Talk:Shape Shifter

Monsters of Mud, Redux

An odd way to finish the year's DAS offering... -Deysian

They Might be ELO

These joke songs are kind of hit and miss. I've got a soft spot for For Science but this is annoying. The vocoder vocals don't help (it reminded me initially of Dogwalker and then ELO) but at least Linnell sings most of the song normally, until the vocoder vocals come back... Like a lot of his recent stuff I'm finding it hard to engage with the lyrics. Here, I'm guessing that underneath the (now) usual Linnell obliqueness it's a song about the perils of plastic surgery? Melody wise it's OK, but it sounds like a joke/novelty record and it's not a song I think I'll return to. (Mr Tuck)

I'm hoping that once the band release the uncollected and unreleased songs from the 52 week project and their 2016 touring they take a bit of a break and reflect on where to go next. I'm not sure if even the most supportive of fans would argue that this 2015 song a week thing has been a success. I'm not sure if could be for any band, it's a huge ask. Glean, is their weakest album that I can think of after two quite solid releases: Join Us and Nanobots. At least half of the songs are just filler really.

I think the band tried to do too much and the quality slipped. Linnell, whose always provided the best songs, seemed to feel it far more and there were too many home studio demo songs from him with the rest of the band playing the same chopped guitar chords over the chorus. Likewise, I don't like the way a lot of recent Linnell lyrics are becoming more and more deliberately obtuse. It means his songs are becoming harder to emotionally connect too. Finally, the band need to seriously consider the production and instrumentation. It's too over-produced and I personally would like to hear some songs from Linnell written with the accordion.

Of the songs released this year my top 10 are: 1. Out of a Tree (by a mile) 2. Bills bills bills 3. All the Lazy Boyfriends 4. No Cops (I know no one else likes this one. You're wrong) 5. Aaa 6. Glean 7. Trouble Awful Devil Evil 8. Let me Tell you about my Operation 9. Hello Mrs Wheelyke 10. Erase

Anyway. Happy New Year! (Mr Tuck)

I would argue it's been a success! I like over 35 of the 52 songs they've released this year, and I find Glean to be much stronger than Join Us (my least favourite "rock" TMBG album) and Nanobots (which had some great songs and was inconsistent). And three of your top 10 are songs I detest! I appreciate your strong opinions about the material and it's been interesting for me to see your different opinions because... they're truly things I wouldn't have thought of.

You don't like much of this year's material, and that's fine. I understand what it's like to feel like a band is going downhill! But this year for me as a They Might Be Giants fan has amounted to a lot of enjoyment and optimism for me; before, I was worried that They had lost some of their magic, but some of the terrific songs from this year ("Aaa", "I Love You for Psychological Reasons", "To a Forest", "Trouble Awful Devil Evil") have shown be that They've still got it and I'm excited for whatever They've got planned for the future. ~ april 14:42, 29 December 2015 (EST)

It's interesting how people's taste differ isn't it? Which 3 did you detest?

I think what's upset me is that I haven't really enjoyed the year, I struggled to choose a top 10, and to be honest I've only actively listened to the top 2. I've been a Giants fan for a long time and of all my long term bands/artists that I've liked/loved they've kept the quality going for far longer. (I struggled with late REM, have given up on Morrissey - the one artist whose been going for ever who I think is still interesting is Paul Simon, though I did love the new Bowie song, Blackstar, anyway, I digress!)

I'll be interested to see what they do next. I think 2015, may mark the end of the mid period of their long career. I just don't see them touring like they have done for the last 10 years in the next 10 years. If they could fly across the States in private jets it might be different, but driving across states, playing the same small venues,as they started out in? In you mid 50s and early 60s? No. I think we could well see a scaling down of the touring and this could be exciting for the band as they'd be liberated in their recording. I've opined about future direction before, but they could really utilise horn section if they chose to just record. I'd seriously consider them going back to just the two of them and only utilising the rest of the backing band as when they are needed. I feel they need to go back to what's best for the song, rather than, we must try and get the full band on if we can.

I think they'll also do more commercial stuff to pay the bills, as let's face it, making music isn't going to sell many records (how old am I?) anymore is it? If I had one wish for 2016 I'd love them to release an anthology of demoes, unreleased songs alternative versions ect. In the way that Dylan does. With a decent booklet talking about the songs, history ect I'd definitely buy it! If Linnell has any State Songs unreleased I'll take them too! (Mr Tuck)

Well, that was a thoroughly depressing wall of text. Hope the band don't get through that. I think Dial-A-Song 2015 was a huge success. I enjoyed the vast majority of tracks and I'd say there about a dozen fantastic ones that are right up there with my all-time favourites, especially Unpronounceable and ECNALUBMA. There was a good mix of experimental tracks and all-out rockers too. (PurpleToupee37).

Interesting that my touring prediction seems to be accurate...(Mr Tuck)