Me too! I have been a fan since the album right after flood came out (Apollo 18: The Statue Got Me High was the first TMBG song I fell in love with)… I joined Columbia House and got their first 3 albums at the same time. (They owe a lot of “mainstream exposure” to being featured in an Columbia House mailer actually)
@@weeklywheelnews My sister got me into them right after "Flood," and I have no idea where she had gotten connected with them. I love their quirky songs and melodies. I also love the fact that they did stuff with "Lonestarrunner" since I was really into their goofiness back in the day.
They totally got you at the beginning. They purposefully made the first track and the beginning of the second track quiet to trick people into turning up the volume so the second song would be super loud! This is the first time I've seen someone else listen to the album for the first time.
I've never seen any channel react to TMBG - especially a full album reaction - this is great! You should check out their live album "Severe Tire Damage" to see how they perform these songs live - it makes this album seem like demo recordings. They have a lot of fun playing these tracks with a full band, and (like you said) they sometimes expand solos, etc. I'm glad I stumbled on your channel - Cheers!
Great reaction to an iconic album. TMBG have a huge number of songs worth a reaction. Since y'all seemed to appreciate this, you should check out their other stuff.
You guys should listen to their album Apollo 18. It's the album They Might Be Giants made after this one and was created before John Henry which uses a full band in a TMBG album for the first time. Apollo 18 I think would be an interesting experience for you guys as it dives into a lot of different subjects and themes like most of their albums, but it also has some neat backstory as an album all together.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but TMBG originally was just John and John. Go to one of their concerts, and it would have been just the two of them playing (usually) guitar and accordion, and all the other tracks were recorded or sampled (which actually makes them one of the first to regularly use large amounts of sampling and overdubbing in their music) and played live on a tape recorder. So every single track you hear in each song is either to 2 of them playing, is a drum machine, or is sampled). There are two albums prior to Flood, and Apollo 18 after it. Next was John Henry, which was the first time they had an actual backing band... I'm loving your Flood reaction. I'm really hoping you consider doing more of their albums. Especially Lincoln and Apollo 18. Those plus Flood are probably my favorite 3 Giants albums :)
TMBG have kids' albums, a couple of which have won awards. Grammys I think. And of course the Malcolm in the Middle Theme. It's kind of funny when you consider the number of bright songs they've written about Deeeeaaathh!
This might sound strange, but this is an excellent album to lift weights to. The cadence is perfect, it keeps you focused, and the lyrics can take you to a dark place if you focus
Love this album! I also think you guys would like John Henry. It’s less “cheesy” musically and really shows how they progressed as a band. Kind of like the difference between Pure Guava and White Pepper in the Ween catalog.
If you haven't already seen, TMBG was actually signed to Disney's label for several years for a contract period... they do actually have about 4 children's cd's under that label and a couple others under there own label.
I was introduced to TMBG by the Istanbul and Particle Man music videos on Tiny Toons. I found Flood in my dad's CD collection, "borrowed" it for myself after recognizing the two songs. Flood was a constant presence in my CD player in my teenage years, often falling asleep to it on repeat. Haven't listened to it in awhile, was fun to listen to it with you. Have you heard anything from Ninja Sex Party (NSP) or Tupperware Remix Party (TWRP)?
I love this album! I wouldn't say it's one of the greatist albums ever. But it's definately one of my favorites. Listen to it 5 times and you'll be hooked forever. You should review English Settlement by XTC😄
"Listen to it 5 times and you'll be hooked forever." - such great advice! When I was in high school (in 1990), a friend brought this CD over and played it for me. I hated it SO MUCH it made me angry (maybe you've been there?). My friend left the CD with me and I listened to it a 2nd and 3rd time, then I was hooked. TMBG is now one of my favorite bands!
at around 4 mins in when you're listening to birdhouse in your soul, I think i've heard in an interview somewhere that they did that on purpose, making the intro super quiet and having it get super loud.
As someone who’s old enough (and hip enough 😜) to have been a fan since TMBG’s first album, I too, though in the opposite, made correlation between Barenaked Ladies and these guys with the way they turned a phrase and altered the music style to fit their layered lyrics. 👍✌️🤘
welp, I watched and listened to the whole reaction, I was going to stop after the first (second) song because it reminded me of the 1980s but I didn't because i wanted to see what you two had to say. I'm glad I stayed, I enjoyed the whimsical nature of the albumn and your commentary. Thanks .
