View source for Oooh La La! (Crash Test Dummies album)

{{For|other albums|Ooh La La (disambiguation){{!}}Ooh La La}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Oooh La La!
| type       = Album
| artist     = [[Crash Test Dummies]]
| cover      = CTDohhlala.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = May 11, 2010
| recorded   = Water Music, [[Hoboken, New Jersey]]
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[chamber pop]]|[[art pop]]|[[lounge music|lounge]]|[[electro-swing]]|[[swing revival]]}}
| length     = 36:33
| label      = {{hlist|Deep Fried Records|MRI Records}}
| producer   = [[Stewart Lerman]]
| prev_title = [[The Best of Crash Test Dummies]]
| prev_year  = 2007
| next_title = [[Demo-litions|Demo-litions: Cast-off Recordings 1996–97]]
| next_year  = 2011
| misc       = {{Singles
| name        = Oooh La La
| type        = [[Album]]
| single1     = [[And It's Beautiful]]
| single1date = April 2010 (promotional-only release)
| single2     = [[Now You See Her]]
| single2date = September 2010 (promotional-only release)
}}
}}
'''''Oooh La La!''''' is the ninth studio album by [[Crash Test Dummies]], released 11 May 2010 on Deep Fried Records, distributed by MRI Records.<ref name="PhillyistCTD">{{cite web
|url= http://phillyist.com/2010/05/11/phillyist_interviews_brad_roberts_o.php
|title= Phillyist Interviews... Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies
|year= 2010
|work= Phillyist
|access-date= 2010-05-12
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110715075425/http://phillyist.com/2010/05/11/phillyist_interviews_brad_roberts_o.php
|archive-date= 2011-07-15
|url-status= dead
}}</ref>  The songs on the album are inspired by the [[Optigan]] and [[Omnichord]] toy instruments.
==Background==
The seeds for Oooh La La! were first planted when Brad Roberts and producer Stewart Lerman ([[Antony & the Johnsons]], [[The Roches]]) became infatuated with vintage analog musical toys, particularly one manufactured by the [[Mattel]] company called the [[Optigan]] (an acronym for "optical organ"). Using celluloid discs, the Optigan projects the sounds of other instruments with different sets of keys triggering chords and individual notes. The discs, with names like "Nashville," "Swing It!" and "Guitar Boogie," rotate to produce different arrays of sounds. "Because we wrote using these discs, we were inspired to do things that we wouldn't have done," Roberts points out. "I don't write big band style, but all of a sudden I had this big band [on disc], so I'm writing in a genre that I normally wouldn't be writing in. I can't say enough about how great it is to write on these toys."<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.antimusic.com/news/10/april/22The_Crash_Test_Dummies_Return_With_New_Album_and_Tour.shtml
|title= The Crash Test Dummies Return With New Album and Tour
|year= 2010
|work= antiMusic.com
}}</ref>
==Release==
Brad Roberts originally stated that he planned to release the album as a digital-only release, since he couldn't afford the CD distribution costs (and he believed that CDs would be out of date by 2015).<ref name="CTDBlogLatestUpdate">{{cite web |first=Brad|last=Roberts |title=Latest Update |url=http://www.crashtestdummies.com/News/?p=16 |publisher=Crash Test Dummies Blog] |access-date=29 April 2010}}</ref> However, plans were later changed and Roberts signed a distribution deal with MRI Records, which distributed the album via Sony's [[RED Distribution]] division.<ref name="PhillyistCTD"/>
==Reception==
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Crash Test Dummies: ''Oooh La La'' > Review |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1783637|pure_url=yes}} |website=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref>
| rev2 = [[Blogcritics]]
| rev2Score = (Positive)<ref name="BC">{{cite magazine |first=Richard |last=Marcus |title=Music Review: Crash Test Dummies – ''Oooh La La!'' |url=http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-crash-test-dummies-oooh/ |magazine=[[Blogcritics]] |access-date=13 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514141752/http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-crash-test-dummies-oooh/ |archive-date=14 May 2010 }}</ref>
| rev3 = [[Consequence of Sound]]
| rev3Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="CoS">{{cite magazine |first=Matt |last=Melis |title=Album Review: Crash Test Dummies – Oooh La La |url=https://consequence.net/2010/05/album-review-crash-test-dummies-oooh-la-la/ |magazine=[[Consequence of Sound]] |access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]''
| rev4Score = (B)<ref name="DMN">{{cite news |first=Mario |last=Tarradell |title=CD review: Crash Test Dummies try a little retro electronica |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/mario-tarradell/20100510-CD-review-Crash-Test-Dummies-2202.ece |newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |access-date=10 May 2010}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Globe and Mail]]''
| rev5Score = {{rating|2.5|4}} <ref name="GM">{{cite news |first=Brad |last=Wheeler |title=Crash Test Dummies: ''Oooh la La'' > Review |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/crash-test-dummies/article4318454/ |newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]] |access-date=10 May 2010}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Metro International|Metro Canada]]''
