AMG Review of Then: The Earlier Years

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Then: The Earlier Years is a double-disc set containing all of They Might Be Giants' original, independent records -- the two albums They Might Be Giants and Lincoln, plus all of the B-sides and EP tracks that were compiled on Misc. T -- adding nearly 20 previously unreleased tracks. While the bonus tracks are of varying quality -- only "Now That I Have Anything" and demos of "Don't Let's Start," "Which Describes How You're Feeling," and "Hope That I Get Old Before I Die" are of interest to anyone but hardcore collectors -- the official releases remain surprisingly fresh, a combination of melodic skills, inventive arrangements, self-consciously clever lyrics, and bizarre, geeky humor. For most listeners, Then is the definitive They Might Be Giants, encapsulating all of their charm and quirkiness and capturing them at the height of their career.