Scroll down for reviews of the latest from Jason Falkner, Doug Powell, Eric Anders, The Winnerys, Ben Kweller and They Might Be Giants

Jason Falkner
Bliss Descending

(Wreckchord)

Release Date: February 2004

www.jasonfalkner.com

I know Jason Falkner released Bliss Descending as a gift to fans anxiously awaiting his next full-length studio release, due any month now. As such, he never intended it to be reviewed and held to critical scrutiny. However, since this five song EP is cause for celebration, I'll give you the scoop regardless.

Jason Falkner remains very much the DIY musical wunderkind, a master of the well-crafted pop hook, a singer/songwriter and studio whiz who manages to play all instruments while producing himself. He does it all here (true to the form of his two previous solo albums) with the one exception being Jeremy Stacy plays drums on the leadoff track.

Listening to Falkner's music is a joyous event - his ebullience inspires smiles all around. There's a simple innocence and charm to the songs; he sings as though you're a confidant, and you get sucked into the whorl of pretty layered sounds and perfect fills. If these songs are a preview of the longer work upcoming, put me down for one now.

Starting in your left channel, then opening up to both, "The Neighbor" is Falkner in his most commercially viable mode, delivering an instantly accessible tune complete with a hooky repeating line chorus. Great guitars, strong drums, and wonderful harmonies complement weak rhyming lyrics that seem like something he'd meant to replace later (but never did): e.g., "I am the neighbor / I owe you a favor / Human behavior / To look for a savior."

All things considered, the weak lyrics are but a minor quibble. The basic idea comes across - he loves this neighbor (hey, he gave her a fur coat - but somehow never showed her that he wanted her from afar) and wants her to trust him in a very intimate way. And musically, the song is very strong.

Jason switches to a 6/8 rhythm (and gets to display some of his fine drumming skills) with his new version of "They Put Her In The Movies." A synthesizer accompaniment propels this fine song forward, along with emotive vocals and requisite harmonies. The arrangement choices are impeccable.

Again, Falkner's gift for creating memorable melodies is apparent. Listen to this song several times and just try to get it out of your head. Here the lyrics are great - all about the concerns of his friend's newfound fame: "What do you know, they put her in the movies / Next thing you know she'll have no time for me / Not long ago she lived her life through me / Now what do you know, she's making a movie / I thought I was the only one / Now I wait like everyone / for a glimpse, a fleeting sigh, a tender look that will remind that she was mine."

"Feeling No Pain" tells of being hoodwinked into love with a silver-tongued hussy who turns ugly, and contains one of the most infectious guitar hook lines I've heard in some time. Falkner finds another intriguing time signature, and assembles around it a classic pop concoction with dark overtones and all kinds of musical accent flavors. Again, to say Falkner's studio talents are impressive is an understatement - his layers and sounds are of a whole, never sounding anything less than that of a tight band at work.

The pleasant mid-tempo of the keyboard-driven "Moving Up" builds with a climbing guitar line, fine bass guitar and eventual handclaps and harmonies (oh, the hooks abound relentlessly). The lyrical story is a variant from before: he loves this girl, but so does everyone else, so what is he supposed to do? This is yet another sweet melodic pop gem that reverberates after a few listens.

The fifth and final treat Mr. Falkner delivers is the delectable "Lost Myself." Here is Jason charming his way into your heart with spoken words amid the sung ones, just letting you know he's closer to the realization of a dream: "I was on the verge of something wonderful and you were gonna be a part of it / that is no lie / but I lost myself in you."

These 22 minutes and change whet the appetite for the larger treat soon to come. Bliss Descending is a small musical gift from one of the most talented artists out there. It's no mystery why he commands such respect from fellow musicians in Los Angeles and beyond. If you're a Jason Falkner fan, you have to have this - if you don't know the man's music, this is another fine introduction to his distinguished brand of incredibly catchy melodic power pop.

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Doug Powell
Day For Night

(Muse Sickle/Parasol)

Release Date: March 23, 2004

www.parasol.com

Renaissance man and uber-DIY studio talent Doug Powell continues his foray into the more grandiose and progressive realms of power pop with his latest CD release, Day For Night. Here is another captivating collection of beautiful songs, bristling with intelligence and precision, yet requiring more of the listener's attention than he or she might usually be used to.

