Perfect Sound Whatever
{{For|the song by Jeff Rosenstock|Worry (album)}}
{{Short description|2019 book by James Acaster}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Perfect Sound Whatever
| image = Front cover of Perfect Sound Whatever by James Acaster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Front cover
| author = James Acaster
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| subject = Autobiography
| publisher = Headline Publishing Group
| pub_date = 22 August 2019
| media_type = Print
Audiobook
| pages = 304
| audio_read_by = James Acaster
| isbn = 1472260309
}}
Perfect Sound Whatever is a 2019 book by James Acaster charting his project to catalogue the music of 2016, with the aim of proving that 2016 was 'the best year for music ever'. The book is named after the song of the same name by Jeff Rosenstock.{{Cite news|date=2019-08-22|title=Why James Acaster thinks 2016 was music's best year ever|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49278814|access-date=2021-11-16}}
Synopsis
In 2017, Acaster broke up with his girlfriend and terminated his relationship with his agent.{{Cite web|title=Perfect Sound Whatever - Record Collector Magazine|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/book/perfect-sound-whatever-james-acaster|access-date=2021-11-16|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/james-acaster/perfect-sound-whatever/9781472260321/|title=Perfect Sound Whatever|date=2019-02-22|isbn=978-1-4722-6032-1|language=en-US}} He was also exhausted from recording several live stand up specials and an unrelenting touring schedule. This combination of events left him feeling depressed and lost.{{Cite web|last=Steve|first=Bennett|title=Perfect Sound Whatever, by James Acaster|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/books/2019/09/12/44305/perfect_sound_whatever,_by_james_acaster|website=Chortle}} Acaster found solace in purchasing music albums from the year 2016, initially as an effort to reconnect with music, something he had previously gotten great joy from, and felt that he had lost.{{Cite web|last1=Deshp|first1=Kavya|last2=e|date=2020-02-08|title=Violent Music - Acaster's 'Perfect Sound Whatever'|url=https://cherwell.org/2020/02/08/violent-music-acasters-perfect-sound-whatever/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Cherwell|language=en-GB}} Eventually, this project saw him purchasing over 500 albums from various artists and genres, the only thing connecting them being the publication year of 2016.{{Cite web|last=Davies|first=Hannah|title=James Acaster: 'Adulthood is still a bit daunting'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/aug/24/james-acaster-interview-adulthood-is-still-a-bit-daunting|website=The Guardian}}{{Cite web|title=Comedian James Acaster's second book goes to Headline {{!}} The Bookseller|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/headline-scoops-second-book-comedian-james-acaster-960171|access-date=2021-11-16|website=www.thebookseller.com}} Eventually, Acaster becomes convinced that 2016 was 'the best year for music ever'.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-26|title=Perfect Sound Whatever by James Acaster|url=https://nbmagazine.co.uk/perfect-sound-whatever-by-james-acaster/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=NB|language=en-US}}
The book lists all the albums that Acaster purchased as part of his project, with a brief description of each one, accompanied by various stories from Acaster's earlier life, his experience playing in the band 'The Wow! Scenario' and the events that led up to the project.
Albums featured in the book
- Worry by Jeff Rosenstock
- The Dreaming Room by Laura Mvula
- Lemonade by Beyoncé
- Blackstar by David Bowie
- Splendor & Misery by Clipping
- The Life of Pablo by Kanye West
- A Seat at the Table by Solange Knowles
- Untitled Unmastered by Kendrick Lamar
- Telefone by Noname
- The Party by Andy Shauf
- A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead
- Skeleton Tree by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- 22, A Million by Bon Iver
- Blonde by Frank Ocean
- Howdilly Doodilly by Okilly Dokilly
- Black Terry Cat by Xenia Rubinos