NewsThey Might Be Giants / Flood 30th anniversary vinyl picture disc
Available again after selling out very quickly!
Brooklyn-based duo They Might Be Giants are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their third album Flood, with a groovy vinyl picture disc.
Flood (released in 1990) was John Flansburgh and John Linnell’s first album on a major label (Elektra) and despite the band’s alt-rock indie appeal they scored an unlikely top ten UK hit single with ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’. The band were then saved from a life in the glare of the mainstream when follow-up ‘Istanbul (Not Constantinople)’ raced rapidly to #61 before disappearing to oblivion.
But Flood is a wonderful long-player (co-produced by Alan Winstanley and Clive Langer) and arguably the last of the early ‘classic’ era (Apollo 18 which followed next, was the first of their albums not to be amazing).
The A-side of the picture disc features the original Flood album cover art and the B-side is a brand new animated “psychedelic zoetrope image of TMBG ephemera” created by Paul Sahre. It’s very clever and you can see how it works below.
This picture disc was initially available on 15 January this year (the exact date of the anniversary) but quickly sold out in the UK due to a fairly low level of stock being available. It’s being repressed and pre-orders are now being taken from the official TMBG store with shipping expected on the 28 February 2020.
Pre-order Flood picture disc at the They Might Be Giants store (UK/EU)
If you are in the US, then shop here.
Side A
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
Side B
1. SOMEONE KEEPS MOVING MY CHAIR
2. HEARING AID
3. MINIMUM WAGE
4. LETTERBOX
5. WHISTLING IN THE DARK
6. HOT CHA
7. WOMEN & MEN
8. SAPPHIRE BULLETS OF PURE LOVE
9. THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
10. ROAD MOVIE TO BERLIN
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Ordered! Thanks Paul.
Thank you for the heads up – I’ve been looking to order from the US and this has saved me on postage.
Not normally my cup of tea but this is a masterpiece of a record and the picture disc looks fun.
Ordered – £25 well spent!
And with Mink Car they had a nice little come back.
Well … at least in my world.
Just ordered two copies, thanks for the heads up. One will be a birthday present for my brother, who brought this into our lives 30 years ago when it was originally released. This and their first album are just fantastic.
You’re confused about Apollo 18. That was the last great one. Apollo 18 is nearly as beloved by fans as flood.
I’m not confused. Apollo 18 is weaker than all three of the first albums.
“… you can see how it works below.”
Still don’t understand how it works.
You can see it working might have been a better way of writing that!
Totally agree with Stuart! Apollo 18 is one of the best albums IMO and for me finishes off the early TMBG era! So many different influences and really shows the depth of their talent. Narrow Your Eyes is a great song too…
I remember the day I bought this in 1990. I was young and so full of hope.
Thanks for the notice. Just ordered one. I am not usually into picture discs, but I just recently got back into early TMBG and this picture disc looks much more interesting visually than the usual.
A brand new record for 2020.
I got one of the first pressing. It is beautiful to behold. (It is a picture disc, so don’t expect total silence between the tracks, but it’s not too noisy at all.) And I’m going to one of the shows in April (5th time – they put on a great show).
I have some favorite tracks on all of their albums (speaking of Apollo 18, “I Palindrome I” and “Dinner Bell”), but this one probably has the most (“Birdhouse In Your Soul,” “Dead,” “Someone Keeps Moving My Chair,” “Whistling In The Dark,” “Your Racist Friend” and “They Might Be Giants”). I go back to Flood all the time – it’s probably one of my most listened-to albums of my entire life.
Lovely – missed out on 1st batch despite being on mailing list – it was unavailable then sold out.
A wonderful band, so much more than THAT song – tentative plans for UK dates on their 2020 Flood tour. Hope they bring some of those 1st album and Flood vinyl remasters with them….
I love this album more than most people I have met do thanks for the heads up
Wonderful – ordered! HOWEVER, I respectfully disagree about Apollo 18 – I LOVE that record – ‘I palindrome I’, ‘she’s actual size’ and ‘fingertips’ are amongst my favourite TMBG songs… maybe worth a re-listen Paul.
‘Narrow Your Eyes’ is great. I never liked ‘The Statue Got Me High’ which probably influences my opinion!!
So glad they repressed. Missed out originally and didn’t want to pay £60+ from discogs. Thanks for sharing