Review: Crash Test Dummies - Ooh La La!

Crash Test Dummies - Ooh La La!
2010, Deep Fried Records

It’s 1989 in a Country and Western bar in Manitoba. It’s here that the seeds of Crash Test Dummies were born. Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Benjamin Darvil, Dan Roberts and Mitch Dorge came together to form one of the most successful Canadian bands of the 1990’s. The musicianship of the band was always top notch, but it’s the distinctive voice of Brad Roberts that has been the calling card of Crash Test Dummies over the years. Darvil, Dorge and Roberts have all moved in and out of the regular lineup in recent years, but Roberts’ distinctive voice and songwriting style continues to drive the band. On May 11, 2010, Crash Test Dummies return with their first album of new material since 2004. Ooh La La! marks a major departure for Crash Test Dummies, with Brad Roberts actually writing an album that sounds happy.

Ooh La La! opens with “Songbird”, a highly orchestrated game of word or phrase association. The arrangement here is gorgeous, and Roberts delivers it in that unforgettable voice of his. “You Said You’d Meet Me (In California)” is and mooning and oddly psychedelic song that’s essentially happy in tone. The instrumentation here is mildly discordant, reflecting perhaps a discomfort with the happiness that pervades the album or trouble beneath the surface. “And It’s Beautiful” extrapolates from love the beauty of the world and of the people in Roberts’ circle; a happy daydream with a melody that will stick around your head and set up camp. On “Paralyzed”, Roberts gets retrospective, covering the utter loss of self that can follow the end of a relationship. It’s a particularly poignant tune; with more brain and heart you’re likely to find in your average pop/rock tune.

One of the highlights of the album is “Not Today Baby”, a wonderful tune written from the perspective of the eternal bachelor. While the reality of love has softened the edges a bit, the essential craftiness and sexuality that has run through Roberts’ recent work is present in this delicious arrangement. In “Heart Of Stone”, the same eternal bachelor finally gets bitten by love. The song explores the dichotomy of wanting love and wishing he could block it out. Even as he utters the wish he knows it will never happen. “Heart Of Stone” jumps forward to offer the perspective of time and happiness, but that desire to wander never leaves even if he’ll never act on it. “What I’m Famous For” continues the Crash Test Dummies’ tradition of songs about individuals with a real dark side; squatter’s rights and an ill-defined threat spark this humorous alt-country-noir tune. Crash Test Dummies go big band on “Now You See Her”; a quirky little tune about an uncatchable girl. This is the most surprising entry on Ooh La La!, and perhaps one of the best. “Now You See Her” is wonderfully quirky, with a playful feel that is entirely charming. Ooh La La! bows with “Put A Face”, the lone lead vocal for the exquisite Ellen Reid. It’s an artist’s rumination on capturing moments, please or places in song. While this song is specific to music, it could apply to most any artist/media.

Over the years Crash Test Dummies have been prone to experimentation. Sometimes it’s gone well (Songs Of The Unforgiven); others have not been so well received (Give Yourself A Hand). This time out, Roberts and producer Stewart Lerman (Antony And The Johnsons, The Roches) played around with the Optigan (the 1970’s version of a digital sampler) in the process of writing the album. Brad Roberts as a happy and (essentially) well-adjusted person is going to surprise a lot of long-time Crash Test Dummies fans. Roberts hasn’t entirely lost his dark side, but Ooh La La! might be the brightest overall tone to a Crash Test Dummies record since The Ghosts That Haunt Me (1991). From a pure songwriting perspective, Ooh La La! doesn’t have the edge of prior material, but its solid-to-plus throughout with a couple of moments of brilliance thrown in along the way. Two songs could perhaps have been left on the floor, but Ooh La La! is a nice step back into the limelight for Crash Test Dummies.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Crash Test Dummies at http://www.crashtestdummies.com/. Ooh La La! drops on May 11, 2010. You can pre-order the CD from Amazon.com. Expect digital availability through all major outlets.

Review: Kevin Barker - You & Me

Kevin Barker - You & Me
2009, Gnomosong

Kevin Barker may be new to many, but he's been deep in the Indie music scene for some time now. A guitarist with the band Vetiver, Barker has also played/toured with Joanna Newsom, Devendra Barnhart, Antony And The Johnsons, The Espers and Vashti Bunyan. The Washington, D.C. native has been immersed in the Indie scene since his teens, and has covered all aspects of the music business (from playing to promotions to owning his own record label). Barker is also a filmmaker educated at Columbia University in New York City. Barker broke out on his own in January of 2010 with his debut solo album, You & Me. On his own, but not alone, Barker called on some of his close friends to make You & Me happen. Contributors include Pat Sansone (Wilco); Joanna Newsom, Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis); Eric Johnson (Shins, Fruit Bats) and Otto Hauser (Vetiver, Espers).

Barker opens with Little Picture Of You, an eccentric little Pop tune with a down-home feel that's relaxing for a change. You could almost picture Barker playing this sitting around on the back porch with some friends on a Saturday night. The guitar play does seem a little out of synch at times but it seems this is stylistic rather than inconsistent. Barker adopts a classic singer/songwriter style for You & Me, and the approach fares him moderately well. The song comes across bland, and Barker's energy level does little to break out of that shell. Mountain & Bear suffers from similar issues. Barker picks things up just a tad for Amber, getting more of a classic Americana/Country feel to the song. The energy level is still just a few notches above torpor, but Barker's voice and tuneful melodies will inspire you to keep listening and see if he can break through.

Listeners are at least partially rewarded on Walking Along. Barker shows a bit more commitment to this song, and the arrangement itself is charged with a bit more energy than the tracks that came before. Barker reminds me of Barenaked Ladies' Kevin Hearn because of the quirky nature of his songwriting, although Hearn, even at his quietest moments is always a ball of energy musically. My Lady finds Barker truly rounding into his own. The energy here is real, running through ever line and note of the song. It's also among the best songwriting on the album, as Barker's heartfelt lyrics ring true. Barker closes quickly on Bless You On Your Way, a gorgeously constructed and orchestrated tune full of symbolism and nuance.

You & Me is a solid effort, with Kevin Barker comporting himself very well. The album has its ups and downs, but Bless You On Your Way would make almost anything worth listening to. Barker has a sublime sense of melody and a quirky, not-according-to-Hoyle songwriting style that catches your attention, but at times the energy level that comes through on You & Me kills the individual songs before they even get started. When Barker is on his game, the results are wonderful. As it is, You & Me is solid, off-the-beaten path singer/songwriter fare that will at least have some nuggets worth checking out for most listeners.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kevin Barker at www.myspace.com/krkbarker. You can purchase You & Me as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.