Tuesday, August 9, 2011: How Cool Are: They Might Be Giants

Remember, kids, the old TWOfer Tuesdays have been replaced with our new segment, How Cool Are:

For today, How Cool Are: They Might Be Giants

Are you kidding me? I can't even come close to explaining how cool They Might Be Giants are. Not even within a thousand miles. Not even close.

They Might Be Giants are an alternative pop/rock duo from Massachusetts, formed in 1982 by John Linnell and John Flansburgh.

Now, more than likely if you've heard of They Might Be Giants (assuming you have heard of them), it's probably because you've crossed paths with at least one of these: The theme from the TV series Malcolm In The Middle titled Boss Of Me, or, you had a cool friend or college roommate in the early 90's who had Flood, a gold album containing their highest ranked chart topper "Birdhouse in Your Soul" which reached number three on the US Modern Rock chart in 1989, and also had a couple of minor hits with an old, off-beat classic "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", and this wonderful ditty, which may or may not be inspired by the melody from Spider Man: Particle Man



And this, for me, is what makes TMBG so frickin' cool.

While there are many other sucka MC's claiming to drop the science, here is a group that really delivers.

In fact, one of their most recent releases is a "kids" album (don't invest too much heed to that term, gentle reader) that extols the virtues of science. In fact, Here Comes The Science is a total throwback to those wonderful Schoolhouse Rock shorts that people of a certain age remember growing up with, with most still being unable to recite the preamble of the US Constitution without breaking into song.

Here Comes The Science takes topics that kids, and most people frankly, find obtuse and boring, and through really great music (see the 2nd selection below) manages to make the subjects fun and, more importantly, makes the listener curious, and wanting to learn more. Amazing.

Ultimately, what makes TMBG the coolest isn't that they sing great songs about science, what makes them cool is that they are genuinely, wonderfully inspired by the world around them. While a large majority of music is so self-centered (I'm hurt, I'm in love, I'm cool, I'm disillusioned, blah, blah, blah), TMBG reminds us that the best parts of the world are outside of ourselves.

They are so very cool. Enjoy.