xkcd

by **taptap** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:53 am UTC

THE SPINE!!!

It's one of those albums where EVERY song is awesome, no need to skip around to find the good ones.

Experimental film is easily one of my favorite songs ever.

then i fell in love twice when The Brother's Chaps (Homestar runner producers) made a music video into it using strong sad and the other characters in it.

by **H.E.L.e.N.** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 10:59 pm UTC

You guys, I got a copy of The Else (plus the bonus disk) for my birthday, and put it aside for a few months, and just picked it back up this week and it's actually quite exciting. Especially

WITH THE DARK. Holy crap, that song's like a mini-rock opera packed into two and a half minutes and I totally didn't see it coming.

And it doesn't have to over-explain itself at all, which is why I love it.

Spoiler:

by **KicktheCAN** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:01 am UTC

helen wrote:You guys, I got a copy of The Else (plus the bonus disk) for my birthday, and put it aside for a few months, and just picked it back up this week and it's actually quite exciting. Especially

WITH THE DARK. Holy crap, that song's like a mini-rock opera packed into two and a half minutes and I totally didn't see it coming.

And it doesn't have to over-explain itself at all, which is why I love it.
Spoiler:
Like how that second verse is suddenly a washed up rock-star/retired pirate. I can't get over how well those two things fit together.

I love the bonus disk it is almost an album unto itself. The great thing about the Else is that there are not really any songs that you skip over. It reminds me of The Spine with the only big difference being the lack of a good single.

by **no-genius** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:50 pm UTC

Torrent'd it. I like the Cap'm.

Also the 2nd disc is cool. I might get it over christmas maybe?

Edit: also Climbing the Walls, and The Shadow Government

"I got tired pacing the floor, I'm done with the floor"

This whole album is basically made of awesome. (I don't really get With The Dark right now, but I'm sure when I do it will be awesome).

by **Cytoplasm** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:45 pm UTC

Has anyone heard of "Experimental Film" by them? That song and some counting song on Disney or something for kids, are the only songs I've heard by them. Though I like "Experimental Film" from homestarruner.
http://www.homestarrunner.com/expfilm.html

by **Sprocket** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:10 pm UTC

helen wrote:WITH THE DARK. Holy crap, that song's like a mini-rock opera packed into two and a half minutes and I totally didn't see it coming.

And it doesn't have to over-explain itself at all, which is why I love it.
Spoiler:
Like how that second verse is suddenly a washed up rock-star/retired pirate. I can't get over how well those two things fit together.

That would be a really good song if it just went a little farther with the ballad. I'm totally obsessed with TMBG, they are probably my favorite continuing band. I've seen them way more times than any band, but I find the concert experience for most things to be fraught with disillusion. But I think they have a single primary flaw, and that is an inability, for the most part, to really TAKE their song ideas somewhere, and the END their songs. This in mind, my favorite TMBG songs are the ones that either have really great musical and lyrical ideas that I can't help but get swept up by, despite that they don't go anywhere, or the ones that really take their powerful musical and lyrical statements to appropriate places and completion. I Palidrome I goes all the way for my dollar. No One Knows My Plan is GREAT, but falls JUST short, in not coming to a satisfying musical completion. They'll Need a Crane is great on all fronts. I feel their two newest albums are full of short fun ideas that don't really DO a lot. But I still enjoy them. Stalk of Wheat is exactly what it claims to be lyrically, and still enjoyable...I could go on.

by **AKADriver** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:59 pm UTC

To be honest, I'm surprised this thread is so short. Tsk.

My username is a reflection of the fact that when I started using IRC around 1995, EFNet was still using a 9-character limit for usernames, and I had just acquired a copy of John Henry, and "AKADriver" was exactly 9 characters.

To be honest, I haven't followed the band much in the past few years, but I have copies (real copies) of everything up to The Spine. I also have the eMusic-distributed mp3s of Long Tall Weekend.

