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Volume CXXXIII, Number 7 |
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Barenaked Ladies age semi-gracefully
LISA PETERSON
STAFF WRITER
Barenaked Ladies are back from the dead after a three-year long hiatus. Earlier this month BNL finally released Everything to Everyone, its follow-up to 2000's Maroon.
While the album does not deviate from BNL's signature sound and witty lyrics, it attempts to explore new musical genres, from the pseudo-rap "Another Postcard" to the almost bluegrass "For You" to the tango-driven melody of "Upside Down." One has to be impressed by BNL's ability to create amusing rhymes and even make an extended metaphor in "Aluminum."
Much of the album is composed of silly melodies. "Another Postcard" laments the plethora of anonymous chimpanzee postcards the narrator receives. "Another monkey in the mail could make me lose my mind/ I've got some shaved chimps; that's chimps devoid of any hair/ I've got depraved chimps dressed up in women's underwear."
BNL also uses subtle irony. These Canadian pop stars mock American consumerism in "Shopping," singing, "It's never enough until you've got all the stuff/ When the going gets rough/ Just shop with somebody tough."
On the other hand, the group approaches more serious topics with "War on Drugs," which discusses suicide. The lyrics do not attempt humor or wit, but rather focus on the important message at hand. "On behalf of humanity/ I will fight for your sanity/ Another died and the world just shrugged it off."
Listeners will get the catchy lyrics of songs like "Maybe Katie" and "Testing 1, 2, 3" stuck in their heads. Many of the songs have upbeat tempos and an interesting variety of instruments. The most unique is in "Shopping," where the Blue Man Group is featured on PVC tube percussion.
BNL appears to vacillate between trying to be serious and just looking for laughs. Even the insert art and credits reflect their long-running wacky image. In the thanks section, the group states, "Barenaked Ladies and Ron Aniello would like to state that Peggy Spier is one of the World's greatest living chefs." However, some of the more heavy lyrics suggest they are trying to break out of the jokester image.
Although, the band seems unable to top its previous hits, such as "If I Had $1,000,000" and "Pinch Me," Everything to Everyone does not stray from the band's well-known pop sound. Everything to Everyone may not appeal to everyone as the title might suggest, but BNL's fans will not be disappointed by this interesting album.
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