They Might Be Giants - The Else

One of the biggest cults in current activity is that of They Might Be Giants. They have a fan club, a vibrant internet life including a wiki, and throngs of geeky college students, as well as seasoned music veterans, who absolutely adore them. Ever since I heard them, I’ve been hooked. Part of the secret to their success is their very close connection to their fans, and they’ve never let them down.

The Else is their first full-length adult album (they had two children’s albums before now, No! and Here Come the ABCs) in 3 years, and they’re clearly adapting to the times quite well. The Else enjoyed an iTunes-only release long before its CD release, letting a few people in on it, mostly avid fans who pay close attention. Indeed, this is not new to the band; their album Long Tall Weekend is only available online. More than just a novelty this time, the product is quality, too; The Else is one of their best.

At the start, it seems as though TMBG has acclimated to the norm enough that they can sound just like it. “I’m Impressed” is a driving, slightly techno rock song, which would fit in with songs you would hear on pop radio. “Take Out the Trash” is a straight-ahead rocker with a danceable beat, but no TMBG frills other than the vocals. So after the first two tracks, it leaves you wondering if They Might Be Giants have left silliness and quirkiness behind them. But then we have “Upside Down Frown,” which restores the listener’s faith in TMBG’s left-field aesthetic. This song, while nothing special in the scope of the band’s entire body of work, is a beautiful archetype of what makes TMBG them (I also very much appreciate the obscure Cream reference).

Even so, The Else is more straightforward and simplistic than their previous work. That’s not a bad thing, however. The Giants wear simplicity very well. Like John Henry and Factory Showroom, this is pretty muscular and hard-edged. It also deviates from the TMBG norm by having a standard amount of tracks (just 13). Many fans felt at first like they were being cheated out of something by not having lots of songs, but I actually like the Giants’ “quality over quantity” approach. Factory Showroom is a close cousin to The Else (both are 13 tracks, and both rock pretty hard), and that album had a very definite sense of album identity that other albums lacked. Most other TMBG albums were little more than collections of good songs. The Else has more cohesion, and gives a more complete feeling when it’s over. This is at the cost of track numbers, but I think it’s a more than fair trade.

“The Cap’m” features a fantastic groove, and demonstrates the uniqueness of TMBG’s lyrics. “With the Dark” is very cool with its genre-shifting, but there isn’t a lot in the song you can grab a hold of. It’s also the strangest choice for a debut single in… well, ever. Then there is “The Shadow Government,” another full-steam-ahead rocker. When I say this album rocks pretty hard, understand my meaning. It’s not particularly intense, but what intensity is there seems to go a long way. The Else is peppered generously with horns, and that only increases the classic rock and roll feel to the entire album. “Withered Hope” is another danceable tune, and probably the hardest-rocking on here, using the horns to the best degree.

Up until this point, The Else is satisfying only one aspect of the TMBG experience, and that’s musical excellence. The oddity aspect has been approached, but ultimately neglected. Well, the last 3 tracks have silliness in spades, and move the album to a nice middle-ground between classic rock and cartoon rock. By the ending track, “The Mesopotamians,” you are marveling at the long journey you didn’t know you were on between “I’m Impressed” and this. “The Mesopotamians” sounds like a theme song for a Josie and the Pussycats kind of show, only on a whole lot of cough medicine. Also, you can’t get the frickin’ song out of your head.

The Else is a strong effort from a strong band, one who has remained strong for 21 years. And like it should be, none of TMBG’s fans are surprised that they put out a great album; it’s par for the course. That seems like a very high standard to live up to, but They Might Be Giants do it without even seeming to try. Let’s hope they do for a long time after this.

Prime Cuts:
The Cap’m
Withered Hope
Take Out the Trash
The Mesopotamians

22 Rating: 15