Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants

Tribute albums are extremely difficult to pull off. Either the artists stray way too far from the source material and whatever made the song special disappears or the song sounds way too familiar and comes off feeling like bad karaoke. Hello Radio has an advantage in that I only know the band OK GO. This allows me to judge the songs on their own merit instead of how I feel about the band. An example would be any song Pearl Jam covers, I will instantly judge more difficult because I don’t like Eddie Vedor’s voice.

The album ultimately peaks on the first song. Self pulls off an amazing of Ana Ng. I have to give them credit because that song is probably in my Top 5 TMBG songs. The Long Winters covers a song I’m not too familiar with. I was never a fan of the first couple of TMBG album where they used a full band, but this song is fun and grew on me. The only other highlights after those are The Fluid Ounces pulling off a great version of It’s Not My Birthday and Hotel Light playing The End of The Tour. After so many bands sounding like they aren’t taking the original songs seriously, Hotel Lights really puts their soul into this version.

What ultimately ruined this album for me is a trilogy of songs in the middle of the album that use distorted vocals with limited instrumental backing and becomes stale quickly. I needed something more and just was not getting it from Steve Burns, OK GO and Recepter. The worst rendition is by This Radiant Boy. Since I’m not familiar with the band I don’t know if this is their shtick, but the singer could be the son of Wild Man Fischer, which is not a compliment. Very obnoxious way to tarnish one of the band’s crowning achievements.

In the end the CD is not going to stay in the collection. There are some positives though, I will take the time to check out both SELF and Hotel Lights to see what they are all about.

Best Songs: Ana Ng and The End of the Tour

Songs that made my ears vomit: Don’t Let’s Start and They’ll Need a Crane.