How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Advantages:
Good Clean fun, with deep meaning lyrics
Disadvantages:
None
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Barenaked Ladies got its start in 1988, when childhood friends Steven Page (vocals/guitar) and Ed Robertson (guitar) discovered they enjoyed singing together at summer camp. The idea for the band name (which the two were forced to defend repeatedly in the group's early years) came to them during a giggling fit at a Bob Dylan concert. After several months spent performing as opening act for a traveling comedy troupe, the duo recruited high school classmates (and brothers) Jim Creeggan (bass) and Andrew Creeggan (keyboards), and the foursome recorded a demo tape, titled Barenaked Lunch. A performance at the annual Buskers Festival in Waterloo, Ontario, led to an encounter with like-minded drummer Tyler Stewart, and the group was complete.
Gordon, the band's first album proved a smash in Canada, but failed to generate much excitement among American audiences. Foregoing the dourness and angst fashionable among its alternative peers, Barenaked Ladies served notice they were fun loving, spirited, and not above dipping into novelty. Sporting songs such as "If I Had a Million Dollars" (which featured the line, "If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you … a Picasso or a Garfunkel"), and a remake of "Be My Yoko Ono," Gordon unfurled a brand a humor that many people brushed off as juvenile, and out of step with the times. Nonetheless, the album occupied the No. 1 spot on the Canadian pop charts for eight weeks, and it remained in the Canadian Top 10 for ten months. Total sales ultimately topped 800,000, earning the band Group of the Year honors at the prestigious Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent of the Grammys).
The mix of clever lyrics, example of this is the concert fave of 'Brian Wilson', 'Drove downtown in the rain nine-thirty on a Tuesday night. Just to check out the late-night record shop. Call it impulsive, call it compulsive, call it insane; but when I'm surrounded I just can't stop.
The Ladies are a breath of fresh air, no swearing, no rudeness, no violence. They can make you think for ages about love, heart break and trips to HMV. This is the album to chill out to with it mellow jazz tones ('Hello City') to all out madness ('Crazy' 'Grade Nine' and 'King Of The Bedside Manor').
I truely recommend this to everyone, you don't need to swear to make good music. Oh and Yoko Ono loves her song 'Be My Yoko Ono'.
'I love you And you love me I love you So let's make a family tree'
'I Love You' by Barenaked Ladies
More details
How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Outstanding
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Gordon -
On this, their debut recording for a major label, Canada's quirkiest musical troupe
... more
introduced the world to their unique blend of scathing humour, skilful musicianship, and flat-out fun. Packed with songs that have become anthems to their adoring fans,...
Gordon -
On this, their debut recording for a major label, Canada's quirkiest musical troupe
... more
introduced the world to their unique blend of scathing humour, skilful musicianship, and flat-out fun. Packed with songs that have become anthems to their adoring fans,...
