2008 Woodie Awards
'Giants' inconsistent in "The Else"
CD Review: They Might Be Giants "The Else"
Adam Dompierre
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: Entertainment
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"We can't be silent 'cause they might be giants. And what are we going to do unless they are?" They Might Be Giants posed this question in 1990, and 17 years later they've made good on their potential. "The Else" is the band's twelfth studio release, marking a quarter-century together. At their best, They Might Be Giants have crafted near-perfect pop songs; at their worst they've been written off as a novelty act. "The Else" falls somewhere between the two; it's a little inconsistent, but with flashes of the work that made the band great.
"I'm Impressed" kicks off the album, and it hums along with positive energy. Reminiscent of early They Might Be Giants songs like "Don't Let's Start," John Linnell delivers catchy, danceable indie pop. John Flansburgh's guitar adds an edge to the song, but Linnell's vocal melodies really sell this track. "Take Out the Trash" follows, but it feels like a misstep. The guitar work is solid, but everything else is forgettable, and the lyrics ("Girl, why don't you take out the trash?") definitely don't help.
The album hits its first peak with "Upside Down Frown," in which Linnell carries an engaging melody over flowing electric guitar lines. The drum loops help to give the song an extra shot in the arm. "Careful What You Pack" is even better and almost experimental. The track starts with an instrumental intro that wouldn't be out of place on Radiohead's album "Kid A," before giving way to an expansive production and shimmering melodies. It's nice to see the band is still taking chances this far in their career.
Unfortunately, the middle of the album devolves into novelty songs. "With the Dark" is confusing. The song can't stay in one genre for even a minute, jarringly transitioning from lo-fi to a big band sound to a pirate anthem. Randomly-placed lyrics about taxidermy offer nothing to remedy the lack of cohesion. It's fun for the first listen or two, but the gimmick soon wears thin. The real tragedy is that if any one of these ideas had been fleshed out into a full track, it would have been a strong song.
"I'm Impressed" kicks off the album, and it hums along with positive energy. Reminiscent of early They Might Be Giants songs like "Don't Let's Start," John Linnell delivers catchy, danceable indie pop. John Flansburgh's guitar adds an edge to the song, but Linnell's vocal melodies really sell this track. "Take Out the Trash" follows, but it feels like a misstep. The guitar work is solid, but everything else is forgettable, and the lyrics ("Girl, why don't you take out the trash?") definitely don't help.
The album hits its first peak with "Upside Down Frown," in which Linnell carries an engaging melody over flowing electric guitar lines. The drum loops help to give the song an extra shot in the arm. "Careful What You Pack" is even better and almost experimental. The track starts with an instrumental intro that wouldn't be out of place on Radiohead's album "Kid A," before giving way to an expansive production and shimmering melodies. It's nice to see the band is still taking chances this far in their career.
Unfortunately, the middle of the album devolves into novelty songs. "With the Dark" is confusing. The song can't stay in one genre for even a minute, jarringly transitioning from lo-fi to a big band sound to a pirate anthem. Randomly-placed lyrics about taxidermy offer nothing to remedy the lack of cohesion. It's fun for the first listen or two, but the gimmick soon wears thin. The real tragedy is that if any one of these ideas had been fleshed out into a full track, it would have been a strong song.
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