Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 380

Today's song is...


Mr. & Mrs. Nuclear


Another short and simply little ditty. The guitar (or is that a mandolin or something?) has a nice tone and there is something in the percussion I like. I wonder if I ever actually read the McSweeney's book while listening to this, if the song would make any sense?

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 379

Today's song is...


25 O'Clock


I forgot until just now how much I enjoy this cover. It's a combination of loving the drum, bass and synthesizer parts. It just sounds so cool. They did such a good job with it. Granted, I'm not sure whether I have heard the original, but that's ok. I'll stick with this version. It suits me just fine.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 378

Today's song is...


Put Your Hand On The Computer


I am actually more familiar with this song as band introduction music from the half dozen or show live show recordings I have where it was used as such, but I enjoy the studio recording too. The instrumental bridge is really pretty and nice and features some lovely understated guitar work. And my favorite line of the song is when they just sing "whee." Makes me smile every time.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 377

Today's song is...


Leeds


I really like this venue song. It really captures The Who vibe and I am a bit of a Who fan. This is another of the ones I like better than a couple of the ones that got official videos and one of the reasons I am grateful the entire set got recorded and released into the world. I'm a little sad that it's one of the ones I have no chance of ever seeing recreated in its original venue, but I can't have everything. I'll just enjoy imagining the spinning disco ball instead :-)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 376

Today's song is...


One More Parade


I find this song an odd choice to cover. It's pretty much a downer and without the chipper melody I associate with TMBG downer tunes. But it sort of sounds like a parade which is appropriate and Linnell did a great job with the voice.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 375

Today's song is...


Mr. Xcitment 


Ok, NOT one of my favorite songs. I am not a rap music fan or a remix fan and this feels like a weird combination of both even though it isn't a remix of anything. But is do really enjoy the line about Flansy and the soda can because it's just weird and random and makes me laugh. And it's just one more example of the incredibly wide variety of songs this band produces.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 374

Today's song is...


Unrelated Thing


This is another song I always forget about except when I'm listening to it. If you asked me to name on the songs on John Henry I wouldn't remember this one. And conversely I probably never could have told you what album it was on without looking it up. But it's a perfectly good song. I appreciate the relatively simple arrangement with prominent guitar and bass. I think I find it forgettable because the lyrics don't stand out for me. But they do make me wonder if Linnell often encounters problems with people talking to him while he isn't paying attention because his mind has wandered off to write another song or think about mile markers on the highway or some other unrelated thing.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 373

Today's song is...


Radio They Might Be Giants 3


There is nothing quite like heavy metal music in your TMBG adverts. I particularly like the "Huh!" at the end. Totally makes the song.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 372

Today's song is...


Dog Walker


This was the last song on Join Us to win me over. Most of the others I loved immediately or very soon afterward. This one had to grow on me. Because my initial reaction was just "WTF, Flans?" And I think I have a harder time enjoying songs when I just completely don't get them but they also seem like there is something going on. I can deal with not getting songs that I believe are total nonsense, but I hate feeling like I'm missing something. Well, I can't say I ever figured this one out but I just learned to accept it. And you know what finally won me over? The line "My mind is gonna wreck all y'all. All y'all." Because how can you not love a song with that line? Especially sung in that voice. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Also, because it's me and it's Join Us and I can't not say it, the drums are pretty frickin' awesome.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 371

Today's song is...

Crushed By Dust


Wow, this song is creepy. Which is exactly what it is supposed to be. The voices are particularly effective on the creepy scale though the Flans voice almost tips over into silly. Actually, who am I kidding, the whole thing pretty much tips over into silly. But in a good way.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 370

Today's song is...


Renew My Subscription


Love this song. Especially that xylophone sound. I love the melody and the way the instruments blend. I love the tone of Linnell's voice. And "I wanna be a much better person, instead I worsen with every day" is one of my favorite lyrics. So many things about this song to love and I love them all.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 369

Today's song is...


The Mesopotamians


A little while back, I wrote about Nine Bowls of Soup and how it was THE song that turned me into the TMBG fan I am today. But I probably never would have gotten there without this one either. In college, most of my friends were archeology majors and I took a few courses myself. So Sargon, the Mesopotamians king, came up an awful lot in our group conversations; a lot more than you might think. He was kind of a group joke. So this first time I heard this song (which was actually at it's live show premiere, though I didn't know that at the time), I was absolutely floored that the band had written a song that mentioned him. In a weird way, it seemed as though the song was written just for me. And for months afterward, as I was very, very slowly becoming interested in TMBG, I would ask to hear this song and bop around like a fool to it.

