When you think of thick glasses, accordions and birdhouses in your soul, you immediately think of They Might Be Giants. The band is still making music and their new record, “Mink Car,” was released this fall on Restless Brand recordings. They Might Be Giants are touring to promote “Mink Car” and will be gracing the stage of the Newport tonight.
For those of you not familiar with the group, They Might Be Giants had a hit with the theme “You’re Not the Boss of Me” from the Fox television show, “Malcolm in the Middle.” They Might Be Giants are John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and features The Band of Dans: Dan Hickey on drums and percussion, Dan Weinkauf on bass and Dan Miller on guitar.
While the record keeps the same feel and mood They Might Be Giants are famous for, the band explores some newer territory. “Man, It’s So Loud in Here” has the feel of an old ’80s techno song, like New Order, but with more than just a touch of irony. There is also an acoustic rendition of an old tune, “Another First Kiss,” in which the group gives the song a completely different vibe from its original style. The record includes more from electronic sources and uses less accordion, which is never a good idea.
What is disappointing about this record is that it fails to capture past-They Might Be Giants glory. It is a good recording, but when stacked against previous work, it falls short of the mark. The songs all provide a glimmer of what They Might Be Giants once were, but none of the tracks are particularly outstanding or inventive.
Hardcore They Might Be Giants fans will be a bit disappointed with this new record, but not enough to chuck it in the garbage. This record is no reason to stop liking the band, or to throw out all your old They Might Be Giants T-shirts and albums. Songs like “Bangs,” “Cyclops Rock” and “Hovering Sombrero” are more akin to what fans are used to and are the saving grace of the record.
As far as the new music scene goes, it’s good to see a quality band like They Might Be Giants continuing to make music in the midst of all the bubble gum, rap, and angst rock. Contemporary pop music lacks style, talent and originality. “Mink Car” is like a half-full canteen of water in the desert. While it won’t completely revive you, it will be enough to fend off the vultures until you make it to the palm trees and frozen cocktails of the beach resort.
