RootsTown News (Belgium)

WHERE HE LEFT OFF/Jan. 10 1998

I'm against violence, but sometimes a slap in the face makes a man feel better. Dave Crimmen must have thought something like that when he walked in the studio with his group to record his third album, "Where He Left Off". The result is a collection of short, but hard hittin' slaps and two beautiful slowies, forcing people to put tables and chairs aside. It was probably very cold in that studio and not to turn blue they opened with the high energy of "Take Me Baby" and "She Can't Stop Dancin'," with some great Jordanaires-like backing vocals.

Temperature went way up and Dave's attack made his guitar smoke, so they turned the pace down with a real tearjerker with more sensuality than Goedele Liekens (1) will ever have. If it's your hobby you're in for some smooth sailing, but afterwards you'll be blown away by the wind-velocity 12 of the instrumental "Rockabilly Rave" and "Go, Cat, Go" with a joyful sax. This duo's played with so much power at the end the guys' tongues were hanging on the ground, but Dave put his boots on 'em and the short twinge resulted in "Let It Rock." Eventually, they could take it slowly with another tearjerker, this time with the kind of eroticism of which Wendy Van Wanten (2) thinks she's got it, too. Dave's a healthy man and when he started "Beautiful Women" he rather must have thought about Joyce De Troch (3) and you can tell by the two turbulent closing songs that his fantasy must have gone totally wild.

This album had not only taken the doctor (Dr. Boogie &endash; Radio 21) (*) and the mayor (of BluesTown&endash; Studio Brussels) (*) by storm, but also some American weather experts, 'cause they decided to call the next hurricane Dave

(1) TV personality, she's hosting a talkshow dealing with sexual problems, thinks she's sexy herself, but no way

(2) Also a TV personality, had a so-called erotic program a while ago that made you fall asleep in less than three seconds

(3) All-round, blonde showgirl, she's got it in every way

(*) I gave a copy of your album to Dr. Boogie and gave my copy in loan to Wim Vermeijen of BluesTown (I heard he received your package now).

I hope you can use this to send to the majors and I hope you will get a deal, 'cause everybody's waiting for your albums to become available here. Let's hope the New Year will be your breakthrough.

-Marc Nolis, Editor