Book is the 23rd studio album by New York City-based alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, released on November 12, 2021.[1] It was released as a digital download, a compact disc, a vinyl record, a cassette tape, an 8-track tape, and a hardcover book plus CD.[2]
| Book | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 12, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | March 2019 – December 2020 | |||
| Studio | Reservoir Studios, Manhattan The Governor's Bluff, Sullivan County Collyer Brothers Studio, Brooklyn | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 42:03 | |||
| Label | Idlewild | |||
| Producer | Pat Dillett | |||
| They Might Be Giants chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Cover of the book + CD edition | ||||
The album was announced in July 2020.[3] It was released along with a 144-page book which features lyrics from 14 of the 15 songs from the album, as well as songs from the accompanying "The Pamphlet" EP and other recent They Might Be Giants albums. The lyrics appear in the form of shape poems with accompanying photos.
Book was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.[4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| And It Don't Stop | B+[5] |
On AllMusic Heather Phares wrote, "Comprising an album and a 144-page collection of photos by Brian Karlsson and lyrics expressively rendered by a 1970s IBM Selectric typewriter, Book is an audiovisual celebration of the band's enduring strengths... Consistently entertaining with a few flashes of brilliance, Book kicks off the band's fifth decade of music-making with substance and style."[1]
On PopMatters Chris Conaton said, "After 40 years and 20-plus albums that span many, many genres but are almost always filled with big hooks and endearing bizarreness, They Might Be Giants are as energetic and interesting as ever. The fact that they've always had an absurdist bent and an experimental side essentially lets them do whatever they want.... [Book is] a thoroughly enjoyable record from start to finish."[6]
In Glide Magazine Shawn Donohue wrote, "The album is accompanied by a 144-page full-color, cloth-bound hardcover which features original work by Brooklyn photographer Brian Karlsson and lyrics selected from several TMBG albums set in typographical illustrations by graphic designer Paul Sahre.... On Book (the record) They Might Be Giants continue to pump out what they always have, smart earworm pop tunes that are slightly odd, tastefully corny and instantly catchy."[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by John Flansburgh, John Linnell
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Synopsis for Latecomers" | 2:25 |
| 2. | "Moonbeam Rays" | 2:51 |
| 3. | "I Broke My Own Rule" | 3:22 |
| 4. | "Brontosaurus" | 3:04 |
| 5. | "Lord Snowdon" | 2:25 |
| 6. | "If Day for Winnipeg" | 2:13 |
| 7. | "I Can't Remember the Dream" | 3:12 |
| 8. | "Drown the Clown" | 2:41 |
| 9. | "Darling, the Dose" | 2:15 |
| 10. | "I Lost Thursday" | 3:14 |
| 11. | "Part of You Wants to Believe Me" | 2:58 |
| 12. | "Super Cool" | 2:11 |
| 13. | "Wait Actually Yeah No" | 3:20 |
| 14. | "Quit the Circus" | 2:52 |
| 15. | "Less Than One" | 3:00 |
| Total length: | 42:03 | |
Personnel
editThey Might Be Giants
- John Flansburgh – vocals, guitars, programming, etc.
- John Linnell – vocals, keyboards, woodwinds, etc.
Backing band
- Dan Miller – guitar
- Danny Weinkauf – bass
- Marty Beller – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Curt Ramm – trumpet
- Dan Levine – trombone, bass trombone
- Stan Harrison – baritone saxophone, flute
Production
- Produced by Patrick Dillett and They Might Be Giants
- Mixing: Patrick Dillett, Thom Beemer
- Engineering: James Yost, Thom Beemer, Matthew Sullivan
- Mastering: UE Nastasi
- Art direction: Paul Sahre
- Photography: Brian Karlsson
Charts
edit| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[8] | 87 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[9] | 14 |
| US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[10] | 7 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[11] | 10 |
References
edit- ^ a b c Phares, Heather. "Book – They Might Be Giants". AllMusic. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ Thacker, Lee (November 12, 2021). "They Might Be Giants – Book – Album Review". Set the Tape. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ "Instant Fan Club: Book Edition". They Might Be Giants Instant Fan Club. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Grammy Awards 2023: The Full List of Nominees". The New York Times. November 15, 2022. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (November 9, 2022). "Consumer Guide: November, 2022". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Conaton, Chris (November 17, 2021). "They Might Be Giants Write the 'Book'". PopMatters. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ Donohue, Shawn (November 12, 2021). "They Might Be Giants Continue Its Quirky Earworm Songcraft with 'Book'". Glide Magazine. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
- ^ "They Might Be Giants Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "They Might Be Giants Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "They Might Be Giants Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "They Might Be Giants Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2022.