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They Might Be Giants

post #1 of 45
Thread Starter 
I just got through their first album this week, and I've fallen in love. The silliness, the novelty songs, would all be gimmicky and annoying if they weren't so fucking versitile and write such amazingly catchy songs, consistantly. I've always been a fan of individual songs here and there, but I never realised they were THIS good.
post #2 of 45
I remember talk on CHUD a while back that the Dust Bros. were producing their new record, and I was intrigued, but then I never heard any more about it. Anyone know?
When I looked them up I only found their new "kids album"(their 3rd one, it seems).

But yeah, I never knew how cool these guys were until a friend of mine bought their "greatest hits" compilation.
post #3 of 45
They also write mind blowing childrens albums. Give "NO!" a listen or better yet buy the DVD and give it as a present at every baby shower you go to so that all your friend raise the coolest kids in the world.
post #4 of 45
The Dust Brothers produced album (The Else) was lame. It was a fairly straight-ahead rock album with disposable and lazy lyrics. The last few children's albums are much more fun and whimsical. Patrick, have you seen the documentary GIGANTIC: A TALE OF TWO JOHNS?
post #5 of 45
What's that blue thing doing here?
post #6 of 45
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeVSbenway View Post
The Dust Brothers produced album (The Else) was lame. It was a fairly straight-ahead rock album with disposable and lazy lyrics. The last few children's albums are much more fun and whimsical. Patrick, have you seen the documentary GIGANTIC: A TALE OF TWO JOHNS?
I have not. Is it worth buying? I doubt I'd be able to find it for rent anywhere around here.
post #7 of 45
I promise not to kill you.
post #8 of 45
I am rather fond of this band myself. It's a pity they never seem to tour internationally.

They're also doing the soundtrack for Coraline.
post #9 of 45
Thread Starter 
Before I was big into them, I did see them live, they were a whole lot of fun. They ended with "Dial-A-Drum-Solo".

"If you'd like to hear the intro to Zeppelin's 'Rock 'n Roll', please shout 2 now!"
post #10 of 45
Seen them live at least 5 times, and they always put on a fantastic show. Gigantic is a great doc, but you should really just invest in the albums, and see them live if you ever get the chance. Absolutely pick up:
Lincoln
Flood
Misc T
Apollo 18
and John Henry.

The hits album is a great compilation too.

Please pass the milk please.
post #11 of 45
My first exposure to them was in the Tiny Toon Adventures Music Video episode in which they did videos for 'Istanbul (Not Constantinople)' and 'Particle Man' (rock solid PROOF that cartoons were way more awesome when I was in elementary school than they are today), and thought they were awesome ever since. Unfortunately the only albums I've heard/owned are Flood and Apollo 18.
post #12 of 45
I go through phases where I listen to Flood continuously.

Their continuing collaboration with Homestar Runner is worth checking out too:

Experimental Film
post #13 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
I have not. Is it worth buying? I doubt I'd be able to find it for rent anywhere around here.
It probably won't help, but Starz Cinema plays it quite a bit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fafhrd View Post
My first exposure to them was in the Tiny Toon Adventures Music Video episode in which they did videos for 'Istanbul (Not Constantinople)' and 'Particle Man' (rock solid PROOF that cartoons were way more awesome when I was in elementary school than they are today), and thought they were awesome ever since. Unfortunately the only albums I've heard/owned are Flood and Apollo 18.
Same here.
post #14 of 45
They fact they wrote Ana Ng = me buying anything they ever create.
post #15 of 45
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Shaver View Post
It probably won't help, but Starz Cinema plays it quite a bit.
Yeah, unfortunately, I do not get Starz Cinema.
post #16 of 45
Their first three albums are particularly good. Lincoln's my favorite, then their debut, then Flood. John Henry is pretty good. I'm not wild about Apollo 18 (although it has a lot of quick bits I love slipping into mix-tapes as filler).

I hate the documentary, though. I don't know what it is about it. It's just a little too...gushing and self-satisfied. I don't need to be told how great They Might Be Giants are over and over again.

Side-note: they also are responsible for the music for the Daily Show and Malcolm in the Middle. Also, they were on an episode of Home Movies.
post #17 of 45
Thread Starter 
post #18 of 45
"Don't Let's Start" is one of the best pop songs ever.
post #19 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
I go through phases where I listen to Flood continuously.
Seconded. Birdhouse In Your Soul sometimes refuses to get out of my head for days at a time.
post #20 of 45
Absolutely one of my favorite bands of all time. They're completely unique, and never seem to run out of steam. Every time they come out with a comparatively weak album, they follow it up with something great. I cannot gush about them enough.

I have a friend, though, who forbids anyone to play them while she's around. Not because she dislikes them, but because she can't get the songs out of her head for days afterward.
post #21 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jared Melton View Post
Seconded. Birdhouse In Your Soul sometimes refuses to get out of my head for days at a time.
Yeah, well it's in mine now...thanks, Jared! No, I mean it, thanks I had a Nickelback song stuck in there.
post #22 of 45
I have friends that will drive me crazy because they'll rave about Flood and won't listen to Lincoln no matter how much I beg. I've seen them live once at a music festival where their rhythm section was nothing but "THE ROCK METRONOME". Last year I noticed that they had TMBG videos for their kids songs on a good amount between shows in Nickelodeon, but those seem to have disappeared.

