The nice thing about bands that have their shit together is that they tend to be true to their word. And sure enough, They Might Be Giants have kicked off 2015 by fulfilling a previously announced promise to once more bring the magic of Dial-A-Song to the world, all year long.
Dial-A-Song’s first incarnation, which lasted from from 1983-2006, was a phone number fans could call to hear covers, rarities, and unreleased tracks by the band. In its new form, it has taken primarily to the Internet, where you can head over to www.dialasong.com every Tuesday to hear a new ditty. (Each song will also be available for purchase via iTunes and other sites, or for $30 to have all 52 tracks emailed to you on a weekly basis.) The latest release, “Erase,” has a sprightly accompanying video, though it’s not clear if that will always be a recurring feature as well. While there, you can read about the project, see which radio stations are broadcasting the weekly experiment, and catch up on previous entries. (There are two tunes from December already in the archive.)
However, purists need not fret: there is once again the option to call Dial-A-Song old-school style, and hear the songs in all their hissy, lo-fi glory, without that pesky sound quality delivered by a clear internet connection. (It’s toll-free at 844-387-6962.) And while it’s not the exact same number as the first iteration, which was member John Flansburgh’s stated goal, you have to admit that regaining the original number with merely a different area code is pretty impressive.