Much like his previous The Lost Chord, this isn't an easy listen, nor is there any instantly defined "single." Rather, this music requires several listens to make itself known - the complexities and details, the twists and turns of the accessible melodies underlying each song, the power of the studio offerings. However, for the listener willing to go the distance (say 10-12 spins minimum), the rewards are there - without hesitation, this is perfectionist Powell's finest hour (or 46 minutes, to be more accurate).

This is music as theater, Powell working his confident sound magic with layers of intricate instrumental, electronic, vocal and percussion choices, creating expansive soundscapes that fill the channels of your headphones to the brim (mastered by the very talented Rick Altizer). Add to that some oblique, intelligent lyrics that take a pointed view of life on this planet and you've got what comprises a very strong collection.

Powell's fine voice is on constant display here (a very good thing), and used to great effect throughout. Additionally, he is responsible for all the music and sounds here (quite remarkably).

The CD opens with the piano-driven ballad that is "Unmeaningless." Forget the titular double negative that forces you to think far too much, or the paradoxes set forth in the lyrics, this is a bold proclamation of the contradictions inherent in our universe.

The voice of a much younger Doug Powell (circa 1975, Stillwater, OK) sets the rest of the CD in motion. "Big Blue Sky" is a heavily layered production, reminiscent of some Adrian Belew composition, yet suffused with hints of Rundgren-esque electronic sounds and studio wizardry, yet oh-so-perfect in its way. Powell gets to show off his guitar skills (a tasty lead that follows the well-crafted middle bridge, and more toward the song's end), and the whole thing becomes a finely honed epic that tops the five-minute mark. It's Powell's attack on the money-fueled media and hype machine that misguides many. He reminds us of the sacrifices involved ("Nobody ever learned to fly / without leaving the world behind") and how it leeches away one's life ("I don't care about averages / They don't mean a thing to me / There's no fruit in the orchard / of fame and fortune / it's all media-ocrity").

"Silent Kisses" is a sweet harmonic paean to the equal opportunity gift of rain, touching all and everything small and grand grows as a result. There are hints of Brian Wilson toward the latter part of the song. A brief music-hall organ interlude follows, a light entertainment clearing the palette for the grand work that follows.

That grandiose work is the epic "Stanislaw Smith." Smith is the existential man, caught in the routines of a normal life "so certainly uncertain / he doesn't know where to stop / or where to begin." Here Powell's music exhibits an ELO-like grandeur, with soaring harmonies that lift the song higher, while a creepy demon-voiced monologue depicts Stanislaw as "an ill-made man in this hail of days." This song is a major achievement, intricately crafted and flawlessly executed.

More toward the power-pop norm is the guitar-driven "Invincible," a declaration of hardened resistant attitude in the face of a violent fear-infested world: "Suns rise just to mock me / Night falls but I won't kneel / The world and its clocks / They twist and they turn / But I am standing still." Again, Powell masters the form with seeming ease.

"Beautiful" builds slowly out of spare chords and dissonance, almost like some Fripp or Eno piece (yet with tonal shades from The Who's "Tommy"as well). While the cacophony might test the listener at times, the spare beauty of the song reflects the lyrical intentions: homage to a beauty who is broken and frayed, a "turn without a wheel" and "a masterpiece never made." Ultimately, she's deemed beautiful regardless, proclaimed so by his eyes and words. One might say the same of the song itself.

"Shine" should appeal to Jellyfish fans (though there are plenty of Beatle and other references contained here as well). From a "Benny and the Jets" type opening, Powell takes Queen-like harmonies and an XTC-like penchant for using lyrical twists and turns in a percussive manner, and turns it into yet another excellently grand musical production.

Lyrically, it's all about the difficulty of "being here now" or "shining," doing in life rather than worrying or wondering why. Powell wants that release from the details and worries, the way we hold ourselves back inadvertently: "the only fear other than death / that I have is life / my life."

The challengingly eclectic "Diet of Worms" has an international flavor to its musical drama. Guitars are used in a percussive way (very Tom Waits), forming the background to vocals and other instrumentation, as a bleak picture is conveyed: "So I pray for warmth without the fire / And I believe anything, as long as it's a lie / Just an opium for the messes / Alone, alone." While again, no easy listen, this is an impressive feat of a song.

