THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The 123s (Disney Sound) cd+dvd 17.98
Yes, another children's music album from They Might be Giants. Who better to stimulate the minds of youngsters around the globe than these fellows? They've made it their life's work creating remarkably varied, irresistibly catchy and irrepressibly smarty pants pop songs since the 1982. Heck, most of their songs old and new are already totally child-friendly. However just like old Saturday morning cartoons, there's often a subtext that engages the grown-ups too. That said, this their thirteenth album is indeed just for the kids! It's the numerical follow-up to 2006's Here Come The ABCs. Unlike that release whose cd and dvd were sold separately, the cd and dvd for Here Come The 123s come packaged together. What a whale of a delightful, entertaining deal for thrifty parents! Count along with the two Johns -- monkeys, pirates, miles, monster eyes, soup, and pennies too!
MPEG Stream: "Triops Has Three Eyes"
MPEG Stream: "The Secret Life Of Six"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The ABCs With TMBG (Disneysound) dvd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
More kids stuff from They Might Be Giants! Here's the dvd version of their latest children's cd that we reviewed a couple of AQ Lists back. The Johns enlisted the assistance and talents of various friends to bring the songs to life via super cute and fun computer animation and puppetry -- the endearing puppet stars are from Robin Goldwasser's Deeply Felt Puppet Theater. True TMBG fans will recognize the names of the folks who produced this dvd 'cuz they were responsible for the excellent documentary film about the band, Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns. Running time: 45 minutes.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Come The ABCs! (Disneysound) cd 13.98
For all of you out there who been askin' for children's music, well, They Might Be Giants have once again heeded your call! You might remember their last kids' release, the 2002 album simply titled 'No!' As this title tells, these are alphabet songs... but they're so much more than the traditional "Now I know my abc's, next time won't you sing with me?" song. They start things off by using the alphabet to run through the names of countries, then jump right into letter-related songs about such subjects as animals, music instruments, and food. That's right after years of schoolin' the masses on the wide wide world of pop, the Johns are gettin' even more educational. And they've refined they're quirky songcraft to a textbook-like science -- pun intended, hahaha! Lots of funky beats, bubbly cheezy melodies, and vocoder singing. Of course as with all of their kids music they drop references in here and there that'll probably go right over the heads of the tots and into the ears of their parents (such as Linnell's mention of 'flying v' guitars). This cd includes bonus tracks and cd-rom fun stuff too.
MPEG Stream: "Alphabet Of Nations"
MPEG Stream: "The Vowel Family"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Here Comes Science (Idlewild / Disney) cd+dvd 17.98
Would've loved to have had Mr. Linnell and Mr. Flansburgh for elementary music teachers, wouldn't you? The learning process would've been so much fun. So much better than Barney and so much cooler than Sharon, Lois and Bram. Over the years, they've proven that they're just as skilled at schooling kids of all ages on other subjects too - the alphabet (2005's Here Comes The ABCs), arithmetic (2008's Here Come The 123s), history (well, sort of on 1990's "James K. Polk"), geography (well, sort of on 2005's Venue Songs) and now science! Here they succinctly and catchily cover topics such as speed and velocity, the color spectrum, the planets, the elements, the environment, photosynthesis, evolution, thought processes, biology and more. 19 smart, engaging pop tunes that bounce along at a sprightly pace, planting little seeds of learning. For the most part this stands up to repeat listens without completely driving the grown-ups nuts... unless you happen to have an aversion to TMBG's trademark nasality which we understand some folks do. That said, we should note that there are a few more singing voices than usual including that of Mrs. Flansburgh. Heck, though this is definitely for youngsters, older listeners might learn something too! Sounds like the Johns have recycled a few melodic lines from their old songs which might make this ring warmly familiar to those parents who cherish their early TMBG albums. They've even reprised "Why Does The Sun Shine?" from 1994. Plus you also get a terrific dvd that's filled with playful candy colored animated video clips for each song which can be viewed individually in alphabetical order, or altogether as a program hosted by the Johns. With this delightful set, we'd say they're really giving Sesame Street a run for their money!
MPEG Stream: "Meet The Elements"
MPEG Stream: "Roy G. Biv"
MPEG Stream: "Why Does The Sun Shine?"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Indestructible Object (Barsuk) cd ep 7.98
Easing themselves into the Barsuk camp with this lil' five song EP, those two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) from Brooklyn have kept their almost maddeningly infectious, quirky hooks as sharp as ever. In recent years, they've focused more on writing music for tv shows and movies. One of their TV theme songs is included here -- "Am I Awake?" for the series Resident Life. With its burbly percolating electronic beats and Flansburgh's sleepy vocals, it actually made me think of a hyperactive Notwist on a super sugar rush. Their lyrics are still mighty clever and witty, however the overall tone of the proceedings is much less playful and kooky than even the most recent TMBG offerings. It's no less glorious in the pop department, although each song seems ever so slightly unfinished or truncated. Very odd. They close the EP with their fine version of the Beach Boys' "Caroline, No". Probably not essential, though, unless you're a TMBG completist.
MPEG Stream: "Am I Awake?"
MPEG Stream: "Au Contraire"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Join Us (Idlewild) cd 14.98
After many years of romping through almost every possible musical style imaginable and composing tons of music for movies, TV and kids' albums, Join Us find the two Johns bringing the focus back to what they've always done best... that is, writing clever, witty, quirky, hook-laden pop songs with a sweet dorky charm. Really, this is their most solidly classic college pop rock (circa '90s) album in eons. So, if you're an old They Might Be Giants fan with a nostalgic hankering for their earlier sounds (y'know, the ones with the maddeningly catchy jingles!), you'll probably find a bunch of peppy tunes here to tickle your fancy (heck, who are we kidding? All of you true old school TMBG devotees don't need us to tell you that. You already secured your copies of this album the day it was released, right?). One thing we came to realize though while listing to this album was that their use (overuse? abuse?) of their magical hook-writing pen over the past decade for non-TMBG projects has resulted in virtually every song here sounding slightly familiar, quite slick and somewhat calculated... like some gleaming TV sitcom theme. A bit unsettling. To be honest, Join Us just had us digging out and dusting off our beloved Flood and Lincoln albums to hear the real deal, and we recommend you do too!
MPEG Stream: "Can't Keep Johnny Down"
MPEG Stream: "You Don't Like Me"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Mink Car (Restless) cd 17.98
The endearingly nasal voices of the two Johns are back. Not as immediately infectious as previous records, "Mink Car" might take a while to grow on you. Ever the quirky, fearless genre-jumpers TMBG deliver their trademark, crafty hooks in a number of different guises - careening from bombastic rock ("Cyclops Rock") into a disco-y, New Order turn ("Man, It's So Loud In Here") then into shufflin' indie strummery ("Another First Kiss") then into more familiar TMBG silliness ("Hovering Sombrero" and "Older" - actually we suspect some of these songs may have been kicking around for some time... we know for sure that the latter has existed since at least '96). Sometimes they're truly brilliant, sharp-as-a-tack tunesmiths, and sometimes you're just left scratchin' your head. Wondering "Was that a good idea? What were they thinking?!" Slick pop eccentricities that only made me yearn for their wonderful early lo-fi days.
RealAudio clip: "Man, Is It Loud In Here"
RealAudio clip: "My Man"
RealAudio clip: "Older"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS No! (Idlewild/Rounder) cd 16.98
In celebration of their 20th anniversary of Giantness, the two Johns decided to release an album "for the entire family", but we ask "which They Might Be Giants album isn't exactly that?!" More accurately this is a record FOR CHILDREN. Their skills of conveying twisted tales and toothsome sentiments in a multitude of styles with a sharp, strange wit cross over smoothly into the kids section. Quirky lyrics sung by quirky voices abound. "Here on Fibber Island we hide mittens in our hair. You might need to stare to see the mittens in our hair." Absurd! There's songs about grocery bags, a Supertaster (!), violins, and the Edison Museum. Some are straight-up singalongs, while others are more like their more "grown-up" rollicking tunes (the Supertaster song for instance). Oddly, the march-along track called "Bed Bed Bed" has a very Residents feel to it. Did I mention that John Linnell has a perfect storytelling voice (he's probably had some practice since he's the father of a toddler). Anyways, the big bonus of this release is that it is an interactive disc which if inserted into a computer will offer up a delightful selection of playtime videos.