| rev6Score = {{rating|2.5|5}} <ref name="MC">{{cite web|first=Graham |last=Rockingham |title=Crash Test Dummies sound confused on return |url=http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/entertainment/article/524635--crash-test-dummies-sound-confused-on-return |publisher=[[Metro International|Metro Canada]] |access-date=15 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521011753/http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/entertainment/article/524635--crash-test-dummies-sound-confused-on-return |archive-date=May 21, 2010 }}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Washington Post]]''
| rev7Score = (Positive) <ref name="WP">{{cite news |first=Catherine P.|last=Lewis |title=Album review: Crash Test Dummies' 'Oooh La La!' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/13/AR2010051301813.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=15 May 2010 | date=14 May 2010}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]''
| rev8Score = {{rating|3|5}} <ref name="WFP">{{cite news |first=Jill |last=Wilson |title=Crash Test Dummies / Oooh La-La! |url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/93839294.html |newspaper=[[Winnipeg Free Press]] |access-date=15 May 2010}}</ref>
}}
The album received mixed to positive reviews upon its release.  Matt Melis of [[Consequence of Sound]] gave the album 3½ out of 5 stars and commented on the extremely upbeat nature of the album stating that "it’s hard to believe this is the same man who wrote songs like ''At My Funeral'' and ''The Unforgiven Ones''".<ref name="CoS"/>   Mario Tarradell of ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'' gave the album a "B" and praised the album's use of toy instruments as ingenious.<ref name="DMN"/>  Brad Wheeler of ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' gave the album 2½ out of 4 stars describing the album as "all good fun, except for the skedaddling [[western swing|country-swing]] of ''What I’m Famous For'', where Roberts shows off the worst John Wayne imitation ever."<ref name="GM"/>  Catherine P. Lewis of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' says that "''Oooh La La!'' is not likely to add a second hit to the Dummies' legacy, but this quirky instrumentation certainly makes for a group that's enjoying itself."<ref name="WP"/>  Jill Wilson of the ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and says that while the use of the Optigan is as gimmicky as it sounds, "fans of the band's early work may appreciate its offbeat qualities, not to mention Roberts' knack for appealing melodies and the album's orchestral feel."  However, she also make a criticism that "Roberts too often pushes that mannered baritone of his into forced lows, as on the otherwise lovely '30s-tinged ''Not Today Baby'', which is reduced to novelty status by his vocal mugging"<ref name="WFP"/>
Graham Rockingham of ''[[Metro International|Metro Canada]]'' gave the album 2½ out of 5 stars and, while he appreciated gentle folk rockers like ''Songbird'', he states that "the project quickly goes off course as the Dummies try to adapt their trademark sound to something approaching retro riverboat cabaret."<ref name="MC"/>
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| collapsed       =
| headline        =
| all_writing     = [[Brad Roberts]] and [[Stewart Lerman]]
| all_lyrics      =
| all_music       =
| title1          = Songbird
| length1         = 3:45
| title2          = You Said You'd Meet Me (In California)
| length2         = 3:25
| note2           = Early version previously appeared as a bonus track on ''[[The Best of Crash Test Dummies]]''.
| title3          = [[And It's Beautiful]]
| length3         = 3:25
| title4          = Paralyzed
| length4         = 3:32
| title5          = The In-Between Place
| length5         = 2:50
| title6          = Not Today Baby
| length6         = 3:10
| title7          = Heart Of Stone
| length7         = 4:52
| title8          = Lake Bras d'Or
| length8         = 2:25
| title9          = What I'm Famous for
| length9         = 2:57
| title10         = [[Now You See Her]]
| length10        = 4:06
| title11         = Put a Face
| length11        = 2:06
}}
==Personnel==
According to the official Crash Test Dummies website:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crashtestdummies.com/#/music|title=Crash Test Dummies}}</ref>
*[[Brad Roberts]] – [[lead vocals]], [[acoustic guitar]]
*[[Ellen Reid]] – [[backing vocals]], [[lead vocals]] on "Put a Face"
*[[Stewart Lerman]] – [[electric guitar|electric]] and [[acoustic guitar]]s, [[bass guitar|bass]], [[drum]]s, [[organ (music)|organ]], [[Optigan]], [[Omnichord]]
*[[Steuart Smith]] – [[electric guitar|electric]] and [[acoustic guitar]]s, [[bass guitar|bass]], [[piano]], [[mellotron]], [[mandolin]], [[banjo]], [[Optigan]]
*[[Rob Morsberger]] – [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[vibraphone]], [[accordion]], [[melodica]], [[theremin]], [[String section|string arrangements]]
*Jeremy Forbis – [[drum]]s
*Suzanne Ornstein – [[violin]], [[viola]]
*Debbie Assael – [[cello]]
*Pinky Weitzman – [[Stroh violin]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{YouTube|id = MHpgwBRScEE|title = Behind the Scenes: Oooh La La}}
*{{YouTube|id = 2TZ4jOlmKMI|title = Behind the Scenes: Toy Instruments}}
{{Crash Test Dummies}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:2010 albums|Oooh La La]]
[[Category:Crash Test Dummies albums|Oooh La La]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Stewart Lerman]]