Friday, April 21, 2017

A Post About The Barenaked Ladies

I wrote a blog about The Barenaked Ladies, my former favorite band, over 2 years ago. I redeemed my childhood love for them and redeemed their reputation as a great band. BnL has popped up a lot in my life this past week, so I needed to reiterate a few things.
Today, I cut the heavy reading and give you some lists with my straight-forward opinions attached below. None of the lists include music from post-Steven Page BnL, because I don't care.
Enjoy.

BRIEF DISCOGRAPHY OVERVIEW 

  • Gordon 1992 "THE REALLY FREAKING GOOD ONE"
  • Maybe You Should Drive 1994  "THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP"
  • Born On A Pirate Ship 1996 "AT THEIR MOST POLARIZED"
  • Rock Spectacle 1996 "SECRETLY THE MOST ENTERTAINING LIVE BAND EVER"
  • Stunt 1998 "DECENT ALT-ROCK ALBUM"
  • Maroon 2000 "LET'S MAKE STEVE DO ALL THE WORK"
  • Everything To Everyone 2003 "HOLY BALLS THIS ALBUM SUCKS"
  • Barenaked For The Holidays 2004 "ACCIDENTALLY MAKING THE GREATEST HOLIDAY ALBUM OF ALL TIME"
  • Are Me 2006 "THE MATURE ONE"
  • Are Men 2007 "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH YOU'RE GONNA MISS STEVE"

You may notice Are Me doesn't have any songs on my "BEST SONGS" list below, nor does it have any on the "WORST SONGS" list further below. A pretty safe album for newcomer fans. I believe the second quarter of Born On A Pirate Ship is pure gold, but it takes a true fan to survive the rest. Maybe You Should Drive really isn't that bad, it just comes off as a run-of-the-mill sequel to the lovable Canadian folk music singalong behemoth that was Gordon.
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THE 25 BEST BARENAKED LADIES SONGS

25 Helicopters 
24 Jane
23 Enid
22 Pinch Me
21 Off The Hook
20 War On Drugs 
19 Hello City
18 Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank
17 Light Up My Room
16 Shoe Box
15 Testing 1, 2, 3
14 The Flag
13 Break Your Heart
12 Lovers In A Dangerous Time
11 Falling For The First Time
10 When I Fall
9 Wrap Your Arms Around Me
8 The Old Apartment
7 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings (w/ Sarah McLachlan) 
6 Serendipity
5 Call And Answer
4 What A Good Boy
3 Too Little Too Late
2 If I Had $1,000,000
1 Brian Wilson

BnL always had the ability to tell an attention-grabbing story with plenty of instrumental variation. Musically, they never stuck with one sound, which is a compliment coming from an arrogant hipster like myself. All the songs listed above are great and have stood the test of time, in my book.
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THE 10 WORST BARENAKED LADIES SONGS

10 These Apples
9 Celebrity
8 Stomach v. Heart
7 Never Is Enough
6 (4-way tie) Everything To Everyone Tracks 10-13
5 Sell, Sell, Sell
4 Spider In My Room
3 Shopping (w/ The Blue Man Group)
2 What A Letdown
1 Another Postcard

"Another Postcard" was the freaking lead single for Everything To Everyone. It is also the closing credits song for the terrible 2016 animated film "Space Chimps." A sadly fitting stab to the throat representing its legacy. They didn't play it when we saw them live in 2006. I'm sure they want to forget this track as much as their fans do.
As for the rest of this list, I've never liked "Shopping." Tracks 10-13 of Eveything To Everyone is basically just a string of forgettable filler. I'm sure but a few of you have heard "Spider In My Room," and let me tell you... it's... about the most "WTF" song the band ever decided to record. "These Apples" has some cool instrumental performance chops, but for what purpose?
Anyways... long live these guys.



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