RealAudio clip: "Fibber Island"
RealAudio clip: "John Lee Supertaster"
RealAudio clip: "Bed Bed Bed"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Severe Tire Damage (Zoe) cd 16.98
Severe Tire Damage is surely no stranger to diehard TMBG fans. This live album was originally released on Restless Records back in 1998, and has been reissued by the kind folks at Zoe Records. So if you somehow missed it the first time 'round or have worn out your first copy, here it is again! Yes, a bunch of the two Johns' classics are here: "Birdhouse In Your Soul", Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", "Spider", "Meet James Ensor", "Why Does The Sun Shine?", "Particle Man", "Ana Ng"... oh, you know'em and love'em all, doncha? Plus demonstrating what quick-wits these gents are, there's a bunch of highly entertaining impromptu stuff at the end.
MPEG Stream: "Ana Ng (live)"
MPEG Stream: "Doctor Worm (live)"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS The Else (Idlewild) cd 16.98
After numerous extracurricular activities, reissues and special projects, They Might Be Giants return with their first studio album in three years. Not counting 2005's children's record Here Come The ABCs, their last full band album was The Spine which was released in 2004.
So this many moons later, what do the two Johns sound like? Themselves! Well, sort of... the first song sounds strangely like Fat Boy Slim's "Praise You". Lots of rock/pop variety and lots of weird voices, but their trademark dual nasality reigns geeky supreme. The strangest notable thing about The Else is how much everything gleams with a glossy sheen which may be attributed to the production by The Dust Brothers. Nevertheless another TMBG fan pleaser!
PLUS: If you hop to it quickly enough, you'll get the limited first edition which includes a bonus full length cd filled with even more They Might Be Giants new tunes!!!
MPEG Stream: "I'm Impressed"
MPEG Stream: "Careful What You Pack"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS The Spine (Zoe) cd 16.98
Of course, They Might Be Giants fans (some of the most rabid around) are gonna buy this album regardless of what the reviews say, but nevertheless here's what our resident TMBG supporter had to say: Damn! The Spine starts off soooooo strong with one of TMBG's catchiest pop tunes in ages ("Experimental Film"). That one song got our expectations soaring, but sadly from there things go terribly awry... repeatedly. Their quirky creative decisions (such as wacky-weirdo vocals) frequently cross the line into too-smartie-pants or just plain bummer territory. Really, whenever John Flansburgh affects that Prince-y soul falsetto, all we can do is go "Ewww!" Makes you feel dirty... in a bad way. We'd actually recommended that you enjoy the abovementioned amazing song with its equally amazing video at the HomeStarRunner website, www.homestarrunner.com. And might as well look around while you're there. Odds are you'll end up still sitting in front of your computer hours later, dazed from so much good stuff! Make sure and peep the Strongbad emails!
MPEG Stream: "Experimental Film"
MPEG Stream: "Thunderbird"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Then: The Earlier Years (Restless) 2cd 28.00
Here's an old favorite title we thought we'd highlight 'cause we've never listed it before and just got it back in stock! Over the years the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) from Brooklyn, NY have cranked out an impressive amount of musical fun and friviolity. From the early spartan sounds of twisted tuba and accordion nuttiness accompanying their highly humourous yarns (remember 'Dial-A-Song'?) to their more recent much more rock'n'roll adventures with full band line-ups (complete with horn sections), they've never lost their ability to compose the cleverest and catchiest of tunes. Ah, "Ana Ng" anyone? Unfortunately all too often the popsters who've chosen the more quirky path get dismissed simply as novelty. And if you're one of the TMBG naysayers, I gotta tell you bub, you've been missing out. These guys are the princes of pop craftsmanship. This two cd set is a shining example not to mention a barrel of fun unto itself: the first two albums ('s/t' from 1986 and the super-excellent 'Lincoln' from 1988), plus a heap of b-sides and bonus tracks.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS They Got Lost (Zoe) cd 19.98
Love 'em or hate 'em, ain't nobody gonna put a stopper in the musical geyser of those two Johns from Brooklyn. They've put out so much music over the years that it's hard to imagine that they could possibly have anything left in their vaults to unveil, but they apparently do! They are 'lost' no longer! And all of you They Might Be Giants fans / completists can find 'em right here -- all 21 of 'em including odes to NPR's This American Life program and the fabulous McSweeney's Quarterly Concern literary journals. There are a bunch of super treats here that are just as good if not better than many of the duo's album tracks, and of course there are a couple cringe-inducing numbers that we sorta wish had remained in storage, but granted they also serve to flesh out the already very fleshed out TMBG history. A wonderfully varied and still cohesive collection!
MPEG Stream: "I Am A Human Head"
MPEG Stream: "Theme To McSweeney's"

