Crash Test Dummies
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
folk/rock, mainstream pop
Status:
Most recent release, Demo-litions: Cast-off Recordings 1996–97 (compilation, 2011); most recent release of new material, Oooh La La! (2010)
See also:
The Official Crash Test Dummies site
Comparisons:
Spirit of the West meet Leonard Cohen
Covers/own material:
Mostly own, but frequent covers
General comments:
Brad Robert's voice is gruff and appealing. Their songs are catchy and folky! (jmgurley@drizzle.com)I like their first album, though I have heard so much of them on the radio that they were pretty much spoiled for me, and I haven't been able to drum up any enthusiasm for their later albums. The lead singer, Brad Roberts, has a very deep voice. Some people don't like it, but I've liked it from the first song of his I heard. My favourite of the two discs I have is The Ghosts That Haunt Me, but the one that has been quite a big hit in the States, is God Shuffled His Feet.
I would call their music folk rock. Their lyrics are quite witty, with the possible exception of their big hit, "Mmm Mmm Mmm" which is mostly just cryptic. (Neile)
Comments about live performance:
They are energetic and entertaining live, and the live sound is almost exactly like their studio versions. (Neile)I recently saw Crash Test Dummies and they were great fun. If you like their new CD, don't miss them. (5/99, drewh@bitwise.com)
Recommended first album:
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Recordings include:
- The Ghosts That Haunt Me (1991)
- God Shuffled His Feet (1993)
- A Worm's Life (1996)
- Give Yourself A Hand (1999)
- I Don't Care That You Don't Mind (2001)
- Crash Test Dude (as Brad Roberts, 2001)
- Jingle All The Way (seasonal, 2002)
- Puss 'N' Boots (2003)
- Songs Of The Unforgiven (2004)
- Oooh La La! (2010)
- Demo-litions: Cast-off Recordings 1996-97 (compilation, 2011)
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Release info:
1991—Arista Canada—ARCD-8677
Availability:
Wide in U.S. and Canada
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for folk/rock fans
Group members:
Brad Robert—vocals, electric and acoustic guitar
Ellen Reid—vocals, keyboards, accordion, penny whistle
Benjamin Darvill—harmonica, mandolin
Dan Roberts—bass
Produced by:
Steve Berlin
Comments:
My favourite of their discs (I've only heard the first three and a single from the fourth, though). I can still remember how much I loved this disc when I first got it, and while in some ways I don't really care for it that much now as my tastes have changed some, it's the kind of disc that when I play it, it brings back how much I enjoyed it. I still like Brad Robert's voice and his combination of witty/depressing/fun songs. His Superman dirge on this album is a classic. (Neile)
God Shuffled His Feet
Release info:
1993—BMG (Canada), Arista (U.S.)—74321-16532-2 (Arista)
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended only if you're not utterly sick of "Mmm Mmm Mmm"
Group members:
Brad Robert—lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, piano
Ellen Reid—back-up vocals, piano, keyboards, accordion
Benjamin Darvill—mandolin, harmonica
Dan Roberts—bass guitars, synth bass
Michael Dorge—drums, percussion
Guest artists:
Larry Beers—drums on 3 tracks
Adrian Belew—synthesized guitars on one track
Kerry Nationa—back-up vocals on one song
Produced by:
Jerry Harrison and Crash Test Dummies
Comments:
Ok, it's overplayed (and we heard it on Muzak at the Chinese restaurant in DC last night—isn't that a scary thought?), but that guy's voice still makes me shiver. (neal)Not as infectiously fun as their first album, but still infectiously fun. Brad Roberts has got to have the lowest lead vocal outside of the death-metal genre, and the oddest vocals. Who *can't* love a song about "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"? One thing's for sure, they ain't no dummies. (dixon@physics.Berkeley.EDU)
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