They Might Be Giants have been going for nearly 40 years and have a catalogue that could stun an ox (credit to Laurie Anderson for that). I don't know how many songs they've written (well into four figures) but, like the person who suggested them, they form a big big part of my musical life. TMBG were a two piece until 1994, when they "formed a band" to augment the drum machines and sequencers. John and John still play guitar (John F) and keyboard, accordion and baritone sax (John L).
A good chunk of 90's kids might remember vaguely hearing Particle Man and Istanbul by them....they used these two songs in a Tiny Toons Adventures episode themed around a music countdown style with Buster and Babs Bunny (no relation..couldn't help but finish their joke..) acted as the hosts. Plucky Duck was the focus of both songs..acting as a detective solving a stolen item case in Istanbul and in the song Particle Man actually starting off as Particle Man and turning into Person man by the end. They even mention the band by name in the episode.
My favorite part about this is when they turn up the volume to birdhouse right at the quiet intro only to be spooked by the volume raise. A point brought up by the Johns in an interview I watched right before this. My second favorite part is how they think twisting was a fan favorite when a TMBG Reddit mod put it in what could be considered mid tier in their song favorites list lol.
One of those bands that should be my thing, but never really got around to delve into. Their discography is so varied and HUGE. "Birdhouse in your soul" was familiar, though. Oh, and "Istanbul" of course.
I'm not sure if it's clear to most that "Twisting in the wind" is a reference to being hung by the neck. This song is about a murderously enraged ex and a man (who's probably at fault) trying to egotistically make it about himself in song. Thus, "turn off your smoke machine, and Marshall stack." (another itunes lyric mistake)
I saw you guys did John Henry, and I really hope you try out Lincoln. I think from beginning to end it is really how I define the band and really one of my favorite albums by anyone anywhere.
@@ArthurDentt-l6j Not that I'm aware of. But if you knew me... you'd understand why I chose the name MickyMoist. Ween being my favorite band in the entire world.
Funny that you guys mentioned Weird Al because Al is a big fan of the band and made sure many of their videos got play on MTV, not only that but he's performed some of their songs in concert and has a style parody of one of their songs. Hell his catalogue of style parodies could fill up their own video.
When you hear rock to wind a string around, picture a baseball. Prosthetic foreheads, think baseball cap. Trying to burn the playhouse down, Brooklyn developer building on baseball field.
They Might Be Giants have so many songs that one of them is about being criticized for singing like a girl. (From Factory Showroom, 1996.) If you'd like to listen to more recent TMBG, I'd recommend I Like Fun from 2018 and Nanobots from 2013.
@@WelpHereWeAreOnTH-cam is Cake a band that you are able to react too, if so I'll sign up on Patreon at that level. (I would assume if you are too familiar with a band it doesn't make sense to react to them.)
they picked up a live band for a few albums after with real horns, the earlier album Lincoln is a bit less put together but I like it better... but you really cant go wrong with their first 20 years.
@Villagelark Then, there's the way they do it live, where the sun contains "hydrogen, helium, oxygen, estrogen, and ... wood." Or whatever else they feel like putting in there.
Fyi, Weird Al's original stuff is actually better than his parodies, and his parodies are brilliant. Thanks for reacting to TMBG! Apollo 18 is also amazing.
dig into devo, dudes. partic their early stuff. absolutely killer. and none of these great bands would be without the kings of twisted weird funny killer rock and roll, the residents. unparalleled.
You guys are the only people I've heard who's reviewed They Might Be Giants. I love these guys.
❤️🤟🙏🤟❤️
th-cam.com/video/Q29aTbBEIKw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=JwVaGv0f7PYfhPRk
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Me too! I have been a fan since the album right after flood came out (Apollo 18: The Statue Got Me High was the first TMBG song I fell in love with)… I joined Columbia House and got their first 3 albums at the same time. (They owe a lot of “mainstream exposure” to being featured in an Columbia House mailer actually)
@@weeklywheelnews My sister got me into them right after "Flood," and I have no idea where she had gotten connected with them. I love their quirky songs and melodies. I also love the fact that they did stuff with "Lonestarrunner" since I was really into their goofiness back in the day.
@@yohannbiimureminds me of how my 7th grade math teacher got me into it. i still got a C in the class but i listened to tmbg so it made it better.