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS Venue Songs (Idlewild) dvd+cd 16.98
Oh the two Johns never seem to run out of wacky ideas, do they?! And their track record is freakishly good. With the skillz of old tyme ad jingle writers they churn out a steady flow of musical nuggets of every shape and color. Even when the concept seems flimsy, the resulting songcraft is so addictively exuberant and just plain well done that any furrowed brows of criticism evaporate into thin air.
For their 2004 tour, they got it in their brains to record a tune for each and every venue they played. Ok, why not? They can pen a jingle about pretty much anything! Venue Songs offers up the aural and visual fruits of those labors. Mind you, many of them don't really seem to be 'about' the actual venue. The insertion of the respective venue's name in the lyrics seems like an afterthought or a convenient rhyme. Ah well, it's still pretty entertaining!
The cd compiles the resulting songs -- some live and some studio recorded -- plus five additional studio tracks. The dvd presents videos of eleven of those venues, and four more visual treats including a work they did with aQ fave web-based dynamo Homestar Runner titled Experimental Film. The dvd is narrated by a character known as the Deranged Millionaire (aka John Hodgman of The Daily Show, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, and This American Life among other pursuits).
Their diehard fans will surely gobble this up in one bite and need another copy post haste. On the other hand, non-devotees may find this maddeningly dorky. As novel, nutty and 'revenge of the nerds' as ever.

