Despite the risk that they might never shake the vicious rumors of genial pleasantness that have dogged them their entire careers, They Might Be Giants have announced that you can pay whatever you like for their brand-new album, Phone Power. The band—a.k.a. Johns Flansburgh and Linnell—released the 18-song album through their web site today, along with a note informing fans they can pay as much or as little as they want for it, because “we do not mind giving things away.”
Those who decide to spend a little more can pick up some extras related to the album, too: TMBG is releasing both a physical CD of the album for $20 (plus shipping), while those who pay $15 or more for the digital version will get a deluxe package, complete with videos and a livestream of the band’s upcoming summer tour.
Of course, even legendarily nice experimental rockers have to pay the bills, hence a “philosophical” note on the store page explaining that the offer won’t last forever:
“This ‘pay what you like’ program for the Phone Power album is not going to go on forever. In fact, we hope to sell some of them in the near future when people realize how good it is. So we respectfully ask everyone not to overthink our intentions and start posting the file for free everywhere. They Might Be Giants really does rely on sales to pay for our videos, recordings, apps, and host of other things. Right? Thanks.”
In other words: don’t be a jerk, lest you want to see the rent get raised on the birdhouse in your soul.
Phone Power track list:
01 Apophenia
02 I Love You For Psychological Reasons
03 To A Forest
04 I Am Alone
05 Say Nice Things About Detroit
06 Trouble Awful Devil Evil
07 Ecnalubma
08 Daylight
09 Sold My Mind To The Kremlin
10 It Said Something
11 Impossibly New
12 I’ll Be Haunting You
13 Got Getting Up So Down
14 What Did I Do To You?
15 Shape Shifter
16 Bills, Bills, Bills
17 Black Ops Alt
18 I Wasn’t Listening
They Might Be Giants Spring Tour 2016
3/17: Baltimore, MD — Ram’s Head Live
3/18: Covington, KY — Madison Theater (18+)
3/19: Milwaukee, WI — Turner Hall
3/20: Chicago, IL (Kids Show) — Vic Theatre SOLD OUT
3/22: Omaha, NE — The Slowdown
3/23: Denver, CO — Gothic Theatre (16+)
3/25: Berkeley, CA — UC Theatre (16+)
3/26: Los Angeles, CA — El Rey Theatre SOLD OUT
3/27: San Diego, CA — Belly Up (21+)
3/29: Tucson, AZ — Rialto Theatre
3/31: Austin, TX — Stubb’s
4/1: Houston, TX — Warehouse Live
4/2: New Orleans, LA — House of Blues (18+)
4/3: Pensacola, FL — Vinyl Music Hall
4/5: St. Petersburg, FL — The State Theatre
4/7: Asheville, NC — The Orange Peel
4/8: Atlanta, GA — Variety Playhouse SOLD OUT
4/9: Carrboro, NC — Cat’s Cradle SOLD OUT
4/10: Philadelphia, PA — Theatre of Living Arts
4/16: Washington, DC — USA Science & Engineering Festival