CRASH TEST DUMMIES
THE BEST OF''
OCTOBER 1 2007
43:24
1 Superman's Song 4:32
2 MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM 3:55
3 The Ghosts That Haunt Me 3:46
4 Afternoons and Coffeespoons 3:57
5 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead 3:46
6 He Liked to Feel It 3:56
7 Flying Feeling 3:24
8 Every Morning 2:51
9 Keep a Lid on Things Crash Test Dummies 2:46
10 The Day We Never Met /4:23
REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
Amiable and eclectic Canadian alternative rock ensemble Crash Test Dummies enjoyed a nice, even-handed dose of moderate success after the release of their warm, wry 1991 collegiate folk-pop debut Ghosts That Haunt Me. Led by the impossibly low baritone of singer/songwriter Brad Roberts, the Dummies were as polarizing as they were congenial, which made it even more surprising when the first single off of their 1993 follow-up became an international hit. "MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM," with its wordless chorus, Tim Burton-esque lyrics, and surreal video, all of which made it an unlikely candidate for the Billboard Hot 100, but it pushed the album God Shuffled His Feet to number nine on the U.S. charts and number nine in the U.K.. Later albums like Worm's Life, Give Yourself a Hand, I Don't Care That You Don't Mind and Puss 'n' Boots flirted with electronica and even rap, falling victim to their own whimsy and subsequently losing the band's middle of the road fan base that came into the fold in the early '90s, but 2004's dark and largely acoustic Songs of the Unforgiven proved a strong return to form. Best of Crash Test Dummies touches on all of these albums, grabbing the strongest cuts (many of which were initially buried amongst more cringe-inducing moments) and bringing them front and center. Songs like "Unforgiven Ones," "Ghosts That Haunt Me," the still heartbreaking "Superman Song" and even the one-off cover of XTC's "Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" (recorded when the original was only a year old), and the oddball faux-neo-soul of "Keep a Lid on Things" are oddly infectious, though just as divisive now as they were in their heyday.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With their clever lyrics and folk-tinged melodies, the Crash Test Dummies were a perfect rock band for affluent '90s college students and yuppies. Their first album was a multi-platinum hit in their native Canada, but only gained a small cult following in other parts of the world. Thanks to former Talking Head Jerry Harrison's clean, radio-friendly production, the follow-up album, God Shuffled His Feet (1993), broke big in the States and, in turn, Europe. The first single from the record, "MMM MMM MMM MMM," became a worldwide Top Ten hit, making the group a minor sensation with their self-consciously bizarre lyrics and singer/songwriter Brad Roberts' deep baritone. A Worm's Life followed in 1996, and three years later the Crash Test Dummies returned with Give Yourself a Hand, which found Roberts sharing vocal duties with bandmate Ellen Reid.
Frontman Brad Roberts resurfaced in fall 2000 with a solo album, Crash Test Dude, a collection of acoustic hits from the Crash Test Dummies and eclectic covers. It was also during this time that Roberts suffered a serious car crash, almost losing his arm. Seven months later, however, he returned to the Crash Test Dummies circuit to issue I Don't Care That You Don't Mind, a brand-new batch of songs written with lobster fishermen/musicians whom Roberts met during his rehabilitation. Late 2001 and early 2002 saw more solo albums from the band's members (Ellen Reid's Cinderellen and Mitch Dorge's As Trees Walking), and the Dummies gradually became more Brad Roberts' project than a traditional band. A new three-piece unit consisting of Reid, Brad Roberts and original bassist Dan Roberts released the Christmas album Jingle All the Way in late 2002, but limited distribution made the album hard to find. The album was reissued in late 2003 along with a new album, Puss 'n' Boots, with Reid and Dan Roberts adding to what was originally planned as a Brad Roberts solo album. The trio embraced a more stripped-down acoustic sound on their next album, 2004's Songs of the Unforgiven, while 2010's Ooh La La proved to be more symphonic.