Doug Powell updates the role of music hall entertainer with his infectious "Goodbye Lady Godiva." Starting with mere piano accompaniment, he tells the tale of one whose sexual abandon has become rather ho-hum in this modern world. This blossoms into a chorus that marries harmonies with "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da" basslines, maintaining the wry delivery of a stage performer entertaining his audience.

Powell is at his lyrical best here: "She used to cast a shadow shaped like hope and paradise / Now she's bottled and she's branded and she's simply merchandise." In this jaded world, saint turned sinner isn't very noteworthy: "If you look closely at her mixture / you'll see no active ingredient / So please pay her some attention / Can't you see that it's her only fee / Please realize that without your eyes / there would be nothing to see."

The CD closes with the charming yet eerie "Too Late Tomorrow." Here Powell ventures into another dramatic arrangement (I'm even thinking of Kate Bush somehow), the backing beat almost the tick of a clock, synth strings and bells and reverse clips adding atmosphere to this plea for change now in a life where tomorrow would be far too late.
Fittingly, there is another clip from 1975 Doug Powell that wraps things here.

In a world full of many musically talented types, Powell still manages to stand head and shoulders above the fray. His progressive influences and grand intricate musical dramas may run counter to the commercial trends of the moment, but there is no denying his enormous talents and achievements. Day For Night is the pinnacle thus far in a musical career that seems to rise with each musical challenge he sets for himself.

Much as the film Day For Night was a tribute to Trauffaut's filmmaking abilities (and the process itself), Doug Powell's Day For Night is a dazzling tribute to his absolute mastery of the studio and his ability to produce impressive and eloquent music for our troubled age. Remember to give it sufficient listens to reveal its many charms and you can't go wrong.

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Eric Anders
Not At One

(Baggage Room Records)

Release Date: November 18, 2003

www.ericanders.com

If mellow, soothing soft pop is your thing, you need to hear Eric Anders and his engaging debut album Not At One. This 39-year old soft-voiced tenor has come late to the music game, but no matter. His brand of honest soul-baring balladeering is most welcome, and has drawn critical comparisons to the music of Chris Isaak, David Gray, Sondre Lerche and Nick Drake, among others.

But all those references fall short in describing the precise and gentle arrangements that seem so perfect on these dozen tracks. Anders and Richard Barron seem to make the right production choices throughout, serving up intelligent instrumental scores remarkably well suited to the sensitivity inherent in the songs and vocals.

Anders discovered his vocal talent a few years back during some reluctant karaoke. Soon after, he teamed up with singer/songwriter Mark O'Bitz and began writing songs (this was in December 2001). Many of those songs appear on Not At One (as do several from a collaboration with guitarist Benedikt Bohm). In the span of a few short years, Anders has somehow managed to capture in song the kind of spirit guaranteed to move listeners. His restless compositions speak directly from the heart.

Anders (son of astronaut William Anders of Apollo 8) is a bit of an overachiever. He earned his master's in English from Harvard, got his first doctorate (in English) from the University of Florida. He received his second doctorate (as a clinical psychoanalyst) from Los Angeles' Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis as he was recording this album (but eventually wound up suspending his private practice in order to give more of his attention to completing the recording process).

I suppose he's used to doing a number of things at once. While pursuing his master's degree he served as an officer in the Air Force (while playing soccer at the Air Force Academy), though he wasn't great at the whole "officer" thing. He is fairly good at this music thing, however.

The CD leads off with "Leave You Doubtful," a sweet balladic confession of love amidst trust issues: "I'll tell you all that I can bear / And I'll give you more than my fair share / But I'll love you more than I'd ever dare / And we'll hope it's always / always me that's there." This track features fine guitar work from Randy Ray Mitchell and great cello from Guenevere Measham.

"Halcyon Days" is another winner, building from a quiet verse, a man eager to escape the drama of stormy relationships and find calm instead: "It it's alright with you / I think I'll stay here on my own / Try to make myself a home / If it's alright with you / I think I'll find another way / Try to turn these into halcyon days." There's some outstanding Hammond organ here from Arlan Schierbaum.

