Dummy Darvill releases pair of indie discs
Winnipeg Free Press — Sound Opinion, Bartley Kives. January 13, 2000.
Son of Dave — 01 (Husky Records)
B. Darvill’s Wild West Show (Husky Records)
The man behind Son of Dave and B. Darvill is none other than Ben Darvill, the diminutive multi-instrumentalist for Winnipeg-spawned pop band Crash Test Dummies. Before lead singer Brad Roberts changed his public persona last year, Darvill was widely considered the most unpredictable Dummy — and also the most likely to release a wildly creative solo album.
It took a few years, but the London, England, resident has not one but two solo CDs out, both on the Vancouver-based independent label Husky Records. The Son of Dave project is the more conventional of the pair, even though it’s an extremely eclectic disc that veers from blues-based music that reminds listeners Darvill used to play in a blues band called The Detonators to funky electronic numbers that aren’t far out of line with the latest Dummies’ album, Give Yourself a Hand.
Fellow Dummies Dan Roberts and Mitch Dorge appear as guest players, but the finest aspect of Son of Dave is the re-emergence of Darvill’s brilliant harmonica-playing, which surfaces on a handful of tracks.
B. Darvill’s Wild West Show, meanwhile, is a relatively formless, less accessible record that’s also more thematically consistent. This show is a bizarre, faux-western soundtrack (think the Magnificent Seven theme, with samples) interlaced with busy electronic soundscapes, kitschy gospel and other kooky/disturbing miscellanea. If you’re a fan of soundtrack or pastiche music, you’ll enjoy this odd and exuberant foray into Darvill’s brain.
Overall, both records are reminiscent of the uncensored eclecticism of Ashley MacIsaac’s latest album, minus MacIsaac’s contempt for his listenership.
Son of Dave: ★★★½
Wild West Show: ★★★★