They Might Be Giants

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
The self-titled debut from alternative music's favorite dork-rockers launched a career based on absurd lyrics planted in wildly diverse musical garden. Songs like "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head" and the New-Wavish tributary "Youth Culture Killed My Dog," are sung with an Andy Kaufman-like sensibility that leaves one questioning their sincerity. In contrast, the tune "Don't Let's Start" is relatively sweet and earnest. Musically, TMBG stray from the country honker "Number Three" to the glam-rocker "(She Was a) Hotel Detective," adapting accordion, fuzz-boxed guitar, and electric piano to suit their purposes. Perhaps the most subversive mockery of all is how TMBG write extremely catchy melodies that "serious" musicians would love to claim as their own. "His shoes are laced with irony" goes a line from "Hide Away Folk Family." That pretty much ties it up. --Beth Massa --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

The Else
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Everyone's entitled to their opinion
  • I'm Impressed
  • Sadly, the worst TMBG has done.
  • Please enter a title for your review
  • It's good, buy it.
 The Else
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Idlewild/Zoe Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants
  2. Time on Earth
  3. The Mix-Up
  4. Traffic and Weather
  5. Zeitgeist

ASIN: B000QTCY5O
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

  1. I'm Impressed
  2. Take Out the Trash
  3. Upside Down Frown
  4. Climbing the Walls
  5. Careful What You Pack
  6. The Cap'M
  7. With the Dark
  8. The Shadow Government
  9. Bee of the Bird of the Month
  10. Withered Hope
  11. Countrecoup
  12. Feign Amnesia
  13. The Mesopotamians

Amazon.com

Twenty years after their debut album introduced a well-read duo with a peculiar wit and a gift for contagious melodies, They Might Be Giants--a.k.a. John Linnell and John Flansburgh--still come across as exhilarating and spanking fresh as the theme song to Comedy Central's Daily Show. (Oh yeah, that's them, too.) Fresh off the Giants' second children's record (2005's Here Come the ABCs), the New York twosome began a production alliance with L.A.'s Dust Brothers that resulted in The Else, another collection that ranks with any in their memorable discography. From the fast-tempo opener "I'm Impressed" through the '60s pop edge of "The Mesopotamians," endearing hooks reel you in just far enough for the humorous, often oddball lyrics to bury you. But several times the implications in the lyrics are all too real, such as the love undertones of "Contrecoup" and "Take Out the Trash," an uncannily catchy dump-your-boyfriend song that suggests "Once you get him out, tell him not to come back again." Contradictions like these never bother to disrupt the sequencing, but rather drive home what we already know about They Might Be Giants: they already are. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Everyone's entitled to their opinion .......2007-07-25

But I have to disagree with the reviewer who labelled this "the worst kind of synth-pop." Yes, there are a few songs that use the dreaded drum machine, but at least half of the songs (or more) use good old-fashioned live drums and rockin' guitars. I absolutely love "the Cap'm", even with its silly (but witty) lyrics, the tune for this song is just great. Like many TMBG releases, not every song is a keeper, but I'd have to say this is their best hit-to-miss ratio in quite a while (I was not particularly a fan of Mink Car or the Spine). And as many reviewers have also noted, the extensive bonus disc of podcast songs (included in the first edition of this album) more than makes up for it if you are not totally into the actual CD. I think TMBG has many many good years left in them and even if they never again match the brilliance of "Flood" (I consider Birdhouse one of the most immaculate songs ever written), I am glad to support a band which does not dumb down their songs, which is not afraid to try new things, and which has never "sold out" just to have a "radio hit". Plus, if you ever have a chance, they are outstanding live musicians and their shows are usually hilarious and infectious. TMBG forever!

5 out of 5 stars I'm Impressed.......2007-07-24

Great toe tappin' fun. I never understood why people can be so harsh on TMBG. They're goofy. Keep that in mind, and it's all good.

This is the first album since Apollo 18 that I've taken to instantly on the first listening.

Plus, there are some very good songs on the bonus podcast CD...the best being Brain Problem Situation.

1 out of 5 stars Sadly, the worst TMBG has done........2007-07-20

I eagerly awaited the newest TMBG album, and it seemed to be a sign of good omen that it was released in my birthday. However, after listening to the album, I can safely say that I've never heard a *worse* TMBG release.

From start to finish it is the worst kind of synth-pop; if you ever wanted your They Might Be Giants to be more hip-hop and less... oh, interesting, then this is your Great Big Chance.

It's one of the few albums I've purchased that actively *angered* me. I felt my blood pressure rising after each track, offended that this was the band that brought me the sublime "She's an Angel", the stellar "Subliminal", and the super "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love." Okay, that's enough alliteration for one review.

What happened? What happened with this one, TMBG? Again, I stress; if you are big into hip-hop/drum n' bass, you might like this. If you enjoy Flood, State Songs (side-project, but still worthy of the catalog), John Henry, or heck, even Mink Car, give this one a pass. I even cancelled my tickets to see The Else tour in Cleveland this album was so bad!

In fairness, there are a couple of songs that are passable;
Bee of the Bird of the Moth and Contrcoup are listenable, and The Mesopotamians retains a spark of previous TMBG cleverness.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but it's back to the uneven Spine, which looks like Lincoln compared to the miserable The Else.

2 out of 5 stars Please enter a title for your review.......2007-07-20

After 2004's dismal The Spine TMBG are back to add insult to injury with this logical extension of that impression of a high school garage band discovering modern electronics. The drum parts are relentlessly rudimentary miring these songs in a mid-tempo plod that is the antithesis of the playful peppyness these guys made a name for themselves with in the 80s and 90s. The Else is pretty indisputably the band's least melodic album, as well as the worst produced, every instrument compressed into a muffled mid-range "i just got protools and i don't know wtf i'm doing" drone. Possibly Stephen Hawking could shed some light on how the band that wrote Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head, Birdhouse In Your Soul and Dr Worm could take any pride in a single song on this record.

5 out of 5 stars It's good, buy it........2007-07-18

I just got it and only listened to it once, but it's filled with TMBG's goodness.

With a bonus CD of songs, you can't go wrong. One reviewer complained that there were only 12 songs that he/she really liked. I wish I could make that complaint about every CD I bought!

Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Pretty Good
  • All-time favorite DVD for kids
  • Fun for Kids and their Grown-ups!
  • My daughter loves it!!!!
  • my little one loves this DVD!
 Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo]
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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GeneralGeneral | Children's Music | Styles | Music
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Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. No!
  2. For The Kids
  3. Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants)
  4. Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle and Shake
  5. Mary Had a Little Amp

ASIN: B000BEZPSC
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Here Come The ABC's
  2. Alphabet Of Nations
  3. E Eats Everything
  4. Flying V
  5. Q U
  6. Gor For G!
  7. Pictures Of Pandas Painting
  8. D & W
  9. Fake - Believe
  10. Can You Find It?
  11. The Vowle Family
  12. Letter / Not A Letter
  13. Alphabet Lost And Found
  14. I C U
  15. Letter DHapes
  16. Who Put The Alphabet In Alphabetical Order
  17. Rolling O
  18. L M N O
  19. C Is For Conifers
  20. Fake Believe (Type B)
  21. D Is For Drums
  22. Z Y X
  23. Goodnight My Friends
  24. Clap Your Hands
  25. Here In Higglytown (Theme To Disney's Higglytown Hero's)
  26. Hovering Sombrero '05
  27. I Never Go To Work

Amazon.com

No stranger to the realm of children's records, They Might Be Giants have seen success with their CD No! and the book-and-CD combo Bed, Bed, Bed. Their latest CD, Here Come the ABCs, offers up 25 alphabetically themed songs. However, as is their charming way, the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell), use the letters as merely the connective tissue, allowing them to pursuit intriguing flights of fancy that consider everything from the relative power of letters and sounds to animal hijinks. Just as they've always done, there are wistful ballads and high octane rockers. TMBG have always been a family-friendly band, and this disc works just fine for adult fans, who can rightfully consider this simply their newest release. --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Pretty Good.......2007-07-23

My son of 18 months likes this. The DVD is good, the CD loses a little something since some of the songs need the visual clues (like where is the letter). My wife just finds it strange :-)
Dan

5 out of 5 stars All-time favorite DVD for kids.......2007-07-18

My family loves this DVD. All of the songs and accompanying animation is very creative, while teaching kids the alphabet. The songs are not annoying like some kids music, and my husband and I find ourselves going around singing the songs all the time. The CD that comes with the DVD is great for taking along in the car.

