Littlefield Pipe Organ Chamber * {{small|(San Diego, CA)}} * Mills College * {{small|(Oakland, CA)}} * Rohypnol Studios * {{small|(London, UK)}} * Found Sound * {{small|(San Francisco, CA)}} }}}} | genre = Experimental rock | length = 54:58 | label = Web of Mimicry | producer = Trey Spruance | prev_title = Eyes of Flesh, Eyes of Flame | prev_year = 1999 | next_title = Book of Horizons | next_year = 2004 }}

'''''Book M''''' is the third studio album by Secret Chiefs 3, released on 11 September 2001 by Web of Mimicry.<ref name="sanfrancisco">{{cite web|url=https://secretchiefsthree.bandcamp.com/album/book-m|title=Secret Chiefs 3 Bandcamp|accessdate=September 29, 2023}}</ref> According to a post the band made on Facebook, "Our distributor’s release date was September 18. Our label’s release date was Sept. 11. Our trusty label’s mail-order timed the CD shipment to land on people’s doorsteps right at that fateful moment on Sept 11. So if you’re one of the people who remembers this record playing during the period of major conflagration and upheaval, no you did not hallucinate that, and no you are not alone. A majority of people got the record on Sept 11."<ref name="Facebook">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/secretchiefs3/posts/pfbid02uWsx6CTfgRYpBtN816dc5MTg8yZp8ZjLHrsUdGADKeDtJ7NEbdLGvJjwCJ9uvBg8l|title=Secret Chiefs 3 Facebook Post|accessdate=September 29, 2023}}</ref> Founding member Trevor Dunn appeared on only one song, due to scheduling conflicts with the metal supergroup Fantômas in which he also performs.

==Reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |first=Blake |last=Butler |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000591048|pure_url=yes}}|title=Secret Chiefs 3: ''Book M'' > Review |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=August 8, 2020}}</ref> }}

Blake Butler of AllMusic commended the production and musicianship of ''Book M'', saying "the band proves that they command an amazing grip on their musical reigns, executing flawlessly tight arrangements, even if they are extremely peculiar."<ref name="allmusic"/> Sean Murphy of PopMatters called the album "a near-masterpiece and while it’s delightfully weird enough to scare off the amateurs, there is abundant joy to be found within."<ref name="popmatters">{{cite journal |first=Sean |last=Murphy |url=https://www.popmatters.com/148923-the-alchemist-trey-spruances-ongoing-quest-for-greatness-2495945963.html |title=The Alchemist: Trey Spruance's Ongoing Quest for Greatness |journal=PopMatters |publisher=PopMatters Media, Inc. |date=November 10, 2011 |accessdate=August 8, 2020}}</ref>

== Track listing == {{Track listing | all_writing = Trey Spruance except where otherwise noted | headline = Observance of the Word | title1 = Knights of Damcar | length1 = 2:59 | title2 = Hagia Sophia | length2 = 4:08 | title3 = Vajra | writer3 = traditional | length3 = 3:34 | title4 = Ship of Fools (Stone of Exile) | length4 = 3:35 }} {{Track listing | headline = Engagement of the Sword | title5 = Horsemen of the Invisible | length5 = 3:36 | title6 = Combat for the Angel | length6 = 6:03 | title7 = Zulfiqar III | length7 = 5:14 | title8 = Siege Perilous | writer8 = Salterello IV, traditional | length8 = 5:42 | title9 = Dolorous Stroke | length9 = 2:35 }} {{Track listing | headline = Ritual of the Cup | title10 = Blaze of the Grail | writer10 = Rahul Dev Burman | length10 = 3:58 | title11 = Lapsit Exillis | length11 = 1:38 | title12 = Lapis Baitulous | length12 = 2:23 | title13 = Safina | writer13 = Girma Beyene | length13 = 9:35 }}

==Personnel== Adapted from the ''Book M'' liner notes.<ref name="linearnotes">{{cite AV media notes |title=Book M |title-link=Book M |others=Secret Chiefs 3 |year=2001 |type=booklet |publisher=Web of Mimicry |location=Felton, California}}</ref>

'''Secret Chiefs 3''' * Danny Heifetz – drums (3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13), goblet drum (1, 4, 11, 12), riq (4, 11, 12), zills (5, 11, 12) * Trey Spruance – production, engineering, keyboards (1, 2, 4–7, 9–13), bağlama (1, 4, 8, 12), guitar (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9–13), additional programming (2, 5, 7), electronics (2, 6, 8), Sympitar (3, 12), bass guitar (3, 13), tar (4, 8), trumpet (10, 13), organ (4, 6, 7), arrangements (3), electric guitar (4), twelve-string guitar (4), microtonal guitar (5), percussion (7), remixing (7), goblet drum (8), electric piano (10), zither (10), art direction, illustrations, design * William Winant – tom drums (5), bass drum (8), cymbals (8), frame drum (8), sampler (9), zills (11), bells (12)

'''Additional musicians''' * Trevor Dunn — bass guitar (9) * Timb Harris — violin (1, 8, 11, 12), viola (8) * Eyvind Kang – violin (3, 5, 6, 10, 13), cello (7) * Fatima Khanoam – santur (1, 4, 11) * Clinton "Bär" McKinnon – saxophone (10, 13) * Jason Schimmel – mandolin (4), acoustic guitar (4) * Danny Shamoun – goblet drum (1, 4), riq (1, 4) * Tim Smolens – contrabass (1, 4, 11), cello (1, 11, 12), bass guitar (6)

'''Production and design''' * Billy Anderson – engineering (1–8, 10–13) * Thom Canova – mastering, recording (9) * Earl Kluck – typesetting, design * Mari Kono – illustrations, design

==Release history== {|class="wikitable" ! Region ! Date ! Label ! Format ! Catalog |- | United States | 2001 | Web of Mimicry | CD | WOM 006 |- | France | 2015 | !Angrr! | LP | GRr 018 |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [https://secretchiefsthree.bandcamp.com/album/book-m ''Book M''] at Bandcamp * {{Discogs master |master=513497 |name=Book M |type=album}}

Category:2001 albums Category:Secret Chiefs 3 albums Category:Web of Mimicry albums Category:Albums produced by Trey Spruance