It's about time Here Comes Science came here.
Bryce
not going to stop me from starting a thread about the new album.
You've heard it, right? Whatcha think?
For me it's kind of a mixed bag, much like the other children's
albums. Here are the gems:
- "My Brother the Ape." This is the first one my son latched onto,
also. What can I say? The sheet music for this one must have the
instruction "Linnellissimo."
- "Roy G. Biv." At first I thought this was going to bug me, but it
pops unbidden into my head, and grew on me a ton over just three
listens.
- "I Am a Paleontologist." Live show live show live show! Come on
Danny, pleeeeeeeeze! If they put any other song on here into the live
show and leave this one out, I will gnash my teeth and rend my
garments. And seriously, nobody wants that.
- "Put It to the Test." This is like the crown jewel of the whole
project. A distillation of what science really is, made easy for kids
to digest, AND it's one of the catchiest songs on here? We have a
winner, ladies and gentlemen.
- "The Ballad of Davy Crockett (in Outer Space)." Buries the needle
on the fun-to-sing-o-meter. I don't see theremin listed in the
credits, I wonder if they used the Kaoss pad or something instead.
And then we have the goaf:
- "Why Does the Sun Shine?" The core song rocks, we all know. The
first time I heard Flans singing the spoken parts, I loved it. Now I
find it annoyingly "stretchy," you know what I mean? Both in the
"this is depleting the energy of the song too much" kind of way and
the "this is trying a little too hard" kind of way. Of course, having
the Severe Tire Damage version readily available makes all the
difference here.
- "Electric Car." I dunno what it is, maybe it just goes on too long
for the slow pace it has. It's nice, in its way, it just doesn't do
much for me.
- "How Many Planets?" Merely skirting the outer edge of the Melody
sphere. It isn't really enough to grab me.
- "Computer Assisted Design." Filler! 'Nuff said. The video is cool
though.
And in the middle of the road, we have such things as "The
Bloodmobile," "Photosynthesis," Meet the Elements," which are good
enough songs but perhaps try to be more didactic than they should, and
come across a bit frantic. Then again, I bet repeated listening and
memorization will remove that impression.
Anyway, I'm glad I have it, great purchase overall. My kids are still
kinda young for most of the concepts I think, but not for long. By
then the songs will have given them a good handle on this stuff.
It'll be interesting to see which songs become their favorites; some
of their previous faves have surprised me a little. (I love it when
that happens.)
Bryce
kaylum
performed live so far, so I don't think you need to worry about having
to rend any garments just yet <g> I think they agree with you that it
is a live show must, but as for what other songs from the album will
make the cut is anyone's guess. I'm thinking "Roy G. Biv" will be the
next one added to the setlist.
Re: "Electric Car" - I bought the cd/dvd combo for my mom (another
big TMBG fan), and when she got to that song on the dvd, the friend
she lives with demanded she turn it off! I've found that this usually
happens with Robin's songs (with "Dr. Evil" being the one exception) -
my friends and family enjoy, or at least tolerate, most of TMBG's John-
sung songs just fine, but "In the Middle," "Pretty Fly" and now
"Electric Car" will send them screaming from the room. I'm not sure
why...is it because her songs tend to be the most sing-songy,
obviously kiddie like? Or is it something about her voice (which I
like a lot)? Anyone else experience this phenomenon?
Jason
They have also performed WDTSRS live (along with WDTSS but that's a
bit obvious).
kaylum
> They have also performed WDTSRS live (along with WDTSS but that's a
> bit obvious).
Ah yes, I remembered WTTSRS as soon as I hit the send button, but I
was late for my morning run so I didn't go back and correct myself.
WTTSRS is probably my favorite video on the DVD (how cute is cartoon
Flans singing into the microscope?)!
makebase
Prius or Chevy Volt TV commercials. I think this song has big
advertising potential.
kaylum
Indeed, it's very subversive, and not in a subtle way, either..."How
can you deny an electric car?" indeed
darangutan
that I will not be buying.
Flansburgh's song writing has descended to an all time low: he comes
up with a song title and then sings it falsetto 3 times, linking these
repetitive choruses with very literal, storyboard verses which have no
hook or twist.
Two cover versions and two recycled songs make this the least creative
of all their children's albums. Some of the other tracks can barely be
called songs, with lyrics you could write on the back of a matchbook
or that read like the index page of a science book.
And what is a song about CAD doing on there? OMG.
Come on guys, you've run out of school lessons to make grammy winning
albums about now. We don't want 'Here Comes Home Economics'.
Dar
Quinn Collard
still not "allowed" to listen to them and so haven't heard anything
since The Spine and oerjroeftgjio;4reifp;l4refiojrerfji NOT THAT IT'S
MAKING ME CRAZY OR ANYTHING). I find it hard to believe that they
could come out with anything as bad as what you're saying, even if
it's subpar for them...Haha and I would so be all over Here Comes Home
Ec, myself.
Quinn
darangutan
> Harsh, man. Is it really that bad?
There are a couple of good songs on there, but like I said all the
rest were either written in a heartbeat or are recycled songs.
Everything written on here is opinion and subjective, but yeah thats
really what I feel and you know how long I've been a fan.
> I wouldn't know being as how I'm
> still not "allowed" to listen to them and so haven't heard anything
> since The Spine
Now, you're making an assumption that I know what you're talking about
here. Who or what is stopping you from listening to TMBG, and why?
