Tracks
People who bought this release also bought
This is the first TMBG album with an actual band backing the Johns instead of electronic samplers and drum machines. Unsurprisingly, it caught a lot of their fans off-guard, resulting in fairly mixed opinions regarding this album. I say that's just people's typical tendency to reject change, because despite the sound in John Henry being a little more "mainstream alternative" sounding, it still is a fantastic album.
There are so many good songs in this, and the full band format really makes them better. The only single, "Snail Shell," already sounds darker than any other TMBG song up to that point. In fact, this whole album has a much darker tone to it. I don't know if this is tied to the fact than John L sings on most of the songs. His voice seems to add to the creepiness, possibly due to how laid back it always sounds.
Anyway, plenty of good tunes here. "Sleeping in the Flowers" and "AKA Driver" were released as promos, and they're some of John F's best material. "AKA Driver" is easily one of my favorite TMBG songs, and for some reason not many people seem to agree.
"I Should Be Allowed to Think" is one of the most scathing TMBG songs as well... in fact, plenty of standards were raised by this album in terms of lyric-writing. "Spy" is one of those songs that may sound a little weird in an album, but they're amazing live due to the large improv section at the end.
Other favorites are "A Self Called Nowhere" (actually my favorite song on the album), "Meet James Ensor", "Stomp Box" (gotta love JL's distorted vocals) and "The End of the Tour."
This isn't the best TMBG album (that would be Apollo 18), and there is some forgettable material like "Out of Jail" and "Dirt Bike," but the amazing performances and the quantity of songs (a whopping 20!) definitely make up for it.
There are so many good songs in this, and the full band format really makes them better. The only single, "Snail Shell," already sounds darker than any other TMBG song up to that point. In fact, this whole album has a much darker tone to it. I don't know if this is tied to the fact than John L sings on most of the songs. His voice seems to add to the creepiness, possibly due to how laid back it always sounds.
Anyway, plenty of good tunes here. "Sleeping in the Flowers" and "AKA Driver" were released as promos, and they're some of John F's best material. "AKA Driver" is easily one of my favorite TMBG songs, and for some reason not many people seem to agree.
"I Should Be Allowed to Think" is one of the most scathing TMBG songs as well... in fact, plenty of standards were raised by this album in terms of lyric-writing. "Spy" is one of those songs that may sound a little weird in an album, but they're amazing live due to the large improv section at the end.
Other favorites are "A Self Called Nowhere" (actually my favorite song on the album), "Meet James Ensor", "Stomp Box" (gotta love JL's distorted vocals) and "The End of the Tour."
This isn't the best TMBG album (that would be Apollo 18), and there is some forgettable material like "Out of Jail" and "Dirt Bike," but the amazing performances and the quantity of songs (a whopping 20!) definitely make up for it.