Anders' vocal skills on "Wearily" remind me of great folk-rock vocals of bygone days. The soft guitars interact with Measham's cello to create a perfect mood for this man doomed to watch the women he loves leave him time and again.

Most of the Chris Isaak references might be traced to the song "Struggle," which sounds like it could find a home on any Isaak CD. It has that wistful, doleful ache to it, soulful and quiet and spare, yet full of emotion as the singer battles against insanity in his quest for love. It's the kind of wonderful song where you close your eyes and can easily imagine what the video might look like -- great arrangements, perfectly executed.

"The Wisdom Of Kisses" features excellent upright bass from Warren Kaye and some beautifully restrained backing vox from Silvia Ryder and Sue Willett. Again, Anders shows his abilities to create gorgeously poignant soft pop masterpieces.

Randy Ray Mitchell's expressive slide guitar propels "Loveless Lame," a justification/rationale for ill-behaved friends: "And they're not easy friends / No love to be found / They're not good at nice / But they can't help hang around / But they're not to blame / It's happened all their lives / They're the loveless lame / And they're still making ties."

Another near-perfect track is "We Went Down" (featuring great backing harmonies from Benedikt Bohm). Here is a touching fond reminisce about the days when it was a struggle for lovers to get a little privacy: "We went down behind Murphy's fence / to the creek / went across / then headed downstream for a mile / walked down the tracks / to that big tree / and then down there we were all alone."

If you don't like songs rife with emotion, just skip the title track. Here Anders again relies on Measham's extraordinary cello work (an amazingly emotive instrument) to back his own heartbreak (the press release lets us know that he went through a difficult break-up while he was writing the songs for this CD, and I'd imagine this one is the hard proof).

Anders' vocals really sell the lyrics here, soft and plaintive: "I'm not at one with many things / It's all out of focus as I sing / Taken back by all of this that's new / It's bound to break / If I fall / Something…seems so true / It's nothing…without you."

Keith Mitchell's hypnotic drum beats are the catalyst to "Never Enough," a tale of a couple that's been together long enough to grow distant, hoping things could be like they once were before.

"Leaves Me Cold" is another spare and haunting melody, this one about thinking while in the pool. Standouts here include Louis Durra's piano and Silvia Ryder's backing vocals.

"Say Goodbye Again" isn't as strong as the other songs, though it's pleasant enough musically (particularly Arlan Schierbaum's Hammond solo). A short musical reprise of "We Went Down" finishes the CD.

There's nothing about Not At One that gives it away as a debut from an untested rookie in the music biz. Instead, Eric Anders and his fellow musicians arrive on the scene sounding like old friends you've known for years.

There's a bounty of mid-tempo poise from song to song, as Anders explores the realms of troubled folks and vexing internal issues. From this pain comes musical pleasure, a soothing balm of genuine, deeply compelling explorations masquerading as pleasant songs. A second CD is in the works, and if Not At One is any indication of what's in store, I eagerly await its arrival.

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The Winnerys
And…The Winnerys

(Rainbow Quartz)

Release Date: March 23, 2004

www.rainbowquartz.com

The 1960s are alive and transmuted to the present in Barcelona, Spain where a talented quartet named The Winnerys is channeling the past, music-wise, and offering up original harmonic jangle-pop of their own.

And…The Winnery is their first widely distributed release and is being marketed to appeal to a larger market. Unlike their self-titled debut in Spain, this self-produced effort features songs all done in English, with those that sound most Beatle-like logically placed right at the start of the CD.

The Winnerys' Lennon and McCartney pairing are Fausto Martin (lead guitar) and Javier Polo (bass). These two trade off lead vocals and share the bulk of the songwriting duties. They're joined in three part harmonies by rhythm guitarist Borja Bonafuente, while Juanjo Martin just plays drums.

The CD opens with five strong songs that certainly hold their own with many other Beatle-inspired bands (e.g., Vinyl Kings, The Spongetones, The Rutles), but of course cannot touch the originals.

"Every Day" is a sort of light psychedelic romp, borrowing the jangle of Byrds-era Rickenbackers, and putting backward guitars and great harmonies into the mix (heck, there's even a cowbell in there).

