Rock Giants [Import]

1. Down The Dustpipe

2. Mean Girl

3. Gerdundula

4. The Price Of Love

5. Make Me Stay A Little Bit

6. Hurdy Gurdy Man

7. Nanana

8. Something Going On In My

9. Green Tambourine

10. Pictures Of Matchstick Me

11. Ice In The Sun

12. Josie

13. Black Veils Of Melancholy

14. Tune To The Music

15. Spicks And Specks

16. Umleitung

17. Laticia

18. I (Hwo Have Nothing)

Rock Giants,Status Quo,Universal/Polygram

Average customer rating: Sadly, the worst TMBG has done. Please enter a title for your review It's good, buy it. For TMBG fans new and, especially, old Definitely grows on you!

The Else They Might Be Giants Manufacturer: Idlewild/Zoe Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants Time on Earth The Mix-Up Our Love to Admire 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:

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.

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.

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!

For TMBG fans new and, especially, old.......2007-07-18

Believe it or not, after seeing them live, I wasn't too thrilled about hearing this album. But, luckily, their production skills are so good that it's not fair to judge them or their songs by their live performances, especially when they have to lower their expansive arsenal of instruments and sounds to a mere quintet setting. After the sorely mediocre Mink Car, the better The Spine, and finally the mostly sour Venue Songs, The Else has proven to be their best album in years.

A lot of people are going to be critical upon this album upon first listen, especially if it's a casual one. Songs like "Upside-Down Frown" even has a title that will make most cringe, "Bee of the Bird of the Moth" has a beginning that can easily make someone quickly disinterested, and "Take Out the Trash" can come across as disgustingly too poppy. Never fear, though! They Might Be Giants has proven in the past to take terrible pop ideas and transform them into great works of art; it's just that of the past few albums have made fans like me very cautious about listening to their new material.

"Upside-Down Frown" is a song that's lyrics are lame, but TMBG has been known in the past to make songs like this with excellent parts in it to make it catchy and end up good. Remember "Sleeping in the Flowers"? Potentially very lame, but in the end turns out to be very likable. Listen to the lyrics around the chorus and the musicality of the instrumentation and you'll find the song to be like others with choruses that are meant to be more satirical than serious. That's an element that TMBG has used in the past, but as noted before, fans don't trust their ability to do it and make the rest of the song good anymore.

In terms of "Take Out the Trash", yes, it's poppy, but I'd be damned if it weren't a song that outlines the reason that music connoisseurs can stand to still listen to some pop music. It's catchy, and the lyrics aren't all that bad. It may be lame to say "Girl!/Why not take out the trash?" because it's a ridiculously un-clever and obvious metaphor, but they make it work, especially when they add the oddly creative, indirect TMBG touch to it with lyrics like "I'm not saying all the boys are the same/But, some boys are the same and it's Thursday now".

Finally, "Bird of the Bee of the Moth" needs to be listened to all the way through. It ends up sounding like an old song of their due to what they do with the instruments that they have.

Getting through the wrongfully-accused-as-"bad" songs, allow me to praise some of the best on the album. One review I read called "The Mesopotamians" gimmicky. HELLO. This song is what this band is really all about: creative, lyrical song writing. Are songs like "Why Does the Sun Shine?" and "James K. Polk" terrible because it deals with factual information and turns that information into a creative song? "The Mesopotamians" is awesome because it returns to that style of TMBG writing and makes great use of it. And, whoever says that song is solely about a traveling band needs to go back to high school and take a World History class.

"Feign Amnesia" is another song that returns to TMBG writing that long-time fans have loved. It's funny and a creative way to talk about situations that normal pop songs expire easily with writing of the opposite quality. "The Cap'm" is my personal favorite due to an initial hook and the hilarity of the lyrics themselves. Yes, John, I do agree: that hat looks damn good on you.

In the end, The Else can be called a return to form for They Might Be Giants. With songwriting that has been repaired and carefully crafted to the genius that we know them for, it turns out to be an album that is worthy of a spot next to "John Henry" and even "Factory Showroom".

[..]

Definitely grows on you!.......2007-07-18

Initially, some songs caught my attention faster than others, naturally the fast ones (I'm Impressed, Take Out the Trash, Withered Hope, Mesopotamians). As the week went by, I began to grasp all the tracks as a whole, as a gestalt experience.

It was a shock to me that Take Out the Trash was not really about garbage. Does it seem like "leave your skanky boyfriend" is a little below TMBG's usual standard for song themes? Or do They have a standard? Or are They being parodistic and going over my head again, which would raise it back to standard?

