Barenaked Ladies Are MEN

Well, if you've stuck with me for this long you must be a glutton for punishment.

Here we go with the second part of my wordy and mostly worthless review of the "Barenaked Ladies" new album. "Barenaked Ladies Are Me."

Or rather, the second part of this album, which is online now, but will be released in a physical CD form next year, is called "Barenaked Ladies Are Men." Yes, it's wacky wordplay, BNL style. Accompanied by a wacky release of the record in two parts.

This album in total has 29 songs, they are releasing it all at once if you pre-ordered on I-Tunes. If you missed it, you can still get a 27 track deluxe version. Elsewhere on-line there are various versions, a 15 track version, a 25 track version, and others.

In record stores you can only buy a 13 track album. The physical CD, the second part of the record (with 12 songs) will be available in early 2007.

Confused? Me too. I didn't even realize that by pre-ordering I got two extra tracks that will pretty much be unavailable now, save for a USB stick that is being sold at shows and at their fan club website that has all 29 songs plus other multi-media.

Bottom line, last week I reviewed the 13 track first part, here is the 12 track second part. They could have made this easier to grasp.

"Barenaked Ladies Are Men" is even better than "Barenaked Ladies Are Me." It has a great mix of up-tempo and more melancholy tunes. Starting off with a Kevin Hearn mellow-fest, "Serendipity." Probably one of my least favorite tracks of them all, this song still has a groovy (albeit a bit repetitive) chorus. It's nice to break up the songs with different noises, and in that respect this track delivers.

Next is a kick butt song, "Something You'll Never Find", and it's one of my favorites. A rocking blaster with great retro 70's rock hooks and fantastic trumpet work. Let me take a moment to just say - for a bunch of guys who are all married (except Jim I think) and mostly all have kids, the songs certainly seem to be all about a lot of screwy relationships with various different women. This either means they are recalling their past, they have very active imaginations and/or their marriages are very complex. Not good or bad, I'm just sayin' is all.

Next up is probably the most musically lovely and romantic track - "One and Only". Now lyric wise, who knows. It seems mostly sincere, but there are stabs here and there that seem to be the usual irony laced barbs typical of BNL.

Speaking of irony, ready for good times at the expense of others? Then cue up "Angry People" and enjoy perfectly sardonic BNL taking the piss out of the rage filled morons of the world. This one is destined to be a classic at live shows and on peoples i-pod play lists. Great, great song.

The perfectly crafted pop/rock song of "BNL Are Men" is "Down To Earth" which has just the right amount of hard guitars and exquisite rhythm to get you dancing and super silly. It seems to be about, gasp in shock, a girl - who is young and gorgeous and has a train wreck of a personality. Nice.

If you are suspicious of "One and Only" being a bit sarcastic, then the track "Beautiful" is definitively so. I can't remember a more viciously condescending song from BNL, but again the music is just so gorgeous - you don't even realize you're listening to a bitter 35 year old trying to take power back from a stunning 20 something.

Next is probably the song that will be most remembered from all of BLAMen, "Running out of Ink" A great upbeat jam, a bit reminiscent of the energy level from "Upside Down" on BNL's last record. Lyrically, this is very self-referential in a clever and biting way. Funny stuff.

Ed Robertson makes it a perfect trilogy of beautiful ballads with bite on "BLN Are Men" with the track "Half a Heart". I haven't nailed down what he's trying to say yet, but I can gather it's another perfect mixture of longing, angst and anger bubbling out of a gorgeous and romantic arrangement of guitars and harmony. Like most of BNL's work, this song has an amazing bridge that is pure candy to the ears.

This next might be my favorite of all 29 (did I already say that about another song?) "Maybe Not" sounds like Journey meets, well, BNL; complete with cheesy hand claps and wah-wah pedals. Love the intro, love the power chords, love the whole dern thing.

While the previous track might be my most favorite, this next one "I Can I Will I Do" might be my least. It's the only song I skip, besides "Easy" which I skip because I've been listening to it for months. I get what they're doing here, it's a bit Al Green, a bit lounge singerish, a bit cheesy and spiteful. Similar to "Conventioneers" in mood, I am just not the biggest fan of stoner funk groove sarcasm. It works well to break up the record, because it sounds so different, but I'm thankful that BNL only does this on occasion.

Almost done with the second half of their opus, BNL hits hard with "Fun and Games". Where "Take It Back" was a heartbreakingly serious look at 9/11 with a perfect mix of feelings and facts, "Fun and Games" is a straight ahead condemnation of very specific people and incidents - that uses humor as it's deadly weapon. If you read this blog at all, you know I am decidedly pro-war on terror. This song makes an unmistakable statement against all of it, and I still think it is a GREAT song. It is so well done, including a mind blowing interlude that degenerates into a dixie land ragtime circus, that I can overlook the misguided intentions and really appreciate the work and humor that make this song fly. Contrary to what you might think if you read my rants, I abhor war, it's ugliness and brutality. There is nothing remotely appealing about it, and in that this song and I are in complete agreement.

Finally, the album comes to a gentle close with "The New Sad", an ironic song about- irony. Appropriate for BNL to say the least. Again, the melody is divine, and Steven's voice strikes just the right mix of soothing tones and playful crooning. Well done BNL.

But wait! There's more! Four bonus tracks! The first two are still available, if you get the music online, the second two were only found on the i-tunes pre-order for the deluxe edition (and now only on the USB stick sold at shows and at the fan club.)

"Quality" is an upbeat ditty that to my ears sounds too similar musically to "Fun and Games". Believe it or not, even I have a threshold for songs that are too much pop, and this song actually crosses over it a bit. Very sing songy and repetitive, it's not one that I would miss. (Wow, did I just diss that song?)

"Another Spin" is Kevin Hearn trying to rock out. He succeeds to a point, better than previous upbeat efforts, but this is still b-side material. Even so, I enjoy the horns and harmonies quite a lot, as usual BNL makes them sound effortless.

"What A Letdown" is a song that I think has been around for awhile, having been played live in many shows. It is a great power rock song, in the vein of "The Old Apartment" for it's thumping bass groove and guitar pounding. Definitely could have been included on the record, but it's cool to have such a strong song as one that fans need to dig a bit to find.

"Why Say Anything Nice" is a song that is sort of, not like anything BNL has ever done before. It reminds me a bit of Billy Joel's horn heavy songs ("Easy Money" or "When In Rome"). I can see why this song was left off as one that wouldn't fit, but it is still a joyous bar band rocker. The "Tower of Power" like horn stabs make it fun and rambunctious. I wouldn't mind at all if BNL's next record continued in this direction (though it has been a death knell for other groups, such as "Huey Lewis" or even "10,000 Maniacs")

Well there it is. That's all. If you're still here, I have only one thing to say...

You don't get out often enough.