Is it possible to like They Might Be Giants a bit TOO much? Barry Smolin’s second CD, The Crumbling Empire of White People, features smart, sassy songs, but the resemblance to early TMBG at times is eerie! The nasally vocals, deliberately bumptious arrangements, and sense of whimsy mixed with biting wit all point to Smolin wearing out several copies of Flood or, at the very least, being a Doppelganger for John Linnell! But if one can get past this initial similarity, there are a number of delights here. “Toll on You,” “Face the World,” and “Twilight in America” mix sweet pop melodies with tart commentary, while “Mata Hari” is a goofy but dangerously catchy song – and the first non-barbershop quartet or Leon Redbone context in which I’ve heard “vo-dee-oh-do” referenced in a chorus! If you like your postmodern juxtapositions served with liberal doses of humor, Mr. Smolin is your man. - Christian Carey (2007, The Daily Copper)