"I don't want the world. I just want your half."
post #23 of 45
Flood is one of those ultra-rare perfect albums from beginning to end. Their kids material was inevitable. But it's not as good as many of their previous albums. And there's such a fine line between the two styles I make my kids listen to their regular stuff.

That's right. I said I make them listen to it. Fuck the Wiggles.
post #24 of 45
I associate Flood with pretty much all my high school memories. I picked up Apollo 18, then kind of lost track of the band. I should probably fix that one of these days.
post #25 of 45
My absolute favorite band. Like misfit, my fondest memories of high school and summer vacations are soundtracked with Apollo 18 and the rest... I just saw them at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta three weeks ago - excellent.

By the way, the sun is a ball of incandescent gas.
post #26 of 45
Apologies for the double post, but this always gets me:

post #27 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renn Brown View Post
My absolute favorite band. Like misfit, my fondest memories of high school and summer vacations are soundtracked with Apollo 18 and the rest... I just saw them at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta three weeks ago - excellent.

By the way, the sun is a ball of incandescent gas.
I've always loved the up-tempo way they do "Why Does The Sun Shine" live.
post #28 of 45
That's what they opened with in Atlanta. It was a perfect starter.
post #29 of 45
They're also responsible for one of the odder concert experiences I've witnessed, when they performed "Exquisite Dead Guy" with puppet heads on top of very tall poles. Renn, are they still using the confetti cannon during "James K Polk"?
post #30 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Miller View Post
They're also responsible for one of the odder concert experiences I've witnessed, when they performed "Exquisite Dead Guy" with puppet heads on top of very tall poles. Renn, are they still using the confetti cannon during "James K Polk"?
They did use a confetti canon. I think it was during Polk (I was so fucking happy when they started that!).

It was a very low-key show, besides the cannon, John came out with a big bass drum strapped to his chest for a minute or two and that was it.

Though once John told us, "Everybody Conga" followed by, "I'm not fucking kidding" and so... we conga'd.

Well, the people who didn't completely fucking suck did.
post #31 of 45
I threw together this quick (and kinda weird) video for "I've Got A Fang" two days ago. I'm going to put up a blog about it, but thought it belonged in here too.

Watch it in HD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPnXpiUuuL0
post #32 of 45
Like 'em.
post #33 of 45
I'll second (third? fourth?) the kids' albums as well. We have all but one (I think) for my daughter. Fun, whimsical, and very well done. I think I like them more than she does at this point (she is only 18 months), but I hope as she understands them more she starts to really enjoy them.
post #34 of 45
I play the kids' albums at work (I'm a preschool teacher). This has resulted in requests for the same songs over and over, which inevitably are not the ones I like the most. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is now in imminent danger of entering my iPod's Top 25 Most Played, where it would join Where Do They Make Balloons? and Four of Two. I actually like those two, though.
post #35 of 45
They're a ridiculously fun live show. Even the drunk hippie chick constantly asking me if I found her attractive could not dampen the Kansas City show I saw them put on a couple years ago.
post #36 of 45
Geez, I've been lax in following up with TMBG for years. I'll be buying the kids albums for my in-laws so my niece can bask in the glory of John and John.

MINIMUM WAGE!!! HYEAAHHHH (whip cracks)
post #37 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dax View Post
They're a ridiculously fun live show. Even the drunk hippie chick constantly asking me if I found her attractive could not dampen the Kansas City show I saw them put on a couple years ago.
You left out part of the story, man. Did you find her attractive? We need to know.
post #38 of 45
Thread Starter 
From "Theme from Flood" to "We Want A Rock" Flood is the perfect pop album. Then there's a HUGE dip in quality. Never quite understood why the album was so front loaded.
post #39 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
From "Theme from Flood" to "We Want A Rock" Flood is the perfect pop album. Then there's a HUGE dip in quality. Never quite understood why the album was so front loaded.
No offense Pat, but fuck your mother.
post #40 of 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
From "Theme from Flood" to "We Want A Rock" Flood is the perfect pop album. Then there's a HUGE dip in quality. Never quite understood why the album was so front loaded.
The second to last song, "They Might Be Giants (BOY!)" completely invalidates your claim. As does "Minimum Wage".
post #41 of 45
Thread Starter 
Love both of those songs. I stand by my statement. It's still a classic, just a front-loaded one.
post #42 of 45
I see where he's coming from. There are no skippable songs in the first half. I think "Hot Cha" and "Sapphire Bullets" kind of throw things off towards the end, but my love for "Whistling in the Dark," "Women and Men" and "They Might be Giants" save the day.
post #43 of 45
I think Lincoln is my favorite TMBG album, followed by (oddly enough) Apollo 18. I think I have a thing for Apollo 18 because it was one of the first ones I listened to.
post #44 of 45
Considering that Flood is on my short list of greatest albums ever made, I'd have to disagree with you, Patrick. I think there are exactly two less-than-stellar songs on the album, and yes, they're towards the end, but I wouldn't call that front-loaded.
post #45 of 45
One of my more pleasant surprises ever was wandering into FYE in the local mall years ago, just as TMBG were setting up to play a few songs to promote the Malcolm In The Middle soundtrack. So I got to watch TMBG play about fifteen feet in front of me, for free.

Then they played at the Express store across the way. It was so randomly delightful.
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