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Salient. Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Volume 39, Issue Number 11. 31 May 1976

The Car Over the Lake Album: Ozark Mountain Dare Devils

The Car Over the Lake Album: Ozark Mountain Dare Devils

In a sentence? A collection of harmless songs. I can't deny that at times the music itself is pleasant even good, but I must protest at the appalling lyrics which made this listener wonder if the Dare devils weren't laughing at the record company. To me it's almost incomprehensible that this is a serious album.

In fact some of the tracks, such as Cobblestone Mountain and Sypsy Forest are children's songs - seemingly adapted from stories they read as children. That would be excusable if this was an album for children. But it isn't. So the album says no more than - we're a group of lads making music and so long as it sounds pretty, it's fine by us.

The Car Over the Lake Album album cover by the Ozark Mountain Dare Devils

Pop groups can't however, hide behind the "subjectiveness of it all". Try to hide behind these cringing lyrics from the song "Leatherwood".

"country love gonna steal your mind and we aint never gonna be blue".

I should have wept when I heard that -but I didn't. Hardened by years of listening to commercial radio has conditioned me not to react too violently to bad music.

The opening track on Side One is a prophetic introduction to the general condition of this album. Called "Keep on Churning", its solid beat is ruined by a membled message about love and butter-making. Perhaps the N.Z. Dairy Board could pluck the song's kernel from obscurity.

In essence, this album lacks something There is no spirit in it, all meaning is lost in vague sentimental references to love, nature and the countryside. This is the first Dare devils album I have heard so I am able to make comparisons.

Perhaps the kindest words I have are that some of the melody lines are strong and vital - the musical ability of the group is not in question. But on the whole the compositions lack overall depth and variation for the lyrics relegate the songs to their level of absurdity.

- Leigh Thompson