5 out of 5 stars Fun for Kids and their Grown-ups!.......2007-06-10

I bought "Here Come the ABC's" for a friend for her birthday after she watched it with my son. She adores the set. They Might Be Giants performs wonderfully catchy songs that are both easy to remember and challenge thinking. My son, who is 2, enjoys the puppets and the vivid and sometimes strange animation sequences. Favorite songs in our household include "Alphabet of Nations" (me), "E Eats Everything" (my son), and "Alphabet Lost and Found" (my husband). This set is one that I would recommend to anyone who interacts with young children learning to play with language. It grabs their attention, and they don't mind at all.

5 out of 5 stars My daughter loves it!!!!.......2007-05-30

At least once a day my daughter asks to watch the video. I don't mind because the songs are fun, origional, and educational. I find myself singing along!

5 out of 5 stars my little one loves this DVD!.......2007-05-04

My son has been watching this DVD since he was about 9 months old. He is over a year old now and loves it even more than when we first got it. Its also the only dvd he has that i don't get sick of watching over and over. I can't wait for here come the 123's
No!
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Is It True?
  • Great gift for kids from 'cool' aunts and uncles
  • Family values as only TMBG can present them
  • Former TMBG fan raising future TMBG fans!
  • Absolutely Love It
 No!
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo]
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  5. Mary Had a Little Amp

ASIN: B000068C97
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

  1. Fibber Island
  2. Four of Two
  3. Robot Parade
  4. No!
  5. Where Do They Make Balloons?
  6. In The Middle, In The Middle, In The Middle
  7. Violin
  8. John Lee Supertaster
  9. The Edison Museum
  10. The House at the Top of the Tree
  11. Clap Your Hands
  12. I Am Not Your Broom
  13. Wake Up Call
  14. I Am a Grocery Bag
  15. Lazyhead and Sleepybones
  16. Bed Bed Bed
  17. Sleepwalkers

Amazon.com

Hitch up your I-Pods, egg-headed hipsters of the future: They Might Be Giants, the out-there band that files its sound under the banner of "Can't We All Just Get Along" is speaking your language. What they're saying is No!, but in a way that's weirdly welcoming, especially to anybody who's over 3 and has a hard drive. No!'s computer enhancements (animation, games, and a sing-along scroll bar) don't assign the strictly audio experience to the so-what pile, but at certain moments they seem necessary--how else are you supposed to decipher a song ("Violin") whose only words are "violin," "hippo," and the ticking off of fractional segments of George Washington's head? Of course, to try to make sense of the 17 tunes contained here may be to miss the point. While TMBG's lyrical and vocal hijinks can be off-putting to grownups prone to self-consciousness about not getting the joke, the generation No! takes aim at needs nothing in the way of validation. Thus the brilliance of baggage-free ditties like "Fibber Island," where the natives strum rubber guitars and sew buttons on cars, "John Lee Supertaster," a rock & roll fantasy following a hero with heightened senses of sweet and sour, and "I Am a Grocery Bag," detailing what's bumping around in brown paper after a trip to the market. With their triumph over the tube (TMBG took home a Grammy for the theme to Malcolm in the Middle and perform and wrote the intro to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), frontmen John Linnell and John Flansburgh have already infiltrated the family market, sort of. No! finds the band bending to a level lots of other giants might overlook, but without cramping up. Given the right reach, They Could Be Kiddie Icons. -Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Is It True?.......2007-05-25

Is it true that They Might Be Giants are the reason behind the NON-release of the Malcolm in the Middle DVDs? People supposedly in the know say that because They Might Be Giants won't give the music rights, that fabulous comedy program Malcolm in the Middle won't ever be released on DVD (beyond the first season, for some reason).
If this is true, it is terrible! If it is true, I will never ever buy any product of They Might Be Giants until Malcolm in the Middle is fully released!

5 out of 5 stars Great gift for kids from 'cool' aunts and uncles.......2007-05-15

My oldest brother and his wife just had their first baby, so I am a first-time aunt, and therefore clueless about anything having to do with children. My brother is very picky about music, considers himself very hip (ha ha, I'm the little sister so I get to make fun of him), and I'm broke so I can't buy a designer diaper bag, but I CAN afford cool music.

So I just bought them this CD (apparently one of the songs is on some Disney CHannel show?) and they LOVE it. They keep telling me how great it is and how grateful they are to have kids' music to listen to that isn't mind-numbing. I also got them "Toddler" by Sara Hickman, recommended by Zooglobble.com, which has some great reviews of kids music. And 'Good Ideas' by the Imagination Movers, and they like both those albums too, but they especially keep thanking me for this TMBG album.

So now I just have to find something that will help them get her to sleep... :)

5 out of 5 stars Family values as only TMBG can present them.......2007-02-24

This is a brilliant record in every sense of the word; it may be, next to "Flood", my favorite TMBG album. Getting it for your kids is just a great excuse to buy it, although I can honestly say that you haven't lived until you've heard your 18-month-old singing "Robot Parade" or "Four of Two" or "Fibber Island" - it's just so bloody funny hearing our son deliver lines like "Our dog is two miles wide/And all he talks about is pie". Purchase this immediately.

5 out of 5 stars Former TMBG fan raising future TMBG fans!.......2007-01-23

My cousin bought my elder son this CD, when he was obsessed with robots. Now, we sing all the songs, together, with both my boys! It's not too cutesie to make me want to stop the car, but it's kid friendly. My friend came riding with us, one day, and couldn't stop singing, "Don't cross the street in the middle in the middle in the middle of the block!". She then went out and bought the CD. She has no children. We really enjoy this, and learn about different topics, as my sons get older and question parts of the songs.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely Love It.......2007-01-21

This is an awesome album. I got it for my husband for Christmas. We both are They Might Be Giants fans. We both love it and so does our nearly 2 year old daughter. It is great to have a kid friendly album that is so adult friendly too. It is the same They Might Be Giants I am use to, only the lyrics are crazy in a kid appropriate way, meaning they do not compromise who they are to make a "kiddy" ablum. It is great, even if you don't have kids.
Flood
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Modern classic
  • Favorite Fun CD
  • Terrible
  • Oddly, Endearingly Enduring
  • Classic TMBG
 Flood
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Apollo 18
  2. Lincoln
  3. They Might Be Giants
  4. John Henry
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ASIN: B000002H7V
Release Date: 1990-01-05

Tracks:

  1. Theme From Flood
  2. Birdhouse In Your Soul
  3. Lucky Ball And Chain
  4. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
  5. Dead
  6. Your Racist Friend
  7. Particle Man
  8. Twisting
  9. We Want A Rock
  10. Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
  11. Hearing Aid
  12. Minimum Wage
  13. Letterbox
  14. Whistling In The Dark
  15. Hot Cha
  16. Women And Men
  17. Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love
  18. They Might Be Giants
  19. Road Movie To Berlin

