Join Us

I have been promising for weeks to post my review of Join Us. But I got so terribly behind on writing show recaps at the beginning of August that I am only just now getting to it. As it is, this is going to be less of a review and more of a love letter to an album I adore more than I ever thought possible.

I came in to the They Might Be Giants fandom on the coattails of The Else, so I missed all of the expectations and anticipation that come with a new album. It was there and ready for me when I was ready for it. And that album had to grow on me. It had to sit and simmer and twist musical tendrils around parts of my soul until I woke up one morning and realized it had lodged itself deep under my heart in a place reserved for ones very favorite things. I got a taste of the new album experience with Here Comes Science, but I knew even at the time that it was not quite the same. Perhaps because I already knew the other children's albums, perhaps because it was themed, but somehow I knew without a doubt that I was going to like it before I ever heard it.

With Join Us, I feel like I was along for the ride over every bump, dip and rise of the road to release. From early off-handed comments in interviews, to hinted at release time tables come and gone. Whispers and speculations about what was in store. Dissecting 13 second video clips of drum tracks; the thrill and excitement of hearing the first songs live. Hours spent with head phones pressed into my ears trying to decipher lyrics from scratchy videos. The explosion of excitement when the title was finally announced and the EP was promised. The mad rush for IFC slots. The morning I woke up to the delight of Johnny and the track listing. The mystery of the missing Canajoharie, eventually solved. Awareness Day, the EP. My real, true fear that I was not going to love the album because none of the songs on the EP really grabbed me. The day that fear vanished because the iTunes previews were released and I instantly and immediately fell in love with at least half the songs from minute and thirty second previews alone. And finally, FINALLY, putting the CD in my car for the first time and having that first scary, heady rush of emotion as I realized the album exceeded even my wildest expectations of what a new TMBG album could be.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, to be honest. I certainly didn't expect to dislike it. But I believe I thought it would have to grow on me the way The Else did. I was anticipating there being one or two songs I really loved and the rest I would grow to love in time. Because there is that weird thing that often happens when you first hear new music from a band you love, where it doesn't quite sound like them because it isn't one of the songs you've heard 500,000 times before. It can sound foreign and strange and it takes a little getting used to. This is certainly what happened to me with the songs from the preview. I had to settle in and get comfortable with them. But that just wasn't the case with Join Us. My affinity for the album was immediate. The only thing I had to adjust to was getting the preview songs to settle back in to the rest of the track listing and not stick out in my mind and even that only took about a week of plays.

What caught me off guard was how strong my feelings for the album were pretty much right out of the gate. I was immediately infatuated with at least half the songs (many of them before I even heard the entire song). Most of the rest only took a few playthroughs before they clicked and in the end there was only one song I remained unsold on and I think it only took three days before that one finally won me over too. I couldn't wait to get in my car everyday (where I do 95% of my music listening) so I could hear the album again. And every time I listened to it I discovered something new and wonderful that I loved. It was like continuously unwrapping a present and finding something special under each layer of paper.

A few things in particular really struck me about the album as a whole. First, that the 18 songs flow really nicely together. It sits well as an entire package, without any jarring transitions or sections that lose my interest. I am not usually one to skip songs while listening to an album, but there is nothing on this album that makes me WANT to skip songs. And more telling for me, I was actually a little loathe to start removing any of the songs from the album context to put on mixes because I enjoy them so much as a unit.

Next, that the album possesses an almost shockingly high concentration of really good Flansburgh songs. We all know that I am a Linnell girl and I lean towards his songs pretty heavily in my preferences. But for the first time on an album, I found myself drawn to more of the Flansburgh penned tracks. This was a little alarming at first, but I now find that I rather like it. It's a refreshing change. And Flans' writing has really grown and matured into something quite wonderful, particularly melodically. The arrangements of his songs are some of my favorites on the album.

This album also really gets back to more of the John and John as a duet songs. There are more songs they sing together than any of the recent albums. And one of the things I discovered gradually was how many of the songs one or the other of them is singing in the background on while the other takes lead. I didn't realize how much I had missed those harmonies and the unique sound that is their two voices together. It is what makes some of the early TMBG so uniquely TMBG.

