Audio CD review:
They Might Be Giants - Then: The Earlier Years

They Might Be Giants - Then: The Earlier Years

Band: They Might Be Giants Title: Then: The Earlier Years Rating: Release Date: 25 March, 1997 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Everything Right Is Wrong Again 2: Put Your Hand In The Puppet Head 3: Number Three 4: Don't Let's Start 5: Hide Away Folk Family 6: 32 Footsteps 7: Toddler Hiway 8: Rabid Child 9: Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes 10: (She Was A) Hotel Detective 11: She's An Angel 12: Youth Culture Killed My Dog 13: Boat Of Car 14: Absolutely Bill's Mood 15: Chess Piece Face 16: Hope That I Get Old Before I Die 17: Alienation's For The Rich 18: The Day 19: Rhythm Section Want Ad 20: We're The Replacements 21: When It Rains It Snows 22: The Famous Polka 23: (Untitled) 24: For Science 25: The Biggest One 26: Kiss Me Son Of God (Alternate Version) 27: Mr. Klaw 28: Critic Intro 29: Now That I Have Everything 30: Mainstream U.S.A. 31: Fake Out In Buenos Aires 32: Greek #3 33: Hope That I Get Old Before I Die (Original Version) 34: I'm Def 35: Don't Let's Start (Demo Version) 36: '85 Radio Special Thank You 37: Ana Ng 38: Cowtown 39: Lie Still, Little Bottle 40: Purple Toupee 41: Cage & Aqarium 42: Where Your Eyes Don't Go 43: Piece Of Dirt 44: Mr. Me 45: Pencil Rain 46: The World's Address 47: I've Got A Match 48: Santa's Beard 49: You'll Miss Me 50: They'll Need A Crane 51: Shoehorn With Teeth 52: Stand On Your Own Head 53: Snowball In Hell 54: Kiss Me, Son Of God 55: Hello Radio 56: It's Not My Birthday 57: I'll Sink Manhattan 58: Nightgown Of The Sullen Moon 59: The World's Address (Joshua Fried Remix) 60: Hey Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal 61: Lady Is A Tramp 62: Birds Fly 63: Kitten Intro 64: Weep Day 65: The Big Big Whoredom 66: I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You (Adaptation) 67: Become A Robot 68: Which Describes How You're Feeling 69: Swing Is A Word 70: Doris Cunningham 71: Counterfeit Fake 72: Schoolchildren Singing 'Particle Man'

Editoral Review That playful, resourceful spirit is the order of the day on this 2 CD, 72-song compilation, which incorporates the contents of the early TMBG albums They Might Be Giants, Lincoln, and Miscellaneous T, plus a passel of previously unreleased oddities and some droll liner notes written by the artists. Before they became a successful major-label act, New York smart-guy popsters John Flansburgh and John Linnell started out as a resourceful do-it-yourself duo, recording their wacky ditties at home and making them available to the public via their Dial-A-Song hotline. The wildly eclectic yet consistently accessible material (including the early hits "Don't Let's Start" and "Ana Ng") still sounds fresh and inventive, embodying the pair's trademark blend of smarts and silliness. --Scott Schinder .. You can see a complete list of all They Might Be Giants discography, or go back to the They Might Be Giants tabs