Idlewild: A Compilation

Named for their label, which is, in turn, named for the famous New York airport, Idlewild finds They Might Be Giants combing through their most recent independent work to assemble a compilation of the stalwart duo's most recent musical exploits. Although the collection features work from their studio albums, the two Johns dig deep into their back catalog, pulling tracks from the rarities compilation Album Raises New and Troubling Questions, the Else bonus disc Cast Your Pod to the Wind, and their children's album No! They Might Be Giants have always liked to do things their own way, and that individuality comes through on Idlewild. Rather than just collect their singles, they have taken over a decade of releases and carefully pruned them into a coherent new album. Given that the bandmembers started the label to make sure that their work would remain in print and readily obtainable, die-hard fans will most likely have everything here. However, lapsed fans looking to get reaquainted with the band after some time apart couldn't ask for a better reintroduction. ~ Gregory Heaney