Crash Test Dummies - Swimming In Your Ocean

Review by NaraDeva Thai

Swimming In Your Ocean, the second album by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, is a unique and eclectic mix of quirky lyrics, catchy melodies, and unconventional instrumentation. Released in 1994, the album was a follow-up to the band's successful debut The Ghosts That Haunt Me, and it showcased the band's signature sound of deep baritone vocals, acoustic guitars, and unusual instruments such as the mandolin, accordion, and glockenspiel.

The album's opening track, "The Psychic," sets the tone for the rest of the album with its playful lyrics and upbeat melody. The song features lead singer Brad Roberts' trademark baritone vocals, which are perfectly complemented by the band's harmonies and the catchy mandolin riff. Other standout tracks on the album include "Two Knights and Maidens," a medieval-inspired ballad with a haunting melody and intricate instrumentation, and "Here I Stand Before Me," a melancholy ballad with a memorable chorus and a poignant message about self-discovery.

Summary by NaraDeva Thai

Throughout the album, Crash Test Dummies showcase their versatility and creativity, blending elements of folk, rock, and pop music to create a sound that is uniquely their own. The band's lyrics are often whimsical and tongue-in-cheek, but they also tackle deeper themes such as love, loss, and mortality. Swimming In Your Ocean is a fun, inventive, and thought-provoking album that showcases the talent and creativity of one of Canada's most beloved bands.