Review of "John Linnell"

John Linnell

Alternative

http://www.johnlinnell.com

TMBG frontman brings us State Songs!

keyboard playing half of They Might Be Giants

State Songs is great. Very strange lyrics, with little to do with the actual states. But that's what makes it fun. Good instrumentation typical of TMBG.

the skimmings off the top of a brilliant, twisted mind

his solo efforts ore definitely reminiscent of TMBG, but spiral off in directions that are quite unlike anything you've heard before. he blends accordion, synthesizers and carousel bandorgans into such disparate genres as country-pop and doors-esque trip-rock, all the while giving it all his own distinct sound. and the seemingly opaque lyrics weave effortlessly through the music, making a twisted sense of their own on repeated listenings.

woo-hoo! john linnell!

not only the sexxxier half of TMBG (at least, circa A18), but one crazy twisted fellow and quite talented without flansy along. _state songs_ can be a bit hit & miss, but when it's on--it's totally on. "maine," "west virginia," "iowa and "south carolina" will make this album worth your while.

TMBG frontman brings us State Songs!

John Linnell of They Might Be Giants is arguably the only artist out in that great vast beyond who could write a song with lyrics like "Iowa--She's a witch" and actually make it work. His album of State Songs makes for catchy road-trip listening as well as something nice to sing under your breath when you want to scare people.

Strange and amusing.
Most people will think you have lost your mind if you blast it in your car.

I read somewhere that when Flansburg first heard this album, his remark was "This doesn't sound like anything else." He is quite correct. Catchy melodies with strange lyrics, instrumentals performed on calliope... but an organic whole results.
"Michigan", a perky little tune that sounds like a college fight song but is about a state that grows like an amoeba, is my favorite.