Amazon.com essential recording

TMBG has always been a great reason for math and computer science majors to add a real rock album to their collection of John Williams and Weird Al records--and Flood is a bacchanalian celebration of dorkiness. Lifting off from their previous album, Lincoln, which was a sort of transitional hit-or-miss, Flood is a soaring, catchy sing-along album destined for people who love quoting Monty Python sketches. Try not singing the words to "Particle Man," "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," or "Birdhouse in your Soul." (Apparently, "Particle Man" was so catchy that the song was later used as a sing-along in a cartoon show for children.) Combining a book-smart, funny love of history, junk culture, and film noir, this is the album to own. Put it on loud, sing along, and dance very, very badly. --Todd Levin

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Modern classic.......2007-06-05

Flood was definitely one of the best albums of the early '90s. At a time when a lot of groups were starting to make music that sounded an awful lot a like, They Might Be Giants pioneered a completely unique sound of their own that no one has ever successfully emulated. It's creative, whimsical, and downright fun to listen to. Nearly two decades later, Flood is still one of my favorite albums.

5 out of 5 stars Favorite Fun CD.......2007-05-13

This is a great CD to have fun with. A sense of humor
like some of the old sing alongs with a mother goose
moral and sometimes scary side. If a member of the band reads this I am not
sure they would understand the compliment but I can't help
but note they're singing the "one eyed purple
people eater" songs of the future. SURE SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

1 out of 5 stars Terrible.......2007-03-10

They Might be Giants is kind've like Hip-Hop for me. There really isn't any musical talent involved, from the simplistic "music" here to the beats there. So, when the music isn't interesting to listen to, you have to have good vocals to listen to. Well, the vocalist is downright annoying and boring, and what he's saying isn't any better. It's nonsense, without any redeeming value. This album really is terrible, and very, very boring.

5 out of 5 stars Oddly, Endearingly Enduring.......2007-02-16

No clue or memory how I learned about TMBG or why I bought Flood, but I had the brand-new cassette in the car when we set out for a group house at the beach. For a bunch of dork-babes in their mid-twenties, working at a big name think tank in DC, this album became not only the official anthem of the beach house, but of that particular decade in our lives. We swooned over a band that would write a theme song for its own album. We cheered those who could keep up with the lyrics to Letterbox. Harmony was easy when we sang along to Racist Friend during all-night card games. We tortured our boyfriends with the total un-coolness of it all (although my husband now grudgingly admits - 17 years later - that Particle Man and We Want a Rock were pretty funny). Flood has wit, intelligence, bounce and manages to play straight man to its own comedy routine. It is so worth a listen.

5 out of 5 stars Classic TMBG.......2007-01-17

If TMBG can be defined by two eras (John & John vs Full Band), Flood is the essense of the John & John period. Outstanding, creative, varied pop songs with clean, engaging lyrics. This is a must-have album.
Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • They Might Be Cover Songs
  • worth it
  • Full of suprises, both good and bad
  • Not worthy
  • awesome tribute to a great band
 Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Bar/None Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000FQVYF4
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

  1. Ana Ng - Self
  2. Pet Name - The Long Winters
  3. Narrow Your Eyes - David Miller
  4. She's An Angel - Charles Douglas
  5. Road Movie To Berlin - Frank Black
  6. They'll Need A Crane - The Wrens
  7. Dead - Steve Burns
  8. Letterbox - OK Go
  9. Boat Of Car - Recepter
  10. Don't Let's Start - This Radiant Boy
  11. Doctor Worm - Jason Trachtenburg
  12. It's Not My Birthday - Fluid Ounces
  13. Another First Kiss - Brett Kull
  14. The End Of The Tour - Hotel Lights

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars They Might Be Cover Songs.......2006-07-14

TMBG rocks and so does this tribute album. Best of the best is Frank Black, Long Winters, Charles Douglas, & The Wrens. Good is Self, David Miller & Hotel Lights. Decent is Steve Burns, Ok Go, Brett Kull & Fluid Ounces. Bad is Recepter, This Radiant Boy, & Jason Trachtenburg and the fact that Reel Big Fish are MIA. If you get this you will like it, though as many of the covers top the TMBG originals.

4 out of 5 stars worth it.......2006-07-13

I've been waiting for this collection to be released for a while now. The easiest way to review it is just to do a track by track breakdown of the good songs. I'll pass on the ones I didn't like and let someone else savage them!

1. "Ana Ng" by Self. On first listen this sounded somewhat close to the original, mainly because of the vocals. HOWEVER, this is now my favorite track and is far better than the original. It's done with tons of guitars and layering, and sounds like Self (duh) and a little like some of Brendan Benson's more rockin' stuff. Grade: A+

2. "Pet Name" by The Long Winters. I love the Long Winters, but this track is not as good or polished as their albums/eps. The vocals sound kinda sloppy and off. But it's also much better than the original TMBG track, which I always found annoying. This sounds like some drunken garage-rock REM or Replacements b-side (in a good way). Grade: B

3. "Narrow Your Eyes" by David Miller. Very cool 60's sound on this one--made me think of classic power pop stuff (Who, Raspbberries, mid-Kinks). I've never even heard the original but this is neat, thanks to great guitars and handclappy choruses. Grade: A

4. "She's An Angel" by Charles Douglas. This one's also a really great track that I like more than the original one. Sounds like the Pixies or Lou Reed, and has Pavement-y guitars galore. Nice strange keyboards at the end too. Fantastic, weird stuff that transforms the original catchy oddity into a great spiky rock song. Grade: A

5. "Road Movie to Berlin" by Frank Black. Strange to think the previous Charles Douglas track sounds more like the Pixies than this does, but there it is. Another strong cover that reinvents the original as a country-rock stroll. Not perfect, but I love Frank Black, so this gets Grade: A-

6. "They'll Need a Crane" by The Wrens. My second personal favorite track on here. A complete deconstruction of the song. It becomes an agonizing, bizarre lament that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stick up. The Wrens are such an incredible band. This, like most of their music, gets a Grade A+

7. "Dead" by Steve Burns. The guy from Blues Clues! This one doesn't blow me away, but it's nice enough. Sticks close to the original but with a little bit of a psychedelic/laptop element, if that makes any sense. Pleasant but not essential. Grade: B-

Pass on tracks 8,9,10--none of them hooked me.

11. "Dr. Worm" by Jason Trachtenburg. This is a love-it-or-hate-it song to begin with. I personally find this version endearing and fun to listen to. It sounds folky and playful. Yet obviously some people are going to hate its silly quality... Grade: B

tracks 12 & 13 are okay, but not great.

14. "End of the Tour" by Hotel Lights. This blows the original right out of the water--completely perfect in every way. Hotel Lights have taken a great song and made it completely their own. Sounds mellow, emotional, reminds me of Hotel Lights other stuff, also Kingsbury Manx, and 70's singer-songwriter stuff. Grade: A

Thus concludes my overview of this album--hope it's useful to some of y'all.

4 out of 5 stars Full of suprises, both good and bad.......2006-07-13

No matter the what band you base them on, tribute albums always have the inherent quality of being both great albums and total letdowns. However, in an offhanded sort of way, that is the point of a tribute album: to show how different classic songs can be interpreted by different groups of people. With that being said, "Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants" does exactly that. And while some of the covers do tend to fall flat, the number of good (and great) completely outweighs the bad.