THICK FOG Issue 1 magazine 3.00
First issue of this rad old school style zine, all about the SF music scene, and featuring tons of aQ faves, and before we go any further, we should really decry the lack of actual zines, sure, we love blogs as much as the next music nerd, but there's something about zines, the passion and energy put into actually making something instead of just sitting in front of your computer. Lots of cutting and pasting and actual physical layout, and going to Kinko's, cutting, stapling. It's like cds and vinyl versus mp3's, there's just no comparison. There's still nothing like picking up a zine, and reading about bands you love, and hopefully discovering some bands you might not even know about yet.
So here it is, issue number one of Thick Fog, which really captures the spirit of music fanzines that we love so much, opening with an interview with The She's, who we have yet to hear, but who have a new record coming out any day, and we're now excited to check out for sure. There's also a piece about Tim Cohen, he of the Fresh & Onlys, Magic Trick and of course Amocoma. There's a goofy interview with Swiftumz, an interview with Brilliant Colors, and one with Dominant Legs, not to mentions some other fun stuff, with a cool mix of humor and lightness and some really great writing. Anyone interested in the SF music scene should pick one of these up. Can't wait for future issues! And hell, while you're at it, make your own zine too!

THIEVERY CORPORATION Mirror Conspiracy (ESL) cd 16.98
The Thievery Corporation tries to make silky music. But the silk that their sound emulates is the cheaply made synthetic stuff that is woven into the erotic apparel sold by Adam and Eve. Clad on unsexy white people who saturate themselves in Drakkar Noir, these cheap silken garments (bright pink for the ladies, purple paisleys for the gents) have the intrinsic defect of chemically adhering to the skin as soon as it is permeated with sweat. Despite the best efforts of clumsy grinding, the romantically inclinded duo has the unfortunate task of attempting to peel this molecularly fused cloth from their skin before moving onto more unmentionable things. Cotton is king.

THIEVERY CORPORATION Shadow Of Ourselves (4AD) cdep 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Four song ep from this popular electronica act, one track taken from their "Mirror Conspiracy" album.

THIEVERY CORPORATION The Cosmic Game (ESL Music) cd 16.98
Right from the get-go of their latest full length, Thievery Corporation are keeping their audience on their well-heeled toes (and maybe knockin' a few of them back on their heels a bit). The reason? Well, for one thing the first track "Marching The Hate Machines (Into The Sun)" features the Flaming Lips! Seemingly odd bedfellows, doncha think? Their participation on this album will surely open them up to a whole new audience. 'Lips presence aside, fear not dear TC fans, all of the duo's suave smooooth grooooovin' is intact, but they've encorporated a multi-culti vibe into each track. Their ultra mellow downtempo core, which already had a lot of jazz and dub in it, has now been even more deeply infused with the sounds of India, Brazil and Jamaica. Special guests include Sista Pat, Perry Farrell, Loulou, Gunjan, David Byrne, Sleepy Wonder, Gigi Rezende, Patrick de Santos and the aforementioned 'Lips.
MPEG Stream: "Marching The Hate Machines (Into The Sun)"
MPEG Stream: "The Supreme Illusion"

THIEVERY CORPORATION The Outernational Sound (Eighteenth Street Lounge Music ) cd 14.98
Found myself getting rather sleepy while listenin' to this new Thievery Corporation DJ set album. It seemed like Outernational Sound was going to be another trademark T.C. moody, lush downtempo affair, but no! That was only until the eleventh track (of nineteen tracks total) when things kick in something mighty! Getting all funky and hip-hoppy... and we've got Breakestra, Antonio Carlos Jocafi and Major Force to thank for that. They're the ones responsible for the eleventh, twelveth and thirteenth tracks respectively. From there, the T.C. gents continue to do as they please, 'spinning' a totally mixed bag of musical selections. Thus, this is more of a keep-you-on-yer-toes mix rather than a flowing, sink-in-and-get-groovy one. Three things we're not so sure of about this release though: 1.) whether or not we need yet another version of George Harrison's "Within You Without You" - sitar-fest or otherwise, 2.) whether or not we need a song based around that lame, cheesy 'oriental' melody -- y'know the one that begins that 80s tune "Turning Japanese", the one that get's played when Long Duk Dong appeared in Sixteen Candles, 3.) whether or not we need an artist named Crazy Penis. Ewww!
MPEG Stream: BREAKESTRA "Cramp Your Style"
MPEG Stream: ANTONIO CARLOS JOCAFI "Simbarere"