Another thing I think is earning this album comparisons to early TMBG material, is the sparse arrangements. By which I do not mean that they are uninteresting or thin by any means. Just that they are not overloaded with instruments. Many of the songs are just keyboard, guitar, bass and drums. Other instruments are used incredibly effectively to add tone and texture in specific places. On many of their later albums, one instrument or another seems to be showing off. John Henry is all, "Woohoo, we got HORNS!" Factory Showroom is saying, "Check out this fancy electric guitar player we found." And The Else is all about "Who turned up the bass? Whoa!" And don't get me wrong; I am not complaining. Those are pretty much my favorite albums. But Join Us seems to have settled down and lets each individual instrument work to its own best advantage while still showcasing the incredible talents of the individual musicians beautifully.

Which brings me to the drums. If you have talked to me at all about Join Us already, you have heard me wax lyrical about the drums. Because, HOLY SHIT THE DRUMS! I am just a little enamored of them. I am just completely floored by the strength of Marty's drum work on this album. And drums are not usually a thing to which I pay an awful lot of attention. But man, oh man. If I could draw a giant red heart around the drums on this album, I would. Shortly after the album was released, I wrote an email to Megan that was pretty much just a vaguely incoherent list of stuff I loved about the album. And I got about half way through before I realized that at least half the things I had mentioned were drum related. There is barely a song on the album that does not fill me with percussion related awe and glee. I can't even exactly put my finger on what fascinates me so much about these particular drums. I've tried going back to the last few albums to see if I've experienced some kind of drum awakening and now totally appreciate them more in any context, but I don't. There is something about the Join Us drums in particular. Maybe it's the mix, the variety of styles, unique drumming techniques, all of the above? Who knows?! But I know that they are simple, and complex, and exciting, and beautiful, and perfect and I love them a whole wicked awful lot. I also know that my respect for Marty as a drummer, which was already pretty high to begin with, has gone atmospherically high as a result of this album. Someone on Twitter said it best. "Marty Beller is some kind of freaky-deeky drum genius."

And lastly, before I get into the individual songs, Join Us hosts some truly brilliant and incredibly appealing lyrics from both Johns. I love the Johns as lyricists, Linnell in particular, but more often than not, I can not pull single favorite lines from songs and it is frequently the story being told or just the way the words sound with the melody that I am drawn to. To this day there are songs I do not know all the lyrics to because I've never thought to look them up. I just like the way the vocal sounds with the instruments. But in most of the tracks on Join Us, the lyrics really pop for me. There is at least one line I really love in almost every song, often multiple and even the songs where I am more caught up in the music, the rhythm and flow of the words is very pleasing. I can think of at least five lyrics off this album that immediately entered my all time favorites which just might be a record for a single album.

I'm going to attempt to present my thoughts on each song on the album. I apologize for any lack of clarity that comes from not having the appropriate musical terms to describe some of the parts I particularly want to mention. I fear this is particularly going to affect my drum talk as I don't know the right terms for any of the different types of rolls and beats and rudiments but this is a fan review, not a music theorist's, and in my world "twiddly bit" is a perfectly acceptable way to describe a rhythm.


Can't Keep Johnny Down


What a great opener! I love that keyboard melody that sounds like a guitar (I actually thought it was a guitar until Flans set me straight). And the initial drum roll into the song makes my spine tingle. This is one of the songs that I simply love the drum track throughout. I think it's something about the tone of them, though I especially enjoy the rhythm in the "spending days by myself" and "beneath my dignity" sections. There is also a nice bass part buried a little further down so I have to strain more to pay attention to it. Lyrically, the song actually had to grow on me a little. Listening to Linnell sing "all of the dicks in this dick town" took a little bit of getting used to. But over time, I've realized the song does one of those brilliant Linnell things, where on the surface it's about an angry jerk and under the surface Johnny is kind of a sympathetic and misunderstood character. My favorite line in the song isn't the "dick town" line that so many of my friends are fond of. It's one at the end: "And they don't, don't know what I've seen. They can't know what's in here." Because it implies that there is more going on behind the scenes in Johnny's paranoid, assholish head than one would initially believe.  And then the song ends on that great bit that sounds like a guitar strum and yet is still made with the keyboard. And yes, whether it is synth or live, there is some accordion in the mix which is just exciting.

