I know of many people who got turned off of the Hip after TOTH. I liked it at first but got tired of it really quick, I'm not saying that I dislike it, I just listen to it the least of them all, but it is still in my top 10 Tragically Hip releases
I agree with you that Road Apples is another really good one. I don't know what it is about Phantom Power, but I just love it all.