{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Thought for Food | type = studio | artist = the Books | cover = The Books - Thought for Food.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = {{start date|2002|06|03}} | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Folktronica<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tapeop.com/interviews/bonus/lost-and-safe-books/ |title=Lost and Safe with The Books |website=Tape Op |date=October 28, 2006 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |last=Macdonald |first=Cameron}}</ref>|post-rock<ref name="Spin"/>|sound collage<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/128467-the-books-the-way-out-2496166140.html |title=The Books: The Way Out |website=PopMatters |date=July 20, 2010 |access-date=August 21, 2022 |last=Amidon |first=David}}</ref>}} | length = {{duration|m=38|s=31}} | label = Tomlab | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = The Lemon of Pink | next_year = 2003 | misc = {{Extra album cover | type = studio | cover = Thought for Food 2011 reissue.png | border = | alt = | caption = 2011 reissue }} }}
'''''Thought for Food''''' is the debut studio album by American musical duo the Books. It was released on June 3, 2002 by Tomlab.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tomlab.com/catalog/tom020 |title=The Books: Thought For Food |publisher=Tomlab |access-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref> The album exhibits the duo's characteristic sampling from a variety of mundane and instrumental sources.
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/thought-for-food-mw0000663254 |title=Thought for Food – The Books |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=January 2, 2016 |last=Richardson |first=Mark}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev2score = 9.0/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/854-thought-for-food/ |title=The Books: Thought for Food |website=Pitchfork |date=July 23, 2002 |access-date=January 2, 2016 |last=Richardson |first=Mark}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Stylus Magazine'' | rev3score = 9.1/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/musicreviews/the_books-thought_for_food.shtml |title=The Books – Thought for Food |website=Stylus Magazine |access-date=January 2, 2016 |last=Estefan |first=Kareem |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030320130046/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/musicreviews/the_books-thought_for_food.shtml |archive-date=March 20, 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' | rev4score = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/books-thought-food |title=The Books – Thought for Food |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=January 2, 2016}}</ref> |rev5 = ''Tom Hull – on the Web'' |rev5Score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm3}})<ref>{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 19, 2021|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2938-Music-Week.html|title=Music Week|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|accessdate=April 20, 2021}}</ref> }}
''Pitchfork'' ranked ''Thought for Food'' as the fourth best album of 2002,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/5888-top-50-albums-of-2002/?page=5 |title=Top 50 Albums of 2002 |website=Pitchfork |date=January 1, 2003 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |page=5}}</ref> and as the 125th best album of the 2000s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/?page=4 |title=The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s |website=Pitchfork |date=October 2, 2009 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |page=4}}</ref> In 2015, ''Spin'' ranked ''Thought for Food'' at number 285 on its list of "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years".<ref name="Spin">{{cite web |url=https://www.spin.com/2015/05/the-300-best-albums-of-the-past-30-years-1985-2014/ |title=The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014) |website=Spin |date=May 11, 2015 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |page=1}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_music = The Books (Paul de Jong and Nick Zammuto) | title1 = Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again | length1 = 4:05 | title2 = Read, Eat, Sleep | length2 = 3:46 | title3 = All Bad Ends All | length3 = 2:42 | title4 = Contempt | length4 = 3:20 | title5 = All Our Base Are Belong to Them | length5 = 4:18 | title6 = Thankyoubranch | length6 = 5:05 | title7 = Motherless Bastard | length7 = 4:11 | title8 = Mikey Bass | length8 = 2:52 | title9 = Excess Straussess | length9 = 2:06 | title10 = Getting the Done Job | length10 = 3:49 | title11 = A Dead Fish Gains the Power of Observation | length11 = 1:07 | title12 = Deafkids | length12 = 1:10 | total_length = 38:31 }}
==Personnel== Credits are adapted from the liner notes of the 2002 and 2011 issues of the album.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Thought for Food |author=The Books |author-link=The Books |publisher=Tomlab |year=2002 |id=tom20 |type=liner notes}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Thought for Food |author=The Books |author-link=The Books |publisher=Temporary Residence Limited |year=2011 |id=TRR180 CD |type=liner notes}}</ref>
'''The Books''' * Paul de Jong – music, mastering, mixing * Nick Zammuto – music, mastering, mixing
'''Additional personnel''' * Anne Doerner – fiddle and harmony vocals on "Getting the Done Job" * Frieda Luczak – cover design * Mikey Zammuto – bass on "Mikey Bass"
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|184730|Thought for Food}} * {{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=2645e496-648d-3388-98ad-1c3d8edf113d|name=Thought for Food}}
{{The Books}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2002 debut albums Category:The Books albums Category:Tomlab albums Category:Sound collage albums
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