It's darn catchy, to be sure, and what The Winnerys do well is provide excellent musicianship. Polo's bass lines are more than competent, and Martin's leads are updated, more complex versions of George's poignant but rudimentary leads from those early years. In addition, they offer two viable lead singers who work magically well in harmony together (much like their vaulted predecessors).

This is very apparent in "Your Smile For Me," where the harmonies will transport you to 1965 or thereabouts. Since it's not their native language, I hesitate to go too hard on these lads for their lyrical simplicity. What you get here are variants on simple love themes, with words that sometimes achieve their target without much fanfare through basic rhymes, but there's also the occasional line that'll make you scratch your head and question the language barrier.

Witness these words from "Your Smile For Me": "I got chills down my spine / every time that I see you smile / I got fears in my life / if you fly I could lose my mind / I can't think of another love / like this one with you / all is need is your smile for me."

"It's Up To You" shows how well Martin has studied John Lennon's harmony choices, backing Polo's Macca lead from those early Beatle years. They both play their roles perfectly here, harmonies and handclaps and more, and the results are a very strong Merseybeat imitation in the guise of a winning tune.

Polo's "Messages Inside" is another Beatle-esque song, capturing the effusive energy and good-times enthusiasm of those early years. I can imagine this song fitting comfortably into *Help!*, or providing the sonic background to some wacky Richard Lester video shoot.

"I'm Alone" begins to veer away from strict Beatle-influenced material. Rather, this is more like a cover song Macca might have chosen circa Beatles '65. It's a pleasant mid-tempo number, but there are plenty of Hollies and Byrds elements here as well.

"In My Garden" could be from any those mid-decade groups flaunting nice harmonies. I'll not cite references, since my list is longer than the song itself. But hearing this does bring back many pleasant memories of those seemingly simpler times, so I'd have to deem it a success.

Believe it or not, "Breaking The Ice" reminds me very much of a song that might be done by Canada's Moxy Fruvous (who do a pretty good version of Beatle-ish music with their "Get In The Car"). Perhaps it's the effective three-part harmonies, a capella or otherwise - at any rate, a very delectable tune.

"That Magical Wonder" and "I'll Be Waiting For You" are nice enough, but not standouts here. Bonafuente's lone song here, the brief "Even More Than Myself," does little to distinguish itself next to the stronger material of his bandmates.

When the Beatles first broke through, there were hosts of other bands plying similar sounds. It was the '60s and people wanted harmonies and music that could fit into the three-minute radio slot. "It Must Be…" sounds like it could have been from one of those other groups, and features a fine lead from Faustus Martin.

"I Tremble" shows what Martin and Polo can create when not bound so strictly by Mersey-beat parameters. It's spirited power pop of a sort, retro-sounding but still very much its own. The same can be said of "Little Dark Cloud."

The Winnerys throw in some Rolling Stones and blues influences on "The Guy With Two Houses." Reminds me a bit of how the Beatles early on would do covers of standard blues rockers. The Winnerys are good at this sound, and it made me wish they'd done a little more of it here.

"This Special Night" adds some piano (courtesy of Pepe Torres) and is a sweet lullaby-like ballad (almost Moody Blues territory here). "Heavy Beats" is the most rocking of the songs here, blending in so many reference points it's a big musical jambalaya that closes the CD with more Byrds-like Rickenbackers and yes, Beatle-touches and more.

The Winnerys break no new musical ground here, but manage to create genuine-sounding retro originals that range from competent to excellent. If you're a fan of the early Beatles, you'll appreciate the loving way The Winnerys channel that spirit for the first third of this CD. Lyrically, things are simple, true to the retro stylings of the music.

I applaud the superb harmonies and enjoy the dual vocal leads. However, less might have been more here. And…The Winnerys is just under an hour's worth of music, and honestly, there could have been a few songs from the latter half of the CD winnowed out. All told though, it's an enjoyable CD and many of the songs will stick in your head. But now that they've "passed the audition" so to speak, it will be interesting to see in what direction The Winnerys head musically going forward.