THIEVES LIKE US Berlin Alex (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
These New Order and Philip K. Dick worshipping new wavers return with yet another collection of cool Euro wave electro pop, opening their new record with a haunting pulsing intro that wouldn't be out of place on a Zombi record, that Carpenter / Goblin worship tempered with lush swells of the groups more melodic Euro pop leanings which blossom into the record's first proper track, "Fur Judith", that most definitely has a serious Neu! / Stereolab vibe going on, that sort of hazy motorik mesmer, anchored by a simple propulsive rhythm. As the record progresses, it reveals itself as a whole different beast compared to past TLU records, the group seem to have a way more experimental trajectory this time around, instrumental, minimal, rhythmic, the krautrock vibe is huge, but krautrock via new wave, which is definitely a potent combo. But the sound here also seems to be way more experimental, with brief interludes, what sound like primitive tape experiments, and kosmische synthscape, spread out between more conventional eighties new wave beholden jams. It's pretty heady stuff, definitely elevating them above the current crop of retro-wave revivalists. This is the sort of thing that folks into weirdo electronica, and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and the synthier side of modern krautrock, might really dig. The perfect balance of retro pop wave and avant electronic experimentalism, and by far our favorite TLU record yet!
MPEG Stream: "Free From The Ice"
MPEG Stream: "Fur Judith"
MPEG Stream: "Get Me To The Kiss"
MPEG Stream: "Lasers Coming Back"

THIEVES LIKE US Bleed Bleed Bleed (Captured Tracks) cd 13.98
We've long been pretty into Thieves Like Us, whose M.O. had been a sort of eighties style electro pop, a vintage sounding new wave that fused the sounds of classic New Order to an icy futureworld beholden to sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, but then something strange happened on their last record, the band ditching vocals completely and transforming into something totally (okay, well, maybe not totally) different, conjuring up a sound much more cinematic and krautrocky, definitely shifting toward the current crop of Goblin worshipping John Carpenter wannabes, experimental, psychedelic, kosmische, so that's pretty much what we were expecting from this, their brand new full length, but it seems that brief bit of sonic dabbling, was indeed just that, and with Bleed Bleed Bleed, regardless of the very evocative album title, the band returns to that shimmery eighties synth pop sound, the opening title track, slow burning and sultry, with a percolating bassline underneath swirling synths, and icy dueling boy / girl vocals. "Stay Blue" sounds opens up with a brief bout of serious Kraftwerk worship, before blissing out into something much more swoonsome and ballady, sounding like some lost jam straight off eighties FM radio or classic era MTV, reminding us more of ABC or Thompson Twins or any of those bands, more than the krautrock forebears who the band also obviously count as influences. And so it goes, a hazy time machine trip back into vintage new wave electro pop, and while more modern moments reminds us of M83 at times, folks who flipped over the anomaly that was the band's krautrocky last record, Berlin Alex, might be a bit confused, and perhaps even disappointed, but for the rest of us, who were already digging their fuzzy retro sound, this definitely hits that same sweet spot.
MPEG Stream: "Bleed Bleed Bleed"
MPEG Stream: "Stay Blue"
MPEG Stream: "Still Life"

THIEVES LIKE US Bleed Bleed Bleed (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
We've long been pretty into Thieves Like Us, whose M.O. had been a sort of eighties style electro pop, a vintage sounding new wave that fused the sounds of classic New Order to an icy futureworld beholden to sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, but then something strange happened on their last record, the band ditching vocals completely and transforming into something totally (okay, well, maybe not totally) different, conjuring up a sound much more cinematic and krautrocky, definitely shifting toward the current crop of Goblin worshipping John Carpenter wannabes, experimental, psychedelic, kosmische, so that's pretty much what we were expecting from this, their brand new full length, but it seems that brief bit of sonic dabbling, was indeed just that, and with Bleed Bleed Bleed, regardless of the very evocative album title, the band returns to that shimmery eighties synth pop sound, the opening title track, slow burning and sultry, with a percolating bassline underneath swirling synths, and icy dueling boy / girl vocals. "Stay Blue" sounds opens up with a brief bout of serious Kraftwerk worship, before blissing out into something much more swoonsome and ballady, sounding like some lost jam straight off eighties FM radio or classic era MTV, reminding us more of ABC or Thompson Twins or any of those bands, more than the krautrock forebears who the band also obviously count as influences. And so it goes, a hazy time machine trip back into vintage new wave electro pop, and while more modern moments reminds us of M83 at times, folks who flipped over the anomaly that was the band's krautrocky last record, Berlin Alex, might be a bit confused, and perhaps even disappointed, but for the rest of us, who were already digging their fuzzy retro sound, this definitely hits that same sweet spot.
MPEG Stream: "Bleed Bleed Blees"
MPEG Stream: "Stay Blue"
MPEG Stream: "Still Life"

