flood

they might be giants

elektra records, 1990

Mood—Weird. Just weird.

Sample: "Birdhouse In Your Soul" (Live Version)

Thoughts— If I remember correctly, I got this album in high school, and it's definitely an album for high schoolers. It's weird, at times quite annoying, and highly memorable. They Might Be Giants have nasal vocals and brash, intentionally jarring synths and instrumentation in their music, which is okay once in a while but is hard to listen to at length.

Listening to the album last weekend I was surprised at how many songs I could effortlessly sing along to. Each one is distinct enough to be permanently etched into my memory.

Well, not every one. There are some real clunkers. "Hearing Aid" is rather boring and has some noises in it that grate on the ears. I don't think I've ever listened to "Hot Cha" all the way through. And while "Road Movie To Berlin" is an okay track, it's a terrible album ender, sapping out all of the strength of the good songs.

While "Birdhouse in Your Soul" was a hit single and is a fan favorite to this day, I don't really like it that much. I'm much more interested in songs like "Dead", "Particle Man", and "Twisting". Two of the shortest songs on the album—"Minimum Wage" and "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love"—are very interesting, but seem like ideas that didn't find a resolution. I had never realized until today that "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is not an original They Might Be Giants song; their version is definitely the most well-known one by now.

Yes, it's an uneven album, but quirky songs usually are more about nostalgia than actual musical quality. I don't know if this music if I experienced it for the first time now, but because I caught on when I was first getting into music, it stuck.

Recommended? Only if you like odd things.

Link—theymightbegiants.com

Tracklist
1. Theme From Flood
2. Birdhouse in Your Soul
3. Lucky Ball & Chain
4. Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
5. Dead
6. Your Racist Friend
7. Particle Man
8. Twisting
9. We Want a Rock
10. Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
11. Hearing Aid
12. Minimum Wage
13. Letterbox
14. Whistling in the Dark
15. Hot Cha
16. Women & Men
17. Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love
18. They Might Be Giants
19. Road Movie To Berlin