They totally got you at the beginning. They purposefully made the first track and the beginning of the second track quiet to trick people into turning up the volume so the second song would be super loud! This is the first time I've seen someone else listen to the album for the first time.
❤️🤟🙏🤟❤️
Gotta love tmbg just for this prank on their listeners alone.
The only thing better than listening to They Might Be Giants is watching people listen to They Might Be Giants for the first time.
Thanks so much for doing TMBG! People may think they’re too nerdy, but they are suuuuch a vibe really
❤️🙏🤟
Also the most fun band I’ve ever seen live. Five times.
theres no so such thing as being too nerdy
I've never seen any channel react to TMBG - especially a full album reaction - this is great! You should check out their live album "Severe Tire Damage" to see how they perform these songs live - it makes this album seem like demo recordings. They have a lot of fun playing these tracks with a full band, and (like you said) they sometimes expand solos, etc. I'm glad I stumbled on your channel - Cheers!
❤️🤟🙏🤟❤️
Great reaction to an iconic album. TMBG have a huge number of songs worth a reaction. Since y'all seemed to appreciate this, you should check out their other stuff.
You guys should listen to their album Apollo 18. It's the album They Might Be Giants made after this one and was created before John Henry which uses a full band in a TMBG album for the first time. Apollo 18 I think would be an interesting experience for you guys as it dives into a lot of different subjects and themes like most of their albums, but it also has some neat backstory as an album all together.
FINGERTIPS!
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but TMBG originally was just John and John. Go to one of their concerts, and it would have been just the two of them playing (usually) guitar and accordion, and all the other tracks were recorded or sampled (which actually makes them one of the first to regularly use large amounts of sampling and overdubbing in their music) and played live on a tape recorder. So every single track you hear in each song is either to 2 of them playing, is a drum machine, or is sampled). There are two albums prior to Flood, and Apollo 18 after it. Next was John Henry, which was the first time they had an actual backing band...
I'm loving your Flood reaction. I'm really hoping you consider doing more of their albums. Especially Lincoln and Apollo 18. Those plus Flood are probably my favorite 3 Giants albums :)
TMBG have kids' albums, a couple of which have won awards. Grammys I think. And of course the Malcolm in the Middle Theme. It's kind of funny when you consider the number of bright songs they've written about Deeeeaaathh!
The Mickey Mouse Clubhouses theme song was also written by them, if I remember.
Isn't it "Marshall stack", not "march your stack"? (Twisting)
Smoke machines and Marshall stacks are what you find on a concert stage so yeah.
This might sound strange, but this is an excellent album to lift weights to. The cadence is perfect, it keeps you focused, and the lyrics can take you to a dark place if you focus
Hell yeah
Love this album! I also think you guys would like John Henry. It’s less “cheesy” musically and really shows how they progressed as a band. Kind of like the difference between Pure Guava and White Pepper in the Ween catalog.
But also has the quirky lyricism and fun music of their earlier stuff. All of TMBG's stuff is worth a listen
Plus, it has a song whose lyrics consist almost entirely of Alice Cooper song titles...
This is what the internet was invented for.
I’ve always know “ I want a rock” is a big analogy.. Just never been able to figure out what it’s an analogy for…
It's an analogy for people following trends blindly, I think? Which also seems to be what Spiraling Shape is about...
If you haven't already seen, TMBG was actually signed to Disney's label for several years for a contract period... they do actually have about 4 children's cd's under that label and a couple others under there own label.
I was introduced to TMBG by the Istanbul and Particle Man music videos on Tiny Toons. I found Flood in my dad's CD collection, "borrowed" it for myself after recognizing the two songs. Flood was a constant presence in my CD player in my teenage years, often falling asleep to it on repeat. Haven't listened to it in awhile, was fun to listen to it with you.
Have you heard anything from Ninja Sex Party (NSP) or Tupperware Remix Party (TWRP)?
You guys should listen to Weird Al's song "Everything you know is wrong" it's a style parody of TMBG.
I love this album!
I wouldn't say it's one of the greatist albums ever. But it's definately one of my favorites.
Listen to it 5 times and you'll be hooked forever.
You should review English Settlement by XTC😄
Great choice to review XTC!
