1996's "Weird Food and Devastation" expanded the band's sound in new directions, but failed to build on the momentum established by its predecessor. It was produced by the band's longtime soundman, Tim Harper, later known for his production work for Whiskeytown. The title of the album reportedly alluded to the band's impressions of Europe during their seemingly endless tours there in support of "'74–'75". It featured a starker and heavier production than the more melodic "Ring". By now, Connell and MacMillan shared songwriting duties about equally, with Connell's style taking a quirkier turn on songs such as "Adjective Song". Lead single "Maybe" was more in line with the anthemic pop songs of the band's early days, but his remaining songs on the album were often odd and dissonant compared to his previous work. "Friendly Time" abandoned coded attacks on Ronald Reagan for coded attacks on rock critics such as Robert Christgau and J. D. Considine. The album also debuted the songwriting efforts of drummer Wimberley with the track “Any”, who also landed an outtake, “Bitter Pill”, on the soundtrack of the film Scream. The band shot music videos for "Maybe" (a parody of the Burt Reynolds film "Deliverance") and "Fifth Fret" (which was a parody of the Alfred Hitchcock film "Psycho"). The band was invited to perform for a second time on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" where they performed "Maybe". Their tour for the album was cut short in early 1997 when MacMillan became extremely ill prior to a show. He had been experiencing stomach pains for over a year, but believed it was due to his poor diet while on the road. After undergoing emergency surgery, he was diagnosed with diverticulitis and took several months off to recover.