Why I Love Barenaked Ladies…The Band
For those that know me well, I have always been a huge Barenaked Ladies fan. I have their book, movie, posters, live recordings and all their albums and singles. My father who is a highly talented bass player with SeeAlice in Toledo, introduced them to me back in high school.
I remember when he got a brand new company car and he would take me with him to go shopping or to basketball practice. He had BNL’s “Stunt” and “Gordon” album in the CD player non-stop for close to a year. At first, I thought they were hokey. I even teased him for liking them, but I soon got hooked on their truly unique melodies and unique style for composing and writing music. To avoid embarrassment, I tried to hid my true feelings for their music.
To be honest, I never was interested in music until that point. I found Madonna to be fake. I liked Michael Jackson, but like much of the pop world, I felt very unsatisfied after listening to one of their songs. That is why I never got into hip hop or the dance kind of music. Once you are done dancing, then what do you do? To me, good music has to have more than one layer. That is the formula that the Beatles used that gave them so much success. A well written song to me is
Catchy
good beat
unique and inspiring lyrics
good harmony
I finally found the layers of music I was looking for when I listened to the Barenaked Ladies albums. Their albums entitled “Stunt” and “Gordon” blew me away. They still do to this day. I always was curious of the joy my Dad felt when he played bass. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was listening to “It’s All Been Done”. Without me realizing it, I felt this urge to play along. I grabbed my Dad’s Hofner bass replica and began to follow along. Let me say on the record that I was horrible. My bass playing sounded like the sexual tensions of a male and female cat, but I was hooked on their music and hooked on bass playing.
I will leave out the dull un-climactic ending of my bass playing. The truth is I still have the same Fender Standard Jazz bass, but since I bought my own house, I do not even have an amp. My Dad taught me everything I needed to know in case I got serious about it, but this blog is not about my personal life. Not many people get the Barenaked Ladies band. Even after two to three listens, they still do not get it. My best friend claims to be a fan, but he has given up on them; I never will.
The Barenaked Ladies wrote some of their music as teenagers. In my opinion, the debut album “Gordon” is best album ever released. While much of the mainstream public perceive BNL as the “chickity China” or “white boy rap” band, I see them as one of the most unique pop/rock music composers of all time.
What I especially like about “Gordon” is the mixture of musical flavor. A band is made up of a certain number of people and each member has their own style or musical mindset. Some albums have been ruined by the clashing of ideas between band mates. What once seemed like a musical breakthrough turns into a musical disaster. However, barely approaching their twenties, the Barenaked Ladies band meshed the styles of pop, rock, folk, hip/hop, ballads, jazz and salsa to make something truly refreshing. At times I felt a tension between the well disciplined playing of Jim and Andy Creeggan and the laid back style of Ed Robertson and Steven Page. However, the music was never compromised.
It was as if they were just testing themselves to see their potential or to see what musical niche they could fall into. Barenaked Ladies are at their best when they let their creative minds flow and it was clear that they were experts at giving a simple pop song personality.
I will always recommend the Barenaked Ladies. Their lyrics avoid the cookie cutter style of music writing. While the “conditioned radio ear” may not understand their lyrics, my ears and heart will always flock to their music. As the band recently released a new album entitled “All In Good Time“, they have certainly changed. Steven Page was arrested for drug possession and left the band. As many fans have given up on them, I have not. I still think they have a skill that many musicians today miss. The ability to write a pop song that is more than just a verse, chorus, bridge and repeat. Far too many musicians today develop their talents based on their musical idols, but fail to develop their own style. The music business is hard, and I hope someone can fill the musical gap once BNL decides to retire.
Barenaked Ladies band of old
Barenaked Ladies in 2010
I too did not care much for BNL when I first started listening. Now, I like them a lot. They are creative and once you listen to a song, you can’t get it out of your head. I saw them in concert once, and they were great! I would go see them again if given the chance.
9/10 Loyal fans probably did not like BNL on the first listen.
I will have to give them a listen. I have heard the “popular” songs on the radio, but now I will have to dig a little deeper into some of their albums. Which album do you think I should start with?
I would start with Gordon, then Stunt. Then listen to their other stuff.
I grew up on their music, and they have always been my favorite band of all time. One of the things I love about them is that they never sold out, and never let the fame get to them. So many years in the business and it still looks like a group of your favorite uncles got together and made some music. Their music is simply amazing, so many people argue over the real meaning of the lyrics, but I think what makes them so great is that there is no correct analysis. Many of their songs carry a lot of symbolism and their music is written to be open to individual interpretation and each song means something different to me every time I hear it-which is what makes them timeless.
Exactly right Taylor. I still listen to BNL. I have been listening to them almost nonstop for 13 years. I never get sick of them. I might listen to other stuff for a month or two. I always come back to them. They are so unique. Even though some of their recent music has been sub par, I still love listening to their unique perspective on music and lyrics. They only take life seriously when they have to.
Mon, February 14, 2011 1:50:55 AM
Re: Your Comment on Barenaked Ladies Band Music
…
From:
Taylor Hartrick
“I thought that the name of the album perfectly reflected the tone of the music. The songs are not as catchy as they usually are, but I have so much respect for the overall BNL career that I can listen to every song and appreciate how they have changed. I think what was so different is that the music wasn’t as playful as usual, and that playfulness has sort been synonymous with BNL, so it was a little strange to hear. However I still love that they don’t write for the audience, they just write what they feel and what has impacted their lives-like the song Northern Lights- and for some reason when the goal is not to write for the audience, that’s when it touches them most. BNL has always understood that so it is almost an intimate experience to hear their songs. ”
-
Taylor Hartrick
All things considered, their new album isn’t too bad either. There are quite a few catchy tunes on there. However, it’s a little more depressing than previous albums, but I think that’s because the band is going through a time of change right now with Page leaving and stuff. Although I’ll miss Page (and am kinda angry at him for getting messed up on drugs), I think BNL will be back in form once they get settled as a quartet. As long as one of the original founders (Ed Robertson) stays with the band, it’ll still be BNL. I’m looking forward to their next album.
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