If Only Worms Had Ears (A Worm's Life - The Crash Test Dummies)

Member Name: Mask_and_Mirror

Product:	A Worm's Life - The Crash Test Dummies
Date:	11/08/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Totally Unique Musically, Vocally and Lyrically. Philosophical, fun and awesome.

Disadvantages: Doesn't live up to GSHF, sometimes self-conciously so.

This was actually the first CD I ever bought! Having borrowed 'God Shuffled His Feet' from my father and loved it, I decided to buy all of the albums of the Crash Test Dummies for myself, starting with this one, and I have never looked back! (Until just then when I reminisced about it for your benefit!)
I was fairly young at the time, and it's true that the Dummies have a certain novelty appeal, but since then my appreciation of their work has only increased. Brad Robert's clever, humorous and philosophical lyrics are blended with his incredible, deep voice to produce a totally unique sound.

Anyway, having bought this album (and having it copied onto a tape for me by my dad so I could listen to it on my old radio! *nostalgia*) I knew immediately that, as one might expect from a follow up to a great album (GSHF) it does remain a little in its shadow. It's great in its own right, but you can really sense the pressure the band was under to recreate the masterpiece that preceded it (perhaps part of the reason that their next album, Give Yourself a Hand, was so enormously different from their previous work).

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Song By Song review:

+Overachievers+
Structurally, this is very similar to the Dummies' well known hit 'Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm'. It's a strange sounding song, starting with a croaky sample of a launch countdown. The tune is very unusual too, a little rockier than their other tracks, but it's definitely grown on me over the years.

+He Liked to Feel it+
This was the lead single from the album, and despite the odd theme (a boy who enjoys pulling his own teeth out) is a little more mainstream in instrumentation and tune than their others. It's an entertaining track, with Robert's voice and lyrics the stars of the show as always.

+A Worm's Life+
The title track, and probably my least favourite song on the album. Roberts' interpretation of the point of view of a worm is as thoughtful and creative as ever. It's a slow song with a weird, almost nautious tune and a laid-back attitude.

+Our Driver Gestures+
This is where the album really gets going for me, and personally I would have chosen this as a single over 'He Liked to Feel it'. It's a lovely, clever narrative about international coach tours with a great tune and a catchy, lively instrumentation; one of my favourites on the album.

+My Enemies+
Another fairly rocky track. It's lyrically one of Roberts' weaker songs, but it's entertaining and fun to listen to.

+There Are Many Dangers+
This is an interesting one. It's a serious sounding, very slow paced song with a sparse electronic arrangement, discussing everyday dangers in seemingly innocuous objects.

+I'm Outlived By That Thing?+
A really classic CTD style track, fun lyrics and a great tune.

+All of This Ugly+
Another nice, quintessentially CTD track, perhaps a bit too close to the previous one in track order.

+An Old Scab+
An introspective song about the difficulties of songwriting. Particularly apt here, I think, with Roberts trying to live up to the success of GSHF.

+My Own Sunrise+
I don't really want to say what this song is about! Another single, but I'm not keen on it's cloying lasciviousness.

+I'm a Dog+
My favourite track on this album, philosophical and cool. Some of the best lyrics Roberts ever wrote, and as good as anything on GSHF.

+Swatting Flies+
A beautiful, nostalgic piece to end with. Really lovely acoustic sound. Fits well with 'An Old Scab'.

Summary: Doesn't live up to GSHF, but doesn't need to.