You Probably Get That A Lot


Yes, I had to look up what a cephalophore was, like most everyone else I assume. But this song did not truly click for me until I was sitting in the car with Gary listening to it and he mimed swinging a head in his hand on the "it's the way you swing your head while strolling fancy free" line. Light bulb! Won me over again with your clever imagery again, Mr. Linnell. There is a lot going on in this song musically that I enjoy. The synthesized melody that opens the song and continues throughout is fantastic. The guitar riff sounds thick and chunky and appealing. I like the staccato tempo everything from the vocal on down through to the drums takes on in the choruses. And the weird whining way the last note fades out is great. But I have two very favorite parts. The first is the rhythm that shows up at the end of the bridge and again at the end of the song. I don't even know what instrument that is. It's kind of like a cross between a xylophone and a wooden block but played electronically. Ah, whatever it is, I love it. And the other thing is the lyric, "I'll bet that people say that a lot while you are sarcastically lip-synching along to words they felt were spoken spontaneously." The pause before the "-ly" is actually my most favorite thing in the whole song, FYI.

Old Pine Box


This song for me is almost all about the drums and percussion. Even the lyrics are so full of hard, sharp consonants that they contribute to the rhythm of the song. This is one of the songs that the lyrics themselves have no real impact on me but the way they sound with the music is perfect. From the initial clicky percussion to the drum rhythm on the first "old pine box" lyric to the drum roll under the bridge, this track is just really well put together. I love the tambourine. There is just not enough tambourine in rock music. And I have realized that if you want to make me love a song, adding handclaps is a sure fire way to go. And it's all layered with a beautiful guitar melody that I particular admire on the final chords. Simple and effective.

Canajoharie


I loved this song from the first time I heard it live and that hasn't changed. I will forever have pleasant memories of deciphering the lyrics of this song over hours and days and how ridiculously excited I was to finally figure out "historical plaque" which unlocked so many of the other lyrics. I was endlessly pleased that the studio recording sounds very similar to the live recording and the changes are all improvements. I love the way the guitar and the drums work together on this track to create the rhythm in the verses as the guitar provides the half notes and the drum fills in the whole note. It makes my head bop in time. I adore the super skippy guitar in the chorus and bridge. And the backing vocals, especially the "di-dit, di-dit" part. Oh man, giants hearts for that. There are some handclaps tossed in there just to make me happy. I have no idea if that accordion is live or sampled or backwards or what happened to it, but it's there and it's awesome. And the way Linnell sings the lyric "Where a rocket ship experiment went awry, when the prototype exploded on the launching site" is so perfect because I can see the expression on his face that goes with that vocal intonation. It's an eyes closed, scrunched face, head tilted expression and it is amazing for me to have a studio recording so effectively evoke an image of the singer so specifically. And finally, the song ends so perfectly with that guitar chord that sounds like it is flipping off a tape reel.

Cloisonné


This is a song I do not feel like I entirely "get" but it's sonically appealing enough to capture my interest anyway. It gets bonus points for the use of the bass clarinet, and the saxophones are pretty cool. One can not help but laugh at the "raindrop voice." And Sleestaks? "Keep your window shaking, god forsaken voice down" is my favorite lyric in the song. But what I really enjoy is the wide variety of odd percussion sounds programmed into the track. My favorite is one I can't even fully describe except it sounds to me like this old door stop in my grandparents house. It was attached to the wall and on a tightly coiled spring so it would cause the door to bounce back if it hit it too hard instead of hitting the wall. But as a child I used to love sitting on the floor and plucking the thing because I loved the springy noise it made and almost that exact noise it replicated in this song. It's an oddly specific thing to associate with a song but there you go. And while this isn't one of my favorite tracks on the album, it has become one of my favorites to hear live because I like the way they have adapted the sax parts for the guitars and Linnell is a hoot to watch on the bass clarinet. And getting to see Danny mix it up on the keyboard is fun too.

Let Your Hair Hang Down


This song is just pretty. There is no other word for it. It is just a pretty song. The harmonies in the Johns vocals are amazing and I love the ways Flans acts as an echo to Linnell. The guitar has a beautiful tone to it and this is one of my favorite bass tracks on the album. There is this tiny little bass riff on the word "caravan" I really dig, in particular. I love everything about this drum track. It's just a little more complex than you expect it to be which is super cool. There are multiple lyrics in this song I am fond of. "Did we order all these rain clouds." "Can't we leave the barking dogs and join the caravan." I enjoy the way the vocal sounds on that. "Let the wrong be wrong. Would it be so bad? When you hair's so long. When you look so sad." And I like the bum-bum-bum-bum rhythm the song ends on. I haven't heard a lot of people talking about this song and it's a shame because it's one of my favorites. It has been suggested to me, by more than one person that this is "my song" mostly because of the pigtails, I think. This is a song I identify with pretty strongly, so I can't say I disagree with them.