THIEVES LIKE US Your Heart Feels (Captured Tracks) 12" 14.98
The return of these New Order named electro pop new wavers, this one not a new record, but a reissue of a rare 2008 ep, which in turn actually featured early recordings from all the way back in 2005. The title track is the jam here, a fuzzy minimal pop wave gem, all chiming melodies, heartfelt vox, thick buzzing synths, a simple pulsing groove, in some ways it reminds us of a less bombastic and shoegazey M83, that same sort of retro eighties vibe, total new wave dream pop bliss, laced with all sort of shimmery swirl and lushly harmonic guitars, and a sweet sweet hooky chorus. Definitely worth the price of admission alone, but the other three tracks are pretty great as well. "Fur Judith" is a bit more funky and propulsive, sounding a lot like it was built on the framework of Maxwell's "Somebody's Watching Me", all low slung and synthy, but a little radio pop/soul mixed in. "The Moon In The Gutter" is a beauty, all hazy and washed out, hushed and muted and swirly, a perfect chunk of blurred blissy ambience, and finally "Don't Take Your Hands Away" finishes things off in a darkly Depeche Mode. Nice!

THIEVES LIKE US Your Love Runs Still (Captured Tracks) lp 13.98
They're named after a New Order song, they have a song titled after a Philip K Dick story AND they're on Captured Tracks, what's not to like? Nothing, especially if you like skeletal minimal electronic Euro new wave pop. Four songs of moody swoonsome woozy electro pop, simple programmed drums, super minimal guitar jangle and synth pulse, boy girl vocals, a little bit icy, very Eighties sounding, the opening track a cool, late night electro ballad, all minor key and sweetly sorrowful lyrics. The second track is more of the same, a skittery rhythm beneath soft focus synth swirl and more hazy, dreamy boy girl vocal harmonies, all washed out and dreamlike, a sort of softly psychedelic new wave.
The rest of the record follows suit, with "You And I" getting a bit more propulsive, with a thick bassline, wrapped in synth swirls, and a loping rhythm, while the PKD worshipping "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said" finishes things off with maybe the best of the bunch, all soft swirling synths, layered and lush and ambient, eventually joined by glitched out effects, and fuzzy crunchy riffage, the riffs adding more droney swirl, the whole thing a dreamy expanse of new agey new wavey guitarsynth drift that wouldn't be out of place on a Oneohtrix or Pulse Emitter record. Cool!
Comes with a download coupon as well.
MPEG Stream: "Your Love Runs Still"
MPEG Stream: "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said"

THIGHPAULSANDRA I, Thighpaulsandra (Chalice / World Serpant) 2cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Thighpaulsandra has recorded with Coil, Julian Cope, and Spiritualized. At times all of those bands have done some pretty amazing things... this album, on the other hand, will hopefully be forgotten as a bad mistake. Highlights include a song called "Home Butt Club" and some destined-for-the-bargain-bin photoshop work as cover art. Don't bother.

THIGHPAULSANDRA Some Head (Eskaton / World Serpant) cd 14.98
Thighpaulsandra has made his career out of being weird and making noodly electronic music. After working with Julian Cope (perhaps his only collaboration that really made sense) and Spirtitualized, he's joined Coil fulltime. And considering Coil's new direction; all lunar drones and breathy occultist polemics, this isn't a bad match. Working with Coil's John Balance and Hans Jurgen Rausch on this short EP, Thighpaulsandra merges alot of hallucinatory electronics into a seemless collage dominated by the synth knob twiddle found on the recent Coil release "Queens of the Circulating Library." Interspersed between the analogue synthesisis some early 80s 'Some Bizarre' arppegiated industrial and some space-age bachelor pad jazziness (like Dick Hyman without the great name).

