I Like Funby They Might Be Giants

This is album number 20 from John and John, which is a milestone in itself. So few bands get anywhere near producing 20 albums before splitting up, fewer still can produce something this fantastic. In the past, some have written They Might Be Giants as little more than a novelty band, but their persistence over the years should surely put such myths to bed.

It’s true They Might Be Giants have been known to produce some fun, and at times downright silly songs, but there was always something more beneath the surface. They even branched out and have put out a series of children’s albums. This time round however, the title “I like fun” is very much ironic. This record shows up a much darker side of the New York indie-rock outfit. The songs confront some challenging themes such as drug abuse, the effects of war, the realisation of human frailty, and loneliness.

The songs are nevertheless packaged up in the John’s dark sense of humour, opening the album with ‘Let’s get this over with’ you know that even when tackling the darker themes, the band find humour. ‘By the time you get this’ tackles the realisation of one’s fate with the opening lines “By the time you get this note, we’ll no longer be alive”. The title track takes you through the mind of someone addicted to prescription drugs ending in their ultimate demise. While the closing track ‘Last wave’ drives home the fears of aging and loneliness with lines like “we die alone, we live in terror, we’re naked and alone, and the grave is the loneliest place.”

This is They Might Be Giants at their absolute darkest, but also it is the sort of record that really rocks you up. There’s an abundance of energy in each track and they all make you sit up and go “wow”. Given how long they’ve been at it and how many songs they’ve produced (20 albums, side projects, Dial-a-song), you’ve really got to be in awe with the face that they can still produce something this incredible!