Thursday, September 16, 2004
Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet
I'm a dirty great stopout, you know. Stayed over at a friend's last night, following a supposed "lads' night out". Except you could tell that we weren't real lads any more : 1) too many couldn't make it because their wives wouldn't let them, 2) the food was pizza, but Pizza Express own brand and 3) real lads wouldn't know where the apostrophe should go. It was most fun, but it meant that the latest review comes a day late as the second half was only listened to this evening.
This was one of those albums that everyone at university seemed to own; I suppose it was only a matter of time before I picked up a copy, too. You might know one of the tracks: the impossibly-titled "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm", with its tales of three rather unfortunate children. (Although a parody version by another uni favourite - 'Weird Al' Yankovic - was possibly more famed when I was studying.) But the rest you're unlikely to have heard in the UK - unless you were one of those album-owning students, of course.
The songs are generally reflective, but not on the usual subjects of love 'n' lust. These concentrate on life, where we came from, and where we're headed. Lead vocalist Brad Roberts bellows his way through tracks such as "Afternoons & Coffeespoons", an anthem to growing old gracefully, and "Here I Stand Before Me", which seems to be all about going to the doctors. Perhaps 'bellows' wasn't quite the best word, but it's hard to sum up Brad's voice - deep, resonant and rubbery.
The wry writings find themselves against a firm band backing, with piano and female backups in prime places. It fits the themes well - jaunty and serious at the same time. You even get a final piano solo, aptly named 'Untitled', although I'm not sure why. Still, it rounded off proceedings well, and when journeying home after a delicate day, I wasn't complaining.
I have a feeling that this album is passing its time for me, though. The more I tried to get out of the songs, the more I found the sentiments a tad cloying, and the introspection a little more detailed than necessary. Or perhaps I'm getting too old for quintessential student listening.
This was one of those albums that everyone at university seemed to own; I suppose it was only a matter of time before I picked up a copy, too. You might know one of the tracks: the impossibly-titled "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm", with its tales of three rather unfortunate children. (Although a parody version by another uni favourite - 'Weird Al' Yankovic - was possibly more famed when I was studying.) But the rest you're unlikely to have heard in the UK - unless you were one of those album-owning students, of course.
The songs are generally reflective, but not on the usual subjects of love 'n' lust. These concentrate on life, where we came from, and where we're headed. Lead vocalist Brad Roberts bellows his way through tracks such as "Afternoons & Coffeespoons", an anthem to growing old gracefully, and "Here I Stand Before Me", which seems to be all about going to the doctors. Perhaps 'bellows' wasn't quite the best word, but it's hard to sum up Brad's voice - deep, resonant and rubbery.
The wry writings find themselves against a firm band backing, with piano and female backups in prime places. It fits the themes well - jaunty and serious at the same time. You even get a final piano solo, aptly named 'Untitled', although I'm not sure why. Still, it rounded off proceedings well, and when journeying home after a delicate day, I wasn't complaining.
I have a feeling that this album is passing its time for me, though. The more I tried to get out of the songs, the more I found the sentiments a tad cloying, and the introspection a little more detailed than necessary. Or perhaps I'm getting too old for quintessential student listening.
# posted by Sam : 19:47