They played at RPI when I was a student there in 1998... in the McNeil Room, if any of you know RPI. Since the renovation of the Union in 2000-2001, I don't think it's possible to have concerts in there anymore. It was, without a doubt, the best live rock show I've ever attended. If you can see them in an extremely small venue like that, it's totally worth it.

by **Bakemaster** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:09 pm UTC

True to her word, Cat gave me a mix CD. I am really digging a few songs from The Else and it's on my list to go buy the full album (or get someone to gift it to me before the new year). From what I've heard, it sounds like recognizably the same group that did The Spine, which when I first heard it sounded really different to me than the other TMBG I had heard. As much as I love their Lincoln/Flood sound, I also love them now. Need to see them live next opportunity.

by **AKADriver** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:33 am UTC

They really have changed a lot as a band over the years. Prior to Flood, everything was home-recorded, done with very minimal production and sparse arrangement, relying mostly on keyboard, acoustic guitar, and accordion. They lampooned their own sound with the song "Rhythm Section Want-Ad" which is basically a song about the tribulations of trying to get a recording contract when you're a two-piece band with no drums.

Flood and Apollo 18 took that sound and expanded it onto professional recording equipment and production, and added some more recognizable rock elements. They were already doing live shows with a full band by then... and it shows in the very different arrangements of "Why Does The Sun Shine" between the EP (which is very faithful to the '50s educational record it came from) and the live version.

John Henry brought the live band into the studio and represented their maturity not just as clever songwriters but as full-fledged musicians. If you're looking for a rock album that's listenable purely for its musical value, this is where it starts for you - and you might want to check out Mono Puff, Flansburgh's jazzier, funkier band.

by **b.i.o** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:08 pm UTC

Getting happy sounding TMBG songs you haven't listened to in weeks randomly stuck in your head before hard tests = amazingness incarnate.

by **Goatboy** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:30 pm UTC

It's nice to see so much love being thrown around for John Henry. I've had limited exposure to TMBG fans, but most people I know are only down with Flood, Apollo 18 and/or No! I'm pretty sure that John Henry is my favourite of theirs. I need to give Factory Showroom another listen to confirm this, and I've not heard the newer albums in full, but this thread made me very happy.

by **mattgcn** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:01 am UTC

I adore They Might Be Giants. The Else seems to stand out among their work for me, but it may be because the "OMGNEWALBUM" factor still hasn't worn off. Otherwise it's a tie between Flood and John Henry.

They are awesome <3

by **Sprocket** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:43 pm UTC

Mink Car is their most radio album I think, but I still dug it quite a bit. ::sigh:: i have SO much TMBG on MP3 it hurts. Glad to see this thread is still getting some play.

Bakey, we WILL see them this summer at their 3rd Annual - Fan Appreciation Concert at Mohegan Sun, if not before. We must get there A FEW HOURS EARLY however, if we want good seats, ok? Cool.

Love,
Sarah

by **Goatboy** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:14 pm UTC

Thanks to this thread, I've started putting "I Am Not Your Broom" on mixes for people. These mixes aren't finished yet, so no reaction, but I'll let you know.

by **curious and questioning** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:33 am UTC

A friend of mine who I burned a CD for almost a year ago still talks about how her brother likes the humming part of "the broom song."

by **EvanED** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:01 am UTC

I highly encourage you TMBG fans to go to Paul and Storm's song page and listen to their "musical suppositions." These are a few tracks that are subjective impersonations. They start with "If James Taylor Were on Fire" and culminate in "If They Might Be Giants Were the Ice Cream Man".

Actually, I'll put these online in a sec.

Edit: I'm too lazy. If you want me to, I will, but you can listen to them from that site. ;-)

by **Sprocket** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:29 pm UTC

Dude, all you really have to do is put in a blimey link.

by **EvanED** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm UTC

CatProximity wrote:Dude, all you really have to do is put in a blimey link.

I did, but you need to go through each individually, and find them on the page and such. I was going to package them up into a single nice MP3 you could rightclick and save as, but got too lazy. ;-)

by **BeanDip4All** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:46 pm UTC

TMBG are playing in NYC in a few weeks at the Beacon theater, anyone planning on going to the show?

by **SomeoneElse** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:03 am UTC

TMBG = totally the best band evarrr.

