AMG Review of Severe Tire Damage

Greg Prato
All Music Guide

On their very first live album, Severe Tire Damage, intellectual rockers They Might Be Giants offer a best-of set, which contains mostly radical reworkings of fan favorites. The reason for the emergence of a live album came about when TMBG played a successful radio session for the Spin Radio Network, where the duo was joined by its touring band as well as horn players and a rhythm section. They were so impressed with the results that they almost immediately went back and picked out versions of songs that sounded totally different live when compared to the original studio versions (especially the songs "She's Actual Size" and "Why Does the Sun Shine?"). Included are the "hits" "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" and "Particle Man," as well as the brand new track "Doctor Worm." To prove that they haven't lost their quirky edge, the album ends with seven unlisted tracks that were written on the spot, in front of their audience.