(The Spine was their best album of the noughties though)
Dar
Quinn Collard
> here. Who or what is stopping you from listening to TMBG, and why?
>
> (The Spine was their best album of the noughties though)
Ok yeh I couldn't remember if I'd mentioned it before....the boyfriend
is, yeh uh, not too crazy about the...fixation on Mr. Linnell and is
kind of doing the "him or me/I'll leave you if you do anything" thing
until I get over it which theoretically could actually happen? At some
point? It's pretty ridiculous considering he *met* me because of them
(right here in the ng actually) and knew DAMN well what he was getting
into when we started going out...but we have a really good
relationship otherwise so I'm attempting to actually do it. It's
fucking HARD sometimes though.
Quinn
darangutan
>
> Ok yeh I couldn't remember if I'd mentioned it before....the boyfriend
> is, yeh uh, not too crazy about the...fixation on Mr. Linnell and is
> kind of doing the "him or me/I'll leave you if you do anything" thing
> until I get over it which theoretically could actually happen? At some
> point? It's pretty ridiculous considering he *met* me because of them
> (right here in the ng actually) and knew DAMN well what he was getting
> into when we started going out...but we have a really good
> relationship otherwise so I'm attempting to actually do it. It's
> fucking HARD sometimes though.
Harsh!
I'm in a mixed marriage. One man and one woman. Hardy-har-harrrr!! No,
I mean that my wife is not a lover of TMBG -but she has never stopped
me listening to them. Despite genuine issues with the latest album, I
think that my 20 year long admiration of TMBG's music is a large part
of what makes me who I am, and if she didn't accept that then it
wouldn't be real, unconditional love.
Dar
Quinn Collard
> I think that my 20 year long admiration of TMBG's music is a large part
> of what makes me who I am, and if she didn't accept that then it
> wouldn't be real, unconditional love.
I know right? That's exactly how I feel. They still define me in a lot
of ways. And he *is* a fan, or was...but at the same time I can
understand him being, you know, not exactly happy about being a
consolation prize. I mean...knowing your girlfriend would leave you
for someone else without even thinking about it? Probably not so fun.
But I do miss the music like crazy, so I'm doing my best to work on at
least scaling back the John thing from being full-blown obsession to
being just a big crush and then being able to listen to the music
without him/it basically being my entire life, which will *hopefully*
start happening at some point. It's just not very easy, but I think
I'm making progress. I mean the fact that (other than ONE TIME) I
haven't listened to him--uh, them I mean!...in almost 5 years BLOWS MY
MIND if I really think about it, so that's something, right?
Quinn
darangutan
> I know right? That's exactly how I feel. They still define me in a lot
> of ways.
I believe the reason why so many TMBG fans are absolutely rabid about
them is because their music carries the message that it is okay to be
different from the mainstream. This strikes a chord with people,
especially kids, who could not previously understand why they didn't
like popular culture. I have always loved music, but until I was 14 I
thought there was something seriously wrong with me for not liking the
top 40. Then I discovered TMBG and it was more than just finding a
band I liked at last - it was like approval for the way I felt about
everything mainstream, including music.
> I'm doing my best to work on at
> least scaling back the John thing from being full-blown obsession to
> being just a big crush and then being able to listen to the music
> without him/it basically being my entire life, which will *hopefully*
> start happening at some point.
I always liked Linnell more than Flans, in a non-gay way. I just
related to his lyrics and attitude more. Maybe your obsession had more
of a basis in how I felt, and were never obsessed in a relationship-
threatening way like you think you are?
Dar
Quinn Collard
> I believe the reason why so many TMBG fans are absolutely rabid about
> them is because their music carries the message that it is okay to be
> different from the mainstream.
Yeh, I know what you mean. I had that feeling when I first started
getting into them when I was in high school and it was definitely a
big part of the draw for me. Then when I started getting involved with
fandom, I figured "Oh hey, it'll be all the other people who don't fit
in anywhere, we can all be friends, yay!" and then when people started
up all the "OMG he's going to get a restraining order what's wrong
with you" shit, well, it kind of really sucked, to be rejected by a
group you thought you would be able to get along with so well because
you were all these falling through the cracks of pop culture types.
ANYWAY, yes, I do agree with you that that is part of it for most if
not all of us.
> I always liked Linnell more than Flans, in a non-gay way. I just
> related to his lyrics and attitude more. Maybe your obsession had more
> of a basis in how I felt, and were never obsessed in a relationship-
> threatening way like you think you are?
Hmm, maybe so, I mean, I'm definitely not just interested in him in a
physical way--I'm not going to deny that aspect of it, but yeh I'm
very interested in the way he writes and thinks and all of that and
have always seen him as rather a kindred spirit. But whatever exactly
the draw is it's still too big of a deal for the boy to be up for
dealing with it. Which is so, so stupid, really. But unfortunately
there isn't much of anything for me to do about it at the moment--he's
supposed to be coming in with me to talk to my therapist in a couple
of months, YES I TALK TO MY THERAPIST ABOUT THIS STUFF OK, and
hopefully between the two of us we can convince him that he's being
totally ridiculous and unreasonable.
Quinn
p.s. why the fuck does Google Groups not let you set up a sig, anyway?