While some of the more faithful covers (see: "It's Not My Birthday" and "Another First Kiss") tend to be strictly "just fine," a few of the more deviant covers are the ones that stand out the most. The Long Winters' more upbeat, somewhat racous version of "Pet Name" is terribly fun to sing along, as is David Miller's "Narrow Your Eyes" (listen for the great The Who inspired guitar solo in place of Linnell's accordion solo), and Receptor's "Boat of Car" is suprisingly well done, making the song sound much more interesting, as well as more grimm at times.
As far as the less-than-favorable tracks, This Radiant Boy's obligatory punk cover of "Don't Let's Start" is so lazily performed that it almost sounds more like a parody than a tribute (at least there's already a great cover of "Don't Let's Start" by Common Rotation on their "The Big Fear" album to make up for it). OK Go doesn't do much better either with their cover of "Letterbox." While I commend them for experimenting outside of their usual upbeat sound(the song has a very glitchy and fuzzed out distortion feeling to it, almost reminiscant to Trent Reznor's work), it fails completely engage the listener.

Overall, "Hello Radio..." does exactly what a tribute album should do, and nothing less. Still, I completely recommend that any fan of They Might Be Giants should buy it to at least view (and possibly rediscover) some of their favorite songs from a different perpective.

3 out of 5 stars Not worthy.......2006-07-13

I have been a big TMBG fan since... forever. I preorded this disc a while ago, and it showed up an hour ago. My initial analysis of this is that it should be in the collection of a die-hard TMBG fan, but it is not great. A lot of tribute albums are more enjoyable to listen to than the originals straight through. However, this is not the case for this one. Get this if you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to spend, but don't spend your hard earned cash on it.

5 out of 5 stars awesome tribute to a great band.......2006-07-13

They Might Be Giants is one of my favorite bands. However, you don't need to be a fan to enjoy most of the stuff on here. Most of the songs on this album basically take a guitar based indie rock approach to TMBG's catalog. Some of the cover versions are better than the originals, especially Self doing "Ana Ng," but also the tracks by Frank Black, The Wrens, and Hotel Lights. I would definitely recommend picking this up if you're into TMBG or some of the bands on here.
Meet the Robinsons
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Elfman Does It Again
  • good mix of score and songs
  • Goob's Story
  • 5 Stars for AAR
 Meet the Robinsons

Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Charlotte's Web, Music from the Motion Picture
  2. Ratatouille
  3. The Last Mimzy
  4. Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
  5. Cars

ASIN: B000N0KVQ0
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Tracks:

  1. Another Believer - Rufus Wainwright
  2. Little Wonders - Rob Thomas
  3. The Future Has Arrived - The All-American Rejects
  4. Where Is Your Heart At? - Jamie Cullum
  5. The Motion Waltz (Emotional Commotion) - Rufus Wainwright
  6. Give Me The Simple Life - Jamie Cullum
  7. The Prologue
  8. To The Future!
  9. The Science Fair
  10. Meeting The Robinsons
  11. Goob's Story
  12. A Family United
  13. Pop Quiz And The Time Machine Montage
  14. The Evil Plan
  15. Doris Has Her Day
  16. Setting Things Right
  17. There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow - They Might Be Giants
  18. Kids Of The Future - Jonas Brothers

Amazon.com

Disney's animated adventure may be driven by themes of futuristic time traveling, but its musical score is a delightful, pop-driven hybrid that turns on decidedly back-to-the-future sensibilities. Rob Thomas' hook-rich single "Little Wonders" and the All-American Rejects' collaboration with Danny Elfman "The Future Has Arrived" give the collection an immediate contemporary edge. But just as winning are disparate pop performances from Rufus Wainwright (the Nilsson-esque opening gem "Another Believer" and lilting "Motion Waltz"), while nouveau UK crooner Jamie Cullum turns in a swinging, piano jazz take on Wainwright's "Where Is Your Heart At?" as well as an inviting cover of "The Simple Life" in the same vein. Elfman's orchestral score returns him to the vibrant milieu of his early Tim Burton collaborations, supercharged here by a manic energy that seems equal parts Simpsons, Bernard Herrmann and Carl Stalling. Bringing the collection full circle is a big-band cover of Disney's vintage "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" theme performed with loopy big-band charm by They Might Be Giants and the Jonas Brothers more disposable Kim Wilde update, "Kids of the Future." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Elfman Does It Again.......2007-05-07

What can anyone say other than Danny Elfman is like gold when it comes to scoring movies (especially light hearted family fair). Anyone who likes classic Elfman (ie: Beetlejuice, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, etc) will love this score. From start to finish, another great effort.

4 out of 5 stars good mix of score and songs.......2007-04-02

I bought this CD because (1) I'm a big Disney fan and (2) I'm a big Danny Elfman fan. And it didn't really disappoint me on either front.

First, the songs. Rufus Wainwright's "Another Believer" is a great, Beatles-esque ditty that I loved the first time I heard it during the movie. The All-American Rejects' "The Future Has Arrived" is also pretty great. Rob Thomas's "Little Wonders" is another solid song, although in my opinion it doesn't quite fit the movie as well. There are several other songs, but mostly they are unremarkable. The one remaining exception is They Might Be Giants' cover of "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" from the Carousel of Progress. That's a very apprpropriate inclusion; it fits the theme of the movie extremely well, and is also a good tip of the hat to Walt himself.

As for Danny Elfman's score, it's one of the better he's put forth in the past few years. It's very much in the vein of "classic" Elfman (that is, late '80s and early '90s Elfman). If you're a fan of his, you will love it.

3 out of 5 stars Goob's Story.......2007-04-01

-I'm guessing that most of the people that will buy this album will do so for the pop songs and those bunch won't be disappointed. I usually don't listen to that kind of stuff but I did find them very enjoyable even though I don't know any of the bands or singers featured on the album

-On the score side of the album it is the same Elfman charm that we're familiar with. The score does get a little too close to "Corpse Bride" for me to fully love it but it does have it's great moments that are a treat to listen to. It does have that zany and offbeat charm from "Flubber" but thankfully doesn't get too chaotic. The weird little thermalin sounds in "To the Future" did confuse me at first, but after seeing the movie *in 3D I might add* I realized why they were used and now love it.

-For me the best parts of the score are the more peaceful moments which makes "Goob's Story" the highlight on the album for me. It's played in the movie for the scene when the young kid Goob is being told by his older self to be angry and bitter following the events of his baseball game. "A Family United" is also a nice little moment that I wish there could have been more of on the album. I used to think this was the only Elfman score without a title sequence but turns out I was very wrong.

-If you already owe "Corpse Bride" and "Flubber" then there's really no need to get this album, but if you're a die hard Elfman nut like me then you will need to get it just to feel complete. Oh and yes, the songs are also awesome

5 out of 5 stars 5 Stars for AAR.......2007-03-06

Ok, so I listened to parts of this cd, and the one song I really really love is The Future Has Arrived, by The All-American Rejects. That song is really cool, and I love listening to it. Tyson Ritter's vocals sound amazing in this (and every other song he sings in )Nick,Mike and Chris also sound great. And I love hearing the backing vocals by Mike and Nick this time, and not just Ty. The purchase is worth it to be able to listen to The Future Has Arrived!
-Jennifer
They Got Lost
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • I heard they might be somewhere near this town.
  • A mixed bag
  • The music's great, but it's a weird compilation.
  • Good tasting stale bread
  • But now they are found
 They Got Lost
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Zoe Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. The Else
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ASIN: B000BBOVFI
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Rest Awhile
  2. Truth In Your Words
  3. On the Drag
  4. All Alone
  5. Down To The Bottom Of The Sea
  6. I'm Sick (Of This American Life)
  7. Words Are Like (Demo)
  8. I Am A Human Head
  9. Oranges
  10. Empty Bottle Blues
  11. They Got Lost
  12. Reprehensible
  13. Rat Patrol
  14. The Arm's Tired Now
  15. Certain People I Could Name
  16. Theme To McSweeney's
  17. Dollar For Dollar
  18. Mosh Momken Abadon
  19. Token Back To Brooklyn
  20. Disappointing Show
  21. Oranges Testimonial

Album Description

over their 20-plus year career, They Might Be Giants have accumulated an impressive stockpile of rarities, B-sides, demos, and non-album tracks. Few bands have been as prolific. But the vault is now open! They Got Lost is a Giants fan's dream collection. From cult favorites like "I Am a Human Head" and "Token Back to Brooklyn" to concert favorites like "Certain People I Could Name" and "Down to the Bottom of the Sea," They Got Lost is the one collection every Giants fan must find!