"Listen to it 5 times and you'll be hooked forever." - such great advice! When I was in high school (in 1990), a friend brought this CD over and played it for me. I hated it SO MUCH it made me angry (maybe you've been there?). My friend left the CD with me and I listened to it a 2nd and 3rd time, then I was hooked. TMBG is now one of my favorite bands!
and compare XTC vs. Adam Ant.......
at around 4 mins in when you're listening to birdhouse in your soul, I think i've heard in an interview somewhere that they did that on purpose, making the intro super quiet and having it get super loud.
They did the theme song to Malcolm in the Middle... and the Micky Mouse Treehouse. Hot Dog Hot Dog!!!
As someone who’s old enough (and hip enough 😜) to have been a fan since TMBG’s first album, I too, though in the opposite, made correlation between Barenaked Ladies and these guys with the way they turned a phrase and altered the music style to fit their layered lyrics. 👍✌️🤘
welp, I watched and listened to the whole reaction, I was going to stop after the first (second) song because it reminded me of the 1980s but I didn't because i wanted to see what you two had to say. I'm glad I stayed, I enjoyed the whimsical nature of the albumn and your commentary. Thanks .
That’s what he hope for all our videos. Thank you !!
Thank you. Love TMBG💜🤘
im 48 and its not something i listen to on the regular but I know every word on that album.
They Might Be Giants have been going for nearly 40 years and have a catalogue that could stun an ox (credit to Laurie Anderson for that). I don't know how many songs they've written (well into four figures) but, like the person who suggested them, they form a big big part of my musical life.
TMBG were a two piece until 1994, when they "formed a band" to augment the drum machines and sequencers. John and John still play guitar (John F) and keyboard, accordion and baritone sax (John L).
This was great and wow i haven't thought about Moxy Fruvous in years. I drove up to Toronto to see them once probably 20 yrs ago.
A good chunk of 90's kids might remember vaguely hearing Particle Man and Istanbul by them....they used these two songs in a Tiny Toons Adventures episode themed around a music countdown style with Buster and Babs Bunny (no relation..couldn't help but finish their joke..) acted as the hosts. Plucky Duck was the focus of both songs..acting as a detective solving a stolen item case in Istanbul and in the song Particle Man actually starting off as Particle Man and turning into Person man by the end. They even mention the band by name in the episode.
My favorite part about this is when they turn up the volume to birdhouse right at the quiet intro only to be spooked by the volume raise. A point brought up by the Johns in an interview I watched right before this. My second favorite part is how they think twisting was a fan favorite when a TMBG Reddit mod put it in what could be considered mid tier in their song favorites list lol.
One of those bands that should be my thing, but never really got around to delve into. Their discography is so varied and HUGE.
"Birdhouse in your soul" was familiar, though. Oh, and "Istanbul" of course.
I'm not sure if it's clear to most that "Twisting in the wind" is a reference to being hung by the neck. This song is about a murderously enraged ex and a man (who's probably at fault) trying to egotistically make it about himself in song. Thus, "turn off your smoke machine, and Marshall stack." (another itunes lyric mistake)
Love this album! JustPaul let me know you had reacted to this one so came over to check it out. 😁
I saw you guys did John Henry, and I really hope you try out Lincoln. I think from beginning to end it is really how I define the band and really one of my favorite albums by anyone anywhere.
TMBG did the theme song to the sit-com "Malcolm in the Middle".
Nicely done. Just discovered you guys. One of my fav Canadian bands are "The Rheostatics" .
Met my ex wife now my BFF at a TMBG show. Best night of my life. They were at the Orpheum theater and the opener was Frank Black (Pixies)
I was there!!!
@@mickymoist do I know you? My initials are MQ. I assume you’re not the actual Mickey moist I’m familiar with.
@@ArthurDentt-l6j Not that I'm aware of. But if you knew me... you'd understand why I chose the name MickyMoist. Ween being my favorite band in the entire world.
@@mickymoist me too mang!!! I saw them dozens of times thru the late 90s and early 2000s then I had kids and got old I still love them though!!!
Thank you for this! Wish you would have done "Lincoln" as well...
"Everything's fine now"
LoL Funniest thing ever said
I have been listening to TMBG since i was around 4 or 5, i am going to be 26 by the end of this month, i love the band!
They got their name from trippy 1971 movie starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward.
Funny that you guys mentioned Weird Al because Al is a big fan of the band and made sure many of their videos got play on MTV, not only that but he's performed some of their songs in concert and has a style parody of one of their songs. Hell his catalogue of style parodies could fill up their own video.
The last time I attended the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio, TMBG headlined one night and Ween headlined the other.