It's true that I eventually heard it so much live that I got a little sick of it, but I got over that in the eight month show hiatus in the spring and now I'm back to loving just as much as I ever did. This one holds a very special place in my heart.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 368

Today's song is...


I Found A New Friend Underneath My Pillow


This has got to be one of the shortest songs in the whole repertoire even of the Fingertips tracks. It is, after all, nothing more than the title. But I challenge you to say the name without applying the intonation used in the song. Not so easy is it?

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 367

Today's song is...


Space Suit


What a nice instrumental. Lovely accordion and all those spacey sounds. But I absolutely can't listen to this song without being reminded of the pinpoint spot light of LPR pointed at the outstretched finger of Dan Miller as he prepared to man the Kaoss Pad for the night's second performance of this song. So much drama and anticipation and such a great performance of the song. That is one of my favorite live show memories for sure.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 366

Today's song is...


I'm All You Can Think About


Would everyone please join me in wishing the Song Of The Day feature a very happy first birthday!! Twas exactly a year ago that I was trying to figure out what to do with the blog while the band was on tour hiatus and I got the idea to feature a different random song every day. I think it has worked out pretty well all things considered. And I figure there are still enough songs left for me to get probably another year out of it, though I may eventually need to adjust the selection process to make things a little faster.

Anyway, for today's song I thought about hand selecting something but I also wanted to see what the randomizer turned up on its own. And I didn't think it's selection was half bad so I went with it. I find this song amusing and an excellent example of Linnellian word play. And all set to incredibly strong instrumentation and melody, especially considering it's just a B-side (or what I think of as a B-side anyway, it being a song from an EP). And I figure for all of us band obsessed, TMBG junkies, the song is rather appropriate (if exaggerated). So here's to another year of being obsessed with a pretty great band. I'm glad we're all in it together.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 365

Today's song is...


A Self Called Nowhere


I love the juxtaposition in this song, from the quiet beginning with the guitar, to the explosion of music with horns and drums and then back again. The bombastic horns are one of the things I love best about John Henry and I don't think they are exhibited on any other song on the album quite so well as this one. I also love the way Linnell sings the song, particularly the chorus because I can so easily picture him belting out the words. There is a fantastic bass part layered under all those horns and other instruments that particularly shines through on the last instrumental section. And I am really fond of the distortion effect on the cymbals that washes over everything at the end. Suffice it to say, I love this song a lot.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 364

Today's song is...


Yeah, The Deranged Millionaire


In lieu of my thoughts, I am just going to share this video because it is really damn funny.



THAT IS ALL from John Hodgman      

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 363

Today's song is...

Don't Let's Start


I am kind of shocked I got all the way to 363 before this song came up, especially considering how many of the big songs came up very early on in the process. Needless to say, this is one of my favorites and pretty much always has been. It contains some of my very favorite lyrics set to a hoppin', catchy tune. And for some reason I have always adored the chorus: "D, work destruction, O - ver an overture, N, do I need apostrophe, T, need this torture." It's simply brilliant. Even just the rhythm of it is perfect.

The video for this song is also tied for my favorite video with the Crane one. It's just so much fun watching the Johns run around spastically on a map of New York.

And one of my favorite favorite things I'd watching this song live, because it is performed with so much energy. Flans and Danny just tend to go nuts on the bouncy and the enthusiastic guitar string plucking. I can still vividly picture this being performed at the soaked show in Brooklyn earlier this year, with Linnell belting his soul into the mic, Flans windmilling his arm around his guitar, Marty whamming on the drums with all his might and Danny spinning in circles while he bounced up and down like a kangaroo. So much love, guys. SO MUCH LOVE.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 362

Today's song is...


Mrs. Cinderella


Another little lost Dial-A-Song gem that I had never even heard or heard of until a few minutes ago. And it's a nice little tune. Rather early Flans vibe, simple arrangement, interesting lyrics. Songs like this are the reason I've never just gone through and listened to my whole DAS recordings folder because I like discovering new things like this even after I feel like I've heard everything there is to hear.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 361

Today's song is...


