The New TMBG Album

[Doraemon]

There's a new TMBG album - called The Spine or something. Is it any good? I read a review that was full of the usual, predictable TMBG-bashing, but a few sentences from the end the reviewer admitted that, despite all he had said before, it's acctually quite good.  :shock:

So Benj have you got it yet? or anyone for that matter...? Is it any good?

[Benj]

There's a new TMBG album - called The Spine or something. Is it any good? I read a review that was full of the usual, predictable TMBG-bashing, but a few sentences from the end the reviewer admitted that, despite all he had said before, it's acctually quite good.  :shock:

So Benj have you got it yet? or anyone for that matter...? Is it any good?

No, I don't have it yet.  According to the They Might Be Giants official web site (www.tmbg.com), it's coming out on July 13th.  I'm looking forward to it.  Looks like it has a really cool cover, which has me excited already.

Benj

[Benj]

There's a new TMBG album - called The Spine or something. Is it any good? I read a review that was full of the usual, predictable TMBG-bashing, but a few sentences from the end the reviewer admitted that, despite all he had said before, it's acctually quite good.  :shock:

So Benj have you got it yet? or anyone for that matter...? Is it any good?

Ok, I finally got the new TMBG album today ("The Spine"), and so far I'm enjoying it a lot (although I've only listened through 1 1/2 times).  The album is surprisingly short, though.  Despite having 16 songs, the total running time is only about 35 minutes.

It's got some great new stuff on it that I haven't heard at all before, unlike their last 3 albums which were spoiled by my close following of the band at the time.  That's really nice for a change.  The artwork gives the album a nice feel to it -- it's incredible how much that changes my perception of albums (and I think it plays heavily on other people's perceptions as well, regardless of whether they are conscious of it or not).

Anyway, I recommend it.  It has more of a rough edge and is more unassuming than the sleek, super-poppy, and almost grandiose-feeling "Mink Car" (their last adult studio album), and I really enjoy that.  Fans of RAS music might too.  Check it out.

I haven't heard their new EP, "The Spine Surfs Alone," yet, although I'll probably buy it soon.

Benj

[Doraemon]

So, where would you but it on the Great TMBG Album Hierarchy? Better than "No!" ?

[Benj]

So, where would you but it on the Great TMBG Album Hierarchy? Better than "No!" ?

I'm not sure of its place yet, as it's quite early in the game, but I am certain that it is above No! -- far above.

However No! should really only be taken as a children's album (as it was intended), and it probably succeeds very well in that regard.  But in direct comparison with their other stuff it feels very weak.

Benj

[Nate_Derringer]

Experimental film <---- click that

I just figured that you would like to know, homestar runner made a music video of the song "experimental film" from the new album. Homestar has also done a few puppet projects with them. And I beleive the song "different town" was written by them.

[Doraemon]

I finally got The Spine today and I like what I hear. It's certainly, as far as I'm concerned, a vast improvement on Mink Car which I know a lot of people liked but I thought it was seriously lacking. This has a lot more substance than that album. I like "Experimental Film", "Wearing a Raincoat", "Museum of Idiots" and pretty much everything from "Au Contraire" onwards. What I would say is that the lyrics may be aren't as strong as in their best work, which seem to conbine absurdist nonsense with (pseudo?) philosophical elements that just might be deeply profound, but then again might not. Instead, this teeters dangerously towards the "weird-for-the-sake-of-weird" but then they just about manage to keep it interesting by making sure that the absurdity is consistantly inspired. Songs like "I Can't Hide From My Mind" seem a lot more like standard (suprisingly angsty) rock numbers, lacking that TMBG flavour. If I'm right on this, its not a good omen, but then i've only listened to it once or twice. Are TMBG becoming Radiohead in their old age?  

[Benj]

I finally got The Spine today and I like what I hear. It's certainly, as far as I'm concerned, a vast improvement on Mink Car which I know a lot of people liked but I thought it was seriously lacking. This has a lot more substance than that album. I like "Experimental Film", "Wearing a Raincoat", "Museum of Idiots" and pretty much everything from "Au Contraire" onwards. What I would say is that the lyrics may be aren't as strong as in their best work, which seem to conbine absurdist nonsense with (pseudo?) philosophical elements that just might be deeply profound, but then again might not. Instead, this teeters dangerously towards the "weird-for-the-sake-of-weird" but then they just about manage to keep it interesting by making sure that the absurdity is consistantly inspired. Songs like "I Can't Hide From My Mind" seem a lot more like standard (suprisingly angsty) rock numbers, lacking that TMBG flavour. If I'm right on this, its not a good omen, but then i've only listened to it once or twice. Are TMBG becoming Radiohead in their old age?  

"Wearing a raincoat is flying around in a yellow rubber airplane made out of a raincoat."

That's all I have to say about The Spine (aside from what I last said two years ago).

The other thing I have to say is that if you like TMBG, you must check out their podcast.  It's cool stuff, although I still haven't listened to the last 5 or so.

[Benj]

Oh yeah, and you should buy "Here Come the ABCs," because it's awesome.  Pounds "No!" deeply into oblivion.

I think I already posted about "Venue Songs" and how I secretly think it would have never happened had not RAS existed (and yes, they know very well about RAS).  But then again, I may just be completely paranoid.  Ok, I am.  But it doesn't make it untrue!