Music: Here Comes Science by They Might be Giants

Here Comes Science by They Might be Giants


Published by Disney Sound, 2009


Audio C.D.


2 discs: 40 minutes


Listening Level: Ages 8 and up


ASIN: B002FKZ4UO

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While most adults know They Might be Giants as an indie-rock alternative band with a silly and slightly nerdy repertoire, kids will also enjoy the band's efforts to produce early education musical albums such as Here Come the ABCs, Here Come the One Two Threes and Here Comes Science.  Released in 2008, Here Comes Science even earned a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Album for Children in 2010, and I can certainly see why.

Apart from being accurate and educational, the music is energetic, upbeat, and the lyrics are well-enunciated and easy to understand and sing along with.  The songs cover introductions to topics like chemistry, electricity, biology, physics, microbiology, and evolution.  Elementary school science teachers might enjoy spicing up a boring curriculum topic with a little music break, and the album could even be used to encourage kids to write their own "educational song" about a particular topic.  In fact, I actually know a middle school science teacher who has incorporated this album into her curriculum, and the kids really love it.

With 19 tracks at approximately 2 minutes per song, the album might be a little long for one sitting, but kids will surely have favorites.  You might recognize the song I am a Paleontologist, as it's the album's most beloved song by fans and has been used in a Payless shoe commercial.  How Many Planets, a fun song about space, might remind adults of a Rocky Horror Picture Show tune, so I'd say the album could be equally enjoyed by adults. Sure, the multitude of unusual instruments and sound effects are geared toward kids (as well as the lyrics), but parents and teachers will likely find Here Comes Science to be a lively and fresh take on the children's educational music genre.