A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

They Might Be Giants

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 3, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 3, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B0007XT8DA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,356 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Minimum Wage

2. Meet James Ensor

3. Particle Man

4. Don't Let's Start

5. She's An Angel

6. Cyclops Rock

7. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

8. Purple Toupee

9. James K. Polk

10. Birdhouse In Your Soul

11. Ana Ng

12. Guitar

13. Bangs

14. Statue Got Me High

15. New York City

16. Doctor Worm

17. Boss of Me

18. Your Racist Friend

19. Why Does the Sun Shine?

20. They'll Need A Crane

See all 29 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

At first glance, it's hard to figure out for whom "A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants" was made. Yes, for longtime fans it's a stroll down memory lane that draws in early favorites ("She's An Angel," "Don't Let's Start," "Ana Ng"), the best from the breakthrough Flood, and songs released closer to the present day. But Giant fanatics already own these songs and more. Moreover, much of their catalog was released less than three years ago on Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants. Yes, the package includes some fun facts about the band (a completeish list of concert dates played, etc.) and features clever UPC code-themed cover art, but it would take a pretty high level of devotion to open one's wallet for that alone. To repeat: who, at this point, needs a users guide to TMBG?

The answer: the kids. It may turn out that the Johns aren't just musical talents, but diabolical marketing geniuses as well. Most bands try to stay in touch with today's youth through wardrobe and behavior, but TMBG has been winning new devotees at an early age via their children's albums, No! and Here Come the ABCs. By now their first wave of child fans should be ready for something a little more grown-up, and A User's Guide stands ready to provide a quick musical sampler of TMBG’s best. Only time will tell if kiddie music is a gateway to ‘90s alterna-pop, but if the gambit is successful we'll surely see Pearl Jam's (Going On) Ten and Liz Phair's Exile In Playdatesville in stores soon. --Leah Weathersby

Product Description

Led by John Flansburgh and John Linnell, They Might Be Giants rose to fame out of NYC's avant-garde performance scene in the 80's. Best known to the masses for "Boss of Me," their high-voltage theme song for the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, TMBG has built a loyal and widespread following with their literate, humor-laced, and irresistibly catchy alt-skewed pop rock. Rhino's new single disc retrospective compilation pulls hits and favorites from throughout their long and prolific career!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 29 of their best., June 5, 2005

By	H3@+h (VT) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

The biggest complaint here seems to be that this offers less than the "Dial-A-Song" collection does. Well that's true, but alot of fans don't want or need 52 tracks on 2 discs of They Might Be Giants. So, for the casual fan this is perfect, not to mention that this disc itself includes 29 songs. There's so much here it's insane, most of which is terribly catchy. Songs from movies and TV, songs for kids, alternative and pop songs, and all done very well. I would like another track or two from "Flood", but who can complain when this has "Don't Let's Start", "Ana Ng", "Particle Man", "Birdhouse In Your Soul", and 25 more. If you're looking for your first or only TMBG album, this is obviously it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No new tracks, May 3, 2005

By	JohnW (tmbgforum.co.uk) - See all my reviews

This has no new tracks, it is not designed for existing fans of the band, it is for you to make new fans with!!

As that, I think it will do pretty well, considering it has some of everything.

A good introduction to the band, 4/5.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 29 songs for 11.98 = about 41 cents for each song!, June 19, 2005

By	Huzlinefan (Parma Heights, OH) - See all my reviews

I agree with what most of the other reviewers said. It's perfect for a TMBG-newcomer who doesn't want to spend twice the money on Dial-a-Song.
I would like to mention a couple of things about this CD that no one else has said yet, though. If it matters at all, track 19 "Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)" on this album is the original glockenspiel version from the EP of the same name, not the "live" version that's included on the two-disc Dial-a-Song set.
Secondly, it may or may not be worth mentioning that the liner notes are pretty cool. They list "A Fairly Complete List of They Might Be Giants Gigs Since 1985," the date and city of every performance up to October 2004. There's also a "track related timeline" (for example: 1938 - U.S. minimum wage established) a list of every song recorded, and some other neat stuff (No lyrics , though). I realize most people won't buy this just for those ten pages if they already have the songs, but I thought someone should mention it for the sake of...mentioning it.