release Sep. 25, 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Bill Krauss
label: Elektra - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Ana Ng" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Purple Toupee" - 5. "Cage & Aquarium" - 7. "Piece of Dirt" - 8. "Mr. Me" - 11. "I've Got a Match" - 12. "Santa's Beard" - 14. "They'll Need a Crane" (live on Letterman) - 15. "Shoehorn With Teeth" (live) - 17. "Snowball in Hell" (live)
[ full album ]
2nd studio album release by They Might Be Giants. This was the first album I heard and bought with the Boston-based duo, consisting of John Flansburgh (vocals, guitars) and John Linnell (vocals, accordion, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards).
Their style is indie pop and definitely alternative. Some tracks like "Ana Ng" - the first I heard on MTV back in '88, are punk rock / indie rock-styled, whereas others are more jazz influenced, but all their compositions often play with their special type of absurd humour, which may seem more European than traditional American and putting them close to creations by Monty Python, but also to earlier artists like The Goons and Spike Jones.
The album remains my absolute favourite by TMBG.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
