Kyle Meredith with... They Might Be Giants (2013)

Nanobots, album 16 for TMBG, finds the two John's going for some darker lyrical content and allowing themselves a Peter Pan / Oedipus concept (that's not really true). We discuss both, their cliched rock star life, those learning songs they're so famous for, and the idea of hidden politics within their music.

[@0okamino]

They're older than they've ever been and now they're even cooler.

[@calmfulspider]

nah man theyre cool afffff

[@calmfulspider]

***** YES

[@StealYourFace7731]

love these guys. one of the few bands that remain creatively relevant throughout their entire career.

[@MagicTurtle643]

I love the way Linnell said "Ensor" and pointed to Flansburgh, giving him credit for it :P

[@arichansen8527]

Alternative video title: “The Johns Narrowly Escape Bashing Country Music In Tennessee”

[@popefacto5945]

Anyone who can refer to themselves as "a total drag" is OK in my book.

[@recordcollector0665]

Flans looks 10 years younger without the beard

[@buyog2099]

Great interview! Held my attention the entire time, without feeling like just an ad for the new album (which I already have, and love). Must be a blast to just hang out with the Johns.

[@jessss27]

This is a good interview... the Johns are funny. That deadpan "Should I vomit on myself now" just before 5 minutes

[@crowtomservo1]

Great interview! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@SeatonStudios1]

Frank Zappa's 16th was The Grand Wazoo, and that's one of my favorite albums.

[@MagicTurtle643]

Ha! Linnell said "If you don't like country music..." and looked at Flans. Which I think is a reference to Spin that Country Dial, wherein Flans improvised the line "If you don't like country music... f*** you."

[@L0REN0R2Z0RR0]

No, Flans said it again. ^^

[@RIVEXNGLE]

I've listened to the new album a couple times now, but I'm having a difficult time connecting to it like I have with the others. On a note of the interview here: I do like these points from both Johns. "It's this irreducible (you know) landscape... they give you the impression that it was impossible to write." & "They don't want their presaic world echoed back to them, they actually like the imaginative stuff."

[@davidmckee586]

bad religions true north is probably my favorite 16th album.

[@bethberkland1281]

flansy likes the who sell out! one of my faves! nice!

[@jaredallenramos4715]

0:26 fLans Looks Like hes in 2008 or 2009

[@edbain6495]

flanny is starting to look like Harold ramus

[@MagicTurtle643]

I LOVE this album but I get what you mean, at least slightly. And for me, I think it's the fact that there are short songs injected right in the middle of the album. So you have this idea of a big fat record, then when you listen to it, you're way at the end of the tracklist before you know it. I mean there are the right amount of long songs, but the small ones give you this sense of dissatisfaction--like you forget they're so short every single time you listen. :P Maybe that's just me though.

[@RIVEXNGLE]

I don't think it's a time issue. Most of TMBG's albums are short. The Spine Surf's Alone EP is only 10 minutes long and I enjoy it. Ultimately, it's coming down to, I'm not a fan of the songs of Nanobots. However, Mink Car was my first TMBG album, and I remember hating it. I was like, "This is not the band that I thought it was." Over the last 11-ish years though, I've come to like it quite a bit. Maybe with a few more listens I can warm up to Nanobots. TMBG is my favorite band after all.

[@elijahlupe]

9 years later, what are your thoughts on Nanobots now?

[@BeccaRyy]

Oh my god! They look so much older!

[@goneutt]

Tom Wait's 16th was The Black Rider, not as good at his 18th but better than his 21st.

[@RIVEXNGLE]

I think I was too blunt in my response. The illusion makes it out to be a time issue, to which I said I like a lot of short TMBG albums in comparison.

[@MagicTurtle643]

I didn't say it was a time issue, I said it has the right amount of long songs. I said it gives you the sense that it's over before sooner than you expected, because the middle is full of shorter ones. That's all I meant :P

[@josiesmusick]

some girls is NOT better than nanobots!! not even close!!!!!!!!

[@dhltn8624]

17th

[@SecretTimeWarp]

What was the Beatles' sixteenth album? EXACTLY. (Don't you go counting US releases either, that's cheating. And.... I think that would be "Hey Jude", which is a pointless album, so TMBG wins again. :-P)