CD Review: Barenaked Ladies Are Me

From Staff

With their first full-length studio album in more than three years, Barenaked Ladies have solidified their geek rock status with Barenaked Ladies Are Me.

The first single “Easy” is a departure from the pop-rap the band became known for in the late 90s, showcasing a more folksy feel. And while it was seeing limited air play in Canada and portions of the U.S. this summer, it is the deeper cuts that truly showcase the Ladies’ true sound.

The second single, the up-tempo “Wind It Up,” sticks to what the Ladies do best — quick-witted lyrics combined with catchy hooks — a trait that in the past, has caused some to call the band goofy and sophomoric. But hardcore fans will recognize it, and the perfectly penned “Bank Job,” as their signature style.

With an overall mellow sound, Barenaked Ladies Are Me is the kind of album that can be put on as “wallpaper” while studying or just hanging out, without fear of distraction.

This album is perfectly balanced though. Not too serious, but not too goofy, it’s the Ladies’ best effort since 1998’s Stunt. Despite its overall appeal, it is missing a true radio-friendly gem like the band’s only U.S. No. 1 — “One Week.”

Radio-friendly or not, “Maybe You’re Right” shows why these guys have been around for more than 15 years. As the song builds to a climax worthy of any major orchestra, you can feel the ebb and flow of an argument where the singer ultimately concedes to the other party, “maybe you’re right, maybe you’re right…but I don’t think so.” Lead singer Steven Page’s vocals give this track its emotion, but it is the horn arrangement he and bass player Jim Creeggan collaborated on that punctuates the climax and send it home.

For anyone not familiar with the band (or their political tendencies), “Take it Back,” chronicling their feelings following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will provide a perfect snapshot and remind the listener of the mood surrounding that day and the weeks that followed.

Fans of Barenaked Ladies Are Me will want to look for Barenaked Ladies Are Men, scheduled for release in early 2007. The album is the remainder of the songs recorded last year at Page’s own studio, Fresh Baked Woods, that didn’t make the cut, but if early performances are any indication, prove to be just as rewarding as the ones that did.