They might Be Giants Dial A Song: 20 Years Of They Might Be Giants (Rhino) Rating: NNNN Rating: NNNN
For the last 20 years They Might Be Giants, the poster boys of tuneful art rock, have placed a new song every week on an answering machine in Brooklyn. Fans have been calling faithfully to see what’s playing, and now they’re being rewarded with a single package containing the best of them, complete with booklet. Each boyishly campy song is its own found object (a wind-up robot here, a battered accordion there), polished up with characteristic absurdist glee. Every stylistic parody is represented, from naive electropop to disco funk to casbah jazz. Included is the insanely catchy Don’t Let’s Start, surreal favourite Particle Man, the truncated Fingertips and a live recording of their famous “fully interactive” drum solo. Marvellous.