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars I heard they might be somewhere near this town........2007-06-15

This is "a compilation of rarities from They Might Be Giants". Tracks are taken from various sources, including the promotional EP Working Undercover For The Man, the magazine McSweeney's No. 6 and the download only album "Long Tall Weekend", to name a few. The songs are a mixed bag, which makes sense, given the various sources. There are a number of good songs as well as some not so good songs. Some of the tracks aren't so much "songs" as they are song fragments. There aren't really any songs here that could be called They Might Be Giants "classics", but this is a fairly enjoyable CD if you are a serious TMBG fan.

3 out of 5 stars A mixed bag.......2006-09-18

Rarities collections are generally either full of moments of pure inspired genius that were inexplicably left off albums, or full of utter trash. This one has quite a few from Column A, but also a smattering from Column B just to keep your finger on the 'skip' button...

Some of the good ones:
Rest Awhile - Classic TMBG
On The Drag - Treading the fine line between annoying and interesting, and getting it right
Words Are Like - Country(ish). And yet, I like it.
I Am A Human Head - An interesting one, you'll either love it or hate it. I love it.
Empty Bottle Blues - Yep, I'm biased, I'm a trumpeter. But it's great.
Certain People I Could Name - Again, classic TMBG

Some of the particularly lousy ones:
I'm Sick (Of This American Life) - It's less than 90 seconds long. Fortunately.
Oranges/Oranges Testimonial - Not enough ideas in here for a single one-minute song, let alone two of them.
They Got Lost - Unfortunately, it's by far the longest song on the album, and also one of the least interesting
The Army's Tired Now - This one actually sounds like the intro to a good song, so it annoys me that it cuts off just where it should launch into something more.
Theme To McSweeney's - Why?
Dollar For Dollar - See above.
Disappointing Show - Disappointing song. (Probably funnier live than on CD though)

So, all in all - it's not a bad album, but probably (as is usually the case with this sort of compilation) strictly one for the fans.

4 out of 5 stars The music's great, but it's a weird compilation........2005-12-16

They Got Lost is a collection of rarities. Meaning, a couple B-Sides, a hidden track on "Factory Showroom", and songs off out of print or hard to find albums. This isn't the most solid collection, but the music is great none the less.

Rest Awhile is a hard rock song with catchy tunes and morbid lyrics. A Linnell masterpiece, need more be said? Truth In Your Words is pretty good music wise. The chorus is ok, and the verses are just boring. On The Drag is another catchy one. It's pretty good. A Flansburgh stereotype. Very monopuff-ish. All Alone is my least favorite on the album. I usually skip it.
Down To The Bottom of The Sea is very cool, but too short. The synthesizer is pretty cool (possibly a Moog?), but this doesn't do much seeing how short it is.

I'm Sick (Of This American Life) Is similar to Cyclops Rock lyrically, but the music is MUCH more laid back. It's acoustic too. I like it. Words Are Like is pretty boring. It's ok from time to time, but it's mostly a vocal song. I'm pretty sure it's sung with Flansburgh's wife, Robin "Goldie" Goldwasser (I think that's it). I Am A Human Head. My ABSOLUTE favorite song on this collection. I love it... a lot. Words cannot describe how I love it so (I know, I shouldn't love it this much.)

Oranges: A testimonial for the Chopping Block web design company. I like the other version more. Empty Bottle Blues: As the name suggests, it's a blues song. It's also instrumental. It's pretty good. They Got Lost is a nice story, but it's tough to listen all the way through sometimes. There's a more upbeat version on Severe Tire Damage. It's pretty good though. Reprehensible is a weirder song, not that great, but it's ok. I like the music more than anything and it has a nice solo in the middle. Rat Patrol is a strangely vocaled song, but I like it a lot.

Army's Tired Now has a nice and lengthy intro. Overall a great song. Certain People I Could Name is mellow and I love the instrumentation. Another great Linnell song. Theme To McSweeney's Sounds like the "Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade" With many synthesizers, it's fun and catchy. Reminds me of a demo tape my dad made of himself playing the Moog (Not sure if this is good or bad... meh.)

Dollar For Dollar sounds kind of like the interlude of Paul McCartney's "Tug Of War" album, which is done with a vocoder. This track is interesting, but there's not much you can say about it. Mosh Mokem Abadon is a remake of an Arabic pop song. This is instrumental though. it's cool, but not too accessible.
Token Back To Brooklyn is taken from "Factory Showroom". It's a hidden track that you can access by reversing the first track into negative time. Doesn't do much for me.

Disappointing Show was done spontaneously live when (I think) nothing was working right, so they just did this or something... I don't know. It's humorous, and shows how well They Might Be Giants work together (And stay in the same key).
The Oranges Testimonial is the poppier, better version of the Chopping Block song. For a fuller version, put the "NO!" album in your computer and view the credits.

There you go. A run down of a pretty good album. But beware, this is not a good place for a beginner... of course, most albums aren't... you should start with "Flood" or "Dial-A-Song"

4 out of 5 stars Good tasting stale bread.......2005-11-08

The album "They Got Lost" is should defenintlly not be a "First Time" album for any They Might be Giants (TMBG) newcomers. For those of you who are slow, this album was realesed back in 2002 on the TMBG website, but has now offically made it's debut to local retailers.

Ok. So They Got Lost (TGL) is like a stale piece of bread. It taste flat, their seems to be no change in taste throughout anywhere. Yet some how it's good. Many people who have "John Henry" might feel a more heavy metal approach, people with The Spine know it has a more modern pop-rock grip. And Apollo 18 has a classic "Nerd Rock" hold. TGL on the other hand has a loose-leaf, soft rock, kind of feel. If I had to imply this album to a Earth landscape I'd say it fits that of a desert. The songs here are don't exactly have "rock out" kind of feel. More of a bland soothing hold.
Now with out further a-do, I'll give you the songs:
THE SONGS HERE ARE COMPARED TO TMBG'S SONGS ON OTHER ALBUMS

Rest Awhile (5/10)
"Hard Rock"
This is without a doubt the fastest paced song, probably the only one you could jam too.

Truth in Your Words (4/10)
"Rock"
This song feels like sombody made a lot softer version of "Rest Awhile" The song is pretty soft rock based, except for the main verse, where it suddenly picks up pace alittle. Over all, nothing special

On the Drag (7/10)
"Hard Rock"
I personlly love this song, it has a Hard Rock kind of feel like rest while. And is a nice "rock out" song.

All Alone (6/10)
"Bluegrass"
This song is on the "weird side" the song feels more occupied by "John" the singer, than the beat its self. Almost like a story with a beat.