The Else is such an awesome album; consistently better than anything they've done for years. I just they would hurry up and release it over this side of the pond. And they need to tour over here too. But anyways, my favouritist album of theirs is Lincoln, but to be honest all of them are pretty damn excellent. Apart from Apollo, Mink Car, and The Spine, which have some lame tracks as well as some great ones.

By the way, anyone who wants to listen to them but doesnt know what album to get should listen to their free podcasts.

PS. Mono Puff, as mentioned above, are also awesome.

by **Sprocket** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:25 am UTC

BeanDip4All wrote:TMBG are playing in NYC in a few weeks at the Beacon theater, anyone planning on going to the show?

I'd like to see them in upstate new york or some such again like I used to. It's a lot better when it's little and intimate, like the first show I saw of there's in Buffalo at this little bar venue. I've seen them thrice since moving to Boston. Once at Avalon, which I wouldn't recommend, and twice at Mohegan Sun, which is great especially if you get there early enough.

by **Sprocket** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:29 pm UTC

They Might Be Giants at The Somerville Theatre in Somerville MA March 28th!

tickets go on sale this coming Tuesday, January 15th!

(2777th post!)

by **Sprocket** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:37 pm UTC

Anyone else going to the show Friday?

by **Sprocket** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:08 pm UTC

song list, a few stills and a video of the show Friday...which you should have been at...

http://tmbw.net/wiki/Shows/2008-03-28#attendance

also an old interview with linnell I enjoyed...he likes to sit in the dark and pretend the media doesn't exist usually. http://www.inkblotmagazine.com/Interviews/int_TMBG.htm

by **SomeoneElse** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:29 pm UTC

Man, I really wish they'd play over in the UK sometime... or at least release The Else over here! Speaking of which, has anyone heard Here Come The 123's yet?

by **Princess Marzipan** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:23 am UTC

CatProximity wrote:he likes to sit in the dark and ~~pretend the media doesn't exist usually~~ whistle.

by **Sprocket** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:40 am UTC

Thank you Nougat.

I'm listening to "They'll Need a Crane" But I JUST was listening to "The Cap'm" from "The Else" Gee Willikers! I love this song, it's SO rocking!

So here's a question - what is they might be giants MOST romantic song?

by **SomeoneElse** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:17 pm UTC

CatProximity wrote:So here's a question - what is they might be giants MOST romantic song?

Probably She's An Angel.

by **The Hyphenator** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:27 pm UTC

Ahh, quadruple post!

Anyway, TMBG has long been my favorite band. They've explored many genres, and (almost) every song is unique and memorable, which is a quality I have yet to find in any other band (any recommendations?). Over one-third of all my songs (~80) are by TMBG. My favorite albums would have to be The Spine and Indestructible Object EP, but they're all amazing.

b.i.o wrote:Getting happy sounding TMBG songs you haven't listened to in weeks randomly stuck in your head before hard tests = amazingness incarnate.

That reminds me of when I got "Mammal" stuck in my head... during a test on mammals. Very useful.

That's how you get good grades, folks: listen to TMBG. I wish...

by **curious and questioning** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:22 pm UTC

CatProximity wrote:what is they might be giants MOST romantic song?

Museum of Idiots is... well, it's one of their songs that's about love and not, say, presidents, so that counts as romantic, right? I've Got A Match, too.

I don't know about *most* romantic...

The Hyphenator wrote:That's how you get good grades, folks: listen to TMBG. I wish...

Actually, it has helped, although more with generally associating songs to things. Hearing a word in a song and then in class and thinking, oh, *that*'s useful to know, it explains something, makes the fact about it much easier to remember.

by **testpilot** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:50 pm UTC

TMBG are probably my favourite band. I think I've pretty much heard the majority of songs from their released albums and quite a number of their unrealeased song, thanks to things like their podcast and free mp3's. I wouldn't claim I've heard everything, but I'd like to.

I'd also love to see them live, if they'd come to the UK soon. Though there are live tracks available here and there. And if you haven't seen it yet, check out the TED conference performance by them. I'd post a link but I'm still in the 5 post probationary period.