THE BEST OF''
OCTOBER 1 2007
43:24
1 Superman's Song 4:32
2 MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM 3:55
3 The Ghosts That Haunt Me 3:46
4 Afternoons and Coffeespoons 3:57
5 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead 3:46
6 He Liked to Feel It 3:56
7 Flying Feeling 3:24
8 Every Morning 2:51
9 Keep a Lid on Things Crash Test Dummies 2:46
10 The Day We Never Met /4:23
REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
Amiable and eclectic Canadian alternative rock ensemble Crash Test Dummies enjoyed a nice, even-handed dose of moderate success after the release of their warm, wry 1991 collegiate folk-pop debut Ghosts That Haunt Me. Led by the impossibly low baritone of singer/songwriter Brad Roberts, the Dummies were as polarizing as they were congenial, which made it even more surprising when the first single off of their 1993 follow-up became an international hit. "MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM," with its wordless chorus, Tim Burton-esque lyrics, and surreal video, all of which made it an unlikely candidate for the Billboard Hot 100, but it pushed the album God Shuffled His Feet to number nine on the U.S. charts and number nine in the U.K.. Later albums like Worm's Life, Give Yourself a Hand, I Don't Care That You Don't Mind and Puss 'n' Boots flirted with electronica and even rap, falling victim to their own whimsy and subsequently losing the band's middle of the road fan base that came into the fold in the early '90s, but 2004's dark and largely acoustic Songs of the Unforgiven proved a strong return to form. Best of Crash Test Dummies touches on all of these albums, grabbing the strongest cuts (many of which were initially buried amongst more cringe-inducing moments) and bringing them front and center. Songs like "Unforgiven Ones," "Ghosts That Haunt Me," the still heartbreaking "Superman Song" and even the one-off cover of XTC's "Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" (recorded when the original was only a year old), and the oddball faux-neo-soul of "Keep a Lid on Things" are oddly infectious, though just as divisive now as they were in their heyday.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With their clever lyrics and folk-tinged melodies, the Crash Test Dummies were a perfect rock band for affluent '90s college students and yuppies. Their first album was a multi-platinum hit in their native Canada, but only gained a small cult following in other parts of the world. Thanks to former Talking Head Jerry Harrison's clean, radio-friendly production, the follow-up album, God Shuffled His Feet (1993), broke big in the States and, in turn, Europe. The first single from the record, "MMM MMM MMM MMM," became a worldwide Top Ten hit, making the group a minor sensation with their self-consciously bizarre lyrics and singer/songwriter Brad Roberts' deep baritone. A Worm's Life followed in 1996, and three years later the Crash Test Dummies returned with Give Yourself a Hand, which found Roberts sharing vocal duties with bandmate Ellen Reid.
Frontman Brad Roberts resurfaced in fall 2000 with a solo album, Crash Test Dude, a collection of acoustic hits from the Crash Test Dummies and eclectic covers. It was also during this time that Roberts suffered a serious car crash, almost losing his arm. Seven months later, however, he returned to the Crash Test Dummies circuit to issue I Don't Care That You Don't Mind, a brand-new batch of songs written with lobster fishermen/musicians whom Roberts met during his rehabilitation. Late 2001 and early 2002 saw more solo albums from the band's members (Ellen Reid's Cinderellen and Mitch Dorge's As Trees Walking), and the Dummies gradually became more Brad Roberts' project than a traditional band. A new three-piece unit consisting of Reid, Brad Roberts and original bassist Dan Roberts released the Christmas album Jingle All the Way in late 2002, but limited distribution made the album hard to find. The album was reissued in late 2003 along with a new album, Puss 'n' Boots, with Reid and Dan Roberts adding to what was originally planned as a Brad Roberts solo album. The trio embraced a more stripped-down acoustic sound on their next album, 2004's Songs of the Unforgiven, while 2010's Ooh La La proved to be more symphonic.
