Search - They Might Be Giants :: Back to Skull / Snail Shell / Ondine

Who says B-sides can't be excellent songs too?

Nathan M DeHoff | Absurd City | 08/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"They Might Be Giants prove, once again, that EP B-sides do not have to be throwaway songs. In fact, I would say that the three main B-sides on here are better than the A-side, although some might disagree. The main track is "Snail Shell," a pretty good track from the _John Henry_ album, but I would say that the real highlight is "She Was A Hotel Detective" (not the same as the rock song on Their first album, despite the similar title). This song has slow, disco-style verses, leading up to an amusing falsetto (which was actually sped up by modern recording equipment, but is no less the worse for it), and then dropping back down into the remainder of the chorus. "Mrs. Train" is another interesting track, which picks up speed and loses coherency as it drives on. "Ondine" tells the tale of possibly the most violent woman to feature in a TMBG song, while "Snail Dust" is a remix of "Snail Shell." The remix lacks the odd samples that are standard fare for most TMBG remixes, but it still manages to hold its own with a rocking keyboard track. This EP can be rather difficult to find, so I would recommend picking it up when you have the chance."

B-sides in name only.

J. T. Nite | Mesa, AZ USA | 08/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Why is it that They Might Be Giants relegates some of their best material to B-sides? The S-e-x-x-y single features SenSurround, probably their best song to date, and Back to Skull has two songs which could have and should have been on an LP."Ondine" is straight-up rock and roll, reminiscent of "Hotel Detective." In this conventional setting, without weird sound effects or drum machines, the lyrics shine: "Ondine, back up/ run over my body with your pickup truck/ and finish what you started, cause I'm done." The second standout track is a sequel to "Hotel Detective," a groovy combination of disco and old-school TMBG. Strange, danceable, and fun.The disc is rounded out by "Mrs. Train," an intriguing but slow-starting musical merry-go-round, and an uninspired Snail Shell remix by the Dust Brothers. As with most TMBG remixes, opinions vary widely -- I think it doesn't do anything for the original.However, the single is worth picking up for two great tracks that should have been on an album."

Great Couple Of B-Sides

S. R Robertson | Oh Henry? | 04/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Both "Snail Shell" and the Dust Brothers remix, "Snail Dust", are awesome songs. This single also includes some neglected B-Sides: "Ondine" is a nice play on broken heart songs, sounding like a modern rock tune turned upside down. "She Was A Hotel Detective" is a sequel to "(She Was A) Hotel Detective" from 1986. It is incredibly different and rare, featuring a show tune sound and Flansburgh singing in a falsetto. (It was also an inspiration for the song, "How Can I Sing Like A Girl?") In this sequel, the hotel detective that John & John awed after has already gotten popular in the underground and snobby. "Will she shoot you? She Won't Have Too. You're already dead." The last B-Side, "Mrs. Train", is a nice ballad about a couple of circus freaks, Mrs. Train and The Missing Head. Goes from slow to fast with some horns. Get this before it goes out of stock again."