by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Dropped from their major label and a half-decade away from the peak of their popularity, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine released the bitter mini-LP A World Without Dave . Considerably calmer than their earlier work, with slower tempos and washes of synthesizer, the record doesn't have the same infectious energy as before, which makes the cynical lyrics appear resigned and vindictive. Not only are the topics bleak, but so is the music, making A World Without Dave an insular mess only of interest to dedicated fans.