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Ben Kweller
On My Way

(ATO Records/RCA)

Release Date: April 6, 2004

www.benkweller.com

Brooklyn's own Ben Kweller is a veteran of the music industry at the ripe old age of 22.

After surviving the post-grunge rise and fall of former band Radish while still in his teens, Kweller emerged in 2002 to release his first solo project on his own terms.

Now in his follow-up to the tremendous success of *Sha-Sha*, Kweller has assembled a tight band to present hard proof of his further development as a songwriter. There's not a bad song on his new release and the more you listen, the more you'll like it.

On My Way may prove less commercial than its predecessor, presenting its collection of songs in a raw, unadorned way, mixed somewhat closer to the feel of live performance. The talented Kweller still covers a wide realm of musical styles, and goes from quiet to loud and from piano to guitar effortlessly.

Utilizing the production talents of Ethan Johns (son of famed producer/engineer Glyn Johns, and referred by friends Kings of Leon), Kweller wanted a more direct sound based on old-fashioned rock-and-roll recording techniques.

So in October 2003, Kweller and his band began recording at Sear Sound, known for its vintage microphones and retro vacuum-tube technology. This supporting ensemble was Josh Lattanzi (bass), Mike Stroud (guitar) and Fred Eltringham (drums). The band set out to record in a single room, playing together - no separation of tracks and no headphones.

The album was recorded in three weeks with very little rehearsal, a testament to the tightness of a band coming off two years of almost constant touring. Most of the songs were played three times each -- with the best take kept for the record. The guitars were hard-panned, Stroud's in the left stereo channel, Kweller's in the right. That's about as sophisticated as it got.

Vocals were done with little or no overdubbing - most songs recorded as continuous vocal takes. As such Kweller's voice, while not the strongest, comes across as endearing and emotive and real - cracks and all -- its charms on full display throughout.

While recording, Eltringham moved to California to start a family, so John Kent was brought in to do the drums. After the recordings were done, Stroud left to start his own band (Ratatat). In spite of all these changes, the 11 tracks that comprise On My Way manage to capture the tightness and friendship of the band as well as the intimate sound Kweller was after.

The infectious guitar-driven "I Need You Back" is a plaintive cry from a soul who is lost without his dear friend: "I need you back / I need you here / to take away all of my pain and then my fear / Hey! I need you back."

The playful "Hospital Bed" would have fit well onto the first solo album. This piano-based pop tune trades in la-la-las, interesting structure, arcane lyrics and a great power guitar chorus. Kweller ties it all together and makes it stand out as a great track.

"My Apartment" explains New York City life to outsiders, a love letter to living inside ridiculously small spaces: "My apartment, the home where I hide / away from all the darkness outside / I'm there all the time." This is another pleasant, catchy tune, with subtle musical accents sure to beguile you.

Kweller turns folk balladeer on the title track. With acoustic guitar and vocals, he tells this tale of self-discovery, as he finds himself capable of murder, stealing, listening, friendship, and ultimately love. It's sweet, simple and endearing.

Those seeking harder edges (or a tune to dance to) will enjoy the fun, rocking "The Rules." Here "angry young man" Kweller wants to be shown the rules so that he can get them wrong, and Stroud plays a fine lead. The other rougher hewn song here is "Ann Disaster" where again, the guitars are on display and Kweller taunts us: "I know what you want, you want a piece of me!"

"Down" builds slowly, no doubt an ode to Kweller's new wife: "When I'm in your arms nothing can bring me down." Similarly, the melodic straight-ahead piano anthem "Living Life" is quite lovely, a combination of life advice and love ode: "Go away with a smile / Don't forget about your past / Don't keep yourself from giving / I am always watching you be yourself and stayin' true / 'cause it makes me feel like life's worth living."

Just as pretty (and again, most likely an homage to his wife) is the softly winning "Believer." This is an out-and-out love song, which might seem too much if you don't believe his sincerity: "When you're hurt you heal others / When you're in need, you give / Because of you I am living the most that I can live / Oh sweet darling girl / I'm so glad that you found me / Oh, sweet darling girl / your power surrounds me."

Kweller returns to more obscure lyrics and breaks out the harmonica for "Hear Me Out." This song is a perfect example of how tightly the band plays together, going from soft to loud to soft again (a common Kweller technique).

