u/Ill-Maximum-4013

THEY MIGHT BE RANDOM THOUGHTS: THE WORLD IS TO DIG has replaced John Henry as their overall best studio album. No arguments, please. It's just my opinion. ////// There is a way to listen to TMBG, and that is to just listen. Three times, at least. A comfortable three listens, and you'll be surprised. More listens involves tugging on the string on the sweater and row-by-row unravelling their mysteries. The more you listen, the more you hear. //// I am a lifelong fan. I've loved them longer than my age divided by 2. What I love most is the fact that a song from twenty years ago can have new meaning in the year 2026. /// TMBG is always fun. Always. It's their coda. (What's a "coda"? Is that like a "sleestack"?) // TMBG never disappoints. And their fans range from age 6 to 60. Always. No generational divides. /// I would never want to meet TMBG in person. Because what could I say beyond a simple, "Thanks"?

I'm not privy to the meaning of "bangers."

They say THE WORLD IS TO DIG is all bangers.

After multiple listens, I think I agree. It's all bangers.

Therefore, I define banger as "a great song, the one you'll keep relistening to."

I was maybe twenty-two years old. The busboy I had trained made me a compilation tape that changed my life. This Asian kid I didn't know well enough to respect already knew me all too well. I was hoping to find new music that would make me seem cool. I was expecting hard-core music I'd have to pretend to like in order to strike a Fonzi pose. But on this cassette tape, made by the most interesting person I'd ever trained to be a busboy, I heard the best song of the bunch. It was called Particle Man. I sincerely thought that knowing this song would make me the most sexually desirable wannabe-Goth on the planet.

Well, I was wrong about that last part. But I went out and bought John Henry and became obsessed with the Johns and was never recognized as a Goth, but that's okay.

Back then, we didn't have the Internet. We had liner notes. YOU know the Johns; I knew my impression of them, at best. For me, my love of them was expressed through the music, only. No music theory. No fancy terms. I just loved basking in the music. I'd never known music could be this groovy. I never knew love could be like this.

Ever since, I have disliked every album they have made upon first listen. By the third listen, however, every album has become my favorite.

My favorite.

FAY VOR IT.

I used to sing TMBG songs all the time, especially at work. I am NOT a good singer. Yet, my caterwauls attracted the only other TMBG fan within 1000 miles. I married her, this waitress. We divorced after two years. Fortunately, we didn't need a crane. We shrugged and parted ways, and I gave her some TMBG CDs as severance pay.

I was about twenty-two when I discovered They Might Be Giants. I have rediscovered them every two or three years ever since. I am almost fifty-five years old now.

Listen, folks, I have five heroes in life:

1. They Might Be Giants
2. John Williams. (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Harry Potter)
3. Regina Spektor
4. Kermit the Frog
5. Mr. Rogers.

No sex scandals, no drugs scandals. These people care about the music.

I just wanted to share.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Jeff Haines

I've watched a couple of videos, made for the World is to Dig. I notice they're printing the lyrics along with the images. I really like this. TMBG lyrics are the gifts that keep on giving. It's wise for them to italicize them visually. /// I've been a fan for thirty years. I've never (rarely) liked their videos. Back in the old days, videos were meant to help explain songs. TMBG videos were cute but ultimately unsatisfying. I was left more confused. With 2026 come new videos that work for me. Thanks!

They Might Be Giants is the band that kisses you softly on the forehead for loving their latest album, but they can't conform to your expectations. They can't wait for your forehead to present itself if you expect the next album to be the same. You'd best jut out your forehead and run and keep up with TMBG. And isn't that just wonderful? Most fans of bands complain of rehash. TMBG fans either evolve or they shut the heck up.