The seeds for Oooh La La! were first planted when Brad Roberts and producer Stewart Lerman became infatuated with vintage analog musical toys, particularly one manufactured by the Mattel company called the Optigan. 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. The process is eerily similar to the digital sampling that is so common today, but the antiquated analog system produces quite a different effect. "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 , 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."
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. However, plans were later changed and Roberts signed a distribution deal with MRI Records, which distributed the album via Sony's RED Distribution division.
Reception
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". Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News gave the album a "B" and praised the album's use of toy instruments as ingenious. 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 country-swing of What I’m Famous For, where Roberts shows off the worstJohn Wayne imitation ever." 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." 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" Graham Rockingham of 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." Mike Allen, reviewing for Sputnikmusic, also gave the album 2½ out of 5 stars and states that "after getting past the ideal that Roberts brings a certain distinction to the music, his vocals grow tired." He specifically criticizes the songs What I'm Famous For and Now You See Her as examples of how disjointed the album is, with a lack of cohesiveness. However, he does praise Ellen Reid's contributions to the album, especially on Heart of Stone and Put a Face.
Track listing
Personnel
According to the official Crash Test Dummies website:
