The Single For "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" Is Not Worth Hunting Down.

The Good: Three wonderful, quirky songs, Great collectible value
The Bad: SHORT, Vastly overpriced, nothing unique
The Basics: Very limited, both in content and in production, the three-track single of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is valuable more as a collectible than a musical collection.


The expense of virtually everything I review comes into play when I review items, so it seems strange sometimes how little the value of music is considered in most reviews of the subject. But, just as I tend not to recommend a collectible toy that I believe is overpriced, I refuse to recommend overpriced music, even when the recording has songs I enjoy. More often than not, I find that comes in the form of c.d. singles, which oftentimes make terrible use of the c.d. medium, but have great collectible value. Discovering, for example, that the Crash Test Dummies single for "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" sells for over a hundred dollars has to make one wonder if it is truly worth it.

It is not. The single for "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" includes the title track and another song from God Shuffled His Feet (reviewed here!). The maxi single also includes "Superman's Song," which was on at least one other common-release Crash Test Dummies album. All three tracks are the studio, album-released cuts of each song, so listeners can get a whole lot more on two albums than they can on this one c.d. single.

With only three songs occupying around fifteen minutes, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is very much the work of the band the Crash Test Dummies, a quirky Canadian band that reached its greatest U.S. chart success with their song "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm." The band is a Canadian pop-rock band who made pretty mellow, quirky music.

The Crash Test Dummies have a unique sound which blends the guitar, bass and keyboard with more eclectic instruments like the mandolin. The percussion is fairly light, but noticeable. All three songs are light pop ballads which have a folk sensibility for the lyrics as the band sings musical storysongs.

Vocally, the Crash Test Dummies are led by the overpowering, bass vocals of lead singer Brad Roberts. Roberts has a voice that is deep and gravely, the result of his respiratory problems. Still, he sings melodically and the highlight of these three songs is the clarity of his vocals which easily convey the lyrics. He harmonizes perfectly with the bass and keyboard on songs like "How Does A Duck Know?"

As for the lyrics, the three-track "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is a collection of three weird storysongs and musical musings. After all, it is uncommon for a pop-rock song to ask "How does a duck know what direction south is / And how to tell his wife from all the other ducks" ("How Does A Duck Know?") and the Crash Test Dummies sing such songs with a sense of humor and irony to them. The uniqueness of the band cannot be understated; "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" was made famous, in part, by the eclectic stories of child abuse, accidents and their effects and weird children and how they act.

But those who have only heard "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" or "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" (the other radio hit for the Crash Test Dummies) are likely to find the song that is not on God Shuffled His Feet equally fun. The comparison between Tarzan and Superman in "Superman's Song" is weird, like the stories in "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm." With lines like "Hey Bob, Supe had a straight job / Even though he could have smashed through any bank / In the United States, he had the strength, but he would not / Folks said his family were all dead / Their planet crumbled but Superman, he forced himself / To carry on, forget Krypton, and keep going / Tarzan was king of the jungle and Lord over all the apes / But he could hardly string together four words: 'I Tarzan, You Jane'" ("Superman's Song") Crash Test Dummies create an ironic and fun song that might sound like traditional pop-rock in its instrumentation, but is anything but from its lyrics.

But ultimately, the problem with the maxi single for "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is not the music that is on it, it is the fact that the music is easily available elsewhere for far less money. Fans would do well to not pick this up; though those who have it might well be sitting on a decent investment, but those who just want good music will find it less expensive elsewhere, especially as digital music makes these songs easily available on the cheap.

For other, original groups, check out my reviews of:
Then: the Early Years - They Might Be Giants
Opiate - Tool
Twisted - Del Amitri

3.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Enduring Fun Of "God Shuffled His Feet" By Crash Test Dummies!

The Good: Fun lyrics, impressive voice!
The Bad: Generally fluffy, not terribly serious
The Basics: a pleasant surprise of enduring entertainment value! A FUN work. Rounds out a serious collection very well for better days!

Every once in a while a musical album comes along that is humorous and just plain entertaining. The vast majority of them fade quickly because the initial shock or pleasant nature of the work degrades upon multiple listens and you end up taking the album to the nearest shop that takes used tapes and c.d.s. God Shuffled His Feet is an eclectic work that goes against the nature of something that is simple entertainment. That is to say that the album has catchy tunes, but there's something more to it, something that endures over years.

Back in 1993, many radio stations played the hugely original "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" which had a sound outside the mainstream and a storytelling ability on par with most folk singers. But it was released at the perfect time, a socially responsible song about the freaks we all dismiss, it was genius. A few radio stations actually followed up with the satirical, literary allusion packed "Afternoons & Coffeespoons." These two tracks are some of the best on the album but they are representative of the nature of the work - it is not mainstream. Thankfully.

Opening with the downright funny God Shuffled His Feet the band lets their audience know they're in for something special. After years and many many listens, the enduring originality and quality of these songs endures. Brad Roberts is, if not an excellent writer, an interesting one and his trademark deep voice fills the vocals with the body that the lyrics sometimes lack.

It's one thing to say a piece is fluff or entertainment and while God Shuffled His Feet is the latter, it is not the former. Brad brings insight in the magnificent "I Think I'll Disappear Now" and plays upon the pretention of artists with a catchy tune in "When I Go Out With Artists."

However, it's not the entertainment value and lack of serious demeanor in the majority of the tracks that prevents God Shuffled His Feet from being a perfect album. While the album is short enough as it is, the Crash Test Dummies didn't quit while they were ahead. "The Psychic" expertly ends the album, it is the perfect denouement for the bizarre, fun, and brilliant songs that precede it. And yet, "The Psychic" is followed by the narrative "Two Knights and Maidens" and "Untitled." They feel added. They seem unnecessary. That's not to say that the instrumental and the final tale of lust aren't good songs. They're just placed wrong and would have served better earlier on the album or on a different album altogether.

God Shuffled His Feet is easily shelved for a few years, but you'll find yourself recalling a tune and you'll pull it back out and love it again (and find yourself listening to it more again!) because it isn't just fluff even though it is fun. The best track on every level is "I Think I'll Disappear Now" and the weak link is "Two Knights and Maidens"

8/10

For other music reviews of mine, please check out my index page!

© 2001, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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