They Might Be Giants

New-wave smart alecs who at times sound like jin-gle writers run amok, John Flansburgh and John Linnell -- the guys who Might Be Giants -- specialize in songs that are relentlessly catchy and hopelessly cheesy, full of giddy non sequiturs, cartoonish com-binations of instruments, and hooks that leave listeners feeling like a freshly landed trout. Working with cheap drum machines and overdubs instead of a band, the tracks they deliver for They Might Be Giants are mostly novelty tunes and marginalia, but the best songs -- "Don't Let's Start," "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head," "(She Was a) Hotel Detective" -- are insanely tuneful, avoiding any pretense to deeper meaning (or even surface content) in their headlong pursuit of melody. Lincoln maintains that standard even as it unleashes puns of cosmic awfulness.

Flood, however, finds the Giants taking a few tentative steps toward pop convention, with arrangements that flirt with commercial competence, and even a couple of songs that dare to have a message. As always, though, what drives the album is the duo's melodic impetuosity, whether manifested in pop-rock moves such as "Birdhouse in Your Soul" or genre spoofs such as "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)." There's even more ambition evident in the sound of Apollo 18, which finds the Giants fleshing out their sound with guest musicians. There's even a cantata of sorts on "Fingertips," which is impressive but not much fun -- a fatal flaw for a band so dependent on whimsy. John Henry steps back toward the short and silly, and shines brightest on the concept joke "Subliminal" and the giddy "Dirtbike," but Factory Showroom is undone by an unfortunate fondness for overly clever fare such as "XTC Vs. Adam Ant." By this point in their career, the Giants had put together a mighty impressive band for concert performances, which gets shown off on Severe Tire Damage. Slightly self-indulgent but often wickedly entertaining, it boasts the least tedious drum solo -- actually, more like a round of "stump the drummer" -- ever. A cut-down version may be found on Live. TMBG had also been doing a fair amount of TV theme work, most notably contributing the theme to Malcolm in the Middle, which turns up on the Malcolm soundtrack; the group also performed the theme (written by Bob Mould) for Comedy Central's The Daily Show. They also dabble in kiddie pop on the relentlessly winsome No, a children's album secretly intended for grown-ups.

With Mink Car the group takes chances stylistically, flirting with electro beats on "Man, It's So Loud In Here" and working with Soul Coughing rapper Mike Doughty on "Mr. Xcitement," but otherwise it's the same old, same old. That sense of predictable unpredictability also permeates The Spine, though there's enough zip to "Prevenge" to make the rest forgivable.

They Might Be Giants have, over the years, been heavily anthologized. Then compiles the first two albums along with a fistful of bonus tracks and B sides, a number of which also appear on the aptly titled Miscellaneous T. At just 10 tunes, Best of the Early Years is certainly short, but quite sweet, thanks to the nonstop hooks. Still, you're better off spending a little more and getting the heaping pile of melodies that is Dial-a-Song, a far more inclusive document of the duo's quirky charm and inexhaustible melodic gifts. (J.D. CONSIDINE)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide