If you seek proof of the theory of evolution, consider They Might Be Giants. Over the course of three decades, the duo of John Linnell and John Flansburgh learned how to adapt and thrive in an increasingly hostile musical environment. TMBG diversified early and often, from its Dial-A-Song project and TV theme songs (Malcolm In The Middle) to podcasts and, more recently, a string of successful children’s albums, books and DVDs. TMBG’s latest children’s album, Here Comes Science, is a fun and surprisingly educational foray into the world of elements, planets, photosynthesis, electric cars and, yes, evolution. The duo is guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with Linnell.
Linnell: Recently, it has come to my attention that the tango is something more compicated than the quaint tourist attraction that I long believed it was. One gets the impression that tango lovers are attracted by a worn-out cliché of Latin America: passionate, hot blooded, expressing bodily urges through insistent musical rhythms. I’m not claiming that these elements are completely foreign to the tango, but it seems to me after hearing “La Yumba” by Osvaldo Pugliese and the severely staccato orchestrations of Juan d’Arienzo that there is a strongly uptight element in tango music that runs counter to its stereotype of sensuality and amorousness. If you insist on interpreting culture through stereotypes based on climate, it should be pointed out that Argentina lies across a temperate latitude. The winters are cold there. Most inhabitants of Buenos Aires have ancestors from somewhere north of the Mediterranean, in many cases way up north. Indeed, many Argentines seem to have a kind of grim determination and dourness associated with places like Helsinki and Glasgow. Not to overstate the case, but it seems less laid back than Ecuador or the Caribbean. Video after the jump.
