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 - A must-have for TMBG fansIt's fab, it's quirky and really a must-have for anyone interested in one of the silliest, talented bands of all time! Rating: - An Excellent Starting Point For Beginning Fans.As I myself am just getting into They Might Be Giants, a collection such as "A User's Guide To They Might Be Giants" is greatly appreciated. Here you have 29 songs recorded over 20+ years by a mere two piece consisting of two guys named John. If you're searching for depthful, poetic and meaningful lyrics, pick up a Dylan cd. They Might Be Giants are built around simple pop songs with clever lyrics that often border on novelty as well as odd but inventive musical techniques. Among the best songs on here are their big numbers, "Particle Man" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", as well as other wonderful songs such as "James K. Polk", "She's An Angel", "Your Racist Friend", "Boss Of Me" and the rocking "Dr. Worm", as well as many, manty other great songs. My favorite song on here is "New York City". As a New Yokrer, I find this to be one of the fineest songs written about my wonderful homestate. It's a simple but effective pop song that has wonderful, evocative lyrics about the Greatest City On Earth and falling in love for the first time. The band actually performed this song midnight on the morning of September 11th, 2001. After the tragic events that took place later that day, the song now has found a new bittersweet meaning to it. The liner notes are done in typical They Might Be Giants fashion, and while somewhat confusing and cluttered, make for a great read. The sound quality is great, and overall I recommend this cd to anyone just getting into the wonder of the music of They Might Be Giants. Rating:  - A Come Lately Fan's Intro to They Might Be Giants"A User's Guide" is an entertaining and reasonably-priced intro to the fun and sometimes informative music of the Brooklyn-based band They Might Be Giants. Fun for songs like "Dr. Worm" (the story of a would-be rock drummer who's "not a real doctor" but is "an actual worm") and a cover of the classic "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"; and informative for songs like the almost-historically accurate "James K. Polk" and maybe-not-so "Meet James Ensor" (Belgium's famous painter). TMBG offers a science lesson or two along the way as well--"Particle Man" introduces us in a way to particle physics (I did a reasonably well-received Karaoke version of this one); "The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas" explains the nuclear processes that go on in that important stellar body; and "John Lee, Supertaster" is kind of a cross between science, superheroes, and "names in the news", though I'd never heard of him. Their best-known song from the CD is the bouncy "Birdhouse in Your Soul", which some claim to be quite cryptic, but the spirituality of which seems obvious to me. If you like music that gives you a little to think about, but not too seriously, TMBG might be your band, and "A User's Guide" is a great introduction. Rating:  - What is this?!I've been a fan of They Might Be Giants since the early 1990's, and I own all of their major releases, plus a couple not so major releases. I picked this CD up last night having not ever sen or heard anything about it before and thought "Oh yay! New versions of some of my favorite songs". Boy was I wrong. These aren't new versions of old songs, these are old versions of old songs. They are the exact same recordings I already own scattered across several CDs, there is absolutely nothing new here. I'd have been fine with this if I knew what I was getting, but there was absolutely no indication on the packaging that these were all old recordings. Rating: - Jittery, high-energy power pop; 80s irony, edgy absurdityCore TMBG is jittery, very-high-energy power pop, with a healthy dose of innocent 60s British Invasion pop and bubblegum, balanced with lots of 80s irony and edgy absurdity. Some great, witty words, too, and often floods of them pouring out. Lots of novelty songs, but not only novelties. Delicious satire. A little can go a long way, though. That said, the more I listen to this one, the more I like the ones new to me.... S: tr 3-Particle man (3-minute description of the universe). tr 5-She's an angel (perfect wordy struggle with being in love). tr 7-Istanbul (THE perfect novelty song). tr 10-Birdhouse in your soul (a personal favorite-who knows what this is about?) tr 13-Bangs (paean to bangs every which way). tr 24-Older (yikes-the very passage of time itself) tr 27-No! (the mathematics of 2-year-old resistance). tr 28-Clap your hands (perfect WASP response to silly dance songs). [70:51]
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