Down to the Bottom of the Sea (7/10)
"Funk"
Because of it's extremly catchy tune that last for 0:58 seconds you feel like you want more. This song interpreted some wierd effects into the song like a "bloop" of a submerine's randar every beat. A nice catchy short song.

I'm Sick (Of this American Life)(6/10)
"Dream Pop"
A very smooth Beat and Rythem rock song. This song is good for using as sleep music

Words are Like (7.5/10)
"Soft Rock"
This is maybe one of TMBG's best song for falling asleep, right next to Lazy & Sleepy bones. The melodys nothing to listen to on your IPod. But defently somthing good if your trying to relax.

I Am a Human Head (4/10)
"Soft Rock"
This song feels close to Truth in your words, in terms of music feel. I personlly dont like it that much, but like the rest of the album is great for relaxing to.

Oranges (7/10)
"Bluegrass"
A very jumpy, country, springy song (bluegrass). Not much to say. It's an average.

Empty Bottle Blues (7/10)
"Jazz/Bluegrass"
Has a jumpy "doo-woop" feel. Mixed with a trumpet. Oh, and theirs no singing either.

They Got Lost (8.5/10
"Soft Rock"
The best song on the album. A relaxing, far out their, desert, hot-day, kind of feel. Somthing you might listen to on a day that's 100 degrees. A great song, non the less.

Reprehensible (7.5/10)
"Jazz"
A piano, based tune.

Rat Patrol (7/10)
"Blues Rock"
Has a "bad-boy, highway, kind of feel" not exactly hard rock. Pretty neat.

The Army's Tierd Now (6/10)
"Celtic"
Great for relaxation. perhaps one of the best TMBG's best relaxation songs. it's fairly short though, being a minute. Think of this song as a Celtic lulliby.

Certain People I could name (7/10)
"Soft Rock"
Has a "They Got Lost" song, kind of feel. Desert, hot-day...
Great for relaxation.

Theme to McSweeney;s (7.5/10)
"Electronic"
Defenently somthing new for this album. This song has a "space" feel. All of this song is Electronic. And no, theirs no words.

Dollar for Dollar (?/10)
"???"
A really screwed up 20 second, echo of John talking about a dollar. WTF?

Mosh Momken Abadon (5/10)
Folk/Electronic
No words for this song.

Token Back to Brooklyn (6/10)
"Caribbean"
A jambory, is played in this minute long song.

Disappointing Show (1/10)
"Soul"
TMBG's worst song. The main verse is uncatchy and boring. The rest is talking. This song was obviouly taken from a live concert

Oranges Testimonal
The same thing as "Oranges" except with a intro.

Bottom line is, if you want a layed back album, get this. I found it worth my buy. Nothing ground breaking in here, but it's a good tasting piece of stale bread non the less.

4 out of 5 stars But now they are found.......2005-11-05

This is a compilation of TMBG rarities that were previously only released online, on singles or on the McSweeney's bonus cd. Almost all of the tracks are excellent (with the exception of the McSweeney's tracks which just sound odd and out of place). TMBG's patented sense of humor is rampant throughout ("Words Are Like" and "Disappointing Show" will have you laughing out loud) and many of the tracks are real rockers. Now, there are some songs on here most TMBG fans are already sure to have (the tracks from the "Working Undercover For The Man" EP, "Token Back To Brooklyn" which was a hidden track on "Factory Showroom" and "Oranges" which was a hidden track on "No!") but the album works so well on a whole that it doesn't really matter. Ironically, the album's weakest track is the title track which is long and boring and doesn't hold a candle to the previously released live version from "Severe Tire Damage".
Apollo 18
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Help Me, I'm Stuck in 1992 (and Loving It)
  • Everything is catching on fire
  • funny stuff
  • They Write Theme Songs Good, Unfortunately, That Doesn't Count For Anything
  • Oh, Dem Golden Fingertips!!
 Apollo 18
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Flood
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  3. Lincoln
  4. They Might Be Giants
  5. Factory Showroom

ASIN: B000002HA4
Release Date: 1992-03-24

Tracks:

  1. Dig My Grave
  2. I Palindrome I
  3. She's Actual Size
  4. My Evil Twin
  5. Mammal
  6. The Statue Got Me High
  7. Spider
  8. The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)
  9. Dinner Bell
  10. Narrow Your Eyes
  11. Hall Of Heads
  12. Which Describes How You're Feeling
  13. See The Constellation
  14. If I Wasn't Shy
  15. Turn Around
  16. Hypnotist Of Ladies
  17. Fingertips
  18. Untitled
  19. Untitled
  20. Untitled
  21. Untitled
  22. Untitled
  23. Untitled
  24. Untitled
  25. Untitled
  26. Untitled
  27. Untitled
  28. Untitled
  29. Untitled
  30. Untitled
  31. Untitled
  32. Untitled
  33. Untitled
  34. Untitled
  35. Untitled
  36. Untitled
  37. Untitled
  38. Space Suit

Amazon.com essential recording

Genuinely clever, profoundly sophomoric -- this NYC duo carry on tweaking pop songcraft in fine Bonzo Dog Doo Dah tradition. "The Statue Got Me High" is the zippy standout; other winners include "Narrow Your Eyes," "Guitar" (a smarmy remake of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight") and the cut-and-paste dementia of the 21-part "Fingertips." --Jeff Bateman

Amazon.com essential recording

Genuinely clever, profoundly sophomoric -- this NYC duo carry on tweaking pop songcraft in fine Bonzo Dog Doo Dah tradition. "The Statue Got Me High" is the zippy standout; other winners include "Narrow Your Eyes," "Guitar" (a smarmy remake of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight") and the cut-and-paste dementia of the 21-part "Fingertips." --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Help Me, I'm Stuck in 1992 (and Loving It).......2007-01-16

I recently discovered 4 Non Blondes "Bigger, Faster, Better, More!" from 1992 (check out my review in here for the backstory). Awhile before that I bought "Apollo 18" by They Might Be Giants. Other than the year of release and their being two of my current favorites there's not much in common between 4NB's melange of blues, folks and mostly rock and TMBG's pop absurdist lyrical extravaganza.

TMBG cover some of their usual subjects--science with "Mammal" and "See the Constellation" and language with "I Palindrome I", and they include a clever cover of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as "Guitar". But the highlight of the CD is Tracks 17-37; called "Fingertips" on the CD cover and lyrics sheet, but actually an amalgamation of 21 song fragments--the ideas for 21 different songs--ranging from about 5 seconds to 20 seconds long. The Johns get a variety of vocal help on these to fit the genre and content of each fragment. Among my favorites (if one can have favorites in the 10-second song category) are "what's that blue thing doing here" and the ultra-dramatic "mysterious whispers". Maybe the montage is a tribute to Paul McCartney's brilliant side two of "Abbey Road". If so, I join in that tribute and add my own to TMGB's terrific "Apollo 18".

This is a 4.5 star rating--5 stars of listening enjoyment with a half point taken off for the mostly goofy content. It's great stuff, but not the overall equal of such true 5 star recordings like Paul Simon's "Graceland" and Van Morrison's "Moondance" (both of which I've reviewed in here).

5 out of 5 stars Everything is catching on fire.......2005-11-16

This cd is beyond belief. Beyond all known things. Beyond imagination of the imaginable imaginative. I have listened, and have found, that time and space are now a mystery to me. You MUST for your own health,safety,and sanity, purchase this beautiful display of words placed in no certain order. On a scale of one to ten, this cd is awesome.

