Errors-To: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Reply-To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Sender: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Precedence: bulk From: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Subject: tmbg-list Digest, Volume 38, Number 10 tmbg-list Digest, Volume 38, Number 10 Saturday, 10 February 2001 Topics: TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews TMBG: Re: TMBG-bashing reviews Re:TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews Re:TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews TMBG: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-5 TMBG: Re: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-5 TMBG: 'Boss of Me' requests TMBG: TMBG Unlimited 2 Review Administrivia: For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, etc., send a message to the following address: ÁÁowner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. tmbg-list is compiled with Digest 3.7b (John Relph ). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 09:28:30 -0600 From: "Polaris" Subject: TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews Message-ID: <96125u$14be$1@ussenterprise.ufp.org> Organization: They Might Be Giants, Unofficially http://www.tmbg.org I found these on a site called "Satan Stole My Teddybear." Highlights, followed by the link and then your local news. From "Lincoln" - "The second They Might Be Giant's opus refined the sound and silliness of the self-titled debut to make one of the quirkiest and most enjoyable modern rock albums of the late 80s. ... While Lincoln occasionally comes off as children's music, the actual depth of this band's unique vision is impressive..." From "Flood" - "no other album released [in the 90s] will be quite the gem of Flood." From "Apollo 18" - "They Might Be Giants was a lovable duo who went from budding genius with their first two albums, to fullscale masterpiece of the ages on Flood and then slowly dwindled down to embarrassing mediocrity with each and every album afterwards. ... On Apollo 18, TMBG was unable to keep up the total stamina of hyperclever music of Flood..." From "John Henry" - "The gradual creative slide of They Might Be Giants began in full on John Henry. Featuring for the first time a full band ... , John Henry offered a lot more promised than it ultimately delivered. Perhaps the novelty of having an actual band distracted the two Johns from what they did best or perhaps at the time their creative well had been tapped but this album is a misstep that would only look good in comparison to their 1996 Factory Showroom. The problem is also exaggerated by the inclusion of a handful of brilliant songs on the CD that make the listener wish the entire twenty song package could even remotely approach the brilliance of Flood or Lincoln. ... [most songs] come across as They Might Be Giants covering themselves or what a group of strangers would do if they attempted to write TMBG-esque songs ... " From "Factory Showroom" - "...our heroes John and John brought in outsiders and deeply shook our firmest foundations. They Might Be Giants as a standard rock band? The horrors! ... We all held our collective breath for John Henry and were, for the first time ever, unable to properly assimilate a TMBG album. ... What a disappointed(sic). ... What happened to the giddy pop silliness? The instant classic feeling? The instrumentative cleverness? ... "SEXXY" is ploddingly dull and purely lacking cleverness. "Adam Ant vs. XTC" baffles me in it lethargic approach. Recorded on a vintage record pressing machine, "I Can See You" is a nostalgic display of awfulness. ... Apparently the well of genius has dried up for the Johns. ... the Giants have shrunk to dwarfdom." From "Severe Tire Damage" - "... They Might Be Giants has slowly eroded due to various experiments such as the full band approach and a complete failure to write good songs (as the entire Factory Showroom so aptly demonstrated). ... They Might Be Giants has slowly eroded due to various experiments such as the full band approach and a complete failure to write good songs (as the entire Factory Showroom so aptly demonstrated). ... Apparently the bag of clever ideas has been emptied." http://www.chedsey.com/list/tmbg.htm Polaris "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" -Dante Hicks "Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods." I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." I, in the state of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a faith-based initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state." -George W. Bush http://www.wsws.org ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 10:44:51 -0500 From: "Christina Rockwell" Subject: TMBG: Re: TMBG-bashing reviews Message-ID: wow. These reviews are pretty harsh. Though some of the things he says are what some fans have been saying for a bit. Much like how "Jared" was saying about Apollo18 being the last good album. BUT STILL, this guy is rough! I mean, I have fluctuated on the scale of TMBG fandom from time to time and have never said things quite like that! Chrissy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Polaris" To: Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 10:28 AM Subject: TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews > I found these on a site called "Satan Stole My Teddybear." Highlights, > followed by the link and then your local news. > > From "Lincoln" - > "The second They Might Be Giant's opus refined the sound and silliness of > the self-titled debut to make one of the quirkiest and most enjoyable modern > rock albums of the late 80s. ... While Lincoln occasionally comes off as > children's music, the actual depth of this band's unique vision is > impressive..." > From "Flood" - > "no other album released [in the 90s] will be quite the gem of Flood." > From "Apollo 18" - > "They Might Be Giants was a lovable duo who went from budding genius with > their first two albums, to fullscale masterpiece of the ages on Flood and > then slowly dwindled