Bee of the Bird of the Moth is brilliant in a quiet way. The beat makes me think of droning bee/bird/moth wings. But what do I know about music as it relates to insects?

The BONUS CD is a BONUS - it's a gift, just like their free downloads. Appreciate it! Hooray for generosity & prolificacy!

Average customer rating: All-time favorite DVD for kids Fun for Kids and their Grown-ups! My daughter loves it!!!! my little one loves this DVD! We both love it

Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo] They Might Be Giants Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Disney | Children's Music | Styles | Music Educational | Children's Music | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: No! For The Kids Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle and Shake 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:

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.

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.

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!

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

We both love it.......2007-04-18

FYI, it is a very loud DVD so do not have the volume up too loud. My 2-year-old and I both love this DVD. He sings the songs and is learning to recognize his ABC's. What a fun way to learn. We use the CD in the car and when he is in the bathtub with his floating letters. He is learning to go to the "QU" letters when he hears them in the song. Great Job!

Average customer rating: 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 General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Here Come the ABCs [CD/DVD Combo] For The Kids Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) For the Kids Too! Not for Kids Only 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:

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!

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... :)

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.

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.

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.

Average customer rating: Modern classic Favorite Fun CD Terrible Oddly, Endearingly Enduring Classic TMBG

Flood They Might Be Giants Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Eccentrics | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music Similar Items: Apollo 18 Lincoln They Might Be Giants John Henry Factory Showroom 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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Average customer rating: 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 General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Else They Got Lost Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) - A movie about They Might Be Giants Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) 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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Average customer rating: 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 General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Elfman, Danny | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Disney | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Charlotte's Web, Music from the Motion Picture Shrek The Third The Last Mimzy Ratatouille Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End 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:

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.

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.

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 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

Average customer rating: Wonderful! Facing the Giants Fabulous Good music facing the giants

Facing the Giants: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Original Soundtrack Manufacturer: Reunion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Christian Rock | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Facing the Giants (Widescreen) Flywheel Chronology, Vol. 1 Facing Your Giants: The God Who Made a Miracle Out of David Stands Ready to Make One Out of You Songs of Deliverance ASIN: B000I0QK9W Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

1. Come Together - Third Day
2. Voice Of Truth - Casting Crowns
3. Score 1-Opening Scene - Unlisted
4. I'm Finding You - Bebo Norman
5. Score 2-Opening Credits - Unlisted
6. Completely - Ana Laura
7. Score 3-Death Crawl - Unlisted
8. Come On Back To Me - Third Day
9. Never Give Up - Josh Bates
10. Score 4-Championship Game - Unlisted
11. With You - Mark Willard
12. Score 5-Brooke Tells Grant About The Baby - Unlisted

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2007-07-01

You do not have to like football to call this a favorite! This movie beautifully shows how God will take the heartaches and dissappointments in life and turn them for good, because He Loves Us. No matter how big or small, the movie brings home this; God is interested in Every aspect of our lives; this is Definatly a favorite!

Facing the Giants.......2007-06-27

I DID NOT LIKE IT!!!!, I thought I was getting the movie. I hated the music. Did not listen to more then a few minutes when I realized there was no movie. Who would want the sound without the movie????

M Green

Fabulous.......2007-05-09

I can't say enough about this movie. We are not big TV people but we do have a family movie night. We are also not big sports enthusists. That being said, my husband, my 7 and 10 year old and and I loved this movie!! Why can't hollywood make movies like this!!

Good music.......2007-04-11

This was a gift for my children who love movie music and movie scores. They rated it about a 4, and felt the title track was short. Third Day was great....

facing the giants.......2007-03-29

i really like each song. theres not a song on the track that i dont like.
its very inspiring. makes you feel like you can do it.or everything will
work out... i saw the movie and was very moved. the acting is ok but the
story really says alot. the music really helped get the message across..

Average customer rating: 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 General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & 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 General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Flood John Henry Lincoln They Might Be Giants 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:

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).

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.

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

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

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.

