Here's my track-by-track breakdown review of TMBG's new album, "The Else." As with every album, they broaden their sound while still retaining the intelligence and quirkiness (they hate that word, but sorry) they're known for. Trust me, you're gonna like it, even if you're not a big fan. Great for both hardcore and fair-weather fans, as well as newbies.
1. I'm Impressed
Not the usual big bouncy TMBG album starter, but a good signal for the shift of the album. It's lower-key, and has a very 80's synth pop vibe.
2. Take Out the Trash
On paper, this sounds like it should be a lackluster Flans effort, but it's got awesome instrumentation and arrangement, and the lyrics don't try to overdo it. Head bobbin' female empowerment.
3. Upside Down Frown
Cute, summery sounding with soft double time drums and acoustic (sounding) guitars. Could have been on, say, Flood, but left off for not being as weird as "Hearing Aid" or "Hot Cha." And it's got the signature bizarre lyrics to offset the more conventional sound.
4. Climbing the Walls
Easily my favorite song on the album. Has echoes of Nirvana's "On a Plane" in the vocals and chord structure, until of course the horns and organ come in and Linnell talks about making a run to the garbage dump. Is the song's protagonist breaking free of his humdrum life, or going insane? Or both? An urgent, restless power courses through the chorus. I love it.
5. Careful What You Pack
Flans mixes Revolver Beatles with Kid A Radiohead, and gets a great, quiet, creepy, sad (in a good way) result. Uses the "quiet-loud-quiet" M.O. to good effect.
..6. The Cap'm
A great big loud party song, cousin to "Damn Good Times" on The Spine. Funny egotistical lyrics, with sort of a bratty edge, and bitchin' guitars. Definitely meant to be heard in concert. And a nautical theme! What's not to like?
7. With the Dark
Arguably the weirdest (or rather, most eclectic) song of all. It sounds like five sounds cut together, and they somehow work. Flans uses about as many voices; it starts off very soft and slow, then segues into big horns and hip-hop beats, followed by 70's bongos, then 60's teeny-bopper pop. Easily could have been part of "Fingertips". I love the lyric "Bustin' my pirate hump/Rockin' my pegleg stump/My mind natural turns to taxidermy!" Madness, and Flan's best song of the album.
8. The Shadow Government
Thought this would be another "I Should Be Allowed to Think," which it sort of is, but it's more rockin' and more upbeat, even though its worldview is gloomier. Very decent, but not mind-blowing.
9. Bee of the Bird of the Moth
Yes, that's of the MOTH, that the MONTH. Clever song via Linnell. Tongue-tangling, very wordy lyrics about…well…lots and lots and lots of things. Mid-tempo, mid-level energy, with some sections eerily reminiscent of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." You be the judge.
10. Withered Hope
My 2nd favorite, and not by much. Originally written as a song for a film soundtrack (don't know the film, but that's what I heard)… thought it would be another "Hopeless Bleak Despair" from Mink Car, but not. Different energy for TMBG here. Awesome. An epic, pit-of-sadness love story set against dance beats from now and 20 years ago. Hard to describe. You'll be hard pressed not to root for Ms. Withered Hope (the protagonist) and the object of her affection, Mr. Sadsack. Come on, guys! You can do it!
11. Contrecoup
Not unlike "Bee of the Bird of the Moth," another fun, mid-tempo wordy song by Linnell. Written by Linnell on a bet to use the words "contrecoup," "craniosophic" and "limerent" in a song. And that he did. Not bad, but not great.
12. Feign Amnesia
No matter how many time I hear this song, I can only think of "Do You Want My Love?" by The Who. A fun rock song, but less memorable than the others.
13. The Mesopotamians.
If the Monkees were based on ancient Middle Eastern kings, and they wrote a theme song for their 60's sitcom, well, by God, this would be the song. Sort of an entry in TMBG's canon of "historical songs," but with the exception of a few salient facts regarding Sargon, Hammurabi, Ashurbanipal, and Gilgamesh (by the way, those 4 names are the chorus of the song), it details how these 4 dead guys are playing in a band, and drive around in a van! Big smile-inducer, and my 3rd fave of the album.
Overall, an excellent album waiting for. First the kick-ass season finale of LOST, and now this? What lottery did I win?
BTW, this album AND a full-length bonus disc are available as a 2-pack in record stores July 10. Yay!
Cory