Today's Batch:
- John Henry
- Long Tall Weekend
- No!
- My Murdered Remains
- Book
idk what the randomizer has against Glean lol.
John Henry (1994)
I think it's safe to say that this is my favorite They Might Be Giants album. I'm not really sure why, but all the songs on here are pretty damn great. There's not a single song on here that I would say is below an 8/10.
There’s just so much on here I absolutely adore. To name a few, “Destination Moon” “Sleeping in the Flowers” “Self Called Nowhere” and just so, so many more.
I know it’s a widely loved album, one of their more widely loved albums in fact, but still.
This was their first album with a backing band, and some of the more traditional fans were not happy about that. I kinda get it, but still. It’s important to evolve and change your sound. For They Might Be Giants, that was adding a few extra members.
Tony Maimone and Graham Maby on bass, Brian Doherty on drums, Kurt Hoffman on keyboards and saxophone.
This lineup wouldn’t last long, though. Kurt Hoffman left in 1994, Tony Maimone left in 1995, Brian Doherty left in 1996, and Graham Maby left in 1997. I didn’t mention the lineup changes in the past reviews, so I’ll do that in these next few when and where it may be necessary.
10/10
Favorite Tracks: Snail Shell, Sleeping in the Flowers, AKA Driver, I Should Be Allowed To Think, Why Must I Be Sad?, No One Knows My Plan, Destination Moon, Self Called Nowhere, Out of Jail, Stomp Box, The End of the Tour
Least Favorite Tracks: Unrelated Thing, Extra Savoir-Faire, O Do Not Forsake Me, Window
Long Tall Weekend (1999)
This was the first album to be released officially and exclusively online by a major band. That’s the only notable thing about it, though. Unfortunately, this album is kinda mediocre. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a few greats on here. I greatly enjoy “Reprehensible” “Dark and Metric” “Lullaby to Nightmares” and “Certain People I Could Name” but that’s about it. “They Got Lost” is alright too I guess. The Severe Tire Damage version is much better, though. “Older” and “She Thinks She’s Edith Head” are also on here. We’ll be seeing those again on Mink Car. Well, I already reviewed Mink Car so uh we won’t technically, lol. Factory Showroom’s hidden track “Token Back to Brooklyn” is also on here. “The Edison Museum” will appear later again on No, which I haven’t reviewed yet. “On Earth My Nina” is a backwards-talk rendition of “Thunderbird” from The Spine.
There’s just not much to write home about here, and even the stuff that is to write home about is on other albums. I haven’t even mentioned the They Got Lost compilation, which has even more songs from this.
Oh, yeah! The new lineup. Okay.
John Flansburgh and Linnell are still here of course, in 1998 Dan Miller joined on guitar and keyboards is still with the band as of today, also in 1998 Danny Weinkauf joined and plays bass and keyboards and is also still with the band as of today. In 1997, Dan Hickey joined and plays drums. He left in 2003, though. So at this moment, it’s two guys named John and three guys named Dan.
Other notable members include Eric Schermerhorn who played guitar on Factory Showroom, Jonathan Feinberg who played drums during the Apollo 18 tour, and Hal Cragin who played bass in live shows during 1997-1998. Eric is even named on the previously mentioned “They Got Lost” track, as well as Graham and Brian who were also still with the band at the time of the song's recording.
The John Henry advertisement says “They Might Be Giants is six people with five names.” Well, now as of Long Tall Weekend it’s five people with two names.
Anyways
6/10
Favorite Tracks: Certain People I Could Name, Lullaby to Nightmares
Least Favorite Tracks: Drinkin', Maybe I Know, Rat Patrol, Token Back to Brooklyn, Operators are Standing By, Counterfeit Faker, On Earth My Nina, The Edison Museum
No! (2002)
For a kids’ album, it’s pretty alright. I guess. I don’t really have much to say about it since I’m not really the target audience, and there will be four more albums like that. Around this time, however, the band started alternating between drummers, Dan Hickey and Marty Beller. Marty would end up replacing Hickey after he left in 2003 and has been with the band ever since.
I mean, I would play it for my hypothetical kids. But of course I would. You really think Nora Meadow of all people wouldn’t raise her kids on They Might Be Giants?
There’s some genuinely great stuff on here I think. “Violin” is pretty funny, “Where Do They Make Balloons” is actually just a great educational song, which is sung by Danny Weinkauf, by the way.
That’s the interesting thing about their kids’ albums. Most of the songs on TMBG’s adult-oriented albums are written and sung by the Johns. With a few exceptions here and there. On the kids’ albums, songs from the other members are much more common. I find that pretty interesting, actually. That’s why in a way, I’m actually kinda looking forward to tomorrow’s kids’ album reviews.
Other songs with Non-John vocals on here include: “In The Middle, In The Middle, In The Middle” sung by Robin Goldwasser, wife of John Flansburgh. This song is also a cover of a 1960s PSA. and “The Edison Museum” from Long Tall Weekend is back on here, sung by Nick Hill.
Again, it’s usually only a couple songs on the album, but it’s much more common on the kids’ albums than it is the adult albums. Turns out I had more to say about it than I thought. Nice.
7/10
Favorite Tracks: Four of Two, Where Do They Make Balloons, Violin
Least Favorite Tracks: The Edison Museum, Wake Up Call
My Murdered Remains (2019)
It’s hard to call this a full album, it feels more like the B-Sides to I Like Fun. In fact, this album even has its own B-Sides called “More Murdered Remains.” I did not check that one out because that’s 16 more tracks I have to review. There’s some pretty good stuff on here regardless. “The Communists Have The Music” is probably the most well known song here. But there’s also “The Neck Rolls Aren’t Working” “I’ve Been Seeing Things” “Gudetama’s Busy Days” and the original version of “Last Wave.” I do not like the original version of Last Wave. Also on “Dog” Linnell says “smiling friend.” I find this funny because Smiling Friends is ending today. Rest in Peace.
7/10
Favorite Tracks: The Communists Have The Music, The Neck Rolls Aren't Working
Least Favorite Tracks: Selectionist, Last Wave (Alt.)
Book (2021)
TMBG’s latest album, until TWITD releases, and uh. I liked this one a bit at first, but honestly now I find myself largely unimpressed. I’m not saying they’ve lost their touch, there’s still some absolute bangers on here! I love “I Lost Thursday” “Brontosaurus” “Less Than One” “Super Cool” “Synopsis For Latecomers” and others.
Half of this album was recorded in 2020, during the pandemic. Such as “Quit the Circus” “Darling the Dose” and “Wait Actually Yeah No”
A lot of songs were released as singles, such as “Part of You Wants to Believe Me” “I Broke My Own Rule” and “I Can’t Remember the Dream”
There’s also the Pamphlet EP, containing outtakes, which I haven’t listened to.
I think it’s just kinda okay. Again, I definitely think The World is to Dig is going to be much better, but I’m just not super into this one. Don’t get mad please.
7/10
Favorite Tracks: Brontosaurus, I Lost Thursday, Less Than One
Least Favorite Tracks: Moonbeam Rays, I Broke My Own Rule, Drown the Clown, Wait Actually Yeah No
Song of the Day: They Might Be Giants - AKA Driver
One thing I forgot to mention in my review is the amount of songs about car crashes or car accidents or reckless driving. I've always wondered what's up with that.
The World is to Dig in 2 days!
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