In the past few years, Barenaked Ladies fans have not had much reason for excitement. After constant touring and hard work for most of the 1990's, the band has been on a well deserved break since their fifth studio album, 2000's "Maroon."
After getting nationwide radio play with pop singles "One Week" and "It's All Been Done," both off 1998's "Stunt," lead singers Steven Page and Ed Robertson have shifted gears on their latest release, "Everything to Everyone." With songs similar to the unique tracks on the band's debut, 1992's "Gordon," their new material looks to revive the carefree roots of their best known song, "If I Had $1,000,000."
The album starts off with a few upbeat pop songs, but slows down as it nears the end. The third track and first single, "Another Postcard," is mainstream enough to fit in on the radio, but certainly has that original BNL feel to it. Page and Robertson sing about a man who receives unmarked postcards with pictures of chimpanzees in different situations on the face of each card. This certainly defines it as a BNL song, as the Barenaked Ladies and monkeys go together just as well as Kraft and dinner.
"War on Drugs" is a six-minute melody that mentions suicide, and is bellowed out by Page at his best. This fits in well with the second half of the 14-track album. Most of the songs are slower and geared towards depression or love, as was the theme in "Maroon."
The album as a whole may not be as fresh as the band's earliest works, but contains enough defining songs to gain the appreciation of anxious fans. The album can also be purchased with an 11-track DVD, which features various studio sessions of the band's work on the album.
Barenaked Ladies will be appearing in Buffalo on Dec. 13 as the headliner of the annual WKSE-Kiss 98.5 Kissmasbash concert. With precise calculations, fans should be able to listen to the new CD in their car and make it to their seats just in time to miss every band except BNL.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
