Ever since I saw the They Might Be Giants (starring the the beautiful John Linnell and flamboyant John
Flansburgh) last Wednesday, May 9th, I've been screaming inside just waiting for their new album, The Else to
arrive. Because, after all, I believe they played out the entire CD at their concert. It was hard to get into at a
concert - because we as the audience had no idea what to expect - but, damn, the music was good. When I
realized that today was the Day for The Else to hit iTunes, you know that I whipped out that plastic, man. I
mean, come on, the actual CD arrives in stores July 10th, 2007. I am not waiting that long for my renewed
Giant goodness, nooo. Smart move for TMBG to let this out on iTunes. Yes, yes.

   You have to understand that I respect They Might Be Giants to an extreme (almost fanatical) degree. They
are creative, witty, obscure, excellent at wordplay... Given, not everything makes sense (nor is it meant to -
most of the time), but the fact is that it sounds right in our heads as we're watering the garden or driving to
work or meandering aimlessly while muttering our most favorite profound lyrics under our breath. (And I'll be
damned if I don't add that Linnell is maddeningly attractive, but we've been through this, I'm sure.) Given that
this John duo pushes out the songs like a pair of springtime rabbits, we are never left in dispair or in lack. Just
recently They've been doing theme and incidental music for classics, such as Adult Swim's
Drinky Crow Show. Did I mention that Linnell is attractive?

   

   Abandoning my schoolwork, leaving caution to face that fabled wind, I paid my $9.99 to iTunes
and proceeded to download immediately They Might Be Giants' The Else - and dare I say it? It was beautiful
and I am more in love than ever before. Memories flooded in from when I was near six and began my grand
adventure into the art of wordplay with the They Might Be Giants. Who knows if They're the ones who made
me so strange. Here's hoping!

   I remembered most of the songs on the new album were played at the concert, but they sound moderately
different on the tracks. Nothing beats live, but I rather like the original for "Upside Down Frown" and "The
Cap'm". However, I absolutely LOVED how They performed "I'm Impressed", "Climbing the Walls",
"Contrecoup", and "The Mesopotamians" at Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh. ALL very good songs. Sacrilege or not,
"Climbing the Walls" may even rival John Henry's "AKA Driver" - my personal fave and mantra. Impressive, I
know.

   There didn't seem to be any outwardly "weird" tracks (with exception, maybe, of "Bee of the Bird of the Moth"
and the motley crue of seemingly Sixties themes in "With the Dark") which kind of disappointed me because I
am always ready for some experimental oddities like "Fingertips"! Certainly every thing was very lyrical and
bouncy. "Careful What You Pack" was slightly melancholy, but a sweet, syrupy one for Flansburgh. You find
your self really want a hug from Flans - I know I did. Another thing I found less emphasis on was...the horn
section! I sure hope they didn't give up on this bit of genius! The overall feel for The Else is certainly more rock
than pop, with a greater alliance with the drum set than I've heard from Them before. Not a problem. And boy,
how Linnell belts 'em out, as well. Whoo! However, it is true that this is the first (and hopefully only) album without adamant (and delightful!) use of the accordion. Sad sack. v.v

   This album receives four point two asterisks from me, for sure.

   { * * * * .2 }

   

Track 01 : "I'm Impressed" { * * * * * }

   "And I find that my head is nodding yes, but my legs are not following."
   A very haunting beginning for the album. A mysteriously, apathetic feel.

Track 02 : "Take Out the Trash" { * * * * }
   
   "Girl, why not give him the slip?"
   Very sassy. Seems like an - almost - typical Guys Suck song.

Track 03 : "Upside Down Frown" { * * * * * }

   "When I'm with you the landscape goes all weird."
   This is by far the "cutest" track. A bouncy, head-swaying cutie!

Track 04 : "Climbing the Walls" { * * * * * }

   "Too much junk, too much junk, could we please clear up this house?"
   A total "rock-out." Edgy and the perfect song for Linnell's amazing nasally singing
voice (lovelovelove). You find yourself singing along before you're even familiar with
the words.

Track 05 : "Careful What You Pack" { * * * }

   "Shaking up the bees, swinging from the trees... She's in trouble now."
   Like I said before, this one's slower and syrupy. At the Mr. Smalls show, I believe
Flans said that this was originally written for a movie, but didn't make the cut. I don't
particularly like Flans' voice in this one (almost grating), but it's "eh-okay."

Track 06 : "The Cap'm" { * * * * * }

   "Do you think there's somebody out there, someone else who's better than the one you got?
Well, there's not."
   The line above is the first line of the song and by far the best I have ever heard. Perfect
delivery, man! "The Cap'm" has an amazing melody. Sounds as if the "narrator" is
desperate to become a captain. I got the idea that it may be about the Pirates of the
Caribbean hype and recent pirate obsession - however, that's just how it translates to me.

Track 07 : "With the Dark" { * * * * }

   "She's in love with her broken heart. She's in love with the dark."
   The different sections flow right with each other and you don't even notice the subject
changing. It's similar to "Fingertips", but then again it isn't. It's not as abrupt and you think 
"With the Dark" starts as a slow song, but it goes right into the meat of the song, but awes
you when it is shockingly (and deliciously) different.

Track 08 : "The Shadow Government" { * * * * * }

   "Where's the Shadow Government when you need it? ... It's a bad, bad world."
   As with many They Might Be Giants' songs, you can never be sure how to describe them.
The context is all over the place, but in a good way. Everytime you listen to it, you notice
something different. Such as this one. Very intriguing.

Track 09 : "Bee of the Bird of the Moth" { * * * * * }

   "You can't walk, you can't ramble 'cause you're going to have to scramble from the Bee of
the Bird of the Moth..."
   A slow into a moderately paced, calm song that could only be accomplished by the genius
of John Linnell. Another juxteposition success! (And I can hear trumpets in this one! xD)

Track 10 : "Withered Hope" { * * * * * }

   "Very sad sack, very, very sad sack."
   There's a strange, but cool sounding background that reminds me strangely of Gwen
Stefani's Harajuku girls... Don't ask why, I couldn't explain it to you. This song reminds
me greatly of TMBG's older stuff. Horns, it seems, are a part of this, as well.

Track 11 : "Contrecoup" { * * * * * }

   "You know what's wrong with me, you know phrenology, you saw my injury, you can tell just
by looking at my skull..."
   Another educational melody! [I type as I'm supposed to be doing school work...] I can
see this song challenging even "Birdhouse in Your Soul". It's that good! (As was expected,
right? You can't beat these guys!)

Track 12 : "Feign Amnesia" { * * * * }

   "Now I know just what to do - feign amnesia. How I wish it wasn't true - wish it wasn't true
right now."
   The intro music reminded me slightly of haunting echoes of Rocky Horror Picture Show
and then dived right into a childlike taunt - almost. Somehow this worked.

Track 13 : "The Mesopotamians" { * * * * * }

   "And no one's ever heard of our band."
   Another spin on the educational wheel of fortune with a jazzy tone. Remember these
names: Sargon, Hammurabi, Ashurbanipal and Gilgamesh.

   (I am an amateur, therefore I review more as a fan than an actual critic. However, it is my belief that
They Might Be Giants are chameleons within Their own style and genre, and are subject to abuse
because they are so bloody different. They veer from the cookie-cutter design of the musician and dive
right into an extreme aptitude of obscurity. It has been said that They play "kiddie" music. That is true,
but in a different respect. Yes, They have produced kid albums, but by Their acute sense of verbal
design and exquisite arrangements of the English language, They market largely to everyone who
appreciates good, genuine music. Which would be a very broad audience, wouldn't you agree?)