Most people with attachment issues probably remember where they were the first time they heard They Might Be Giants. I sure do. I also mean that as the highest possible compliment; the eclectic rock group graced some of my fondest memories. Like all well-adjusted children, I attended California Shakespeare Theatre’s 5-Week Summer Conservatory—for fun. Each morning, our camp director led us in a warmup that was, frankly, the Just Dance routine to “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).”
This was repeated Monday through Friday at 8 in the morning in a rather cultlike fashion. Suffice to say, though, it worked. I could probably do it upon prompting like a sleeper agent. Thankfully, this gave me the tools to “get” They Might Be Giants at a formidable age. Their newest record, The World Is to Dig, encapsulates that same childlike bewilderment in a way listeners across the board can soak in.
The Johns have done a lot in the last 40 years. Their tenacity has inspired many. Namely, their knack for mixing musical skill and humor allows them to stand out continually. This is their 24th record, and they still manage to create material worth listening to. Songs like “Get Down” showcase their musical sensibilities; while they jest, they incorporate radically innovative compositions into each new release. Their creative work reflects their unwavering curiosity. The World Is to Dig doesn’t try to defy genre-based expectations, but it still does. This is, undoubtedly, a rock record—but it explores itself a bit more broadly than others in the current market.
They Might Be Giants are quite clever lyricists, but not just in their jokes. In “New Wave Will Never Die,” they employ social commentary rather blatantly. Of course, the tongue-in-cheek reference to the iconic subgenre pokes at itself. However, it also begs audiences to think about serious things through an unserious lens. That’s quite a lot of the magic within They Might Be Giants. They’re excellent comedians and musicians, but the Johns are also impressively empathetic. Their cover of “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” further explores this inherent balance. The bubblegum pop hit feels post-ironic in today’s music industry.
For these reasons and so many more, I’m hoping we get a They Might Be Giants and Weezer collab.
I know it’s an ambitious idea.
HEAR ME OUT.
Weezer is my generation’s They Might Be Giants.
Both groups are incredibly proficient musicians who aren’t so focused on authenticity in the stuffy sense. They opt to talk about serious subjects humorously—which is far more authentic for most people, anyway.
If we don’t joke to cope, we’ll die!
Regardless, the Johns continually inspire. If they are still finding things worth making 40 years later, what’s stopping the rest of us? The World Is to Dig is pure fun from start to finish. It’s the kind of fun that makes you think without needing to book an emergency therapy appointment. Instead, The World Is to Dig confronts big questions and ideas under the notion that even while times are tough, humanity persists.
As they say, “in the dead mall, we’re almost alive.”
