Today is day 100 of 2026, it's also four days until They Might Be Giants release their much anticipated 24th album, The World is to Dig! They Might Be Giants is my favorite band of all time, as anyone who knows me would know. In preparation for this new album, I've decided to revisit every album of theirs over the next few days.
The albums I have chosen today are the following:
- They Might Be Giants
- Lincoln
- Flood
- The Spine
- Join Us
- I Like Fun
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Nora, why wouldn't you just do all the albums in order?" This is more fun for me, personally. You're also probably thinking "You can't write six decent reviews in one day!" and to that I say, You're right. I know this. However, I am a madwoman and I am going to try anyway.
Let's begin, shall we?
They Might Be Giants (1986)
From the very beginning, John Flansburgh and John Linnell have made it clear they weren’t afraid to get a little silly with it. They weren't the first band to get silly with it. Hell, even The Beatles did at times, but They Might Be Giants made it their identity. For starters, the art for this very album was drawn by Rodney Alan Greenblat, who would go on to do the art for the video game Parappa the Rapper. They also came up with the strange concept of "Dial-A-Song," an answering machine set up in Flansburgh's apartment that would play a song as an outgoing message. It was a unique and silly way to get their demos out there.
From the whimsical sound of “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head” and “Don’t Let’s Start” to the haunting and almost melancholic “She’s An Angel” and “Hide Away Folk Family,” this album manages to maintain a childlike sound and aesthetic. Almost to a fault, there’s definitely some apparent low points here. “Chess Piece Face,” “Toddler Hiway” and “32 Footsteps” to name a few. I’d say the high points cancel out the low, in fact I think they almost add to the charm a bit. It all comes together to make an incredible debut.
I think much of the amateur feel here comes from the lack of a backing band, just two Johns a drum machine, and some samples every now and then. Again, I find this to be more charming than detrimental personally. They wouldn’t have a backing band until John Henry, the lineup of which would change quite a bit. Indeed, we’ve got a long way to go until Beller, Miller, and Weinkauf.
10/10
Favorite Tracks: Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head, Don't Let's Start, Rabid Child, Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes, She's an Angel, I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die, Alienation's For the Rich, Rhythm Section Want Ad
Least Favorite Tracks: Toddler Hiway, Chess Piece Face
Lincoln (1998)
The Johns’ sophomore effort is a bit more mature sounding, while still retaining Pink’s whimsical charm. I think it’s much more refined and polished, which is crazy because there’s only one less song on this damn thing. Some of the band’s most iconic, and most celebrated work is on here. “Ana Ng” “Purple Toupee” “Where Your Eyes Don’t Go” “The World’s Address” “They’ll Need a Crane” and “Kiss Me Son of God” just to name a few. When I start to think about it, I might actually like this one more than Pink. Crazy, I know!!! It’s definitely a fan favorite for a reason.
There’s still no backing band yet, so we’re still treated to the lovely sound of that all so familiar drum machine here. Although much of the production is done on a Macintosh computer this go around.
Despite Lincoln feeling much more concise than its predecessor, there’s still some pretty odd songs on here. “Cage & Aquarium” feels like there’s a second verse that’s just missing, “You’ll Miss Me” is considered one of the worst early TMBG songs, and while it’s definitely my least favorite here, it’s not bad. There’s also some very haunting bangers on here, such as “I’ve Got a Match” and “Kiss Me, Son of God.” Honestly, I think this or Flood might be one of their best albums to start with if you want to get a good taste of They Might Be Giants.
10/10
Favorite Tracks: Ana Ng, Purple Toupee, Where Your Eyes Don't Go, The World's Address, I've Got A Match, They'll Need a Crane, Snowball In Hell, Kiss Me Son of God
Least Favorite Tracks: You'll Miss Me
Flood (1990)
It’s the one with “Birdhouse in Your Soul.” It’s the one with “Istanbul (Not Constantinople.)” It’s the one with “Particle Man.” Those are just the most well known songs, there’s 16 other bangers on here. Well, most of them are bangers. “Theme From Flood” serves as a good intro, and “Minimum Wage” is fine for what it is. It’s safe to say that Flood is their most beloved album for a reason.
I don’t want to go on a whole tangent about “Birdhouse in Your Soul” but My God, what a song that is. I’d go as far as to call it a beautiful masterpiece. A perfect song, even.
There’s also songs that hit me deep and personally in my soul, like “Letterbox” and “Your Racist Friend,” because I unfortunately knew someone like that lol.
Songs like “Whistling in the Dark” and “We Want a Rock” are so fun you almost forget that there’s a deeper meaning behind them. There are still songs on the slower and melancholic side though! “Road Movie to Berlin” and “Hearing Aid” for example. I also wanna bring up “Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love” because that’s one of my favorite songs ever.
Oh yeah, one more thing I almost forgot to mention! This is their first album with Elektra, and it kinda shows in their sound but not really? I dunno, it’s still just John and John but the album has much more of a “we just got signed to a bigger record label” sound to it.
Also for everyone who didn’t know that “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” was a cover, I’m sorry mwehehe. Just wait til you find out about New York City and Why Does the Sun Shine?
