On some level, writing a critical review of a They Might Be Giants album just seems, well, wrong.

After all, they’ve been making criminally infectious pop-rock ditties since before I was born. They’re still doing it today with their latest offering out this week, dubbed “Nanobots.”

Easily relegated to nerd-rock, but actually thought songsmiths

If you’re already a fan of They Might Be Giants, you’ve already bought “Nanobots,” downloaded “Nanobots,” blogged about “Nanobots,” told your friends about “Nanobots” and bought your tickets for the nearest stop of the tour in support of “Nanobots” — June 15 at the Anaheim House of Blues — so nothing I can write here will matter much to you.

But if that’s not you, chances are you’ve at least heard of They Might Be Giants.

You might be familiar with “Particle Man,” every science major’s token favorite song. Maybe you remember the "Experimental Film" music video from homestarrunner.com and the glory days of the Internet.

Well, while you thoughtlessly relegated them to the realm of “quirky” music or “nerd-rock,” The Giants have been reliably churning out another installment of deeply unique, thoughtful pop anthems every couple years. “Nanobots” is no exception.

If their last record, 2011’s “Join Us” was “Flood” for a new generation — “Flood” being the band’s certified-platinum 1990 smash-hit record, for the uninitiated — then “Nanobots” is this century’s “Apollo 18.” Both include a handful of half-finished songs, some lasting only a few seconds, scattered through the record. “Apollo 18” was designed to be listened to on shuffle, since the shuffle button had just become a popular feature on walkmen and discmen when that album was released in the early ‘90s. It seems fair to recommend the same treatment of “Nanobots.” That keeps the pace of the record totally unpredictable.

Not their best album but a worthy addition to their discography

Musically, “Nanobots” is as true to the Giants’ eclectic sonic palette as ever, blending electro-rock sounds with lush strings and brass arrangements that are downright chocolatey. At its core is what the band has always been known for — chords, melodies and backbeats that are delightfully simple without being plain.

Lyrically, we find the Giant’s iconic, narrative style of writing songs about the mundane absurdities of everyday life, as usual. The album’s opening track “You’re on Fire” deals with that sticky situation we’ve all found ourselves in: having to tell an acquaintance that his car is being towed, and also that his head is on fire. We also hear songs about the life and times of Nikola Tesla and about how taking a single self-defense class can make you feel invincible and totally obnoxious to everyone around you in “Circular Karate Chop.”

So, for a good They Might Be Giants album, “Nanobots” checks all the boxes. Is it the best one ever? Well, no, not in a trying-to-represent-a-complex-opinion-with-an-arbitrary-number-of-stars sense. “Join Us” was probably the best Giants album since Flood, and “Nanobots” doesn’t quite stack up to its predecessor. But that’s kind of a stupid way to look at it.

“Nanobots” is another installment of brilliant music from some of the most dedicated, thoughtful and fan-focused musicians in the business. How can you fault that?

Every single They Might Be Giants album debut is like Christmas morning. You have no idea exactly what each track has in store, but you know that, after three decades’ worth of consistently unconventional, intellectual, avant-garde, altogether amazing music, you’re going to like what you find.