As previously reported, They Might Be Giants' Here Comes Science CD/DVD set is to be released in September. Amazon has it up for preorder available September 1. (I wouldn't be surprised if that date slipped a little bit, though.) Although there's no track listing just yet, here's a list of the items described on the album cover, starting at the upper left:
apatosaurus
anthropoidea
coccinella
lepidoptera
pinophyta
rocket
telescope
microscope
magnoliophyta
john (flansburgh)
atom
test tube
john (linnell)
Where's my geology song?
Also, apparently CD cases are 4.75" square.
They Might Be Giants' Here Comes Science Set For September
I'd heard this through unofficial channels, but when They Might Be Giants announces a release date for their latest DVD/CD set in their newsletter, I think it's safe to say that it's official now: Here Comes Science will be in stores in September. As they put it, "the periodic table, photosynthesis, the color spectrum, the scientific method, paleontology--no topic is of [sic] limits in this freewheeling collection of songs!" Well, that sounds fun (if not entirely grammatically spell-checked).
Still not a fan of that title, but I guess my attempts at convincing them to change it via mind-control failed.
They Might Be Giants: The Little League Team
This, my friends, is a Genius Idea. I mean, as Flansy says, "If a pizza parlor or a super market can sponsor a team, why can't a rock band?" So now a Little League team in Seattle (named They Might Be Giants, natch) is outfitted with a whole bunch of No!-themed bright yellow t-shirts. What's better is that They Might Be Giants will make the same offer to 10 other teams (go to the link above for further details).
Almost makes me wish we played t-ball in the 116-degree summer heat here in Phoenix. Obligatory TMBG/kids/baseball-related video after the jump.
KidVid Tournament 2009: They Might Be Giants vs. Mark Kozelek
Our day's other KidVid Tournament 2009 matchup features the Leadbelly Region in which the top seed, They Might Be Giants' "The Ballad of Davy Crockett in Outer Space," from the Disney Music Block Party collection, goes up against Mark Kozelek's "Bedtime Lullaby" (from the Yo Gabba Gabba! TV show).
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, but the official results are based on the poll at the bottom of the page. One vote per household, please. Votes due by midnight tonight (Monday) East Coast time. And play nice!
KidVid Tournament 2009: They Might Be Giants vs. Shana Berry
Moving on today to the Leadbelly Region of KidVid Tournament 2009, we have the top seed, They Might Be Giants' contribution to the better-than-I-expected Disney Music Block Party collection (would only that the party itself lasted so long), "The Ballad of Davy Crockett in Outer Space," going up against Shana Berry and her video for "The Pink Whale" from A Pink Whale and a Very Tall Tree.
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, but the official results are based on the poll at the bottom of the page. One vote per person, please. Votes due by midnight tonight (Tuesday) East Coast time. And play nice!
They Might Be Giants - "The Ballad of Davy Crockett in Outer Space"
Shana Berry - "The Pink Whale"
Grammys 2009: A Follow-Up
I already mentioned the winners of the 2009 Grammys for kids audio. A couple follow-ups...
First, here is where you can watch the Grammy ceremony. The kids audio categories are about 42-43 minutes in. If you don't want to bother loading the video, I've embedded a copy of TMBG's comments below. Afterwards, backstage, John Linnell was quoted as saying
"The money is in children's music," he said. "Those kids are loaded... Even with music sales down for adult music, a lot of parents are willing to pay for songs for their kids," he said. "And maybe just to set a good example, they're less likely to steal it." There's also special joy, for him, he said, in making music for tots. "A lot of adults are walking rock critics. They always compare the music to what they've heard before. Kids don't do that. They're hearing it all for the first time."I plead guilty to the "walking rock critic" part. As for Bill Harley, a lot of these comments have been seen elsewhere, but it's nice to pass on. Harley notes that "no matter what you're thinking before ("I could win!", or "I should win!", or "There's no way I'll win!" ) - you're still surprised when someone calls your name. In this case, it was particularly pleasing to hear my two dear friends, Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink, make the announcement... This was a very competitive category this year, and I know a lot of people had to vote for me. Thanks to them, and those who support me, and the couple generations of parents, kids and teachers who have put their trust in me." Harley also said he he hung out with Ezra and Keith of Trout Fishing in America -- the three of them introduced ourselves to Brenda Lee as her new band and she says she wants to make a kid's recording. And in one of the funnier lines of the week, Harley noted this e-mail from a fan: "My husband and I were discussing your nomination earlier today and Emma (5) overheard us talking. She said, "Doesn't Bill Harley already have a Grammy? Why does he need another one?" Video of TMBG after the jump.