(The next three songs are like a 1-2-3 punch and my very favorite nine minutes of the album.)

Celebration


It is possible that this is actually my favorite song on the album. I can't quite make up my mind on that. But suffice it to say that I LOVE this song. This song fills me with unmitigated glee. I've read all the interpretations of the song being about Anonymous and criminal activity and what not and I could not disagree more vehemently. For me, "celebration" is the thing the band yells when they screw up and want to restart a song and the song Celebration is an anthem about one of those disaster shows where everything goes wrong and the crowd turns on the band. And every single element of this song combines to create something awe inducing that I will never fail to have an emotional reaction to. It starts with the lyrics. Flans has outdone himself here. My personal favorite: "I see that someone left their cheat sheet by the microphone, by the microphone. I think the rock n' roll girls of this world want apologies, want apologies." Talk about identifying yourself in a song lyric. I also love, "some time to get louder but not by yourself." I love the bass part in this entire song but most especially in the bridge. The introduction has got to be one of my favorite moments in song history. Bell!!! The part after each chorus that I assume is played on a keyboard, that sounds almost like singing is amazing and inspires in me the vocal equivalent of an air guitar solo. And, holy shit, the drums. Gah!!! From the cowbell in the intro to the rhythm in the verses, this is what I am talking about when I say I am obsessed with the drums on this album. The steel drums at the end of the bridge that continue into the next verse. The boom that proceeds "cataclysmic discharge." And I think the "fill for Phil" at the end might just be the happiest thing on this whole album (though it has one competitor - stay tuned). I may not be able to decide if this is my favorite song on the album but one thing is certain: this is now my all time favorite Flansburgh song.


In Fact


From the moment I first heart this song I was obsessed with knowing whether the stringed instrument playing the rhythm was a bass or a guitar. Because I originally assumed it was a bass but no one seemed to be able to tell me definitively. Thank goodness for Twitter and Flans, who confirmed it is both playing in unison to create the most exciting riff on the album (and possibly my all time favorite riff...we'll see). Combine that with the "train groove" snare drum and you have a song I would love almost no matter what the lyrics were. And bonus, it's got great lyrics too! Plus I think there is an uncredited flute in the mix at the end adding some additional spice and let us not forget the horns. Those incredible Spanish flavored horns complete my favorite instrumentation on the album. Admittedly I rarely pay attention to the lyrics because I am too caught up in love for the guitar, bass, drums and horns. Flans has become a songwriting master by surrounding himself with brilliant musicians capable of taking his best ideas and running with them towards musical epiphany.

When Will You Die

This is the song I had the strongest initial emotional pull to. I don't remember ever falling in love with a song as instantly as I did this one. This an an anthem for downtrodden picked-on geeks everywhere. Linnell tapped into something with these lyrics that manages to capture anger and joy all at the same time. And I am ridiculously fond of all the little musical flourishes that travel across the instruments and give ever member of the band a chance to show off. But I do have to admit that I was a little disappointed to learn that the instruments were all sped up in the track because I enjoyed believing, however falsely, that my favorite musicians were capable of those superhuman fills and trills (the bass riff at the beginning is my particular favorite). I still love the song. I still continue to refer to it as "my song." But that did leave room for Celebration to move in and compete for favorite song status. But what didn't change is that this song contains one of my favorite lyrics of all time, that nearly caused me to collapse in a puddle of band loving delight in the break room at work when I first listened to the iTunes preview. "This is Dan, and that's Dan, and there's Marty on the drums to complete the band. And I'm John, and he is also John, and all of us are wondering when you're gonna die." I still want to do audience participation high fives in this song. This will totally be a thing.

Protagonist

The lyrical format of this song is really fascinating. I can't quite figure out if the song is about an actual girl the narrator lost to another man or a character that he lost to another writer. But I love the casually swinging jazz drum beat and the lovely bass line. And I also really enjoy the added percussion of the snaps and hand claps. And the "string section" recreated on the keys is fantastic. This doesn't snag me quite so much lyrically but there is so much going on format and rhythm wise that I really enjoy it anyway.

