A Controlling Cacophony: Dan Deacon's Favourite Albums | Page 8 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

I heard this one in junior high, I can’t remember how old I was exactly. It was right at the time in my life when I wanted to like music of my own. I loved The Beatles and The Kinks and The Rolling Stones and all this music in the house, but I wanted my own music. I started making weirdo friends and hearing weirdo music. They Might Be Giants was a band that I immediately identified with because these guys were obviously total nerds. It was right when Green Day was coming out and I heard the Violent Femmes and They Might Be Giants around the same time and I was like: ‘These people are like me, they’re like weird dorky nerds.’ Not only that, but I just liked how different their music sounded. I like their use of weird sounds and instruments, I’d never heard anything like it. I still love that record.

When I moved into college and started writing music I would never even think of shying away from a Casio keyboard or a sound that might sound ‘primitive’ or goofy because it can be completely recontextualised, and I think they had a really good ability to look past where a sound came from and do anything with it. I thought their lyrics were really beautiful. I also had a giant crush on a girl who liked them, so that helped a lot. They were a band that meant a lot to me and that record still does.

PreviousNext Record

Don’t Miss The Quietus Digest

Start each weekend with our free email newsletter.

Help Support The Quietus in 2025

If you’ve read something you love on our site today, please consider becoming a tQ subscriber – our journalism is mostly funded this way. We’ve got some bonus perks waiting for you too.

Subscribe Now