I couldn't possibly say what my favourite song of theirs is, though some of the ones I'm enjoying most at the moment would be Bee of the Bird of the Moth, I'm Your Boyfriend Now and Withered Hope along with classics such as Which Describes How You're Feeling, Stomp Box and Ana Ng.

As for most romantic song, possibly Maybe I Know (though tragic at the same time, also a cover song), or I'd have to agree with She's An Angel.

by **Gobo** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:18 am UTC

CatProximity wrote:Thank you Nougat.

I'm listening to "They'll Need a Crane" But I JUST was listening to "The Cap'm" from "The Else" Gee Willikers! I love this song, it's SO rocking!

So here's a question - what is they might be giants MOST romantic song?

We danced to Another First Kiss at our wedding reception.

by **The Hyphenator** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:28 pm UTC

Gobo wrote:
CatProximity wrote:Thank you Nougat.

I'm listening to "They'll Need a Crane" But I JUST was listening to "The Cap'm" from "The Else" Gee Willikers! I love this song, it's SO rocking!

So here's a question - what is they might be giants MOST romantic song?

We danced to Another First Kiss at our wedding reception.

Great, now it's stuck in my head. Ah well, it's a great song...

I've noticed that a few (more than 2, IIRC) songs are exactly 3:14. Coincidence, or nerdiness? Really, really hoping it's the latter.

by **SomeoneElse** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:00 pm UTC

The Hyphenator wrote:I've noticed that a few (more than 2, IIRC) songs are exactly 3:14. Coincidence, or nerdiness? Really, really hoping it's the latter.

Exactly 3:14, or a fraction of a second more? Possibly 0.1592 more?

by **The Hyphenator** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:34 pm UTC

I think it was just a coincidence. Turns out there were only two: Bangs and AKA Driver, which are about 3:14.24 and 3:14.3, respectivelyBoo

by **Baron Patsy** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:50 am UTC

The Hyphenator wrote:I think it was just a coincidence. Turns out there were only two: Bangs and AKA Driver, which are about 3:14.24 and 3:14.3, respectivelyBoo

"Take Out the Trash" is 3:14, as well. I remember because I made a copy of that album for my math teacher and replaced the track length with pi.

I'm a rather large TMBG fan. I have 810 TMBG tracks on my computer and I'm wearing a TMBG hoodie at the moment.

by **The Hyphenator** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:35 pm UTC

Baron Patsy wrote:
The Hyphenator wrote:I think it was just a coincidence. Turns out there were only two: Bangs and AKA Driver, which are about 3:14.24 and 3:14.3, respectivelyBoo

"Take Out the Trash" is 3:14, as well. I remember because I made a copy of that album for my math teacher and replaced the track length with pi.

I'm a rather large TMBG fan. I have 810 TMBG tracks on my computer and I'm wearing a TMBG hoodie at the moment.

Yeah, I forgot to count The Else in my search. Take Out The Trash is about 3:14.76.

by **Sprocket** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:34 pm UTC

I gotta say I was wrong about the Else being the The Spine. Man, it's really lyrically intricate. The Spine is far more simple.

by **SomeoneElse** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:06 pm UTC

Sprocket wrote:I gotta say I was wrong about the Else being the The Spine. Man, it's really lyrically intricate. The Spine is far more simple.

I wouldnt call The Else particularly "lyrically intricate"; certainly not to the extent of the pink album and Lincoln anyway. Its a hell of a lot better than The Spine however - i'd go as far to say its their most consistantly brilliant album since Factory Showroom or even John Henry.

by **The Hyphenator** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:17 pm UTC

SomeoneElse wrote:
Sprocket wrote:I gotta say I was wrong about the Else being the The Spine. Man, it's really lyrically intricate. The Spine is far more simple.

I wouldnt call The Else particularly "lyrically intricate"; certainly not to the extent of the pink album and Lincoln anyway. Its a hell of a lot better than The Spine however - i'd go as far to say its their most consistantly brilliant album since Factory Showroom or even John Henry.

Yeah, the Spine doesn't feature any particularly complex songs, but I mainly like it because of Prevenge, the most addictive song ever. I'm listening to it right now; it's great to loop over and over and over and over...

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