E Eats Everything


I am not an enormous fan of this song. It's in the genre of "shouty Flans songs" and I tend not to care so much for that genre. I do fine the lyrics amusing, especially the part where you think he's gonna say Coke and says soda instead. But otherwise....eh. As, I always say, I can never truly dislike a TMBG song, some are just resting at the bottom of the pile.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 360

Today's song is...


Instrumental (Name Unknown)


Normally, this is the sort of song I would skip over when it came up in my random page search because there isn't enough info about it and it seems a little sketchy. But as it happens I have this unnamed instrumental so I can confirm its existence despite its lack of title. It really reminds me of circus music. Makes me think of people balanced on balls on the backs of elephants juggling knives or something. Good use of horns. It really makes me wonder what the story behind the song is and why it never turned into anything given that it sounds pretty put together. Or maybe it did turn into something and we just haven't matched it up yet. Who knows?!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 359

Today's song is...


AKA Driver


This is one of my favorite Flansburgh songs. I had it ranked #12 on my list of Flans songs though that needs to be completely reworked to include Join Us. This is a song I enjoy as a whole package. Great melody, strong, full instrumentation and interesting lyrics. This is also pretty high on my list of songs I'd love to hear live someday. So you know, if anyone out there with any influence is listening.....

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 358

Today's song is...


Toddler Hiway


Poor Toddler Hiway. It always seems to be the song no one loves but me. And I really like it. It's cute because it conjures images of tons of little kids riding around a Toys R Us parking lot on Big Wheels. But I have to admit, I never realized until just this minute when I looked at the lyrics that the line was "Take your Close'N'Play" and not "Take your clothes and play." Boy do I feel dumb.

Song of the Day - Day 357

This is actually yesterday's song. The wiki wouldn't load in the morning for me to pick a song and then I never got back to my computer the rest of the day.

So yesterday's song is...


Money For Dope


This incredibly random list of items is fascinating and so Linnellian. This is like the definition of Linnellian. This is one of my favorites of the new songs on ARNATQ. I'm glad it made it into the world. I understand what Flans was saying about this not making it onto Join Us because they already had a list song on Join Us and really, You Don't Like Me, is the stronger song but I am still really glad we got to hear this one too. I really love the idea of Linnell sitting around picking out all these items just for their lyrical flow and interestingness.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 356

Today's song is...


Guitar Was The Case


This is one of my favorite Mono Puff songs because the dueling guitar riffs are so cool with a really solid rhythm line behind them. This kind of reminds me of a classic rock instrumental like Wipeout or Tequila or something like that. And I like it because it's Flans showing off his actual rock guitar prowess. Even now, the tune is stuck in my head, right where a good melody should be.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 355

Today's song is...


Dallas


The harmonies in this are so tenuous that I have several recordings where it is so off key as to be painful to listen to. But the studio version sounds cool.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 354

Today's song is...


Somebody Took My Eyeball


Sometimes Linnell is just silly. And sometimes it gets recorded and shared with the world. Isn't that awesome?!!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 353

Today's song is...


I Got My T-Shirt Back


"Play the bongos." I told you guys my thing about bongos right? About my minor obsession with bongos in TMBG songs? Especially those played by Marty? Right then... Then you have a sense of my feelings for this song :-)

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 352

Today's song is...


The Spine Surfs Alone


This song rocks and rocks hard. Just listen to that music and Flans' hard rock voice. Listen to the way Dan makes that guitar wail and Danny has the bass pounding. Now that's rock 'n' roll!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Song of the Day - Day 351

Today's song is...


Another First Kiss


I know a lot of TMBG fans that really dislike this song and I've never gotten that, because it's a beautiful song. When I first played TMBG for my mom, this was the only song she really liked. I like some of the lyrics in the original First Kiss (which I had stuck in my head the other day) but I am so glad they manifested into this slower, prettier version. TMBG have virtually no love songs in their repertoire, but the few they do have I really like. "But we've run out of things to say and we'll be happy anyway" is a terribly romantic lyric. I don't need the romance from this band. There are plenty of other band's I can listen to for love songs. But it's so nice that they have just a few. Because sometimes you just need a love song from your favorite band.