BURBANK, CA. (Walt Disney Records) -
They Might Be Giants triumphantly return to the kids' section, following up the success of their "No!" CD and their "Bed, Bed, Bed" book & CD set.
With "Here Come the ABCs," TMBG's new DVD & CD, the band has raised the bar of creativity to new heights. The songs teach the ABCs, but with an energy and a sense of fun that will have adults happily signing up for a refresher course. "Here Come the ABCs" is an instant perennial - guaranteed to be a favorite with families for years to come.
Like its predecessor "No!," "Here Come the ABCs" features a parade of inventive, original songs. From the happy, globe-trotting "Alphabet of Nations" to the propulsive "Pictures of Pandas Painting" to the joyfully simple "C is for Conifers," this album is overflowing with unforgettable melodies and ideas that will spark the imaginations of kids everywhere.
On the DVD project, TMBG enjoyed 100% creative control. Flansburgh and Linnell corralled a huge creative team of illustrators, animators and puppeteers, which included folks from MTV, Disney, and innovative graphic artists from "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo" camps. The band collaborated directly with each animation team, casting each group with songs that complimented their unique style, and worked with them from story-boards to final.
The "Here Comes the ABCs" DVD also introduces the Deeply Felt Puppet Theater, created by Flansburgh's wife Robin Goldwasser (also known for her wicked vocals on "Dr. Evil," the theme from "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery"). The John and John puppets serve as hosts to the show, and the three main characters of Deeply Felt perform a number of songs. The resulting DVD is one of the freshest looking children's projects in recent memory.
In January 2005 Playhouse Disney, the learning-based programming block on Disney Channel, began airing twelve "Here Come the ABCs" videos. The short form series, including "E Eats Everything," "Flying V," "Go For G" and "Letter Shapes," is designed to teach preschoolers the letters of the alphabet and combinations of letters through music.
In addition to the music videos, Flansburgh and Linnell recently were animated to take on the likeness of the Higglytown citizens, characters that resemble traditional Russian "matryoshka" or nesting dolls, in a new music video for preschoolers airing daily during Playhouse Disney. The band recorded the theme song for "Higglytown Heroes" which airs weekdays (8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., ET/PT) and weekends (8:00 a.m., ET/PT). The music video for "Here in Higglytown (Theme to Playhouse Disney's 'Higglytown Heroes')" is one of two bonus songs included on the "Here Come the ABCs" DVD.
ABOUT THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS:
John Flansburgh and John Linnell have been performing and recording together for over two decades as They Might Be Giants and have sold over 3 million records worldwide. The duo also have created the themes for numerous television shows including the Grammy-winning "Boss of Me" for Fox TV's "Malcolm in the Middle" and the theme song for Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show." The band recently recorded the theme song for the new Disney Channel/Playhouse Disney show "Higglytown Heroes."
TMBG first came to national prominence with their breakthrough music videos for "Don't Let's Start," "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)." A documentary film on the duo, "Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)," was released theatrically in the summer of 2002, followed by the DVD release in 2003.
Walt Disney Records and Disney Sound are part of The Buena Vista Music Group, the recorded music and music publishing arm of The Walt Disney Company. For more information, please visit DisneySound.com.
TMBG Tour Dates:
2/15 New York, NY @ Borders Columbus Circle
2/19 Swarthmore, PA @ Swarthmore College
2/20 Albany, NY @ Borders
2/21 Boston, MA @ Borders
2/23 Washington, D.C. @ Borders
2/24 Baltimore, MD @ Borders
2/25 Philadelphia, PA @ Borders
3/2 New York, NY @ Lincoln Center
6/11 New York, NY @ South St. Seaport Children's Day
