Post by chris on Jun 25, 2006 18:37:20 GMT -5
www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2006/06/24/kindie/index.html
They Might Be Giants are perhaps an even more prototypical example of kindie rockers. Their transition from quirky indie pop band to quirky kindie rock act has been almost total, and while they still put out music specifically for adults -- "We have kind of a bifurcated career now," says John Flansburgh, one half of the duo -- their kids albums have been huge critical and commercial successes. Their 2005 record "Here Come the ABCs," concurrently released as a DVD, was their first album to go gold since 1990's "Flood" (which featured both "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"). The group recorded their first children's record, 2002's "No!" after being approached by Rounder and they saw it as a way of exploring fresh musical territory. "We had been up and down and up and down the rock 'n' roll roller coaster," says John Flansburgh, "and it just seemed like it might be interesting to do a project that wasn't at all about how the group is perceived as a rock entity." They were as surprised as anyone about the success of "No!" and "Here Come the ABCs" and are working on another album, "Here Come the 123s," an album Flansburgh jokingly calls a prequel to the alphabet record. "I think this is a good time for creative people in the children's field," he says. "I think there's obviously a clear burst of energy and genuine interest, and people are realizing that it does matter and it can be interesting."
They Might Be Giants are perhaps an even more prototypical example of kindie rockers. Their transition from quirky indie pop band to quirky kindie rock act has been almost total, and while they still put out music specifically for adults -- "We have kind of a bifurcated career now," says John Flansburgh, one half of the duo -- their kids albums have been huge critical and commercial successes. Their 2005 record "Here Come the ABCs," concurrently released as a DVD, was their first album to go gold since 1990's "Flood" (which featured both "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"). The group recorded their first children's record, 2002's "No!" after being approached by Rounder and they saw it as a way of exploring fresh musical territory. "We had been up and down and up and down the rock 'n' roll roller coaster," says John Flansburgh, "and it just seemed like it might be interesting to do a project that wasn't at all about how the group is perceived as a rock entity." They were as surprised as anyone about the success of "No!" and "Here Come the ABCs" and are working on another album, "Here Come the 123s," an album Flansburgh jokingly calls a prequel to the alphabet record. "I think this is a good time for creative people in the children's field," he says. "I think there's obviously a clear burst of energy and genuine interest, and people are realizing that it does matter and it can be interesting."