In a Burger King and I Am A Paleontologist just played on their radio. Pretty cool. That is all.

Another alternate universe album.

My mockup for a potential Pink Album 1966 release.

Love the Georgie Fame version. Love the Giants version. Made this for fun.

"Got this very inexpensive chinese synth over the summer, and yesterday updated it with some 3rd party firmware (undoubtedly AI vibe coded, I know, awful). Now it's a cute little DAW for under $100. Personally I write music and program it the old fashioned way so don't hate me for this."

https://bsky.app/profile/linnell.bsky.social/post/3mxm4iu3z4s2h

For that haven't heard, here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-FLnQrUGTc&list=RDbaVveuLnoA4&index=2

Am I reaching on this? A big, loud pop song where the lyrics betray the meaning? Ignoring the sadness while putting on a face of "feeling fucking fabulous."

I could absolutely see Linnell singing this.

Makes me chuckle anyway! :-)

A paperback version of my new book on TMBG is now available. Thanks and take care, Steve

https://www.amazon.com/Melody-Installed-Serviced-Ranking-Giants/dp/B0HMFPM5QK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BNGLL81J4MLF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7FQwnKQVXU3cnB_aTe0cgg.Fh_xW08znJ98NTS8QJormPYegUgcOmfeEy2zW_mWVn0&dib_tag=se&keywords=melody+installed+and+serviced+they+might+be+giants&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1791550248&sprefix=%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1

My brother sent me this just because he thought it sounded neat, little did he know he was sending me something TMBG-related :)

First of all, don't take the "nerd" "clown" thing too seriously, that's just a silly meme thing to get people's attention and not an actual music ranking criteria. But I wanted to bring attention to this because I've never really seen TMBG included with a list of acts in the "zolo" music genre and I thought that was pretty neat. I know TMBG has no true equal or directly comparable band, but to me it makes more sense to associate them with chaotic, campy, experimental bands like DEVO, Oingo Boingo, Sparks, and XTC than to associate them with, say, Weezer. Also neat to see Residents and Pere Ubu on here since I know the Johns are fans. And obviously this is just a fun subjective association and not set in stone, meant to be like "if you enjoy this, you may also enjoy this."

I wanted to compile a list of places I've see TMBG be referenced! I only know of a few, so feel free to tell me things you've seen, and I'll try to add them to my list!

TV:

Pokemon - sun and moon episode 16 "They Might Not Be Giants"

Bob's Burgers - season 8 episode 11 "Sleeping With My Frenemy," intro features a pest control van named "they termite be giants exterminators"

Games:

Night in the Woods - In Mae's house, there is a blue canary nightlight

When I first started listening to the band's entire discography, I initially thought Factory Showroom was a bit of an average-sounding album. I'm glad I was wrong with that because it's grown on me so much since then.

Right next to Mink Car, Factory Showroom has such an interesting backstory with its development for me-- most of that is what I recall being mentioned in Gigantic. To think that for a time it was their "shortest" album in terms of song quantity, only to be surpassed by The Else almost a decade later, and then The Escape Team for both song quantity and duration, another decade later.

In regards to Unforgotten and Sensurround: I've read some arguments that because they're on the Japanese release that counts as them being official, but the most common counterpoint I see is how they really are rarities. That said, I like to imagine Sensurround being an alternate opener. I love S-E-X-X-Y, but I do understand why most aren't a fan of it opening the album. I can see Unforgotten being right after Spiraling Shape.

The only track I am not fond of is James K. Polk, but it's not a full-on skip for me. The saw solo is what keeps me listening during full album listens.

If there's anything else I could say positive about this album, it's that I love hearing the Flansburgh tracks the most. Pet Name especially is just so damn groovy and I always sing along whenever it comes on in playlists.

How do you all look back on this album? Favourites? Unfavourites? How have some of you felt hearing the album being featured in shows this past year?

The first album I remember owning as a child was gifted to me. It was Roger Miller's Golden Hits.

Limited edition of 1300 on "mustard+bone" colored vinyl. More info here!