Dunkin Donuts = TMBG = Accordions = Decemberists = The Who Sell Out

Well that connection is obvious isn't it?

As anyone who knows me knows (is there anyone else really reading?) my mind tends to wander. Recently I re-discovered the They Might Be Giants website after seeing a Dunkin Donuts commercial that I thought they sang the song on. I found a site with all of the commercials and mp3's of the songs but it has since been shut down by They Might Be Giants. Anyone not familiar with the band should know (for the purpose of understanding this drivel) that they use the accordian a lot, along with a smattering of other non-traditional instruments for a "rock" band. (While on their site check out the Venues videos. Being a huge fan of two of Yes' albums, my personal favorite is the first one titled "Dallas.")

Anyway I got to thinking about the accordion. I mean about learning to play one. Why not? I mean it's totally eclectic. And unlike my failed Theremin, there is no way I could build one. But I didn't really know alot about them so I went right to the Wikipedia article and started reading. Turns out there are a few different kinds and a lot of information about the instrument. Kind of discouraging.

But in the article they mention some popular bands of today that are still using accordions, one of which was The Decemberists. So I found their website and really liked the music. (If you have iTunes check out the sample of the song 16 Military Wives. It rules.)

As you can read on their website, when the Decemberists toured in support of their album Picaresque they had an additional musician with them named Petra Haden. She plays violin, sings, and comes from a musical family. She plays with a lot of other bands like Decemberists; even the Foo Fighters and Beck. But she also releases her own stuff occasionally.

Well she just released an interpretation of The Who Sell Out album. The whole thing is accapella and she has even included the advertisements between songs. Pete Townshend said of the record, ''I heard the music as if for the first time. I listened all the way through in one sitting and was struck by how beautiful a lot of the music was. Petra's approach is so tender and generous. I adore it.''

Anyway, that's often how my mind works. Good thing the internet works that way too.