Average customer rating: A fresh breath of "originality" FUN & Intelligent tunes And What an Entrance!!! Surprise Fav New Album good band,

Under the Influence of Giants Under the Influence of Giants Manufacturer: Island ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Similar Items: Teenage Graffiti Ta-Dah Sam's Town Black Holes and Revelations Under the Iron Sea ASIN: B000GFRJ80 Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

1. Ah Ha
2. Got Nothing
3. In The Clouds
4. Stay Illogical
5. Mama's Room
6. Heaven Is Full
7. I Love You
8. Against All Odds
9. Lay Me Down
10. Faces
11. Meaningless Love

Album Description

When you call your band Under the Influence of Giants, you're expected to somehow be the sum of your roots, but this L.A. outfit defies easy categorization. As their self-titled debut Island Records album bears out, the Giants' funk-inflected, hook-saturated pop-soul is a combination of the Talking Heads' African poly-rhythmic groove ("Ah-ha," "Got Nuthin'"), the ethereal falsettos of Michael Jackson and Prince ("Mama's Room"), the blue-eyed R&B of Hall & Oates and George Michael ("In the Clouds"), the insinuating melodic pop of Rubber Soul ("Stay Illogical"), Earth, Wind & Fire's horn-driven, noirish funk ("Against All Odds"), McCartney's winsome balladry ("Lay Me Down") and even the throbbing beat of post-hip-hop by way of Madonna ("Meaningless Love").

Customer Reviews:

A fresh breath of "originality".......2007-06-23

Their name says it all, their style resembles an ensemble of some of the most well known artists of all time.

When I first put this in my car and started hearing "Ah-ha" I couldn't help but start tapping my foot and bobbing my head. All of the album is of that level of fun and enjoyment. While not all are as fast as songs like "Got Nothing" or "Mama's Room" they're all really fun to listen to. Even the slower songs such as "Lay me Down" and "Meaningless Love" will probably have you singing along to them before you know what's happening.

Overall, UTIOG is a great kickback to times before I was born as well as a great tribute to some of the greatest artists of all time. Not only that, they prove that that same formula that worked back then still works now.

FUN & Intelligent tunes.......2007-05-20

This CD was purchased on a whim after hearing "Mama's Room" on public radio. Many month's later I happed upon it at a local store and took a chance with it. What a pleasant surprise.I am a 47 yr old JethroTull/prog rock/one hit wonder/new wave fan.This CD simply blew me away.Every song is good...all killer ...no filler. My son & daughter ( both under 13) love the CD also.It's nice to know that fun and intelligent music still exsists. The CD is still played regularly month's later..it's that good. Looking forward to the follow up CD..

And What an Entrance!!!.......2007-04-11

I haven't been keeping up with a lot of the new music these days, mostly due to lack of time and partly due to the belief that music now isn't what it used to be at at least 10 years ago. There are solid bands - still going strong today - like the Wallflowers, Muse, Coldplay, Maroon 5 etc, so I tend to stick with the familiar.

But I branched out.

After someone introduced me to these guys, I was blown away by their hot fusion of soul, 70s disco-esque falsettos, and fantastic beats. Yes, if I could snog the music, I would. Better yet, every song is pretty different.
Their kind of music hasn't appeared much on the market these days, I feel, which is what makes them so refreshing to listen to.
So...that's basically why I decided to give these guys 5 stars - they bloody well deserve every one of them.

Surprise Fav New Album.......2007-04-09

While laying in bed at 4 am unable to sleep I was watching VH1's insomniacs video's and Mama's Room came one and the song instantly grabbed me and got my attention. I am not fond of most of today's new music but I went out and bought this CD and I am in love with it. The lead singers voice has such an interesting range and the lyrics are pretty damn amazing! Usually I might like a few songs on a new bands album but the whole thing keep me interested. while I usually play a new bands cd a few times and then put it away UTIOG's is a CD i keep coming back to. I don't skip over a single song and I can't say that about my favorite artists last CD. There are a few different styles on this album but it flows together very nicely.
I'm even planning on seeing them in concert when they come to "Houstin" as they so amusingly spelled it on their flyer. Sorry guys, had to razz ya about that jet lagged poor rockstar mistake! I can't wait to see the guys live and discover if they have as good of a stage presence as I imagine. I think they will be a band to watch.

good band,.......2007-01-31

i read somewhere that someone said that under the influence of giants is like the bee gees of our time(our time being now)

not too sure about that, way better than home town hero though, glad they dropped that kind of music. :)

this cd can get tiring after a while, its pretty good though

Average customer rating: 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 General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Spine The Else Mink Car No! Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants 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:

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.

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.

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"

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.

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".

Rock Music:

1. Room Service
2. Roy Rogers Meets Albert Einstein: 3 Works by Sigmund Snopek
3. Rubberneck
4. See This Through & Leave [Import]
5. Shaggs
6. She's My Lovely/That Unmistakable Sound
7. Show Me Everything [Import]
8. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence [Import]
9. Split Ep [Import]
10. Stan the Man [Import]

Rock Music