Home Read Classic Album Review: Thingy | To The Innocent

Classic Album Review: Thingy | To The Innocent

The Heavy Vegetable leader flies in a similarly strange direction with his new outfit.

This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):

 


Rob Crow used to lead indie legends Heavy Vegetable, who were renowned for the offbeat loveliness of their distinctly unique brand of experimental pop.

On To The Innocent, the second CD from his post-Heavy Vegetable outfit Thingy, Crow flies in a similar direction, setting his joyfully silly lyrics — the dreamy pop ballad Big Dumb Animal gets by with three lines: “I’m an imbecile, imbecile / I’m a big, dumb animal / Put my fingers in the fan” — next to intricately melodic guitar jangles and exuberantly propulsive drumming. Crow is the kind of guy who could write a song about Top Ramen, Star Wars or his neighbour’s dog and still create pop perfection — and here, he does just that.