Just in time for Christmas sales, Canada's number one import Barenaked Ladies celebrate their meteoric rise in ten short years with their first greatest hits collection. I have quickly grown fond of this band over the last few years, and slowly but shurely getting closer to getting their entire collection in my possession. 1998's "Stunt" was the release that caused me take special notice of these guys; as well as many others in America. Before this release, I was only familiar with "Brian Wilson" and "Be My Yoko Ono" (both tracks appear on this release). Two great songs, but I never dug any further because I thought that Barenaked Ladies were more of a "novelty" act who write parody songs, much like Milwaukee's own Pat McCurdy. I couldn't be more wrong about these guys! Just because they can make you laugh with their certain "off-the-wall" style, these guys churn out some seriously enjoyable rock and roll. Their hooks are as catchy as anything Squeeze or even The Beatles have put out. Add the diverse vocal styles of guitarists Steven Page and Ed Robertson, and you arguably have the most unique rock band in the world today. "Disc One" is a great place to start if you are somewhat familiar with this band, and addition of two new tracks make this an almost certain necessity for the die-hard fan (very sneaky) but it works.
The most enduring quality about BNL is their ability to dig into some very common, yet unusual human experiences. "The Old Apartment" is probably the best example of this. The song deals with someone breaking into their old apartment just to see what the new tenants have done to it. "This is where we used to live..." screams Steven Page over some very solid electric guitar riffs. The song hits on some very touching human emotions that few bands can also claim. I'm sure many of us would admit to some emotional attachment to some little apartment that we used to reside in. I can relate this to my flat of six years that I recently moved out of! Other big hits include "One Week" (see latest car commercial: ka-ching!!), "Pinch Me" from last year's "Maroon", and "It's All Been Done" from "Stunt". Most BNL fans, hard-core and casual, are already familiar with these very necessary additions. I find just as much joy in listening to tracks like "What a Good Boy" and "If I had $1000000". "What a Good Boy" is a slower acoustic flavored tune that brilliantly explains the pressure of being a success in life is a cross to bear from very early on. "If I Had a Million Dollars" is a true silly novelty song, but an extremely good show stopper when seeing these guys live. I have mixed reaction with one of the new tracks here. "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" fails to grab the listener after repeated listens. It's a harmless song that features both Robertson and Page on vocals, but this collection would have been better served by including "Alcohol" or "Some Fantastic" in place of this song. It's hard to not talk about my favorite BNL tune, "Brian Wilson". This meloncholy, yet powerful song, explores the mystery on why the reclusive Beach Boy "freaked out" during the height of his popularity. The song never comes off as being cruel. In fact, I think it introduced a whole new generation to the music of The Beach Boys. Anyone who treasures The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" album can't put words together as well as Steven Page in trying to figure out Brian Wilson's life since that point. I've also read that Wilson has included parts of this track during his latest tour, which proves that he also has a sense of humor.
I can't recommend this new cd enough. I also like the fact that they didn't organize all 19 song chronologically, which gives the listener a sense of surprise. This collection is a great compromise for the casual fan and the die-hard... like I'm fast becoming! Here's hoping for Disc Two and beyond. If you like this release, my favorite cds by these guys would include "Gordon" and "Stunt". Then... see them live for a very unique and hilarious experience. There's nothing better than hearing good musicians who don't take themselves too seriously. Fresh and live, these guys never let you down!
