Severe Tire Damage:They Might Be Giants

Artist: They Might Be Giants

Date Released: 1998

Label: Restless

Produced By: They Might Be Giants

Tracklisting:
 * 1) Doctor Worm
 * 2) Severe Tire Damage Theme
 * 3) They Got Lost
 * 4) Why Does The Sun Shine?
 * 5) Birdhouse In Your Soul
 * 6) She's An Angel
 * 7) XTC Vs. Adam Ant
 * 8) Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
 * 9) Ana Ng
 * 10) First Kiss
 * 11) Spider
 * 12) Particle Man
 * 13) She's Actual Size
 * 14) S-E-X-X-Y
 * 15) Meet James Ensor
 * 16) Till My Head Falls Off
 * 17) About Me
 * 18) Planet Of The Apes
 * 19) Return To The Planet Of The Apes
 * 20) Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes
 * 21) Escape From The Planet Of The Apes
 * 22) Battle For The Planet Of The Apes
 * 23) Beneath The Planet Of The Apes
 * 24) This Ape's For You

Review: This is a live record -- after the disappointing Factory Showroom, They Might Be Giants were dropped from Elektra (after they had a housecleaning after a change of management, in which many other of Elektra's more prestigious acts got dropped, including Frank Black from the Pixies, much like Ween would a few years later). They wouldn't record another studio album again for a few years fueling rumors that perhaps They Might Be Giants were breaking up as both John Flansburgh and John Linnell were working on solo projects in the interim as well and footage shot around this time showed the Johns being relatively curt with each other and not really having a good time anymore. Luckily they worked through it, but it wasn't looking good at the time. This album was released basically to keep up with the standard 2-year pattern of They Might Be Giants albums, but there were only a few studio tracks, and some of the cuts came from an earlier 1994 promo-only live album. Some of the other renditions weren't terribly inspired either; it's an alright disc, but They Might Be Giants are capable of much more. Not a bad record, but certainly not a great one, either. - Rev. Syung Myung Me