down to embarrassing mediocrity with each and every > album afterwards. ... On Apollo 18, TMBG was unable to keep up the total > stamina of hyperclever music of Flood..." > From "John Henry" - > "The gradual creative slide of They Might Be Giants began in full on John > Henry. Featuring for the first time a full band ... , John Henry offered a > lot more promised than it ultimately delivered. Perhaps the novelty of > having an actual band distracted the two Johns from what they did best or > perhaps at the time their creative well had been tapped but this album is a > misstep that would only look good in comparison to their 1996 Factory > Showroom. The problem is also exaggerated by the inclusion of a handful of > brilliant songs on the CD that make the listener wish the entire twenty song > package could even remotely approach the brilliance of Flood or Lincoln. ... > [most songs] come across as They Might Be Giants covering themselves or what > a group of strangers would do if they attempted to write TMBG-esque songs > ... " > From "Factory Showroom" - > "...our heroes John and John brought in outsiders and deeply shook our > firmest foundations. They Might Be Giants as a standard rock band? The > horrors! ... We all held our collective breath for John Henry and were, for > the first time ever, unable to properly assimilate a TMBG album. ... What a > disappointed(sic). ... What happened to the giddy pop silliness? The instant > classic feeling? The instrumentative cleverness? ... "SEXXY" is ploddingly > dull and purely lacking cleverness. "Adam Ant vs. XTC" baffles me in it > lethargic approach. Recorded on a vintage record pressing machine, "I Can > See You" is a nostalgic display of awfulness. ... Apparently the well of > genius has dried up for the Johns. ... the Giants have shrunk to dwarfdom." > From "Severe Tire Damage" - > "... They Might Be Giants has slowly eroded due to various experiments such > as the full band approach and a complete failure to write good songs (as the > entire Factory Showroom so aptly demonstrated). ... They Might Be Giants has > slowly eroded due to various experiments such as the full band approach and > a complete failure to write good songs (as the entire Factory Showroom so > aptly demonstrated). ... Apparently the bag of clever ideas has been > emptied." > > http://www.chedsey.com/list/tmbg.htm > > > Polaris > "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" -Dante Hicks > "Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because > it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods." > I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the > legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the > difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." > I, in the state of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a faith-based > initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state." > -George W. Bush > http://www.wsws.org > > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2001 11:41:54 -0500 From: Subject: Re:TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews Message-ID: <0102099817.AA981736916@smtplink.sterl.com> > The problem is also exaggerated by the inclusion of a handful of >brilliant songs on the CD that make the listener wish the entire twenty >song package could even remotely approach the brilliance of Flood or >Lincoln. This one line sums up many people's entire attitude toward TMBG. If every single song isn't as brilliant as their very best work, well, then, they're over. If people had applied this same standard to Dylan or the Beatles or Anyone else who ever evolved over their career, most of our greatest musicians, artists, & writers would be dogfood. God bless Hendrix for having the foresight to die before he started evolving, why the heck didn't TMBG think of that? It's the only way to not be accused of having "drained the well". Like they say, opinions are like @$$holes - everybody's got one.... Karin H ** FREE THE EXPO 67 ** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2001 11:51:08 -0500 From: Subject: Re:TMBG: TMBG-bashing reviews Message-ID: <0102099817.AA981737471@smtplink.sterl.com> While I'm on a rant... >Recorded on a vintage record pressing machine, "I Can >See You" is a nostalgic display of awfulness. I Can See You???? Hello, how much attention were we paying to actually listening to the album ???? KH ** FTE67 ** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2001 12:58:43 -0600 From: "Shaina M" Subject: TMBG: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-5 Message-ID: Why are you even on this list? Go away, isn't it obvious no one likes you? Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 13:28:02 EST From: HotelDetective11@aol.com Subject: TMBG: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-4 Message-ID: <84.10f9eba7.27aef932@aol.com> In a message dated 2/4/01 2:11:56 AM Eastern Standard Time, owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org writes: >. Btw, TMBG is selling out. Yes. >They've been doing it for a long time now, really. First it came with >making their albums available for purchase. A *true* artist, only >interested in art, would never have done such a thing. They could have >applied for an NEA grant if they were having a problem with money. >Also, they didn't do their concerts for free. Greed can be the only >motive. Cashing in. That's what they did. Then they put their songs on >the radio and on MTV. The reason? They wanted more money. They also >did bunches of TV appearances and even had their music featured on >Tiny Toons. It's just all an evil scheme to line the wallets of fat >cats John and John. And their music has become so bland. I mean, they >used to be daring and willing to try new things, and now their music >is just like everyone else's. This whole thing with the MP3s also >proves they're just in it for the money. I mean, they must be making >literally *hundreds* of dollars off of those. Yes, that's right, TMBG: >the band that's been selling out for 18 years now with nothing to show >for it. They must be