Barenaked Ladies Are Me hits stands starting Tuesday, September 12. This latest album is by far my favorite. I believe the artist always has the best idea of what they want the song to be and now that the Barenaked Ladies are their own boss, they get to make the decisions. This has truly brought out the best in their music.
The first song on this album is also one of my favorites. “Adrift” has banjo and I like a song with a banjo. It also has the type of lyrics everyone loves this band for ("You’re an abacus, and my heart was counting on us").
Next we come to "Bank Job" a completely awesome song in its own right, though I like the live versions I have heard more. They contain more guitar and less keyboard. However, the recorded version does a great job of going through the ups and downs of robbing a bank musically. Also the way Ed Robertson can sing makes it seem like he is actually trying to figure out just what went wrong, making it an awesome effect.
So we’re two songs in and both are sung by Ed and not as much as a peep from Steven Page, the band’s lead singer yet. Well, he gets his big entrance in "Sound of you Voice" and it is really one of his better vocal accomplishments. It's '50s meets rock meets pop and it is an amazing outcome. It is also easy to sing along with. It has a catchy chorus; the kind that gets stuck in your head. But then it also totally rocks so it's ok when it doesn’t go away for hours.
On the first couple listens, I didn’t quite know what to think about the song "Easy." I heard this song much earlier than the rest of the album as it is the lead off single and it took several listens for it to grow on me. Because of the delivery of the lyrics I feel it is easy to not catch the plot of the song. You have to listen to it five or ten times before you can decide if you like it or hate it. However, it has one of their most unique videos and I cannot get enough of.
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
You didn't even mention the "intriguing" multiple format options the band has chosen to release this thing in.
Today the 13 track CD comes out in stores. Simple enough. If you download it from Itunes as a full album, you get two bonus tracks. Not only this, but early next year they’re going to release another album, the second half of this album (called Barenaked Ladies Are Men,) and it’s the same thing " two more bonus tracks from Itunes. But wait, there’s more. Starbucks in Canada, of all stores, may get a special release of BOTH discs together in one package, on October 3, but not with the bonus tracks, but they will definitely have the second album by itself that day.
AND THEN there’s yet another release that people can buy at concerts " Barenaked Ladies Are USB, which is both albums on a USB thumb drive, PLUS a live album (which could have been bought on CD as a bonus for pre-ordering Are Me from their official site,) an additional bonus track, two videos, 2 “Tru Tones” (whatever those are, but they appear to be songs,) “4 adlibs” (whatever that means,) and some other crap like pictures and stuff.
Yes, of course, you could always just not respond, but the problem is that fans want all the music, and bands are now taking advantage of multiple avenues to make sure fans are parted with as much money as possible in doing so. This may work for a few fans, but the end result will simply be encouraging most of them to trade songs with others who got what they did not - and I can't blame them.
2 - Josh
The biggest problem is 29 songs was to much to digest as one up front mega album. I got the second half today, and it is difficult to take in all the different musical aspects, though there are some wonderful works on the second half such as "Running Out of Ink", "Maybe Not", "Fun and Games", and "I Can I Will I Do." All of which I will cover in my next review for the featured artist. (I need time to digest.)
However if fans are looking for the best way to get the music I defiantly suggest the USB version. The bonuses are worth it I got their holiday CD this way. Adlibs are just great they are the improve songs they do each shows and are quite often hilarious. Also you really want the two bonus tracks; “What a Letdown” is one of my favorite of their new songs.
3 - Connie Phillips
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