Band : Crash Test Dummies
Album title : Oooh La La!
Label : Deep Fried Records – Ear Music
Distribution : V2 Records
Release date : 31/05/2010
Review : CD

Crash Test Dummies are a folk rock band from Winnipeg, Canada, that you’ll probably remember from the smash hit single “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” from 1993. The Canadians are already busy for twenty years, but after the album “Songs Of The Unforgiven” (2004), there was a five-year hiatus during which most members were busy with solo efforts and exploring other perspectives of life.

And now, all of a sudden, there is the eight studio album, “Oooh La La!”. The album was mainly created by singer Brad Roberts and producer Stewart Lerman, making use of toy instruments of the 70’s like for instance the Optigan and the Omnichord. Sounds a bit strange and it’s a sure thing that “Oooh La La!” stands far away from an album like “God Shuffled His Feet” (1993), which sold more than five and a half million copies worldwide. Of course, there still is that characteristic baritone voice from Brad Roberts, but the quality of the songs is lacking.

Besides a song like “You Said You’d Meet Me (In California)”, that was already featured on the compilation album “Best Of Crash Test Dummies - Collections” from 2008, the rest of the stuff is boring and doesn’t justify a glamourous comeback of Crash Test Dummies.

45/100

Erik.