The album ends with "Different But The Same," a complex song full of wonderful transitions. This is Kweller at his best on piano, imparting important life lessons to us all: "You gotta be so strong, you gotta teach your son / how to stand up straight when you want to run / how to care and love, how to be yourself / to be different but the same."

I can't really say enough about the songwriting talents of Kweller. He goes from soft ballad to garage rock and manages to make each effort captivating and believable. And while his oft-wavering voice might be an acquired taste, the music (even when presented directly and in a somewhat subdued manner) is strong, the band tight.

Kweller is growing as a songwriter and expanding his talents -- this solid collection shows that more than ever. On My Way is an apt title for an album that shows how this grizzled veteran of the music industry wars, still in his 20s, is well on his way to ever-greater things.

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They Might Be Giants
Indestructible Object

(Barsuk Records)

Release Date: April 6, 2004

www.barsuk.com

Time flies when you're garnering success. Hard to believe that eclectic art-rockers They Might Be Giants have been creating music for as long as they have, yet check the calendars: 20 years and counting. But now, along with their solid cult of core fans who've been devoted since day one, the two Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) have become something of a popular multimedia phenomenon.

They're known for their theme song on Fox's Malcolm In The Middle, their commercial work (I believe it was for Dodge), their collaborations with NPR's This American Life and McSweeney's literary journal, their movies and DVDs (the 2002 documentary Gigantic, their musical contribution to The Spy Who Shagged Me), their children's books and CDs (2002's No! and last year's book/CD set Bed, Bed, Bed), their dial-a-song phone and web service, as well as a busy live performance schedule. Bottom line: they're really busy guys.

With all this good stuff going on, Linnell, Flansburgh and their band of Dans haven't been back in the studio for a rock recording since 2001's delightful Mink Car. Fans are restless. Recognizing this, TMBG now has put together Indestructible Object, a 5-song EP as sort of a musical snack to tide over the appetites of those waiting for the full-length release scheduled for later this year.

Starting off this EP is the electronica-suffused track "Am I Awake" - the theme song for TLC's doctor reality series Resident Life. The lyrics really convey that feeling of total confusion brought on by exhaustion: "When I close my eyes it looks the same as when I open them again / Am I awake? What time is it? / Is it that time again, wasn't it already then / so does it have to be the time it was again? / When I get through this day, can't someone tell me how / and how much longer now am I awake?"

The second track is the lovely but short "Memo to Human Resources," which finds TMBG in harmonic Fountains of Wayne mode (akin to "Another First Kiss"). Lyrically, they are on top of their game: "I'll be in the back and I don't need the help / I'm good here in the back, I'm good all by myself / I'm busy taking stock of all the things that I forgot / and making mental notes of just exactly where I lost the plot / I stuck around too long feeling sorry for myself / a disinvited guest rifles through the bathroom shelf / I'm searching for some disbelief that I can still suspend / but nevermind the furthermore, the plea is self-defense again."

"Au Contraire" is typically silly TMBG fare. Catchy music, nifty flute solo and lyrics that take historical liberties while making little sense: "Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew not what to do / This tie clashes with my hat, he cried, don't you think that's true? / Au contraire, Delano / hate to rain on your parade /As it happens, au contraire / Au contraire, mon frere." The third verse involves a poker game between Jodie Foster, Bach, and Mahatma Gandhi.

The radically re-worked "Ant" is track four here, a part of TMBG's brass band's "Other Thing." It builds slowly until it really swings and features some great trumpet work from Mark Pender (of the Late Night With Conan O'Brien band). Lyrical silliness continues unabated, as we follow "an ant crawling up your back in the nighttime," that ant crawls in your head and eventually becomes president (nice incorporation of "Hail To The Chief" as well). It gets even more random from there, but is that any surprise?

The final track here (again featuring a cameo from trumpeter Mark Pender) is a live recording faithfully covering the Brian Wilson Pet Sounds classic, "Caroline, No."

While Indestructible Object is pleasant but brief, these five tracks are not essential except perhaps to fans of They Might Be Giants who can't wait until the full-length CD is released later this year. Then again, after 20 plus years, there are many who fit that bill - and I'm certainly eager to hear more of what's coming.

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