THIN LIZZY Black Rose (Mercury) cd 17.98

THIN LIZZY Black Rose (Vertigo) lp 21.00

THIN LIZZY Johnny The Fox (Mercury) cd 16.98

THIN LIZZY Live And Dangerous (Mercury) cd 16.98

THIN LIZZY Vagabonds of the Western World (Deluxe Edition) (Decca) 2cd 32.00
Sweet! A deluxe double cd reish of one of our faves by Irish greats Thin Lizzy, who are one of those influential bands that posthumously just seems to be getting more and more popular, heck they're probably bigger now than they ever were before, in the States anyway. More influential on the current rock/metal community too. Vagabonds Of The Western World, from 1973, belongs to the earliest era of the band when Eric Bell was their guitarist. Note we said guitarist, singular. That's right, the twin guitar harmonies thing that Lizzy is famous for came later, originally they were a power trio with only one guy on guitar. But he's awesome, and the first three Lizzy albums (of which this is the 3rd) are definitely cool, though different (often a bit mellower, folkier, psychier) than the more famous later stuff with the Gorham / Robertson duo. Vagabonds is pretty rockin', though, heck it even includes the song "The Rocker" among other classics like "Gonna Creep Up On You", "Little Girl In Bloom", and the storytelling epic "The Hero And The Madman", which is one of this sometimes odd album's weirdest, quasi-prog entries. Plus of course, most crucially, the talents of Thin Lizzy's charismatic singer/bassist/songwriter, and resident tragic genius, Phil Lynott, are fully in effect here, his distinctive voice always a delight...
In addition to the digitally remastered original album, you get ten bonus tracks (including a radio promo edit of early hit "Whiskey In The Jar", and one called "Cruising In The Lizzymobile"!) on the first disc in the set, while the second disc features 13 cuts from various BBC radio sessions, for John Peel and others. In addition to songs from Vagabonds, you'll hear renditions of other Lizzy gems from the era like "Suicide" (different from the later album version done with the double guitar lineup) and "Black Boys On The Corner". The double digi cd package includes liner notes and vintage photos too. Deluxe indeed, and deserving of the treatment.
MPEG Stream: "The Hero And The Madman"
MPEG Stream: "Gonna Creep Up On You"
MPEG Stream: "The Rocker (BBC Radio 1 In Concert)"

THING WITH KEN VANDERMARK Immediate Sound (Smalltown Superjazz) cd 16.98

THING, THE Action Jazz (Smalltown Superjazz) cd 16.98
The Swedish jazz trio (Mats Gustafsson on sax, Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass) that -loves- their indie/garage/hipster rock has returned with another energetic and enjoyable disc. Remember they did those cool improv jazz "covers" of songs by The White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on their debut disc Garage? Well this time out they've set their sights on Lightning Bolt! "Ride The Sky" baby!
By the way, we're not being facetious in the least, we do dig The Thing and the things they do. Including their moody, intense original improvs/compositions as well, not just the stuff that's bound to get 'em a mention in Pitchfork. FYI Besides Lightning Bolt, such indie noise rock faves as Ornette Coleman and Yosuke Yamashita get the cover treatment here as well.
MPEG Stream: "Better Living..."
MPEG Stream: "Ride The Sky"

THING, THE Garage (Smalltown Superjazzz) cd 16.98
A trio of Swedish free jazzers (among them saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, sometime Sonic Youth sideman) playing loosely-interpreted covers of "garage rock" tunes, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the White Stripes and (proving they realize garage rock wasn't invented in 2003) the Sonics from the '60s. Hence the title, Garage. Doesn't necessarily sound like the best idea, does it? Well it could have been a terrible, cash-in on the what the kids are digging these days concept... But actually it's pretty cool when you listen to it!!! Super powerful and aggressive but definitely remaining more jazz than rock, though doubtless they'd blow a lot of garage rock bands off the stage with their energy. The seven tracks here also include two originals by The Thing (heavy duty rampant improvs both) and versions of tracks by jazz vets Norman Howard and Peter Brotzmann (he's been in a garage, doubtless). So this turns out to be more than just a gimmick. Garage ranges from R&B infused rave ups to seriously dirgey dissonance, making for a record *this* jazz/garage/freakout fan enjoyed. Crossover potential between folks only into one of the above? Dunno. I actually hadn't heard the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song before, but I know I like The Thing's version...
MPEG Stream: "Art Star"
MPEG Stream: "Hey Flask"

THING, THE Live at Bla (Smalltown Superjazzz) cd 16.98
Two lists back (#216) we reviewed The Thing's album Garage. The upshot being, this Swedish jazz combo was pretty dang good both despite *and* because of their gimmick: covering (loosely and creatively) garage rock hits by such bands as The White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Now here's another blast of high-energy improv action from the trio of Mats Gustafsson (sax), Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (bass), recorded live in Olso Norway, at a club called Bla. Nothing blah about their performance though (sorry!). They rumble and scream and blurt and groove, with plenty of passion and chops, and lots of room too for lovely moodiness. Here you'll find live versions of a couple of tracks from their Garage album (Noah Howard's "Haunted" and the White Stripes's "Aluminum") along with other compositions / improvisations not otherwise recorded by The Thing. We figure if you've got discs by such reedsmen as Peter Brotzmann and Ken Vandermark in your (jazz) collection, you need some Gustafsson too, and The Thing is just the thing to check out, both Garage and this Live at Bla disc.
MPEG Stream: "Old Eyes"

THING, THE (WITH JIM O'ROURKE) Shinjuku Growl (Smalltown Superjazz) cd 16.98

THING, THE (WITH OTOMO YOSHIHIDE) Shinjuku Crawl (Smalltown Superjazz) cd 16.98

THINGY Songs About Angels, Evil, And Running Around On Fire (Headhunter) cd 12.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Rob Crow's post-Heavy Vegetable band will not disappoint fans of Hev Veg's quirky, complex popcore. Another release given the Andee stamp of approval.