3 out of 5 stars funny stuff.......2005-07-14

The only way to explain this c.d. is that it is like a strange adult version of children sing-a-longs. Pretty catchy with odd lyrics (such as; I walk along darkened cooridoors or turn around, theirs a skull there on the ground)my favorite one being either mammels or turn around.
All and all this is a good c.d. for something completely different, and a good chuckle

1 out of 5 stars They Write Theme Songs Good, Unfortunately, That Doesn't Count For Anything.......2005-06-30

All this is iis a bunch of 1:00 long songs that are all crap. They should have put This Might Be A Wiki or at least Boss of Me on here. But, unfortunately, it's a FLOP! FLOP! FLOP! Useless noise!





LOCAL CRAZY MONKEY

4 out of 5 stars Oh, Dem Golden Fingertips!!.......2005-06-08

My best friend in high school, who actually was a huge John Williams/Weird Al fan (as mentioned in the review of "Flood"...weird!) tried to get me into this in high school, and i didn't quite bite. But 8 years later i found myself thinking about the masterpiece "F I N G E R T I P S ! ! " and had to buy it. I was not let down, amigos! This album is a little disjointed, sort of hit and miss (although even the 'misses' are quite nice), but the sheer weirdness and effort put into Fingertips is worth it. Totally bizarre and wonderful.

And yes, I am over the age of 13.
Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • They might be our new favorite!
  • fan-friggin-tastic
  • Catchy, fun, sing-along lyrical beauty. This is a fine collection of one fine band.
  • I heart the Johns.
  • The Giants, they hath rocked out.
 Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Hardcore & PunkHardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge
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Similar Items:
  1. No!
  2. Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo]
  3. Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) - A movie about They Might Be Giants
  4. Flood
  5. The Spine

ASIN: B00006IZOC
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

  1. Birdhouse In Your Soul
  2. Ana NG
  3. Don't Let's Start
  4. Boss Of Me (Theme From Malcolm In The Middle)
  5. Older
  6. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
  7. Doctor Worm
  8. The Guitar
  9. Dr. Evil (From Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me)
  10. New York City
  11. Particle Man
  12. Cyclops Rock
  13. Minimum Wage
  14. Man, It's So Loud In Here
  15. We're The Replacements
  16. Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is A Mess Of Incandescent Gas) (Live)
  17. Your Racist Friend
  18. Bangs
  19. Snail Shell
  20. Twisting
  21. Another First Kiss
  22. They'll Need A Crane
  23. The Statue Got Me High
  24. (She Was A) Hotel Detective
  25. Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head
  26. I Palindrome I

Tracks:

  1. She's An Angel
  2. How Can I Sing Like A Girl?
  3. James K. Polk
  4. Meet James Ensor
  5. Mammal
  6. Pet Name
  7. No!
  8. I Can Hear You
  9. Spider
  10. I Should Be Allowed To Think
  11. Fingertips
  12. She's Actual Size (New Live Version)
  13. Spy
  14. Stormy Pinkness (Live In Berlin 1989)
  15. Exquisite Dead Guy
  16. Robot Parade (Adult Version)
  17. Boat Of Car
  18. S-E-X-X-Y
  19. Number Three
  20. The End Of The Tour
  21. They Might Be Giants
  22. Her Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal
  23. Nightgown Of The Sullen Moon
  24. Snowball In Hell
  25. Purple Toupee
  26. Cowtown

Album Description

The ultimate anthology curated by the band, 52 songs including 'Don't Let's Start', 'Birdhouse In Your Soul' and the Grammy-winning 'Boss Of Me' plus a full color book with lyrics, discography and essays by the band and NPR's Sarah Vowell. Digipaks housed in a slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars They might be our new favorite!.......2007-01-18

My wife and I have been TMBG fans for 20 years; unfortunately we have most of their old (and best) stuff on vinyl. "Dial-a-song..." brings all of those songs back to us, along with some new stuff we haven't picked up. Thanks to "NO!", our kids have also become TMBG fans, and have found, just like adult fans like the "childrens'" albums, they like the adult material. Our family faves - "The Guitar," "Birdhouse in your soul," "New York City," and "Twisting." With not a bad song in the bunch, "Dial-a-song" mixes all of TMBG's musical styles, twists, and quirks into one great album.

5 out of 5 stars fan-friggin-tastic.......2006-02-07

Yeah, I don't know about the album yet, but it looks great and I can't wait to listen to it. I'm really here to comment on the previous review. Amen brotha man. Preach it.

5 out of 5 stars Catchy, fun, sing-along lyrical beauty. This is a fine collection of one fine band........2005-11-30

I rarely review music because more than any other medium, it relies on the personal taste of the listener. I enjoy some Hendrix, Beatles, Mozart, Rammstein, Johnny Cash, and more. I'd be hard pressed to reccommend all of them to each of my friends though.

That's the case with They Might Be Giants. As my favorite band for well over a decade, and the ONLY band whose albums I feel confident buying without sampling them first, I'm very biased. When I try to describe them to those who don't know them, I can only use words like "intelligent", "catchy", "goofy", and "fun". This lack of perspicacity is due only to the fact that no matter what song genre they do, TMBG always winds up being those things to me.

Take this album. It's a fine, fine collection of some of the most catchy and fun to listen to songs I've heard in my entire life. It's got great classics- "Dr. Worm", "Ana Ng", "Mammal", some of their newer choice cuts like "Man It's So Loud In Here", and of course, the song that hooked me on them in the first place, "Particle Man".

With only a few greats missing, this really is the best album a fan can get if he wants all the best, as well as the best starter kit I can think of for those who aren't yet aqcuainted with the 2 Johns. Before this was available I burned my own greatest hits album of TMBG, and most of what I put on there is on this album as well. A much better collection than "Then: The Early Years", though that collection is reccommended for the more in-depth TMBG fan.

I wish I could say more to help someone understand the appeal these guys have. It's great to see that they've become so popular thanks to Malcolm in the Middle and constant appearances on Conan O Brien and so on, but the more fans they win the happier I am. These guys are smart enough to wax lyrical about Palindromes, a night light, and even a mirror "Clearing my throat and gripping the lantern, I smile and face the audience clearing its throat and smiling with its hands on the bathroom sink". But at the same time, their surreal and thoughtful lyrics remain buoyant, catchy, and just plain fun to listen to.

If you love these guys as much as I do and want more than just their best album ever, "Flood", then pick this one up. For anyone who doesn't yet understand their appeal, I challenge them to pick this up- I can't imagine there's not a song here that won't appeal to somebody.

5 out of 5 stars I heart the Johns. .......2005-07-24

I'm pretty sure that TMBG is what sucessful psychologists use to turn their patients' lives around. Maybe they pipe it into their offices at an unnoticable frequency. Anyway, this is the TMBG collection to end all TMBG collections. I've never grown tired of listening to it - - it has all the essential giants songs in just the right order. From Another First Kiss to Meet James Ensor . . . this might be the answer to that "If you could only take one CD to a deserted island . . . " question.

5 out of 5 stars The Giants, they hath rocked out........2005-04-26

Disc 2 is a little lacking (How Can I Sing Like A Girl?, Exquisite Dead Guy, Nightgown of the Sullen Moon, this version of James K. Polk), but overall it's great.

Stuff they should've put on: Sensurround, See the Constellation, Polk (Factory Showroom version), Till My Head Falls Off, Spiraling Shape, Metal Detector, Thermostat, Destination Moon, Stomp Box, just to name some.

