They Might Be Giants have been at it for 15 years now, crafting quirky pop and gathering the largest fan base of geeks (myself included) this side of Ben Folds Five. Along the way, they've recorded two seminal modern rock albums (their 1986 self-titled debut and its follow-up, 1989's Lincoln), and a slew of insanely catchy, goofball pop songs.

What you might not know about the band, though, is that their live shows are just as fun. Playing with a group of talented (but somewhat interchangable) backup musicians, They Might Be Giants satisfy their crowds by both playing all or most of their hits, and by just making shit up on stage.

Severe Tire Damage is They Might Be Giants' first live album, and it's about time they had one. Of course, the record doesn't quite capture the thrill of being at the show, but the band's charisma is fully intact. Johns Flansburgh and Linnell plow through greats like "Birdhouse In Your Soul," "Ana Ng," "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," "Particle Man" and "Why Does The Sun Shine" with pride and confidence. They also manage to squeeze in their brilliant live-only cut "They Got Lost."

Severe Tire Damage also includes three new studio tracks: "Doctor Worm" is standard fare for the band-- its marching chorus is simple but clever and the horn section's also a nice touch. "Severe Tire Damage Theme" is a bizarre 40- second- long instrumental that sounds like the soundtrack to an old German variety show. "About Me" is an extremely short number that could pass for a companion to Miscellaneous T's "I'll Sink Manhattan"-- it's dark and gloomy, but with a tinge of triumph.

The record's one truly strange feature is its series of improvised bonus tracks (all shoddily recorded) that are based on those benchmarks of American cinema, the "Planet of the Apes" films. Yeah, we knew Charlton Heston and the gang shot some pretty groovy reels, but is this really necessary? The songs are mildly entertaining, though, which counts for something.

Anyway, you're probably gonna wanna be familiar with They Might Be Giants' back catalog before rushing out and picking up Severe Tire Damage, because while the live versions of these classics are fun to listen to, they're not as good as the originals. If you're looking for a good introduction to the band, pick up their first two records or wait for the inevitable greatest hits compilation.

-Ryan Schreiber