Everything to Everyone

On a More Serious Note...
by: john reed

As I was always afraid that the Barenaked Ladies always seemed like such a novelty act to many, that it was kind of a private fear of mine that their goofy-yet-charming appeal was gonna wear off the second the next cliché-ridden “big-thing” or “rock crushing” event came along (which we have not seen since the Seattle explosion).

Not to worry, as Canada’s not-so-bad-boys have risen to the occasion once again. No, you won’t find tracks as commercial or radio friendly as “One Week,” or “It’s All Been Done,” on Everything to Everyone, but the lack of blatant commercialism has been replaced by smart lyrical wordplay and hooks which are of more quality, than pop-laden licks that just pander to the Billboard charts.

This time out, BNL give us some cheeky ditties as “Maybe Katie” (which may be the best song concerning commitment-phobic men) “Next Time,” (the CD’s strongest track) and the wordy, yet lyrically suave, “War On Drugs.”

While the sometimes serious tone of the CD in not really something that you expect from BNL, it really is a good change of direction for them and makes us wonder where they will go next. 10-Jan-2004 3:00 PM