But out of about 250 (probably a big underestimate) songs, these 52 hit the biggest ones. If you want about most of the first disc, check out the upcoming User's Guide to TMBG.
A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • An Excellent Starting Point For Beginning Fans.
  • A Come Lately Fan's Intro to They Might Be Giants
  • What is this?!
  • Jittery, high-energy power pop; 80s irony, edgy absurdity
  • You can get all of theese songs off of "Dial A Aong: 20 Years Of They Might Be Giants"except 2
 A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Flood
  2. No!
  3. The Spine
  4. They Might Be Giants
  5. Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo]

ASIN: B0007XT8DA
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

  1. Minimum Wage
  2. Meet James Ensor
  3. Particle Man
  4. Don't Let's Start
  5. She's An Angel
  6. Cyclops Rock
  7. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
  8. Purple Toupee
  9. James K. Polk
  10. Birdhouse In Your Soul
  11. Ana Ng
  12. Guitar
  13. Bangs
  14. Statue Got Me High
  15. New York City
  16. Doctor Worm
  17. Boss of Me
  18. Your Racist Friend
  19. Why Does the Sun Shine?
  20. They'll Need A Crane
  21. I Palindrome I
  22. Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head
  23. John Lee Superstaster
  24. Older
  25. We're the Replacements
  26. Dr. Evil
  27. No!
  28. Clap Your Hands
  29. Spider

Amazon.com

At first glance, it's hard to figure out for whom "A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants" was made. Yes, for longtime fans it's a stroll down memory lane that draws in early favorites ("She's An Angel," "Don't Let's Start," "Ana Ng"), the best from the breakthrough Flood, and songs released closer to the present day. But Giant fanatics already own these songs and more. Moreover, much of their catalog was released less than three years ago on Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants. Yes, the package includes some fun facts about the band (a completeish list of concert dates played, etc.) and features clever UPC code-themed cover art, but it would take a pretty high level of devotion to open one's wallet for that alone. To repeat: who, at this point, needs a users guide to TMBG?

The answer: the kids. It may turn out that the Johns aren't just musical talents, but diabolical marketing geniuses as well. Most bands try to stay in touch with today's youth through wardrobe and behavior, but TMBG has been winning new devotees at an early age via their children's albums, No! and Here Come the ABCs. By now their first wave of child fans should be ready for something a little more grown-up, and A User's Guide stands ready to provide a quick musical sampler of TMBG's best. Only time will tell if kiddie music is a gateway to `90s alterna-pop, but if the gambit is successful we'll surely see Pearl Jam's (Going On) Ten and Liz Phair's Exile In Playdatesville in stores soon. --Leah Weathersby

Album Description

Led by John Flansburgh and John Linnell, They Might Be Giants rose to fame out of NYC's avant-garde performance scene in the 80's. Best known to the masses for "Boss of Me," their high-voltage theme song for the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, TMBG has built a loyal and widespread following with their literate, humor-laced, and irresistibly catchy alt-skewed pop rock. Rhino's new single disc retrospective compilation pulls hits and favorites from throughout their long and prolific career!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An Excellent Starting Point For Beginning Fans........2007-04-23

As I myself am just getting into They Might Be Giants, a collection such as "A User's Guide To They Might Be Giants" is greatly appreciated. Here you have 29 songs recorded over 20+ years by a mere two piece consisting of two guys named John.

If you're searching for depthful, poetic and meaningful lyrics, pick up a Dylan cd. They Might Be Giants are built around simple pop songs with clever lyrics that often border on novelty as well as odd but inventive musical techniques. Among the best songs on here are their big numbers, "Particle Man" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", as well as other wonderful songs such as "James K. Polk", "She's An Angel", "Your Racist Friend", "Boss Of Me" and the rocking "Dr. Worm", as well as many, manty other great songs.

My favorite song on here is "New York City". As a New Yokrer, I find this to be one of the fineest songs written about my wonderful homestate. It's a simple but effective pop song that has wonderful, evocative lyrics about the Greatest City On Earth and falling in love for the first time. The band actually performed this song midnight on the morning of September 11th, 2001. After the tragic events that took place later that day, the song now has found a new bittersweet meaning to it.

The liner notes are done in typical They Might Be Giants fashion, and while somewhat confusing and cluttered, make for a great read. The sound quality is great, and overall I recommend this cd to anyone just getting into the wonder of the music of They Might Be Giants.

4 out of 5 stars A Come Lately Fan's Intro to They Might Be Giants.......2006-12-28

"A User's Guide" is an entertaining and reasonably-priced intro to the fun and sometimes informative music of the Brooklyn-based band They Might Be Giants. Fun for songs like "Dr. Worm" (the story of a would-be rock drummer who's "not a real doctor" but is "an actual worm") and a cover of the classic "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"; and informative for songs like the almost-historically accurate "James K. Polk" and maybe-not-so "Meet James Ensor" (Belgium's famous painter). TMBG offers a science lesson or two along the way as well--"Particle Man" introduces us in a way to particle physics (I did a reasonably well-received Karaoke version of this one); "The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas" explains the nuclear processes that go on in that important stellar body; and "John Lee, Supertaster" is kind of a cross between science, superheroes, and "names in the news", though I'd never heard of him. Their best-known song from the CD is the bouncy "Birdhouse in Your Soul", which some claim to be quite cryptic, but the spirituality of which seems obvious to me. If you like music that gives you a little to think about, but not too seriously, TMBG might be your band, and "A User's Guide" is a great introduction.

2 out of 5 stars What is this?!.......2006-07-31

I've been a fan of They Might Be Giants since the early 1990's, and I own all of their major releases, plus a couple not so major releases. I picked this CD up last night having not ever sen or heard anything about it before and thought "Oh yay! New versions of some of my favorite songs". Boy was I wrong.
These aren't new versions of old songs, these are old versions of old songs. They are the exact same recordings I already own scattered across several CDs, there is absolutely nothing new here.
I'd have been fine with this if I knew what I was getting, but there was absolutely no indication on the packaging that these were all old recordings.

4 out of 5 stars Jittery, high-energy power pop; 80s irony, edgy absurdity.......2006-03-23

Core TMBG is jittery, very-high-energy power pop, with a healthy dose of innocent 60s British Invasion pop and bubblegum, balanced with lots of 80s irony and edgy absurdity. Some great, witty words, too, and often floods of them pouring out. Lots of novelty songs, but not only novelties. Delicious satire. A little can go a long way, though. That said, the more I listen to this one, the more I like the ones new to me.... S: tr 3-Particle man (3-minute description of the universe). tr 5-She's an angel (perfect wordy struggle with being in love). tr 7-Istanbul (THE perfect novelty song). tr 10-Birdhouse in your soul (a personal favorite-who knows what this is about?) tr 13-Bangs (paean to bangs every which way). tr 24-Older (yikes-the very passage of time itself) tr 27-No! (the mathematics of 2-year-old resistance). tr 28-Clap your hands (perfect WASP response to silly dance songs). [70:51]

1 out of 5 stars You can get all of theese songs off of "Dial A Aong: 20 Years Of They Might Be Giants"except 2.......2006-02-15

...............................

Music:

  1. Tijuana Hercules
  2. To the 5 Boroughs [Enhanced] [Import]
  3. Ultra Selection [Import]
  4. Untamed Melodies
  5. Waiting for Herb [Import]
  6. Whip-Smart
  7. Winter Moon
  8. 100% Fun
  9. Aglio e Olio [CD-single] [EP]
  10. All the Ladies [Import]

Music

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Nancy Van de Vate

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Slowly But Surely

Crimes of Passion [Soundtrack]

Redbook Relaxers: Lullabies

Sing The Hits Of The Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Karaoke)

Pavarotti Special Edition, Vol. 2

Revel Weird & Wild [Import] [Limited Edition]

On This Island

Nuyorican Soul

Really!

Los Pianos Barrocos

The Meeting of our Lord in the Temple (2 CD Set)

Straight Life