Judy Is Your Viet Nam

Holy rock drums, Batman! If you ever get a chance to see this live watch Marty drum. It is a sight to see. This is what I would deem the requisite Flans rocker on the album except it is much higher quality than many of his past rockers. It's short and not very sweet, full of power chords and cymbals. And it started as a Christmas song? The mysterious backing vocal is the only remnant of that and yet it's one of my favorite parts of the song (after the drums, of course). The lyric "she's the storm before the calm" I also find especially brilliant. This one is short but it rocks hard.

Never Knew Love

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love the tone of Linnell's vocals. There is something about the way he is singing on this track that attracted me instantly. Maybe because it's so earnest? This one is neat because its almost two completely different songs pieced together to make a whole. Musically I like the Flans section with its awesome bass and drum lines and the "love" backing vocal. Vocally. I like the Linnell choruses. Actually, I really like the melody on the choruses too. This is the one of the preview songs it took me the longest to adjust to in album context but it sure is a good song.

The Lady and the Tiger

If anyone ever needs an example of the song writing genius of John Linnell, use this song. The rhymes and patterns of this song are absolutely brilliant. "Felines and dames in flames will hardly serve our aims. Do you surmise it's wise to have laser beams emitting from your eyes?" And for some reason, "Point taken cat, I can well see that" always makes me smile. Then you've got the rich horn track, the cymbals only drums, that fantastic electronic popping sound. It's hard to even break apart everything happening here because it all fits together so richly and truly. This song deservedly rounds out my Top 5 for this album.

Spoiler Alert

I can not even imagine how much work this song took to get those alternating vocal tracks to come out perfectly. The way the Johns' voices weave in and out and overlap and harmonize to tell two stories at once is just brilliant. And it all culminates on them saying "cover my eyes" at the same time signifying coming disaster. And then if you really listen to the stories being told, the song is silly and ridiculous. "What the hell?" indeed! All set to a beautiful Dans and Marty instrumental track that is both casual and complex. I adore the bass slide into the vocal. And finally ending on the tragedy of what I have forever deemed the "death flute" coming in to signify the inevitable end of this disastrous tale of insanity and multitasking. And it's foreshadowed just a bit as the Flans character sings "something is nagging at me." Woah.

Dog Walker

I don't get this song. It confuses me. But Flan's vocal effect is so funny I enjoy it anyway, particularly the way he sings "Showdown at the Battery." I do believe there is some cowbell mixed into this song and no song can be harmed with cowbell. The guitar effect works well with the vocal effect. And "someday my mind's gonna wreck all y'all. All y'all" just cracks me up every single time.

2082

The time travel tale told here is mind boggling. This reminds me that the inside of Linnell's brain would be a really interesting place to vacation. After careful study, I believe the hand drums present here are what Marty was referring to when he said there was a track played on the side of an acoustic guitar and this is among my favorite drum tracks (I've got a real thing for bongos and this is pretty darn close, if not better). Pretty sweet bass line too and a lovely chime to end the song.

Three Might Be Duende

I was never as obsessed with this song as I was by Canajoharie so the changes from the live version to the recorded version don't really bother me. I like the guest vocalists, particularly Cerveris. There is some kind of string instrument in the mix that I originally thought was cello but now I wonder if it isn't upright bass? Anyway, I enjoy it. The horns, particularly the sax are a lovely addition. And for some reason, I find the final chords very audibly pleasing.

You Don't Like Me

What an odd choice to end the album. The fact that the last line of the album is "William Tell" is really baffling. This isn't one of my favorite songs but there are aspects of it I really like. The lists, for example, are fascinating. This anonymous guy is a really interesting individual if he likes all these things. And I actually find the lyrics quite sad because the narrator is so obviously upset that the person doesn't like him. "I can see the future like it's in the past" is a favorite lyric. As is, "I'd be told to let it go and that I care too much, but this is not about me and you don't want to know." And because I said at the beginning that "twiddly bit" was a perfectly acceptable phrase for describing drums, there are some twiddly bits on the drums at the ends of some of the early phrases that I totally love. Also, about three lines in there is a tiny bass note that sounds almost accidental that I have become sort of fascinated with. And I continue to be perplexed as to how someone likes William Tell.


Well, there you have it. Not so much a review as a long list of everything I love about this album (but mostly a love letter to drums). The Johns and the boys have put together something beautiful and perfect that I will hold dear until I cease to draw breath. I am so grateful and overjoyed to be a fan of a band that brings such genius and talent and emotion and joy to their music. The pleasure I have gained from this one album alone makes me grateful everyday I found this band. I <3 you guys a whole awful lot. Thank you from the deepest wells of my heart for this album.