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 Not what you are going to expect... Jul 11, 2009
After the popularity of "God Shuffled His Feet", people may have an idea of what earlier music sounded like by the band. Well, this, their first effort, is not like their second album at all, not really. The wry wit, interesting stories and subjects, and impeccible musicianship is all there, of course, but the music is very different, very much more organic. It takes more than one listen to appreciate what is happening here.
How good is it? That depends upon your taste in music, how broad your net casts when listening to different types and styles of music. While it is a well crafted album, it is not for everyone. If you can listen to portions of songs, I would recommend that as a way to get a sense of what this album is about, how it sounds.
I credit the label for moving forward with this band because they really are worth the price of admission.
 Oddly intriguing Mar 08, 2008
It's hard to believe I've owned this CD for 17 years! It's one of those things that you put away for a while because you're either sick of it or it gets shuffled to the back of a pile and then you rediscover it and give it some more resurrected play time which it rightly deserves.
This is a unique band with an original sound. They blend strange harmonies to violin, mandolin, keyboard and electric guitar. Dan Roberts sings in a deep bass voice to songs written with witticism and charm. They fit no category except for their own; not country, blue grass, Irish, or R&B. So if you file it under "other," you will still find yourself pulling it out and playing it over the years. It's a great disc!
You gotta be kidding me! Nov 16, 2007
That's all I can say to people who listen to this album and consider it uninteresting, average, or say that it only has one good song on it...that's nuts!
This is one of if not the best acoustic album to come out of the early nineties - which was especially important in the face of the myriad of highly touted but completely unimaginative "unplugged" schlock rock here are my songs on acoustic guitar while I sit in a rocking chair drivel.
The first time I heard Brad sing it was like a stunning jarring smack in the ear that blew the grunge laden landscape clear...I didn't like it...it was almost abrasive in it purity - low baritone vocals, clean simple all acoustic instrumentation, little or no "production" - it was actual people playing actual music that didn't hide behind distortion, whining, screaming, growling or walls of drop D guitars. It was clear and it was compelling.
It took a few listens for me to get to a place where I could consider it enjoyable, but once I did these songs became so evocative, they bring back so many memories of places and events going on in my life at the time I first listened to it like any great album...but then they suggest and bring you into a different reality - created from amazing lyrical content, tone and mood.
There are, I believe, great albums - usually one per band - the album that makes you understand what the purpose of that band was and what their legacy will be. Even if you're not a "fan" you can listen to Led Zeppelin Four, Pearl Jam's Ten, The Beatles' White Album, Billy Joel's The Stranger, Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic, Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True, Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime, Stevie Wonder's Songs In the key of life, The Clash [self titled debut] to name a few and realize that even though the artist may go on to greater fame and commercial success, you're listening to what makes them who they are in the most essential sense. You listen to these albums and begin to regard them as more definitive than any greatest hits collection by virtue of their seminal purity.
This is another one of those albums: Winter Song brings pop-folk tonality to an exuberant yet melancholy remembrance - subtle hints of sea chanty contrast the memorable melody and lyrics full of imagery that brings to mind a cold day in a village in Nova Scotia
Coming Back Soon - is a joyous hook laden sing-along full of honesty and longing.
Superman's Song is commonly held to be the best song of the album (I disagree) but it brings amazing insight into personalities and interactions by using fictional characters - it's a very somber song - but very moving.
The Country Life - a very happy tune - makes one long for pure simple living in much the way earlier artists like John Denver could, drawing on imagery from nature and the peacefulness of a pastoral setting.
Here on earth is one of the most unique moments stylistically melding up-tempo swinging jazz feel intermixed with Celtic reel penny whistle melody lines
The ghosts that haunt me - starts somber and a little gloomy but quickly picks up into a toe tapping little number that almost masks the sincerity of the lyrical content regarding finding solace in another
Thick necked man - is a very fun romp with a Celtic flavor to spare commenting on the nature and facets of various ideals of masculinity.
Androgynous takes second place in the most unique competition for this album - sheerly based on lyrical content - blue grassy and soulful - and weird, great bridge though.
The voyage is a road/travel song for the back pack set...
Full of adventure, chordal diversity, melody and imagery...it's delightful.
At my funeral returns to the Cohenesque dreariness of Superman's song - there's nothing wrong with it...it just likes to linger in the morose.
Lyrically and musically this is a slice of musical heaven and history - I believe in time it will become far more appreciated than it is at this point but I think it's splendid! It takes the listener to so many places we haven't been to before, and although it's difficult to imagine all of these things working together - it is an amazingly unified work.
GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!!!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Why Tarzan? Sep 11, 2007
I like "Superman's Song." It's a touching tribute to the Last Son of Krypton and the World's Greatest Hero, but why is Tarzan treated so poorly? John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, is truly getting the short end of the Crash Test Dummies' stick here. Tarzan was not illiterate, lazy, or poor with women. Have you ever seen Jane Porter? 38-24-36 according to P.J. Farmer's seminal "Tarzan Alive." The Lord of the Apes is one of fiction's greatest heroes, but sadly, his legacy is pervaded by the string of monosyllabic portrayals in film. And, it appears that CTD fell victim to that, as well. Hey, guys, pick up "Tarzan of the Apes" by E.R. Burroughs and learn a little. But, hey, "Superman's Song" is still a great song.
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
What makes them interesting also, ironically, hurts them Dec 25, 2006
The Crash Test Dummies are a band with a serious baritone voice (Brad Roberts). I mean his voice is really, really low! They are distinguishable since you just do not hear this type of sound a lot. The voice is backed by a fully, accoustic group. The musical accompaniment does not provided enough dynamics to simply deal with the voice. Hence, many of the songs sound similar.
"Winter Song" is tbe best tune because the band uses harmonizing. The song has nice chord changes and is a well written song.
"Coming Back Soon" is also good and it is the most uptempo song.
I do not know if I like "Superman's Song" because of it's novelty or because it is a good song. The song is a dead serious story about personal issues of Superman set to a drop dead harmony (What if Nick Drake sung a song about the Incredible Hulk? Now you get the idea.)
"Thick Necked Man" has a 17th-18th century vibe to it, it's an enjoyable song but bands like Steeleye Span/Jethro Tull do that kind of stuff better.
I bought this when it first came out but I have not listened to it in a decade. I cannot recommend this for the casual listener. You would be better off getting one of the "Mountain Stages" compilations with a live version of "Superman's song" and you will have all the Crash Test Dummies you will ever need.
I am not saying that this is bad. It is quality art. It's just that the songs sound the same and it is easy to tire of the cd
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