Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants

Disc 1
1	Birdhouse in Your Soul 3:19
2	Ana NG 3:21
3	Don't Let's Start 2:34
4	Boss of Me (Theme From Malcom in the Middle) 2:58
5	Older 1:52
6	Istanbul (Not Constantinople) 2:35
7	Doctor Worm 3:01
8	The Guitar 3:49
9	Dr. Evil From Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me 1:50
10	New York City 3:05
11	Particle Man 1:58
12	Cyclops Rock 2:43
13	Minimum Wage 0:46
14	Man, It's So Loud in Here 4:03
15	We're the Replacements 1:49
16	Why Does the Sun Shine (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) Live 2:20
17	Your Racist Friend 2:54
18	Bangs 3:14
19	Snail Shell 3:21
20	Twisting 1:55
21	Another First Kiss 3:07
22	They'll Need a Crane 2:31
23	The Statue Got Me High 3:05
24	(She Was A) Hotel Detective 2:21
25	Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head 2:11
26	I Palindrome I 2:20
Disc 2
1	She's an Angel 2:36
2	How Can I Sing Like a Girl? 4:28
3	James K. Polk 3:05
4	Meet James Ensor 1:33
5	Mammal 2:15
6	Pet Name 4:02
7	No! 1:29
8	I Can Hear You 1:56
9	Spider 0:51
10	I Should Be Allowed to Think 3:07
11	Fingertips 4:33
12	She's Actual Size previously unreleased / New Live Version 7:18
13	Spy previously unreleased / New Live Version 2:31
14	Stormy Pinkness previously unreleased / Live in Berlin 1989 2:21
15	Exquisite Dead Guy 2:02
16	Robot Parade Adult Version 1:05
17	Boat of Car 1:14
18	S-E-X-X-Y 3:52
19	Number Three 19:44
20	The End of the Tour 20:44
21	They Might Be Giants 21:44
22	Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal 22:44
23	Nightgown of the Sullen Moon 23:44
24	Snowball in Hell 24:44
25	Purple Toupee 25:44
26	Cowtown 26:44

Barnes & Noble

They Might Be Giants have come a long way. Over the past 20 years, the Brooklyn duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell have amassed an ever-growing fan base for their quirky-but-smart, genre-bending songs -- 52 of which are collected on this two-disc retrospective. The pair's high-IQ wordplay, their sharp-as-a-dagger hooks, and their stylistic diversity, which spans rock, folk, techno, and more, have made the group favorites in the college radio circuit and well beyond. From their low-rent beginnings -- the title refers to their innovative use of an answering machine as a means to get their music heard -- the Giants' huge fan base has grown, boosted by early college radio favorites, such as the quirky, accordion-driven "Purple Toupee" and the indelibly hooky "Don't Let's Start," and by MTV play for band-directed clips for "Ana Ng," and "Birdhouse in Your Soul." This career-spanning collection combines these popular hits with tracks that reflect the duo's diverse talents, from the straightforward ballad "Another First Kiss" to the wacky, techno-inspired "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head." The set brings fans up to date with the Giants' recent Grammy-winning theme for Malcolm in the Middle, "Boss of Me," and two tracks from their first kids' album, No!, the infectious title track and, the adult version of the rockin', guitar-driven "Robot Parade." And fans old and new will love the autobiographical country ditty "They Might Be Giants." The set comes with a full-color booklet featuring lyrics and essay from the band. Even two decades on, these charming Giants sound as fresh as ever, and this awesome anthology is living proof that all you need to succeed is an accordion and a dream. Amy Barkat

All Music Guide

Despite the title, Dial-a-Song is not a collection of highlights from They Might Be Giants' famed Dial-a-Song service (call a toll-free number, get a new song from They Might Be Giants every day), although that is a collection that would be welcome. Instead, this Rhino/Elektra set is two discs and 52 songs of highlights from They Might Be Giants' absurdly prolific two-decade career. Throwing chronology out the window, this set cheerfully zig-zags through the Bar/None and Elektra records alike, hitting most of the highlights while adding just a couple of rarities (and those are primarily live tracks). Certainly, some listeners may have preferred a straight-up chronological approach, but there are advantages to this method, since it reveals that instead of peaking early, They Might Be Giants have produced a remarkably consistently smart, tuneful, clever body of work that holds together well, and those who, say, think they just like the first album and Lincoln may be surprised how good John Flansburgh and John Linnell were throughout the '90s. Given the size of their catalog, it's perhaps inevitable that fans may find a few favorites missing (personally, I would have made room for "Everything Right Is Wrong Again" and "The World's Address"), but all the truly necessary songs are here, and while its size may seem intimidating to listeners just wanting "Boss of Me" or "Birdhouse in Your Soul," it's worth the journey -- there's plenty of wonderful pop music here. Stephen Thomas Erlewine