They Might Be Giants - The Spine
Like all They Might Be Giants albums, it took awhile for The Spine to grow on me. But, like all the other albums by these two goofy guys named John, it’s also earned a permanent spot on my iTunes playlist.
More than any other, this album made me very aware of something the Giants have always excelled at — writing pop songs for smart people. None of the songs on The Spine are over three and a half minutes, and most of them feature catchy hooks and your standard verse-chorus-verse structure. That’s the thing about these guys: they’re subversive and experimental in a way that you can never quite grasp. Yeah, their lyrics are bizarre, but lots of bands do that these days. Sure, they play around with cool effects (they use Cher’s “Believe in Love” vocal distortion to much better effect in “Bastard Wants to Hit Me”) and aren’t afraid to run the spectrum from one simple keyboard to full brass band. But that still doesn’t make them stand out, exactly.
I think it’s the idea that they look, write and sound like nerds, who seem to comprise the bulk of their audience. Even though they must be pushing 40 by now, they still very much come off as a college band: smart, funny and a little off. I think the biggest hit they’ve had is the theme to Malcolm in the Middle, and that’s fine by me.
Anyway, my only complaint about this album is the length. 16 tracks (17 if you buy it on iTunes) times 3 minutes or less equals only about 40 minutes of They Might Be Gianty goodness. And the emotional roller-coaster really just gets going before some sweaty carnie is pushing you back out of the car again. From the drunken glee of “Thunderbird” to the eminently singable “Au Contraire” to the melancholy of “Broke in Two,” this album is a fantastic ride in an expertly crafted vehicle. Unfortunately it barely gets you out of the driveway before it’s over. But hey, these guys cram more into 40 minutes than most bands do in twice that long… so I’ll just shut up now.