{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified | type = studio | artist = The Dismemberment Plan | cover = TheDismembermentPlanisTerrified.jpg | alt = | released = March 17, 1997 | recorded = Inner Ear Studios | venue = | studio = | genre = Post-hardcore<ref>{{cite web |url=http://treblezine.com/reviews/2833-The_Dismemberment_Plan_Emergency___I.html |title=Album Review : The Dismemberment Plan – Emergency & I |author=Jeff Terich |date=August 22, 2008 |work=Treble |accessdate=March 13, 2011 |quote="Past albums ''!'' and ''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'' sufficiently established the band as post-hardcore and new wave-influenced iconoclasts, going spastic with Casio keyboards and funky rhythms" |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717093833/http://treblezine.com/reviews/2833-The_Dismemberment_Plan_Emergency___I.html |archivedate=July 17, 2011 }}</ref> | length = 44:52 | label = DeSoto | producer = | prev_title = ! | prev_year = 1995 | next_title = Emergency & I | next_year = 1999 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified | type = studio | single1 = The Ice of Boston | single1date= October 16, 1998 }} }}
'''''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified''''' is the second studio album by American indie rock band The Dismemberment Plan. It was released on March 17, 1997, on DeSoto Records. The album received positive reviews from critics, and got the band to sign with major record label Interscope.
==Composition== Musically, the album can be described as a bridge between hardcore and noise rock. The track "That's When the Party Started" has a synthpop feel,<ref name="allmusic" /> while the fourth track on the album, "Academy Award", is featured as a remix by Cex on the band's final album ''A People's History of the Dismemberment Plan''. It is the only song from ''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'' to be remixed for it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2340-a-peoples-history-of-the-dismemberment-plan/ |title=The Dismemberment Plan: A People's History of The Dismemberment Plan |website=Pitchfork |date=October 6, 2003 |access-date=April 30, 2012 |last=Tangari |first=Joe}}</ref> "The Ice of Boston" was later released on an extended play of the same name on October 16, 1998, during their brief stint with Interscope Records.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ice-of-boston-mw0000425508 |title=The Ice of Boston – The Dismemberment Plan |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 30, 2012 |last=Raftery |first=Brian}}</ref><ref>{{MusicBrainz release |mbid=fc26bf85-1c77-4d54-bbf3-9250a56f4913 |name=The Ice of Boston}}</ref> The song is spoken-word and contains references to songwriter Jonathan Richman and singer-songwriter Gladys Knight's song "Midnight Train to Georgia".<ref name="metro">{{cite news |url=https://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.07.97/audiofile-9732.html |title=Dismemberment Plan: The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified (Desoto) |newspaper=Metro |date=August 7–13, 1997 |access-date=May 1, 2012 |last=Baxter |first=Nicky}}</ref> Dismemberment Plan lead singer Travis Morrison described the album as "very confrontational", saying "it's the least melodic record we have, it's the most dedicated to hip-hop record we have".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/artistinterviews/the_dismemberment_plan_pageone.html |title=The Dismemberment Plan |website=Stylus Magazine |access-date=May 3, 2012 |last=Howard |first=Ed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210082239/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/artistinterviews/the_dismemberment_plan_pageone.html |archive-date=February 10, 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dismemberment-plan-is-terrified-mw0000028199 |title=The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified – The Dismemberment Plan |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 30, 2012 |last=Raftery |first=Brian}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Christgau's Consumer Guide'' | rev2score = A−<ref name="christgau">{{cite book |chapter=The Dismemberment Plan: The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified |chapter-url=https://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=1038 |access-date=April 30, 2012 |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2000 |isbn=0-312-24560-2 |page=82}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Dismemberment Plan |last=Catucci |first=Nick |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/243 243–244]}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' | rev4score = 5/5<ref name="tmt">{{cite web |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/dismemberment-plan-dismemberment-plan-terrified |title=The Dismemberment Plan – The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=April 30, 2012 |author=Mr P}}</ref> }}
''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'' received positive reviews from music critics. Brian Raftery of AllMusic commented that the album was not as good as The Dismemberment Plan's debut album, ''!'', but nevertheless named "That's When the Party Started", "The Ice of Boston", and "Do the Standing Still" as standout tracks of the album.<ref name="allmusic" /> In ''Metro'', Nicky Baxter praised the album for being "wonderfully varied", finding that "no two tracks sound alike" and ultimately describing it as "a mess that's hard to resist."<ref name="metro" />
American music critic Robert Christgau called the album "surprisingly thoughtful for post-hardcore", stating that it sounds "sort of the way Primus might sound if Primus enjoyed a normal sex life."<ref name="christgau" /> Christgau also praised "the way the guitars and such come crashing down to break up a good party and set off a better one."<ref name="christgau" /> Joe Garden of ''The A.V. Club'' published a positive review, saying "Odds are good that you'll find something you like right off the bat, and the rest will grow on you before you realize it."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-dismemberment-plan-is-terrified-1798196474 |title=The Dismemberment Plan: ...Is Terrified |website=The A.V. Club |date=April 19, 2002 |access-date=April 30, 2012 |last=Garden |first=Joe |author-link=Joe Garden}}</ref> ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' wrote that with ''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'', the band "completely annihilates the term sophomore slump".<ref name="tmt" /> Despite ''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'' not being "radio friendly",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.timmcmahan.com/dismembermentplan.htm |title=After the Ice of Interscope |newspaper=Omaha Weekly |date=March 9, 2000 |access-date=May 1, 2012 |last=McMahan |first=Tim}}</ref> it led to major record label Interscope Records signing the band due to its strength.<ref name="allmusic" />
==Track listing== {{Track listing |all_music=The Dismemberment Plan |title1=Tonight We Mean It |length1=2:55 |title2=That's When the Party Started |length2=3:49 |title3=The Ice of Boston |length3=4:55 |title4=Academy Award |length4=2:26 |title5=Bra |length5=3:06 |title6=Do the Standing Still |length6=2:01 |title7=This Is the Life |length7=4:06 |title8=One Too Many Blows to the Head |length8=4:04 |title9=It's So You |length9=2:17 |title10=Manipulate Me |length10=2:38 |title11=Respect Is Due |length11=12:35 |title12=The First Anniversary of Your Last Phone Call |note12=Japanese bonus track |length12=4:43 |title13=Just Like You |note13=Japanese bonus track |length13=4:39 }}
==Personnel== The following people were involved in the making of ''The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified'': ;The Dismemberment Plan *Eric Axelson – bass *Jason Caddell – guitar *Joe Easley – drums *Travis Morrison – vocals, guitar ;Production *Chad Clark and Don Zientara – recording
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{The Dismemberment Plan}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified, The}} Category:1997 albums Category:The Dismemberment Plan albums Category:DeSoto Records albums