10/10
Favorite Tracks: Birdhouse in Your Soul, Lucky Ball & Chain, Istanbul (Not Constantinople), Your Racist Friend, We Want a Rock, Hearing Aid, Whistling in the Dark, Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love, They Might Be Giants, Road Movie to Berlin
Least Favorite Tracks: Hot Cha, Minimum Wage, Theme From Flood
The Spine (2004)
Oh, hey! It’s the Homestar Runner album. Not really, the opener track “Experimental Film” has a Homestar Runner music video, but that’s it.
We’re skipping a bit forward in time here, weird I know. Like I said, this just makes things more fun for me. >:3 Anyways, we have a backing band now!
Dan Miller on guitar and keyboards, Danny Weinkauf on bass and keyboards, and Marty Beller on the drums! Those first two have been with the band since 1998, and Marty has been with them since 2002.
This was their first album after their dip into children’s music, and it’s kinda clear on some of these songs. Not that that’s a bad thing. “Stalk of Wheat” just straight up sounds like a kids’ song and I could also see “Prevenge” being on a kids’ album of some sort.
There’s still some beautiful songs on here. I adore “Museum of Idiots” “Thunderbird” and the bonus track “Renew My Subscription.”
I also really love the more fun and upbeat songs. The loud and energetic “It’s Kickin’ In” and the infectious “Damn Good Times” which could put anybody in a good mood.
Of course, there are some lows on here. “The World Before Later On” is kinda haunting but not very interesting honestly. “Bastard Wants To Hit Me” is one of the few TMBG songs I’d actually say I think is bad. Also, please don’t crucify me, but I really do not care for “Wearing a Raincoat.”
8/10
Favorite Tracks: Experimental Film, Museum of Idiots, It's Kickin In, Damn Good Times
Least Favorite Tracks: Bastard Wants to Hit Me
Join Us (2011)
Some people may disagree with me, and that’s okay. I don’t think They Might Be Giants have lost their touch. I definitely feel like they’re trying to adapt to more of a 2010s vibe and sound here, and I personally think it goes surprisingly well.
In my opinion, “Cloisonné” “You Probably Get That A Lot” “Can’t Keep Johnny Down” “Celebration” and “When Will You Die?” best reflect what I mean.
I understand why some people don’t like it, but personally I’m all for it. Maybe it’s because I was born in 2006, though.
One criticism I do see with not only this album but other TMBG albums is that it kinda dips in quality near the end. While I disagree on most of their other albums I’ve heard people say that about, I’ll have to agree here. “2082” “Three Might Be Duende” “You Don’t Like Me” and “Never Knew Love” are definitely not bad songs, but there’s a lot of better stuff on here.
TMBG have always been good at adapting to the times, I think. Definitely not the mainstream sound of 2011, but let’s be real the mainstream sound of 2011 sucked. Thank God we don’t have a Stomp Clap Hey album from They Might Be Giants, right?
Not yet at least… fingers crossed it stays that way forever.
I will say, though. “Protagonist” sounds like something that would be on The Spine. Also everyone who hates on “Dog Walker” listen to Ween’s “Pure Guava” and get back to me please.
9/10
Favorite Tracks: Can't Keep Johnny Down, You Probably Get That A Lot, Cloisonne, When Will You Die?, The Lady and The Tiger
Least Favorite Tracks: Judy Is Your Viet Nam
I Like Fun (2018)
Probably TMBG’s most political and bleak album yet. They Might Be Giants have never been afraid to get political, even popular songs like “Kiss Me Son of God” and “Your Racist Friend” from 3 decades before this make that very clear. However, those were just one song on one album. Nearly the entire album feels allegorical for the political climate at the time it was released, 2018.
I won’t get into what 2018 was like for America, because I think everyone in and outside of the country knows. “Let’s Get This Over With” is a sentiment I feel like was very common with people on the left towards the administration of the time.
Then there’s songs like “Lake Monsters” and “An Insult to the Fact Checkers” which I feel are very clear in their message.
“Last Wave” believe it or not has nothing to do with the administration, rather it started as a bad lip reading of the music video for Aerosmith & Run-DMC’s “Walk This Way” that they decided to turn into its own song.
There’s also quite a few songs on here that are very clearly about drugs of some kind. “McCafferty’s Bib” “I Like Fun” and maybe a case could be made for “When The Lights Come On?” Either way, it’s definitely their most outwardly dark album they’ve put out yet. In both sound and lyrics. I think most people understand that TMBG’s whole thing is silly sounding songs with dark lyrics (not always of course) and while many of these songs can be upbeat they still reflect this sort of hopelessness and bleakness that was going on at the time.
For that, I kinda love it! Might be my favorite TMBG album that isn’t a 10/10. A part of me wonders if The World is to Dig will be similar, but from what I’ve heard and read about it, Join Us would probably be a better comparison. Of course, that’s all subjective tbh, but the tracklist does have a couple references to Join Us. Sorry, I’m getting off topic.
I Like Fun is great. If for some reason you want a “mature” and “dark” tmbg album, this is the best you’re gonna get.
9/10
Favorite Tracks: Let's Get This Over With, Mrs. Bluebeard, Last Wave
Least Favorite Tracks: By The Time You Get This
Song of the Day: They Might Be Giants - Mrs. Bluebeard
Honestly, one of my favorite songs from this band to come out in the last 20 years.
The World is To Dig in 4 days!
