Customer Reviews

Dummy

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this in September 2004 in Amoeba of L.A. without much expectation. I was wrong. This is arguably the best studio album of NRBQ since Message for the Mess Age (1994). In terms of production, this could be the best album of their career (their records have never sounded this clear and crystalline). My only complaint is that you don't get much of Johnny's funky guitar here.

"Dummy" has an incredible intro riff that feels like a 60's detective movie soundtrack. Throughout the track the walking bass of Joey Spampinato shines in its prime. Yes, this is the guy who played in the past with Chuck Berry, Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton among others.
"Call of the Wind" definitely has its hook: sitar intro and then the fretless bass of Joey. Beatlesque vocal harmony and clavinet in the chorus fall nothing short.
"All That's Left to Say Goodbye" is a delightful version of a bossa nova by Tom Jobim. The perfection of what they left unfinished in albums like "Tapdancin' Bats" (1983). Enjoy the laid-back vocal of Joey along with the perfect instrumentation by the band.

Yes, it has some dummy tracks with Terry singing out of tune (particularly, "One Big Parking Lot") but well isn't this album "Dummy" by NRBQ? "Get down before I knock you down" Terry shouts in "Hey Punkin Head".

If NRBQ wasn't one of the best bands ever for the better part of 3 decades I wouldn't even bother. This is not just any rock and roll band, but you'd never know it listening to Dummy. The best thing about this cd is the album art, which in and of itself is kind of scary. You don't hear Johnny Spampinato's guitar nearly enough. Having seen this version of the band twice in the last 5 years, I know the guy can play but sadly he's given too few opportunities. Quite simply, this band lacks consistent song writing. Ever since Big Al left, this band has been adrift. They are a travelling "NRBQ Greatest Hits Show" now. Though NRBQ has released several albums since Big Al's departure, the best material has been LIVE stuff from the vaults. "You Gotta Be Loose" is the current line-up's best record, basically, a live greatest hits package. So forget Dummy. Buy Scraps, At Yankee Stadium, Diggin' Uncle Q, the Scraps Companion, Honest Dollar, Live at the Wax Museum, She Sings They Play, Boppin'the Blues w/ Carl Perkins, Ridin' In My Car...any of these is a better place to start than Dummy.

I am a big fan of this band. I am open to new or different directions for the band.

I do not live in the past so I will not complain that Al Anderson is no longer in the band (Listen, these guys have never achieved any type of fame or commercial success so a departure of a bandmate means nothing).

What must be essential of any NRBQ work is that the music has got to be fun and bouncey along with great musicianship. This cd lacks that. It sounds like they are just going through the motions.

I loved their previous studi cd, "Thatsa my band" It epitomized the fun. There are great jams and grooves. The covers are nice and eccentric. The music is so varied wich kept it interesting. "Dummy" is a big step down from "Thatsa my Band".

Most of the songs are slow. There are no guitar solos, no cool keyboard runs, no heartfelt lyrics, no jazzy drum rolls.

The opener "Dummy" is jazzy and has an interesting introduction. It is the most musical of the songs. It has an outro where the song slows down into a jazzy/louge style piano solo. The song is okay. "One big parking lot" is decent and sounds like a typcial NRBQ song done hundreds of times before...but without the energy. "Little Rug Bug" sounds like a children's song and should be excluded from the cd.

The best song is "God with a Blue Dress". This is a jam with cool time changes and the band actually gets into a groove. "Hey Punkin Head" also is a nice retro rocking song. The rest of the songs are decent but ultimately forgetable.

This cd is only for the completist that needs to have every NRBQ work.