|
|
| |
|
|
THE SPINE
(Zoë/Rounder)
|
|
|
|
|
|
When a band have been together for close to two decades, oftentimes a humdrum shadow of what was once great artistic ability takes over due to fatigue, disillusionment, or just plain and simple being "too old for this shit." John Flansburgh and John Linnell, co-founders of They Might Be Giants, show they still have their fastball on The Spine, a concise yet thrilling studio effort released by Cambridge’s own Zoë Records. The first five songs, including "Experimental Film" and "Prevenge," are indicative of TMBG’s style — riffy music marked by harmonization between instruments and vocals that center on playfully nonsensical lyrics. "Crazy Bastard Wants To Hit Me," a spacey song about a run-in with a stranger in a parking lot, moves The Spine toward a more experimental realm. This change in momentum is further exemplified on the triple-meter "Museum of Idiots," with its numerous small changes between verse and chorus. The album reaches its peak on "Au Contraire," a perfect mix of joke lyrics with quality guitar-driven music and a flute solo that somehow incorporates itself in the middle. The only downside is that the 16 tracks add up to about 36 minutes of music, which is on the short side. A mulligan on this might be warranted, since each track is solid and there is not one half-assed stinker here. Still, the album tickles, teases, and leaves the listener wanting more.
|
