’80s Classic turning 34 years old
Brooklyn, New York, duo They Might Be Giants’ second studio album “Lincoln” cemented itself as a hallmark of the indie music scene and is arguably one of the best records of the 1980s.
Throughout its 40-minute runtime, multi-instrumentalist and keyboardist John Linnell and guitarist John Flansburgh pack together 18 unique songs that still captivate their listeners 34 years after its release.
Listeners of “Lincoln” are in for a unique listening experience and are sure to enjoy this wonderful work of art from the two Johns. The album will turn 34 on Sept. 25.
The album begins with the standout track “Ana Ng” that declares itself with its gated guitars and poppy bass that has no problem drawing the listener in and explores a scenario of impossible love between two individuals on opposite sides of the world.
“Where Your Eyes Don’t Go” is a hypnotizing track, which is especially driven home during the back half of the song thanks to the synthesizers, guitar leads and vocals that blend together to create a catchy atmosphere that dives into topics of consciousness and awareness.
My favorite track off of the album, “They’ll Need A Crane,” is a perfect encapsulation of They Might Be Giants’ early sound and is one of my personal favorite songs from their entire discography.
The album concludes with “Kiss Me, Son of God,” which is a beautiful track that shows off Linnell and Flansburgh’s talents through their effortlessly woven together vocal melodies.
At its core, “Lincoln” is an experimental album that explores a variety of abstract concepts throughout its lyrical content.
The band also incorporates many different types of instruments such as the accordion, acoustic and electronic wind instruments such as the saxophone and bass clarinet, and string instruments.
They Might Be Giants consists of keyboardist John Linnell and guitarist John Flansburgh, accompanied by a drum machine.
The two Johns also handled other instrumental duties during the recording of “Lincoln” and have since gone on to expand to a full band lineup throughout their decades-spanning career.