They Might Be Giants - Flood

Nineteen songs, two Johns and a bottomless supply of oddball ideas make They Might Be Giants' Flood the 1990 album that turned two Brooklyn misfits into alternative rock favourites.

John Linnell and John Flansburgh had built a cult following on the independent label Bar/None before Elektra came calling, and Flood was their major-label debut. They kept almost total creative control, recording as a duo at New York's Skyline Studios with guest horns and strings, and bringing in Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley to produce four key songs. It became their best-known and best-selling record, eventually going platinum in the US.

Birdhouse in Your Soul, sung from the point of view of a child's nightlight, is pure joy with a key change you will never forget. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) reworks a 1950s novelty hit into a frantic romp, while the accordion-tinged Particle Man spins a lighthearted tale of feuding characters that taught a generation to fear Triangle Man. Your Racist Friend proves they could be pointed too, delivering the band's clearest political statement without losing the bounce.

Home-made samples, programmed drums and sudden genre swerves keep every side surprising.

For fans raised on Tiny Toon Adventures cartoons, or anyone who loves pop music with a crooked smile, Flood remains a delight from the first fanfare to the last.