Saw TMBG in 93 in Collage on campus East Stroudsberg University. HAHA awesome Loved this album in high School
Love it guys!! MORE TMBG!
❤️🤟🙏🤟❤️
When you hear rock to wind a string around, picture a baseball. Prosthetic foreheads, think baseball cap. Trying to burn the playhouse down, Brooklyn developer building on baseball field.
Amazing. Sounds perfectly like a garbled version of real-world events that TMBG would do. (Purple Tupee style.) Never made that connection.
TMBG and Barenaked Ladies are absolutely on the same wavelength. Ween is similar, but a little more esoteric.
The Weird Al song "Everything You Know Is Wrong" is a TMBG style parody. Give that song another listen with this in mind.
The accordion solo?!!
They Might Be Giants have so many songs that one of them is about being criticized for singing like a girl. (From Factory Showroom, 1996.)
If you'd like to listen to more recent TMBG, I'd recommend I Like Fun from 2018 and Nanobots from 2013.
I call it Smart Rock.
And yes, they use accordion a lot, one reason they mind call to mind Weird Al.
I got minimum wage in the US in 1989. $3.25.
Isn't the genre here nerd rock, also shared by Cake? Never heard Ween, will have to listen to them.
Ween are great !
@@WelpHereWeAreOnTH-cam is Cake a band that you are able to react too, if so I'll sign up on Patreon at that level. (I would assume if you are too familiar with a band it doesn't make sense to react to them.)
Thanks for reacting to FLOOD! Now we know why everybody wants prosthetic foreheads on their real heads! ❤
they picked up a live band for a few albums after with real horns, the earlier album Lincoln is a bit less put together but I like it better... but you really cant go wrong with their first 20 years.
You can't go wrong with anything in their discography
I don't you realize how sad many of these songs really are.
Dead Milkmen?
I would love them to react to The Dead Milkmen
You're in luck... they just did Beelzebubba a month ago. Check it out!
@@mickymoist Awesome! Thank you for letting me know.
@@mickymoist Shoulda done "Big Lizard In My Backyard"
The John's are both Brooklyn born and bred!
Not quite, they're originally from Lincoln, Massachusetts (hence the album Lincoln!), and moved to Brooklyn IIRC in their early 20s
PLEASE do John Henry! It's so good!
And for Ween, White Pepper or Quebec would be great albums to do
Really, TMBG and Ween are amazing bands and you guys should do more full albums from both of them
We are doing Ween in our discord right now
@@WelpHereWeAreOnTH-cam Will it be posted on TH-cam?
@@GarrettEulett always
TMBG wrote and sang Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog song as well as others.
Malcolm season one?
Brooklyn!
they might be giants are the enders game of music.
Their song “Older” is pretty hilarious. Same with some of their “fact-based” songs, like “Why Does the Sun Shine?”
Why Does The Sun Shine is a cover of a song from a 1950s educational album
@@GarrettEulett and then they made their own song of Why Does the Sun Really Shine... so let’s not step them down lol
TMBG re-Recorded 'Why Does the Sunshine?' with updated lyrics that fit current scientific understanding of exactly how the Sun shines!
@Villagelark Then, there's the way they do it live, where the sun contains "hydrogen, helium, oxygen, estrogen, and ... wood."
Or whatever else they feel like putting in there.
And JAMES K POLK!
Got my first job as a waiter in 1978. I was making a whopping $2.65 an hour.
my first min wage job was $3.35. but I covered that with bowling alley scams.
Fyi, Weird Al's original stuff is actually better than his parodies, and his parodies are brilliant.
Thanks for reacting to TMBG! Apollo 18 is also amazing.
where's "they'll need a crane"?
On a different album... Lincoln
My biggest regret is not coming out to Minimum Wage for a kickboxing match. But who knows, might happen yet
Moxy Fruvuos was great!
Genre: Geek Rock
dig into devo, dudes. partic their early stuff. absolutely killer. and none of these great bands would be without the kings of twisted weird funny killer rock and roll, the residents. unparalleled.
Mr Men had Mr Rude, Mr Stubborn, and Mr Grumpy but no Mr Horrible.
What genre? Maybe "nerd rock."
More specific words than "clever" for TMBG are "absurd" and, sometimes, "nonsense."
This is mabe my least favorite of the tmbg albums.
I love this album. I jus tlove the others more. XD