Another Fun Chapter To A Beloved Band’s Story

Since the band’s formation in the late ’80s, Barenaked Ladies have been delighting listeners with bright and whimsical alternative rock tunes with folk influences. Though the quintet of vocalist/guitarists Ed Robertson and Steven Page, bassist Jim Creeggan, keyboardist Kevin Hearn, and drummer Tyler Stewart were popular in their native Canada throughout the early ’90s, it wasn’t until their 1998 album Stunt that they began to achieve popularity in America as well. That album’s lead single, the bouncy “One Week,” was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, for, ironically, one week. The band has kept their name in the spotlight ever since, and even though Page departed in 2009, they are still releasing the same high-quality music. Their most recent album, Fake Nudes, continues that trend.

Despite the album’s comedic title (a play on the term ‘fake news’ that is oft-referenced in today’s media), the music relies slightly less on their signature folk and instead relies on a more modern indie-rock sound. Granted, there are still several tracks that channel their old work, but as a whole, especially on the back half of the album, there’s a definite shift.

The album begins with “Canada Dry,” a mellow folk song containing a plethora of references to Canada delivered in razor-sharp harmonies. Next up is “Bringing It Home,” which brings keyboards, a drum machine, and an arena-ready hook to the party. Hearn then takes over lead vocals on “Invisible Fence,” a pretty slice of guitar pop with trumpets adding exclamation points. Lead single and accidental dance-party anthem “Lookin’ Up” comes after. A common theme on Fake Nudes is how slick and sing-able the melodies are.

The rest of the 14-song journey showcases a wide range of influences, from country (“Sunshine”), to classic rock (“We Took The Night”), to even R&B samples (“Bag of Bones”). There isn’t a bad song on the record, as the band has done an excellent job mixing new elements into their traditional sound. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable listen throughout that even people who have never heard of Barenaked Ladies will love. And the idea that this record is anything short of enjoyable, is, 100% fake news.