THINGY Staring Contest (Headhunter) cd ep 5.98

THINGY To The Innocent (Absolutely Kosher) cd 14.98
The long-awaited and actually finished for quite a while Thingy album finds the equally long-awaited post-Heavy Vegetable band compressing the Built To Spill indie-rock-epic into one-and-a-half minute pop songs with lots of jangly guitars, off kilter time signatures, girl/boy vocal harmonies, and a songwriting ability that can only be qualified as splendidly nifty. Thumbs up!

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles present Tubby Turdner's Celebrity Avalanche (Communion) cd 13.98
Well, with a title like that, you know the Fellers have arrived -- albeit after a much too lengthy absence -- with all their quirks intact. Oddly enough Jeff thought this was Guided By Voices when it was first played in the store. And indeed there has been a noticeable shift in their songwriting style on this their eighth full-length, but keep listening and you know it's TFUL282. There's just certain vocal hoots and hollers not to mention twitchy guitar sounds that can only be from the hand of the Fellers. A bit less cacaphonous these days, and with a pretty lil' ditty or two thrown in there. Newcomers to the Fellers should definitely start with their earlier, better work, especially the flawless Lovelyville (on Matador), but old school TFUL fans may need this. Highly enjoyable.
RealAudio clip: "91 Dodge Van"
RealAudio clip: "Sno Cone"

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Bob Dinners and Larry Noodles present Tubby Turdner's Celebrity Avalanche (Communion) lp 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Well, with a title like that, you know the Fellers have arrived -- albeit after a much too lengthy absence -- with all their quirks intact. Oddly enough Jeff thought this was Guided By Voices when it was first played in the store. And indeed there has been a noticeable shift in their songwriting style on this their eighth full-length, but keep listening and you know it's TFUL282. There's just certain vocal hoots and hollers not to mention twitchy guitar sounds that can only be from the hand of the Fellers. A bit less cacaphonous these days, and with a pretty lil' ditty or two thrown in there. Newcomers to the Fellers should definitely start with their earlier, better work, especially the flawless Lovelyville (on Matador), but old school TFUL fans may need this. Highly enjoyable.
RealAudio clip: "91 Dodge Van"
RealAudio clip: "Sno Cone"

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 I Hope It Lands (Communion) cd 12.98
New album on different label. Excellent! As always, the Fellers progress by leaps and bounds, continuing to make music that's always better than their previous (stellar). One of our favorite bands ever.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 I Hope It Lands (Communion) lp 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
New album on different label. Excellent! As always, the Fellers progress by leaps and bounds, continuing to make music that's always better than their previous (stellar). One of our favorite bands ever.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Mother of All Saints (Matador) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 The Kids Are in the Mud (Japan Overseas) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Import 7".

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Wormed By Leonard (Thwart) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Their pre-Tangle sought-after cassette only release is finally available again. Highly recommended.

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 Wormed By Leonard (Thwart) 2lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Their pre-Tangle sought-after cassette only release is finally available again. Highly recommended.

THIRD EYE FOUNDATION Fear Of A Wack Planet (Domino) cd 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Once in a blue moon an absolutely perfect single drops from heaven onto us mere mortals. It's almost unheard of that this phenomenon would be realized by the same band twice. Yet Matt Elliot, Mr. Third Eye Foundation first gave us the brilliant "Semtex" single... and now "Fear Of A Wack Planet".
Majestic choral voices delicately float as haunting historical texts to a Baroque past with elegantly simple breakbeats forming the basic structure. Yes, this is the same alchemic formula that Enigma has been boring the world with for some time now, yet Third Eye Foundation's ability to manifest the sublime provides that elusive transcendental quality that makes this one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.

THIRD EYE FOUNDATION Fear Of A Wack Planet (Domino) 12" 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Once in a blue moon an absolutely perfect single drops from heaven onto us mere mortals. It's almost unheard of that this phenomenon would be realized by the same band twice. Yet Matt Elliot, Mr. Third Eye Foundation first gave us the brilliant "Semtex" single... and now "Fear Of A Wack Planet".
Majestic choral voices delicately float as haunting historical texts to a Baroque past with elegantly simple breakbeats forming the basic structure. Yes, this is the same alchemic formula that Enigma has been boring the world with for some time now, yet Third Eye Foundation's ability to manifest the sublime provides that elusive transcendental quality that makes this one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.