really dumb and very bad at selling out if that's > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 14:21:12 -0500 From: "Christina Rockwell" Subject: TMBG: Re: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-5 Message-ID: HUH?! Wasn't this a sarcastic post? Then HotelDectective (sorry I forgot your name) thought it was serious and posted back to the originator of this sarcastic post(I forgot who you are too). I don't know what/who you are responding to. I don't think its obvious that no one likes either of the people who posted. Chrissy > Why are you even on this list? Go away, isn't it obvious no one likes you? > > Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 13:28:02 EST > From: HotelDetective11@aol.com > Subject: TMBG: Re: tmbg-list Digest #38-4 > Message-ID: <84.10f9eba7.27aef932@aol.com> > > In a message dated 2/4/01 2:11:56 AM Eastern Standard Time, > owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org writes: > > >. Btw, TMBG is selling out. Yes. > >They've been doing it for a long time now, really. First it came with > >making their albums available for purchase. A *true* artist, only > >interested in art, would never have done such a thing. They could have > >applied for an NEA grant if they were having a problem with money. > >Also, they didn't do their concerts for free. Greed can be the only > >motive. Cashing in. That's what they did. Then they put their songs on > >the radio and on MTV. The reason? They wanted more money. They also > >did bunches of TV appearances and even had their music featured on > >Tiny Toons. It's just all an evil scheme to line the wallets of fat > >cats John and John. And their music has become so bland. I mean, they > >used to be daring and willing to try new things, and now their music > >is just like everyone else's. This whole thing with the MP3s also > >proves they're just in it for the money. I mean, they must be making > >literally *hundreds* of dollars off of those. Yes, that's right, TMBG: > >the band that's been selling out for 18 years now with nothing to show > >for it. They must be really dumb and very bad at selling out if that's > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 17:21:41 EST From: TMBGDot@aol.com Subject: TMBG: 'Boss of Me' requests Message-ID: <48.114c5600.27b5c775@aol.com> Hi Everyone, Below is a list of the cities/ radio stations that need your requests for 'Boss Of Me'! The calls have to be local, meaning don't call unless you live in that area, because radio stations monitor their incoming calls for validity (to make sure a record company isn't making hundreds of calls from their office or something like that). Thanks to everyone who's been calling in! Love Operator Dot KIIS Los Angeles (800) 520-1027 WKQI Detroit (313) 298-9595 WHFS DC (800) 321-9437 WWZZ DC (800) 987-2104 KRBE Houston (713) 390-5723 WHYI Miami (954) 550-9100 KZZP Phoenix (602) 260-1047 KMXP Phoenix (602) 260-0969 KHTS San Diego (619) 570-1933 KFMD Denver/Boulder (303) 631-2957 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 21:10:30 EST From: Kaylum@aol.com Subject: TMBG: TMBG Unlimited 2 Review Message-ID: <32.106d8bae.27b5fd16@aol.com> Well, since I haven't seen anyone do this yet, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents Hovering Sombrero - I adore the imagery of this song. I get a vivid picture of a sleepy, sunny, breezy morning in a quaint Mexican villiage when I hear it. Bangs - this is *such* a sweet song, with just enough Linnell oddness to keep it from being sappy. Very strong musically as well. If this one doesn't make you smile, you don't have a pulse. Lincoln, Washington, and that Jefferson Guy - eh, way too short and silly to take serioiusly. Probably my least favorite track, although Flans's over-the-top growling of the lyrics is amusing. Down to the Bottom of the Sea - there's not a whole lot to this one, either, but the sound effects are really cool. He's Getting Late - the very shortest in a batch of short tunes. Not sure what to make of this one. Musically it sounds like some of the stuff they've done for MitM. The Army's Tired Now - I could listen to this melody for hours, it's sooo soothing. I don't agree with whoever it was on the newsgroup who posted that it would be better without the singing. I think the Johns should've harmonized on this one. Truth in Your Words - This one sounds frighteningly like a typical alt rock, Blink 182-ish band, ack! It's not bad, though, and I like the lyrics now that a friend has figured them out for me...it could probably be a single if it were a full-length song. Bunditz #1 - TMBG does surf rock :) Well, as close as they've ever come to it, anyway. Good stuff. John Lee Supertaster - Is it just me, or is Flans's intro to this song REALLY LOUD? I was startled the first time I heard it. This one *had* to have been inspired by Schoolhouse Rock musically (it has the same seventies rock/funk sound), and lyrically, too, to a certain extent. In the Middle - If anyone else sang this, I'd say the superchipper vocals were pretty annoying, but Robin Goldwasser is so cool and sounds like she's having so much fun that she makes this song one of my faves in this set. I've always thought she has a good voice, though...yes, I'm the one who likes "Pretty Fly" Your Mom's Alright - As an English teacher, I must protest this song for perpetuating the myth that "alright" is one word, hehe. I like how they took a simple childish insult like "Your ass is grass" and made it clever by adding the lawnmower line. Musically, it's pretty cool, but somehow I think it would be more at home on a Mono Puff album than TMBG one. *bonus review* Lines Upon a Tranquil Brow - I adore this video! Flans lets it all hang out as only he can (I think this is his therapy), and the harmony is great. And there you have it. As a side note, I recall someone either on this list or the newsgroup complaining about the short songs, but I think they're pretty neat overall--almost like "Fingertips Revisited" :) Kay ------------------------------ End of tmbg-list Digest #38-10 ******************************