Cutting away some of the artier aspects of their debut,
They Might Be Giants craft another wildly eclectic and geekily fun collection of alt-pop with
Lincoln. In general, the album displays greater musical ambition than its predecessor, especially since the duo have trimmed many of the weirder excesses of the debut. Without such arty trappings, their gift for irresistible pop hooks becomes all the more clear, with "Ana Ng," "Purple Toupee," the Latin shuffle of "The World's Address," "Santa's Beard," the surprisingly affecting "They'll Need a Crane," and the lounge jazz of "Kiss Me, Son of God" standing out among the 18 songs. And when
They Might Be Giants don't go for the hooks, as on "Pencil Rain" or "Cage & Aquarium," they prove to be expert musical satirists, which means that
Lincoln is every bit as infectious as the debut.