Barenaked Ladies Album: “Barenaked Ladies Are Me”

"Some stupid number one hit single has got me in this mess!" The line from Barenaked Ladies' debut album, Gordon, proved prescient for the band following the success of "One Week" from their 1998 smash Stunt. The band had always crafted a whimsical blend of the somber and the comedic, yet they had garnered notoriety mostly for their humorous work, and the frenetic, pop culture-referencing song only further established them as a clever but glib band in the minds of critics and the general public.

Set on surmounting the novelty band stigma, the Ladies toned down their customary quirkiness a bit on their next two albums--Maroon (2000) and Everything to Everyone (2003). However, Reprise sought to capitalize on more rapid-rhyming singles, releasing "Pinch Me" and "Another Postcard" as lead singles for the albums. "Pinch Me" reached #15 on the Hot 100 and Maroon went platinum, but the downright inane "Another Postcard" received little airplay, and Everything to Everyone sold poorly. Disappointed with Reprise's promotional support (or lack thereof), the band left their long-time label in 2004 to form Desperation Records.

The common critical assessment of the band's new album, Barenaked Ladies Are Me, is that it's BNL's first "mature" album. Although such an assessment shows some critics' relative ignorance of Barenaked Ladies' entire work as well as an apparent forgetfulness of their own work (many writers hailed Maroon and Everything to Everyone as the band's "mature" albums), it's fair to say that a serious tone pervades the album. On songs like the acoustic-driven first single, "Easy," and the buoyant, sing-along-inducing "Bull in a China Shop," long-time songwriting partners Steven Page and Ed Roberston explore the familiar BNL themes of self-doubt and relationship complexities. Elsewhere the duo sharpen the political commentary that emerged on Everything to Everyone. The strongest of the politically-minded tracks (and perhaps the strongest song on the entire album) is "Maybe You're Right," which builds from sparse instrumentation to a resounding brass-filled finale. The album isn't devoid of BNL's trademark humor, though. On "Bank Job," a quirky waltz that could be the premise for a Cohen brothers' film, Robertson sings of a heist stymied by one of the robber's "crisis of conscience" when the bank is full of nuns. And, on "Wind It Up," the album's southern-rock closer, Robertson delivers possibly the funniest line of the album: "I was a baby when I learned to suck/But you have raised it to an art form."

Keyboardist Kevin Hearn and bassist Jim Creeggan also contribute some songwriting, with Hearn penning the Queen-esque "Sound of Your Voice" (sung by Page) and "Vanishing," and Creeggan providing "Peterborough and the Kawarthas." Hearn's songwriting contributions, including two other tracks on the deluxe edition, are his most prolific with the band, but his soft, colorless vocals are an acquired taste.

Despite many fans welcoming the band's continuing departure from fallacious ditties (No songs about postcards with chimps? Hallelujah!), some prefer early-era BNL (Gordon to be specific) and will no doubt be disappointed with the scarcity of BNL's customary hyperactivity. Of the thirteen tracks, only a handful could really be considered "peppy." Given that the band had written plenty of uptemo songs during the recording sessions--songs like "Running Out of Ink," "Down to Earth," and "Maybe Not," all of which are available on the deluxe edition of the album--one has to assume BNL consciously pursued a mellow vibe. The album doesn't really hit toe-tapping territory until the third song, "Sound of Your Voice," and two songs--the opening track "Adrift" and "Vanishing--are peaceful to the point of being downright somniferous.

Even though the album could use the jolt a song like "Running Out of Ink" would provide, the bulk of the material is by no means dull. The music is the sound of five guys who clearly enjoy the new-found freedom of making music on their own terms. BNL's greatest strength has always been their songwriting, and the album shows Page, Robertson, and Co. returning to form after the uneven Everything to Everyone. Barenaked Ladies Are Me not only surpasses its predecessor but also stands among the best work of the band's career.

If you're expecting a "joke" album with "joke" songs, move on. Yes, there is still humor in here, but there aren't any postcards with monkeys on them. In my opinion, this album is their most professional, and their music ability is truly highlighted. I especially love "Maybe You're Right" and "Sound of Your Voice." The first single, "Easy," is actually the most boring song on the album. I think "Take it Back" is a well-kept secret and may end up being played over the airwaves to the masses.

DVD-audio release of Barenaked Ladies Are Me and Barenaked Ladies are Men (aka, Barenaked Ladies are Me Deluxe Edition). If you have a DVD-audio setup, this is the one to buy. All 29 songs, remastered in 5.1 sound. Just like the DVD-audio remix of "Everything for Everyone", this one isn't terribly obtrusive or gimmicky, just a nice separation of tracks and the extra clarity that comes from the extended range.

Again, if you have the capability to enjoy it, pull the trigger and get this one.

I've been a fan of Barenaked Ladies since Stunt and have all of their albums. This album ranks right up there near the top. Not quite as good as Gordon which seems to always be the case with any band never equalling their first effort.

The songs on this album aren't as whimsical as their earlier stuff, but they have grown up. The music is still well written, it's still upbeat, catchy, poppy. Ever since Everything to Everyone they've seemed to be writing more politically charged songs (though not overly obvious). These songs may not appeal to everyone but they sound good to my ears. It is true there isn't a true standout dynamite single but overall, the collection of songs on the album are strong enough for a 4.5 (or a 5 rounding up)

My favorite tracks are: Wind It Up, Take It Back, Maybe You're Right, Bank Job, Home.

Sure the majority of it is mellow, but comparing it to Barry Manilow is a terrible comparison. Adult contemporary? Nothing wrong with that, they've always been played on those stations. Think Maybe You Should Drive kinda mellow.

Barenaked Ladies Are Me shows that the Barenaked Ladies are one of the most consistently great bands around. They were never a "joke" band, as they are skillful musicians, talented singers, and do weigh in on serious matters of love and the world. "War On Drugs" from Everything To Everyone is an example of how they create very powerful music. But the Barenaked Ladies never took themselves very seriously, and their charming quirkiness adds another dimension to their music. On Barenaked Ladies Are Me, the Barenaked Ladies have found the perfect combination of playfulness and maturity. The guitar riffs are maybe a bit less catchy than before, but also more fresh. And "Home" is their best ballad. There's also even better chemistry between Steven Page and Ed Robertson and the rest of the band in working together. A must have!