Rating: *** (3 out of 4)

Availability:Widely Available

It's difficult to describe the music of the Crash Test Dummies. They're not quite folk, but they're not quite rock, and they're not all that close to grunge, but you can hear some elements of it in their music. So, does that make the folk/grunge/rock? And if so, isn't that a pretty narrow category?

Crash Test Dummies is the type of band that the phrase "alternative" was coined for. Their music is difficult to encapsulate. They use rock and rockabilly rhythms with folk fiddle and rock drums, but they're not above tossing in a little bit of classical. The result is probably one of the most interesting sounds in music.

God Shuffled His Feetis a very interesting piece in itself, ranging from slow ballads such as the title track and the smash hit "MMM MMM MMM MMM" to fast reels like "Afternoons and Coffeespoons." The music itself is well-constructed. Country fiddles line the Prufrockian "Afternoons and Coffeespoons," adding a fast jig feel to an otherwise dark and ominous song. Classical piano and violin lays down a thin line for the strong bass of Brad Roberts' voice in "In the Days of the Caveman."

In addition to the instrumental adeptness of the album, there's some fantastic lyrical work, all by Roberts. The two primary themes of God Shuffled His Feet are a questioning of God and man's purposes and a doubtfulness in the idea of continued survival, as the lyrics in many songs paint a picture of a life cut short by disease. In "Afternoons and Coffeespons," Brad Roberts declares "I've heard the rattle in my bronchi," while in "Here I Stand Before Me" he says "My vital organs just churn away inside me / Some day they're going to stop this motion / And I'll be left with...." In "Swimming In Your Ocean," Roberts sings "Sometimes I suffer from distractions like / Why does God cause things like tornadoes and train wrecks?" And one of my personal favorites is "How Does a Duck Know?" in which Roberts says "When everything seems planned out / When everything seems nicely planned out / Well the human race will come and smack your face."

Crash Test Dummies is an excellent band with an excellent sound, but they still need a little bit more variety in their sound. They alternate fast and slow, but they don't quite have a sense of balance. The album feels heavy at some times, while other times it seems to speed by before you can even get into the swing of it. On the whole, God Shuffled His Feet is a good album, but it's a little off-balance.

The opinions expressed in the above reviews are those of Glen Williams and may not represent the views of slac.com or any of its members. Compliments, complaints, and comments should be addressed to gandalf@tricon.net

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