TMBG, The Else

[mmcirvin]

This is how out of touch I have been: They Might Be Giants' new album has been on iTunes since mid-May and in stores for a week (with a big bonus cd of podcast stuff, most of it new to me), and I only just found out.

On first listen, I mostly like it. Big heavy rock sound, sort of John Henryish. My one quibble is that in the sound mix, the instrumentals overwhelm the vocals on a few tracks, which for these guys is really not good.

"Frown Upside Down", "Climbing the Walls" and "The Shadow Government" are hilarious. Also I think the Cap'm must be a friend of Dr. Worm.

Comments

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

This particular album's sonic style isn't my favorite, but I don't get as anxious about this as I used to, since these guys have been so productive for so long that I know they'll put out something else that tickles me soon; I don't get the sense that they're evolving in a bad direction.

The non-album stuff does often impress me more; The Spine was great but The Spine Surfs Alone was *brilliant*.

"We Live In A Dump" is a classic.